“I resolve.”

Yes, the New Year is upon us and we are all likely busy taking inventory of the year that was 2017 and planning and looking forward to 2018. And therefore we might be uttering to ourselves:

“I resolve.”

The taking down of an old calendar and the putting up of a new one is commonly seen as an opportunity to reconsider and reestablish goals, and to then pursue those goals through a motivated exercise of personal volition. We get busy with renewed vigor for work goals, relationship goals, social goals, faith goals, and (of course) dietary and health goals, hoping our efforts meet with success.

But for Oxford Presbyterian Church, the calendar year 2018 has a little extra significance. As you may well know, we will celebrate 200 years of being a church this year. We have much to be thankful for to God, supremely for the continued gift of the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ that both sustains and leads us as a congregation. And this year is opportunity for us to show our thankfulness in a myriad of ways.

The question for us is: how should we resolve to show that thankfulness? There are already some answers to that question that have manifested themselves among us. We have undertaken a small capital campaign for the sake of repairs and improvements to our lovely building. We have begun to lay plans for a gala celebration that will take place on Sunday, September 16^th of this year. We will host Charlie Bryan, a direct descendant of Thomas Littlejohn who gave the land upon which our building sits, for a lecture on the history of Mr. Littlejohn and how he gave shape to this community in March. And there will be more happenings you’ll be hearing about in the near future.

But there are other ways we can resolve to show our thankfulness, ways that are immediate and perhaps of even greater significance that our celebratory events. For me personally, I resolve to endeavor to follow Jesus Christ more faithfully—that means more grace, more forgiveness, more humility, more generosity, more prayer, more joy, more laughter, more tears, more identifying with and empathizing with people whose hearts ache, more believing his words and trusting his gracious commands. It means more risk—risk in loving one another, in loving neighbor as self, and supremely in loving enemies.

At first blush it may seem like a tall order, but then I am reminded of the fact that Jesus Christ my Lord goes before us in the way he calls us. He never calls us to places where he himself is absent but always to places where he is already present and ministering his good news. A life of gratitude following Jesus Christ is why God called Oxford Presbyterian Church into existence in the first place. It is why any church exists.

This New Year, let us resolve to be what God has already made us.

All blessings in Christ,

News from the Session

November—

• Approved the reception of a portable wheel chair ramp given in memory of the Reverend Norman MacDowell and in honor of Mrs. Miriam MacDowell by Marie Hobgood.
• Approved the change of Session meeting times to each third Sunday of the month beginning at 12:30 p.m.
• Session elected not to hold a stated meeting in December.

November (continued)

• Alan will serve as commissioner to the General Assembly in June to be held in St. Louis.
• The Outstanding Older Adult Awards will be held on May 20, 2018 at First Presbyterian in Rocky Mount.
• The next Session and Trustees meetings will be held on January 7 at 12:30 p.m. New to the Session will be Paul Shelton and Judy Miller.

Worship

Communion was served at both services on November 5 and December 3 as scheduled and also to shut-ins by Alan. Next communion Sundays are January 7 and February 4. A joint Ash Wednesday service with Timothy Darling Presbyterian Church will be celebrated on February 14 at 6:00 p.m. at Oxford Presbyterian.

by Judy Miller, chair 

Missions

The November mission of collecting non-perishable foods and toilet tissue was a success as an uncounted number left the door of the church and filled the trunk of a car as collected by Eric Hinman for ACIM. Also a collection of monies totaled $240.00.

In December, ten ‘angels’ were chosen to receive gifts, ranging from toddler to teens to senior citizen ages.

The Christmas Joy offerings have totaled to date—$316.00.

Our traditional January and February mission will be the CWS Blankets Fund collections. $10.00 will purchase one blanket for those in need. As you’ve heard and read in the past, the blankets serve many purposes. Whenever a disaster happens, the blankets are sent to the areas where they are needed.

Thanks to all who are so generous in their giving to missions. You are obeying the call from the scriptures that speak of giving to the poor, hungry, widows and orphans.

by Delores Johnson, committee chair

Music Notes

Our church is fairly unusual in that we produce our own music and words. For example, Ellen Gould has written words to familiar hymn tunes more than once. She also researched and wrote the Choir’s Christmas Program on December 17 which Paul Hesse narrated with his usual cheerfulness and confidence.

We regularly sing a song either higher or lower to suit individual voices. We laugh at mistakes, which makes the performance anxiety lower.

Our soloists get braver and braver each time they sing.

Solos in November and December wer sung by Ellen Gould, Judy Miller, Chris and Franz Koeneke, Lindsay Miller and Cathy Yancey. Carolyn Steger ploayed her flute.

Please come and join us if you like to sing. Reading music is not necessary.

by Kathy Webb

Presbyterian Women

The PW Circle continues to meet as scheduled on the second Monday of each month in the Fellowship Hall of the church at 10 a.m.  The studies on the subject of angels are interesting as read from scripture, focusing mostly on the Book of Hebrews. The members volunteer each month  to teach the next month’s lesson and host the meeting.

The missions have been successful as 13 bags of fruit wer delivered to the elderly and shut-ins following the worship hour on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. Thanks again to Mary Ann Antley who provides the fruit each year as a tradition begun by her mother, Mary Frances McSwairn.

In December, 10 poinsettia plants were distributed among shut-ins and the elderly of our church family.

In January, the members will give a contribution to the Children’s Hope Alliance (formerly known as Barium Springs). In February, a donation will be given to the CWS Blankets Fund.

If you would like to have an enjoyable time of fellowship and Bible study for an hour on a Monday morning, please consider joining the group on the 2nd Mondays of each month

by Delores Johnson, moderator

Please Remember In Your Prayers

Sue Huggins, Dottie Price, Pete Strother, John Newell, Linda Diamond, Fred Heath, Diane Heath, Julie Gaydon, Isabella Baird, Hannah Hobgood and others you may know.

Congratulations to:

• Markus Koeneke, who graduated from North Carolina State University on December 15.

We said good-bye to loved ones this year who entered into the church triumphant—

Robert Sutton ‘Bob’ Bradsher, Jr.

Lindsay Clement Yancey

Ann Pittard Boswood

Sue Bryant and Barbara Laurent, said good-bye to their mothers also, this year

Babies welcomed and rose buds given in their honor—

Drew and Lee Anne Lequick, a daughter, Leah

William and Elaine Milton, a daughter, Ally

James and Julia Blaine, a son, Jack

Joe and Jessica Sharon, a son, Sawyer

Paul and Arianna Jackson, a son, Cole

New members added to the church family—

Randy Downey

Blake Hightower

Adult Class

Lindsay Miller
Delores Johnson
Cathy Yancey
Walter Gould

Youth Class

Walter Gould

Young Marrieds

Alan Koeneke

Elementary Class

Ellen Gould

Flower Schedule

January

7—Communion

14—Angie Arnold

21—Retta Powell

28—

February

4—Communion

11—Retta Powell

18—Judy Miller

25—Vivian Oney

If you wish to make a donation to the church or a special mission in lieu of flowers, you may do so by contacting Carol Barnes or the church office and the Pulpit Bible will be displayed on the Communion Table. You may do this in honor or memory of a loved one.

To Remember

Buffet Breakfast served every Sunday morning following the 8:08 contemporary service. Everyone invited!

Men’s Group suppers and meetings will be held on January 3 and February 7.

Thanks to all who purchased stew in the Fall of 2017. It sold out in mid-December but there will be more next October!