Colombia Mission Partnership Trip

(July 16-23)

          The apostle Paul writes frequently about partnership in the gospel of Christ, partnership between churches and between people.  In Romans 1:11-12 he writes from Corinth (Greece) to Rome that he is longing to see them "so that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine."  Later, from prison (likely from Rome), he writes to the church at Philippi, "I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always...making my prayer with joy, thankful for your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now."  (1:4-5, RSV)  We know how frequently the early Christians (Paul, Timothy, Silas, Prisca and Aquila, Tychicus, Silvanus among them) travelled back and forth from continent to continent to preach, serve, and encourage each other in various churches in order to "build up the ministry of Christ."

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UPDATE ON THE SEMINARY BUILDING

As you know, the Seminary Building's second floor has been off limits now for about six months.  The Facilities Planning Committee, while working on a comprehensive, long-range plan for our facilities, discovered that there was a structural issue with the fasteners joining the beams that support the roof and hold up the ceiling.  The ceiling has no doubt been sagging very gradually for a hundred and seventy-five years.  Once the Trustees and Session were apprised of this condition it was necessary for reasons of liability and good conscience to declare the second floor off limits and find a solution. 

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CHRISTIAN EDUCATION 

You can contact Christine Garton at cgarton@oxfordpresbychurch.org or call or text her cell at 850-276-3231.

On May 19 the congregation is invited to lunch and a presentation called, "Where Have All the Unicorns Gone?" by Dr. Paul Russell.  This event will take place in the Molyneaux Lounge at 11:30 AM.  Please sign up on the poster on the church secretary's door.  Here is a description of this presentation from Dr. Russell:

 "Unicorns are mentioned eight times in the King James version of the Bible.  Why were they mentioned and what was their Natural History?  What was the basis of a considerable Christian folklore that developed about Unicorns during the Middle Ages?  Come join us for a lively discussion of these intriguing animals as they appeared and disappeared from our religious heritage."

 

IN OUR PRAYERS:

                   

THE TUESDAY AFTERNOON CIRCLE

will meet on April 16th at 1: 30 in the Country Kitchen at the Knolls.  Pat Gifford will be the Bible Study Leader on Lesson 7, The Children.  Lawretta Clum will lead Least Coin and Prue Dana will read the Mission Yearbook.  An optional lunch is available at noon with reservations due to Lawretta by Friday, April 12.  Visitors and guests are always welcome to attend. 

THE TUESDAY EVENING CIRCLE

will meet April 2, at 7:30 pm in the home of Janet Ziegler with Jo Reinhart as the co-hostess.  Jane Baer will give the Devotions and Karen Simpson will lead the Program based on Lesson Seven, the Children, in the Horizons Bible Study.

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LADIES SPRING FRIENDSHIP BRUNCH

Ladies, come one, come all to a delightful Saturday Morning Brunch, Fellowship and Program. April 20, 2013, 1828 room in the Seminary church, 10:00 Am - Noon. Following the meal, the program will be a Rhythm Circle led by Peter Carels of Oxford with many types of rhythmic instruments. So ladies save the date and bring yourselves, your mothers, daughters, girlfriends, new friend, mentor or be a mentor.

Enjoy your friendships and make new friendships. Come enjoy great food and great fun. Please submit your sign up form ASAP. We would love to see every Oxford Presbyterian Woman and more at our gathering to welcome Spring. If you have any questions, please contact Debbie Davidson, 524-8216.

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OPW 2013 BIRTHDAY OFFERING

The 2013 recipient is a near neighbor:  WESTMINISTER NEIGHBORHOOD MINISTRIES

Child, Family and Adult Education Connection in Indianapolis, Indiana.

It serves families in the Near Eastside of Indianapolis, where close to 34% of the neighborhood families have incomes below the poverty level. From early childhood programs to youth programs and adult services. Over the past 30 years, Westminister's services have expanded rapidly.  The goal for the 2013 Birthday Offering is $500,000 to help them meet the needs of additional clients. Expanded adult services will include job skills training and resume building, adult literacy and basic math skills, financial counseling and budget building, cooking and fitness training, post-secondary education preparation, and anger management classes. For additional information see the January/February 2013 issue of Horizons, which is available in the Molyneaux Library-Lounge.

OPW has Birthday Offering envelopes. The offering began in 1922, to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Woman's Auxiliary (PCUS.) Our 2013 Offering will be dedicated at our May 18th Women's Retreat.

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Save the Date:  OPW Retreat

May 18.  WRA Cabin.  Barbara Barnes will lead the Retreat Program

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2013 SPRING RUMMAGE SALE

& BOUTIQUE

COME SHOP!!

The SALE DATES will be...

• Thursday April 11th from 6:00pm to 8:00pm
• Friday, April 12th from 11am to 4:00pm
• Saturday April 13th from 9:00am to 12:00noon (bag sale at 11:30)

Remember, all profits go to a wide variety of missions!

WE STILL NEED YOUR HELP!!

We would still love to receive your donations!

