Ascension of the Lord
In preparation for worship,
we encourage you to read the Scripture passage
and reflect on what God’s word might be to you.
Scripture: Acts 1:1-11
Message: "In the Zone"
Including the Sacrament of Baptism
JOIN us for WORSHIP from HOME or in the SANCTUARY.
on Sunday at 10:00 a.m.
and activities to nurture faith
(Note on image above: photo of creation’s grandeur by Marcia Perry)
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Ministry News and Upcoming Events |
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Phased Re-Opening of our Ministry |
What a season of resurrection and renewal!
Throughout the last several weeks our ministry worked conscientiously to develop revised Phase 3 recommendations. The announcement yesterday from the CDC about the immediate change in guidelines for vaccinated individuals clarified our recommendations and timeframe. (Click here for a summary of recent CDC recommendations.)
The Session acted on the OPC Phase 3 recommendations directly related to in-person worship staring this Sunday, May 16. These include -
- Masks will be optional for vaccinated worshippers. Following CDC guidelines, unvaccinated parishioners will be requested to wear a mask to protect themselves and others.
- Vaccinated parishioners will be invited to sing hymns during the worship service. According to the CDC, unvaccinated worshippers are not encouraged to sing for their safety and the safety of those around them.
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Registration for worship will continue for contact tracing. Click here to register for worship on Sunday.
A full list of the Phase 3 recommendations for worship is found here on the church website. With all of these recommendations for in-person worship, we’re dedicated to offering the highest quality weekly worship livestream as well.
Our Body of Christ is committed throughout this pandemic to offer everyone the deep peace, abundant grace and genuine freedom to make the best and healthiest choice as we grow in faith.
With faith, hope and love,
we glorify the Triune God as a
renewed ministry that is
reformed and always reforming.
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The Christian Cooperative Nursery School & Rainbow Days
2021 Graduation Ceremony
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The CCNS 2021 Graduation Ceremony will be held on Monday, May 17, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. We are going LIVE, for anyone who would be interested in watching the ceremony. The livestream will be available for viewing on the Oxford Presbyterian Church Facebook Page! Please join us (via livestream) in celebrating these children and their accomplishments before they head to Kindergarten!
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All the news that’s fit.
Just a reminder, the next newsletter (deadline May 20) is the combined June/July issue. Don’t let your event go by without sharing a story about it! If it interests YOU, share it with US.
Thank you from your friendly, neighborhood church newsletter editor Nancy Moeckel (moeckenj@miamioh.edu).
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Come Connect with the DOTS* at Lunch in the Park! |
Moved to Saturday May 22, noon, at both Peffer Park and the Community Park Gazebo! (Miami’s graduation weekend is May 15 and 16. Too many dots on the move those days!) Bring your lunch, your beverage and your wonderful self.
See you soon!
*Devoted Optimists Trading Stories
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Celebrate Our Graduates and Sunday School Teachers! |
May 23rd is Graduate and Recognition Sunday! Join us in worship as we recognize this year's graduates and celebrate all of our wonderful Sunday School Teachers this year! We will also be presenting the Joan M. Teckman/Oxford Presbyterian Healthcare Award and this year's Jamieson Award.
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Celebrate This Year's Confirmation Class! |
This year's confirmation class will be celebrated in worship on Sunday morning, May 23rd. Join us in celebrating Lydia Bartel, Bryson Fears, Elsa and Finn Friede, Spencer Lykins, and Oliver Rice! A big thanks to this year's confirmation teachers, Carla Blackmar Rice, Carrie Ann Sharitt, and Pastor Marc! |
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End-of-the-Year Youth Group Party at TopGolf! |
Youth Group will be celebrating the end of the year with a party at TopGolf on Tuesday night, May 25th at TopGolf (9568 Water Front Dr, West Chester Township) from 5:00-7:30 p.m. We will meet there. Admission and food will be provided by the church. RSVP with Pastor Marc if you would like to go!
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Connecting as the Beloved Community |
Life on the farm knows nothing about pandemics. Alan and Rachel Mehl are keeping up with Mother Nature as they plant and harvest. Rachel underwent surgery in March 2020 for the removal of her pancreas. The gift of the pandemic was the enforcement of no contact. It allowed her to convalesce without the pressure of seeing people and slowly returning to her normal routine. She has time to walk, thus helping to keep the diabetes, that resulted from the surgery, more controlled. Alan’s life added some housekeeping chores that he took on while Rachel was recuperating. Rachel is glad to be back mowing this spring. Life on the farm is good.
When Rolf Brunckhorst retired, he thought they should get a dog - “I will train it”, he said. So, of course, Lisa has been training Easy Living - a now 11 month old English Mastiff. Currently a 100 pound bundle of energy, Easy Living loves to dig holes - good for aerating the lawn. Rolf and the Brunckhorst boys are building an airplane, in the garage. It has gotten to the stage of adding the wings, so a larger facility is on the horizon. When “Air Brunckhorst” is in operation Lisa and Rolf will be flying to visit their sons and families. Lisa is training her replacement as bookkeeper at the Oxford Seniors and still finds time to indulge in her passion for biking.
The Lockdown gave Rick Bailey all of the assurance he needed that he was doing his civic duty while spending all day in the basement building his detailed model railroad. Anne has thrived while keeping in mind an old adage: a crisis can be an opportunity - learning zoom to communicate with friends and family virtually, take ILR classes, conduct church meetings, and socialize with friends who sit six feet apart! "My teenage grandchildren were relieved that I no longer hugged them - and now that I am vaccinated they seem to be glad I DO hug them! ... We grieve for those whose lives have been torn apart and are thankful for all we have learned about humanity and the advancement of science and medicine." Watching spring flowers emerge this year was almost a miracle.
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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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Community Blood Drive Results! |
Thank you for a fantastic blood drive (May 7).
- 50 people registered to give blood!
- 42 were successful! (40 was the goal)
- 105% percent of goal!
- 3 First Time Donors! WOW!
- Over 126 lives will be positively impacted as a result of total donations!
Mark your calendar for the next Community Blood Drive - Wednesday, June 9 from 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Community Blood Center donors are the GOAT! (Greatest Of All Time).
APPOINTMENTS REQUIRED
There is no deferral or delay in donating blood after receiving any COVID-19 vaccine.
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Miami Matters - News from Miami University |
For generations, members of the OPC family have made a lasting impact on countless lives through higher education. This week, Tom Crist was awarded the 2021 Benjamin Harrison Medallion. Congratulations Tom!
Photo: Scott Kissell
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Deeds of giving are the very foundations of the world.
- Jewish proverb
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
From the perspective of the Bible,
hope is not simply a feeling or a mood or a rhetorical flourish.
Hope is the very dynamic of history.
Hope is the engine of change.
Hope is the energy to transformation.
Hope is the door from one reality to another…
Hope is believing in spite of the evidence and watching the evidence change.
- Jim Wallis
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Oxford Presbyterian Church | 101 N. Main Street, Oxford OH 45056
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