A young academic wanted to start a conversation. And so he did what other academics did—he put up signs around town listing the matters he felt needed talking about. But it was to no avail. Either fellow academics ignored the signs or they read them and simply didn’t find the topics of conversation very enticing. The young academic was not creating any buzz and consequently there was no conversation or debate on the matters he thought important to discuss. Fail!

The next time the academic wanted to start a conversation, he had a better plan. The academic had wanted to discuss matters somewhat related to Halloween, and he knew there would be a big crowd in town on the upcoming October 31^st. So the academic went around town on Halloween and put up signs with matters to discuss upon several doors, including the door that would have been most opened and closed on that day—the door people went through to look up perhaps the largest assortment of bones and clothing and other small items from important dead people to be found on the entire continent. Sounds pretty ghoulish if you ask me but he wanted to create some buzz!

We might be thinking that the door lead into a haunted house, a place where some horror show was to be performed on Halloween, but the door was actually that of a church! The church stored this collection of more than 17,000 items that belonging to Freddy, the local bigwig politician. And people would come from miles around to look at the mixture of bones and clothing and curios because Freddy had the authority to give them what they most desired—an indulgence. What was so great about an indulgence? Well, an indulgence was a sort of shortcut to paradise. Let me explain. For centuries one of the ways to ensure that people were truly remorseful and contrite regarding their own sins was to have them do a penance—a sort of discipline or punishment to incentivize better choices and holier behavior in the future. A penance could be something easy like more prayers or more time in church, or something severe like thwacking oneself across the back with a switch. But what if there was a way around doing penance?

Indulgences, to reference the board game Monopoly ™, were like a “get-out-of-jail-free” card. They were certificates that were issued for deeds done in lieu of penance. For example: for medieval knights, fighting in the Crusades sufficed as penance for the soldiers’ sins. Whatever atrocities the soldiers committed did not require penance because they were fighting for what was believed to be a just cause and so they were issued indulgences. Such moral math developed over time into a lucrative exchange economy. One could give a donation to a church and in return receive an indulgence. One could visit a holy site and in return receive an indulgence. And if a dear departed loved one had not done adequate penance during his or her lifetime, and if there was a question regarding the departed one’s purity of soul and consequent final resting place, a person could enter this exchange economy of indulgences on behalf of the dead relative. As one priest nearby the academic’s town crassly put it: “As soon as a coin in the coffer rings, a soul from purgatory springs!” (And up from the ground rose St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome with the proceeds.)

If you haven’t figured it out by now, the young academic was Martin Luther, and the doors of the church were those of All Saints Church in Wittenburg, Germany, and Luther was keen to have a disputation (a conference among scholars) regarding the practice of issuing indulgences, and the signs he hung on church doors around town were his 95 theses. There was something about this exchange economy in the medieval church that troubled the young man, and he wanted to talk about it. Many of us are aware that Luther first thesis said: “Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, when he said ‘Repent!’, he willed that the whole life of believers to be one of repentance.” All fine and good. But most of us are unaware that the logic of his theses led to the following at thesis number forty-three: “Christians are to be taught that he who gives to the poor or lends to the needy does a better work than buying pardons (indulgences).” Per Luther, the gospel prioritized human need over the pseudo-spiritual exchange economy that was common during his day.

Luther was not a radical trying to tear down what came before him. Rather, he was concerned that the church try to reform so that the call of Jesus Christ to “Repent!” (which means turn and follow me) was lived in a way that demonstrated an economy of gifting (grace and help to sinners and the poor and needy) rather than an economy of exchange (money and/or works in return for forgiveness). This was the germination of what flowered into the Reformation. The true spirit of the Reformation was never against Roman Catholicism, but for the grace and truth of Jesus Christ. Our Lord, all by himself, was and is the true indulgence—the true “get-out-of-jail-free” card—for everyone, Catholics and Protestants alike.

The 500^th anniversary of the Reformation is upon us (October 31, 2017 is half a millennium to the day Luther hung his theses) and it is right and good that we consider the spirit from which it sprang, especially as Oxford Presbyterian Church celebrates 200 years of existence. The grace and truth of Jesus Christ given to the world, and the call to faithfully following him in the way of grace and truth, were the same for Martin Luther then as they are to us today. While we will likely sing a few rousing renditions of “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” in commemoration of the event, we do more to honor the legacy of the Reformation by being a people who worship, follow, and obey Jesus Christ as our Lord. Luther would have us consider the magnificent grace showered upon us in the gospel, and how such overwhelming grace has liberated us to bless one another and the world in word and in deed. May we at Oxford Presbyterian be a true Reformation church by loving the Lord our God in heart, soul, mind and strength, and by loving our neighbor as ourselves. Amen.

All blessings in Christ,

News from the Session

September—

All Elders gave committee reports, noting especially—repairs done in each of the restrooms and air conditioning of one of the units; election of Elder nominees at called congregational meeting on September 17; the Bicentennial Anniversary committee and ad hoc committees are continuing their plans; church picnic to be held on Oct. 1; memorial service for Ann Boswood on Oct. 7 with reception to follow; Installation of new Elders on Nov. 19, with reception to follow in their honor as well as, outgoing Elders and those who have joined the church during the year. Finally, Kathy Webb given permission to make a recording with other musicians using the grand piano.

