Celebration of Resurrection: Easter Sunday
In preparation for worship,
we encourage you to read the Scripture passage
and reflect on what God’s word might be to you.
Scripture: Mark 16:1-8
Message: "Again & Again: The Key to Life"
Including the Sacrament of Communion
JOIN us for WORSHIP from HOME or in the SANCTUARY.
Click Live-stream to join us for the Celebration of Resurrection
on Sunday at 10:00 a.m.
for our 8:00 a.m. Easter Worship Service.
so you may be comfortable with our health and safety precautions
as we live into Christ’s teaching to love our neighbors as ourselves.
and activities to nurture faith
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Ministry News and Upcoming Events |
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On this most solemn day of the church calendar, we’ll walk through the final hours of Christ’s ministry. Today at noon, join us for a brief Time of Prayer both in-person and through the livestream.
Throughout this Friday afternoon until 5:30 p.m., the Memorial Church sanctuary will be open for prayer and reflection. Come in to pray for a moment or an extended period time during this sacred time.
Register here to join us in-person for our Time of Prayer at noon. There’s no registration required to stop into pray throughout the remainder of the afternoon.
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We enthusiastically invite you and your loved ones near and far to join us in worship on Easter Sunday as we gather in festive celebration of Christ’s resurrection!
Since we’ve reached our in-person capacity for the 10:00 a.m. worship service on Easter Sunday, we’ve added an earlier worship service as we gather in joyous celebration!
An inspiring 8:00 a.m. worship service with communion on Easter morning will also take place in the Memorial Church Sanctuary.
Please register for this 8:00 a.m. Easter Sunday worship service here. If you’ve already registered for the 10:00 a.m. Easter Sunday worship service and would like to join us for worship at 8:00 a.m. instead, please call the church office so that we may assist you with those arrangements.
For those worshipping from home, we will offer the livestream of the 10:00 a.m. worship service Easter Sunday. Our Celebration of Easter will include the stirring sound of strings, organ, and the joyous hymns of Easter.
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An Easter Gift from our Music Ministry |
In the moments leading to worship on Easter Sunday, we invite you to spend some reflective time with organ music composed by Jason D. Payne (b. 1980) and performed by Lynn Jacobs. In offering this Easter gift from our music ministry, Lynn shares - Knowing that “Jesus Loves Me” (Us) gives us hope, joy and peace in all circumstances of life.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (I Peter 1:3)
Happy Easter to all!
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One Great Hour of Sharing - Fish Banks and Special Mission Offering |
Sunday, April 4, Easter Sunday, we will be collecting the familiar Fish Banks as we take up our One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) special offering. Join us in this special offering of the Presbyterian Church (USA) that provides relief to disaster survivors, feeds the hungry, and helps empower the oppressed and living in poverty. In recent years, the offering has supported numerous efforts including tornado recovery in Dayton, COVID-19 relief, clean water access as well as food and shelter for those fleeing civil unrest.
We invite you to give generously on April 4.
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Click here if you missed any Lenten Reflection. Thank you for journeying with our staff this Lent as, again and again, we bring all of who we are to Christ and trust that God will meet us with hope, time and again, along the way.
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Campus Ministry Discussion Group |
Our discussion group nights for college and campus students continue this Monday night with "Worldchanging 101" based on the lessons from the book by David LaMotte. We will also be meeting again on Monday, April 19 at 7:00 P.M. over Zoom.
If you would like to participate, please contact Pastor Marc. All materials will be provided.
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Eradicating System Poverty Team - Advocacy Training Days |
Imagine! God’s Earth and People Restored
April 7-9 | Virtual Event
The ESP Team invites you to to learn along with them how to organize and advocate around environmental justice! Compassion, Peace and Justice Training Days offer an opportunity to support this global movement centered on and led by the people and communities most vulnerable to climate impacts due to historic racial and colonial inequities.
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Saturday, April 10 -- 9:00 a.m.
Memorial Church courtyard
Most (perhaps all) of your pruning questions will be answered while we spruce (no pun intended) up the trees and shrubs around the church. Dick Munson will demonstrate proper pruning techniques and tell you why we do what we do. All are invited to attend. Please wear a mask and bring your favorite pruners if you have any. Some equipment will be provided. Work gloves are suggested. Hope to see all you budding (pun intended) horticulturists on the 10th.
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You're Invited: April "Faith and the Climate Crisis" Series |
Our Caring for Creation team would like to invite you to participate in a series of conversations hosted by Presbyterian Climate Advocates held on Sundays from April 11- May 2 from 4-5:15 on the topic of “Faith and the Climate Crisis.” We are hoping to have multiple attendees from OPC. Register here. You can see an inspiring presentation from Dr. Tull about her efforts to make her home “Net Zero” at this link.