• Come SORT donations: Wednesday March 27th and April 3rd 9-noon, at the Seminary.
• Come SET UP tables, racks and move boxes: Saturday April 6, 9:00am (45 minutes)
• Come DISPLAY and PRICE
  items: Mon. April 8, Tues. April 9 and Wed. April 10, from 9:00am to 3:00pm each day.
• Come SELL on any or all of the sale dates.
• HELP us PACK UP after the sale ends: SATURDAY April 13th, noon til done (usually about one hour)

Please call co-chairs Sue Wilson 523-8848 or Paula Foltz 523-9873 with any questions. Thanks!

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ALTERNATE WORSHIP:  ARE YOU INTERESTED?

Pastors Mark and Barbara, with the support of the session, propose to rebuild an alternate worship go-team, including both people who participated in this venture earlier who are willing to give it a try again, and also others who may be interested.    If you are interested in exploring this possibility, please come to an initial meeting on Tuesday April 9 from 7 - 8:15.   A team of about a dozen people will be needed to help make this venture a reality.

Goals:  To be ready to launch a monthly special alternate worship service by September, perhaps to be held at 5 p.m. on Sundays (or Saturdays).    The hope for monthly alternate time and style worship experiences would be:

 1) to enrich the range of worship experiences in our congregation

 2) to be an outreach to others in the larger community who prefer less formal worship styles

3) to see if there is enough participation and momentum in the monthly services, to be able to move to  weekly alternate services at the appropriate time.

Details:  It is assumed that feeling of this alternate worship experience will be more casual and informal.  But the range of worship styles, the time and day of the month, possible themes, the use of a range of technology, the inclusion of child-friendly activities or availability of child care, whether there's an informal fellowship before and after with coffee and snacks, and more will all be determined as the go-team works together with one another and the pastors.  We will have available many models to consider and get us working creatively.

Answer to the question:  well of course, it's PILGRIMS.

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ATTENTION SUPPORTERS OF THE KROGER COMMUNITY REWARDS PROGRAM:  In order to participate in the program for 2013, we must all re-enroll our Kroger Plus Cards, on-line, AGAIN!! This will need to be done during the month of April.

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TO ALL THOSE CLIPPING BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION AND/OR CAMPBELL'S LABELS FOR EDUCATION FOR MENAUL:

First I'd like to thank you for your support.

Second I hope to mail the collected Campbell's Labels and the Box Tops in early May. We have some June expiring Box Tops.

The collection envelope is still on the Mission bulletin board near Elaine's office. She's upgraded the display, but I think it's the same envelope. Waste not, want not and we certain don't want to waste those June expiring Box Tops.

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SAVE THE DATE!!

Spaghetti Luncheon - Come enjoy a meal and help support the Youth Mission Trip to Tennessee.

Main course, Salad, Bread and Dessert for only $5/ $20 Family maximum

Sunday, April 21st   11:30

Call Leanne Staley (726-1417) or Debbie DeGennaro (524-2409) for reservations

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CHURCH SERVICES AT THE KNOLLS

Fairly recent church services on DVD will be shown at The Knolls on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month. For April that's

April 9 at 2:00

March 23 at 10:30

We will be in the Country Kitchen and anyone who would care to come is invited.      

Becky Quay

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SAVE THESE DATES

Wednesday, April 10th, and

Wednesday, May 8th

The Oxford Presbyterian Church has organized a spring concert series called 'The Sounds of Oxford' beginning Wednesday, April 10th.  These concerts will be conducted during the lunch hour from 12 Noon-1 p.m. in the sanctuary of the church at the corner of Main St. and Church St. and are free and open to the public.

THE INITIAL CONCERT ON APRIL 10TH will feature the Cheezies from Miami University as the opening act, with the voices of the 4th grade chorus of Kramer Elementary School as the feature performers of the day.  The Cheezies are a high energy a cappella group that will surely inspire our Kramer singers to continue their vocal pursuits while entertaining all in attendance.

OUR SECOND CONCERT, ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 8TH will feature Nashville's Julian and Bonnie George, a talented gospel duet who are touring the area in May, who will bring some classic Nashville gospel music, humor and a spiritual message for all in attendance.  Although not a local group, their choice to visit Oxford fits the "Sounds of Oxford" theme of the concert series. 

Everyone is invited to share in this celebration of the arrival of Spring!

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FIRST FRIDAY NITERS

Colombia Mission Partnership Trip

(July 16-23)

          The apostle Paul writes frequently about partnership in the gospel of Christ, partnership between churches and between people.  In Romans 1:11-12 he writes from Corinth (Greece) to Rome that he is longing to see them "so that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine."  Later, from prison (likely from Rome), he writes to the church at Philippi, "I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always...making my prayer with joy, thankful for your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now."  (1:4-5, RSV)  We know how frequently the early Christians (Paul, Timothy, Silas, Prisca and Aquila, Tychicus, Silvanus among them) travelled back and forth from continent to continent to preach, serve, and encourage each other in various churches in order to "build up the ministry of Christ."

          Our denomination has been encouraging churches to participate in this New Testament model of doing ministry and mission.  As we have met with and received members of our partner churches in Russia and Colombia, we have discovered how much we are inspired and grow and learn from them, even as we hope we also have gifts to offer them as well.  