October Approvals—

• Ellen Gould, Elder, serving as minister on October 22 while Alan is on retreat with Youth.
• Installation of new elders on November 26 instead of the 19th while Alan is with family.
• Alan, Michelle K. and Kellie Price as chaperones with 3 girls on Youth Retreat Oct. 20-22.
• PW Day to be held on March 18, 2018.
• Walter Gould serving as commissioner to Presbytery meeting in Goldsboro on October 28.

Worship

Communion served at both services on October1 as scheduled and also to shut-ins by Alan. Next communion Sundays are November 5 and December 3.

Committee met on October 17 and 24 to discuss worship ideas for celebrating the Bicentennial.

by Lindsay Miller, chair 

Missions

Our total collections to World Vision during August was $51.00 and ACIM—$195.00. In September—Murdoch Center—$118.00; Presbyterian Disaster Assistance—$380.00 and Church World Service—$295.00. (These last 2 were collected following the hurricanes that hit Texas and Florida and caused great destruction and flooding). Also during September, we collected 150 4-pack packages of toilet tissue as requested for us as an added mission for ACIM.  Our October mission has been collecting for UNICEF. Cobb Huggins and her son, Rett, made a presentation to the congregation on the 15th.

In November, we will collect non-perishable food  and toiletry items for ACIM. In December, the Angel Tree is our project.  We will be sponsoring children in need ‘angels’ and senior citizens with food, toiletry items, etc.  If you would like to sponsor either one, there is a chart in the Fellowship Hall for you to add your name as a sponsor to either a child or senior citizen. If you have a name to give, you can do that, too. Nominators will need to provide helpful information for each recipient (clothing sizes, shoe sizes, special needs, likes, wants). Each volunteer will be given information for shopping for your ‘angel’. The gifts are to be bagged and returned to OPC in time for school kids to receive their gifts before Christmas break. You may wrap gifts or bag unwrapped. The deadline for nominations is Sunday, November 5. Please see or call Ellen Gould for more information.

In December, we will continue our annual Joy Gift Christmas Offering.

by Delores Johnson, committee chair

Music Notes

The choir’s Christmas program this year will focus on music from our 200 years past with a script written by Ellen Gould.  Chris and Franz Koeneke will be part of this program.

We were honored by special music on Oct. 8 by renowned pianist, Roanld F. Williams from Wake Forest, and Rev. Evelyn Couch, mom of member, Earron Couch.

Then in change of genre, Shelly Chauvanx, violist, played Haydnand Debussy on Oct. 15.

Our own fabulous bass, Lindsay Miller, rounded out soloist presentation on Sept. 24 with “I’d Rather Have Jesus” and Walter Gould, baritone, sang in “I’ll Fly Away” on Oct. 22.

by Kathy Webb

Presbyterian Women

The annual Fall Gathering for our Area 2 was held at St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church in Louisburg on September 9. A total of 60 were in attendance and Kathy Webb attended, representing the OPC-PW.

Our PW Circle began their new year on Monday, September 18 at 10 a.m., meeting at the church. Nine ladies were in attendance and we welcomed Sue Potter as a new member. The meeting was hosted by yours truly and also gave the first lesson from our Bible study schedule. The October meeting was hosted by Ellen Gould and lesson presented by Kathy Webb. Once again, nine were in attendance. In November, Kathy will be the hostess and Ellen will give the lesson. We are using the volunteer system with lesson presenters and hostesses volunteering for the next month at each meeting. Please come and join in the hour of fellowship along with the Bible study.

by Delores Johnson, moderator

Please Remember In Your Prayers

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

Congratulations to:

• William and Elaine Milton, whose infant daughter, Ally Elaine Milton, was born on September 11, weighing 8 lbs. 1.5 oz. Elaine is the daughter of Carol Whitfield Bullock.
• Joe and Jessica Sharon, whose infant son, Sawyer Sharon, was born on September 21, weighing 10 lbs. 11 oz. Jessica is the daughter of Jane Boyd and the late Foster Boyd.
• Blake and Jade Currin, whose infant daughter, Bellamy Rachel Currin, was born on September 29, weighing 5 lbs. 14 oz. Blake is the son of Lynn and Channie Currin and grandson of the late Ed and Doris McFarland.

• Julia and Thomas Blaine, whose infant son, Jack Blaine, was born on October 2, weighing 5 lbs. ? oz.   Julia is the daughter of Mark Colgrove and Sharon Colgrove.
• Kathy Webb, music director and Delores Johnson, secretary, who were honored on October 1 for their 20 years of service to OPC .

Holiday Program

Plan to be on hand in the Sanctuary at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, December 10. The children will present an enlightening program for Advent and Christmas that will celebrate the season and share lots of interesting information about the history of our congregation. The public is invited and a fellowship reception will follow featuring cookies whose recipes are famous in the history of our church. Thanks to LeeAnne Lequick and Cathy Yancey for helping this most special occasion.

Adult Class

Lindsay Miller
Delores Johnson
Cathy Yancey
Walter Gould

Youth Class

Walter Gould

Young Marrieds

Alan Koeneke

Elementary Class

Ellen Gould

Flower Schedule

November

5—Communion

12—Lene Cash

19—Mary Ann Antley

26—Christ the King Sunday

December

3—Communion

10—Advent Wreath & Poinsettias

17—Advent Wreath & Poinsettias

24—Advent Wreath & Poinsettias

31—Advent Wreath

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 November 1 and December 6.

Thanks to all who placed orders for the stew from the Men’s Annual Stew Sale and who helped in the preparations.  We still have a little stew left to sell, but do not tarry! It’s really good and so it’s going fast! If you wish to buy, please contact Dudley Barnes or Jim Ingram.