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Revised Youth Group Schedule for the Spring! |
Youth group will be is back for a new Spring series starting on Sunday, April 11th (note the date change) called "Being Easter People." Join us for four weeks of service projects, in-person discussion nights, and even a little Spring cleaning! Check your e-mail for more details. Hope to see you there! |
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Creating a Healthy Community |
Be a part of a lifesaving team.
Oxford Community Blood Drive
Wednesday, April 14 from 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Seminary Community Room
104 E. Church St. (white building on the corner of Church and Poplar)
APPOINTMENTS REQUIRED
Sponsor Code #321
COVID-19 Antibody test will be performed on all blood donors as part of our standard testing.
(April is the last month for COVID antibody testing).
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Connecting as the Beloved Community |
Virginia Swanson became aware of the pandemic shutdown at a Senior Center exercise class. The small group was doing its routine when someone appeared, announcing, “The sheriff is shutting us down!” Virginia feels that she is surviving the pandemic quite well. Her daughter drives through at Kroger, picks up what Virginia has ordered and brings it to her. The Lane Library keeps her supplied with books and she is devouring them. Her 96 year old cousin in North Carolina has been recommending titles to her. She is particularly enjoying books by Walter Isaacson i.e. "Code Breaker”," Benjamin Franklin", "Steve Jobs" among others. The pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that she laid out in January are still where she put them.
Lynn and Doug Jacobs are managing well - partly due to the fact that Doug has become quite a good cook. Who knew? Lynn receives so much inspiration and energy from both the choir and the congregation that she is truly missing those parts of worship. She gets much joy from working with the student interns - all good people and so talented. Doug and Lynn walk every day, near their home at Ohio Living at Mt. Pleasant and are now exploring parks, on day trips, in the Tri State region. Lynn is eager to be accompanying the choir again.
Melanie and Richard Ziegler moved into their retirement home, in the woods, just before the pandemic slowed life to a crawl. This time of forced “stay at home” has given them plenty of opportunity to do some renovations, and to enjoy country living. Their son and daughter are both in the Oxford area. First grandchild, Murphy Jo, spends several days a week with Melanie and Richard - ample time spoil her. Melanie has taken up piano lessons and is thoroughly enjoying them .
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Children's books, novels, cookbooks, fiction and nonfiction books are needed for the new Little Free Library coming soon to OPC and CCNS. Donations can be dropped off at the church office.
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COVID-19 Emergency Outreach Fund |
As COVID continues to impact Oxford, our community faces so many challenges and opportunities as we all care for one another through this pandemic. Our ministry remains in close communication with our community mission partners.
If you know of a neighbor who has been impacted by this pandemic, our ministry is actively prepared to assist. The congregational response to the COVID-19 Emergency Outreach Fund has been generous. Please contact our church office if you know of a family or individual who has been impacted by this pandemic. We actively seek to help.
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Love in Action - COVID Vaccinations |
Ohioans 16 years old and above are eligible for a COVID-19 vaccinations. Navigating the process required to schedule a vaccine appointment may take persistence and patience. As a result, volunteers from our church family are ready to assist and guide you through the appointment process. If you encounter any difficulty in this endeavor, please contact the church office.
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We are surrounded by God’s benefits.
The best use of these benefits is an unceasing expression of gratitude.
- John Calvin
Your time, talent and treasure are truly vital to this ministry. If you are worshipping with us via the livestream, in lieu of a contribution to the physical offering plate, we would encourage you to mail your pledge/tithe to the church office or give through one of these digital avenues. To give online both conveniently and securely, you may access our online giving opportunity from your computer at https://onrealm.org/oxfordpresbychurch/Give.
To give via QR code, scan the code in the image below with your phone and follow the brief prompts. View a video tutorial here on giving through QR code.
To give via text message, text opc1825 and your designated amount to 73256. For example, text "opc1825 25" to 73256 for an offering of $25 and follow the prompt. View a video tutorial here on giving via text message.
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Living Into Hope
The proclamation of Easter Day is that all is well.
And as a Christian, I say this not with the easy optimism
of one who has never known a time when all was not well
but as one who has faced the Cross in all its obscenity as well as in all its glory,
who has known one way or another what it is like to live separated from God.
In the end, his will, not ours, is done.
Love is the victor.
Death is not the end. The end is life.
His life and our lives, through him, in him.
Existence has greater depths of beauty, mystery, and benediction
than the wildest visionary ever dared to dream.
Christ our Lord is risen.
- Frederick Buechner
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Oxford Presbyterian Church | 101 N. Main Street, Oxford OH 45056
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