          A team of members is preparing to visit our partner church in Barranquilla, Colombia this summer.  For 18 years our congregation has been partnered with the Seventh Presbyterian Church as part of a Presbytery (Presbytery of Miami Valley) to Presbytery (Presbytery of the North Coast in Colombia) partnership.  This is a reciprocal partnership.  The primary purpose of it is for us to build an ongoing relationship with Christian friends in another country and context with the expectation that we will learn from each other and help support each other in doing mission.

            Hunter Farrell, Director of Global Missions for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), has underscored the vital importance of long-term partnerships in mission.   One time short-term mission trips also have an important role, but the fundamental energy and imagination for doing mission together internationally has always come from long-term relationships, church to church, presbytery to presbytery, denomination to denomination.  What's more, the impulse to make world-wide connections has a strong Presbyterian heritage.  Our founding father, John Calvin, said he would gladly "travel the seven seas" in order to meet with Christians in other lands and thereby express our unity in Christ that exists and flourishes in spite of all the things that might otherwise separate us. 

         Many of you will remember that we have enjoyed worshipping with our friends in Colombia via telephone and via Skype.  We loved having Alexander Steffanell and Carmen Guerrera, a young couple from Barranquilla, as part of our congregation when they were in graduate school at Miami.  Their two boys were both born here and baptized in our congregation.  The Colombians have sent six of their young people to be counselors and staff at our Presbytery's Kirkmont Camp during the summers.  The Presbytery of the North Coast has sent delegations of clergy and other leaders to visit in our Presbytery almost every year.  And in recent years, almost every year our own congregation has benefitted by a visit from a Colombian Christian partner who has preached for us, eaten lunch with us, and talked with us at meetings and over dinners.  We have been inspired by their strong commitments and the depth of their faith. 

         We have not done as well in sending Oxford Presbyterians southward.  Holly Gage and Melanie Ziegler went for a week back in 1998 and I went down in 2005 as part of our Presbytery's delegation to the 150th anniversary of the Presbyterian Church of Colombia.  So, it's really time for us to go down and be with them in their context. 

         This is why seven OPC members are heading to Barranquilla in July:  Robert Smith, Karen Shearer, Connie Everhart, Deanna Maxwell (new member), Sara Smith (freshman at Miami), Mary Jo McFadden, and myself. The potential trip was publicized throughout the church for anyone interested to respond.  These were the folks who were able and willing to spend their vacation time, energy, and personal resources to make the trip on behalf of our church.  We are going to represent our congregation and to help strengthen and grow our partnership.  Our congregations have worked together on the Goel Project, providing sponsorship for children in El Porfin, one of the poorest areas of Barranquilla.  (In addition to helping with basic needs, sponsorship provides for their schooling.)  We will be seeing this mission work first hand along with many other facets of Presbyterian life and mission in Colombia.  We will be worshipping at the Seventh Church on the Sunday.  Our hope is to come back with new ideas for strengthening our partnership and involving more of our members. 

         The trip will require a significant outlay of money.  The total cost of the trip per person is about 1800.00.  But because our Presbytery is committed to this partnership, it will provide 1/3rd of the cost of the airfare, and some financial aid for some who cannot afford the whole cost.  In addition, our Session has committed up to a total of $5,000.00 from the Brill Fund.  (This is a special designated fund that cannot be used for regular, ongoing annual expenses of the congregation but can be used for special projects.)  The Mission and Outreach committee is willing to use up to a total $1,000 of a Designated Mission Fund (not part of the annual budget) to help those who cannot pay the whole cost. This will bring the cost for each individual down to about $700.00.  But it's still a significant commitment each member of the team is making in terms of time and money. 

         We ask your prayers as we prepare for this trip.  We're busy getting passports and shots and trying to learn some conversational Spanish (except for Sara who already speaks Spanish, thank goodness!) and trying to think of some special gifts we bring with us that would represent Oxford and our congregation. 

          We're excited to be representing our congregation on this trip.  And our brothers and sisters in Colombia have expressed much excitement in having us as their guests. 

         We're planning to have a special Colombia partnership focus day on Sunday, May 5, for everyone in the church, with a special worship and a luncheon to follow.  Please mark your calendar and plan to join us then to hear more and to commission us in worship for this partnership venture.   Dios bendiga!  God bless you!   Mark Barnes

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UPDATE ON THE SEMINARY BUILDING

As you know, the Seminary Building's second floor has been off limits now for about six months.  The Facilities Planning Committee, while working on a comprehensive, long-range plan for our facilities, discovered that there was a structural issue with the fasteners joining the beams that support the roof and hold up the ceiling.  The ceiling has no doubt been sagging very gradually for a hundred and seventy-five years.  Once the Trustees and Session were apprised of this condition it was necessary for reasons of liability and good conscience to declare the second floor off limits and find a solution. 

          The next step which the Trustees plan to take at their meeting in April is to decide whether or not to recommend to Session that we sign a contract for the second study.  If the way is clear, the study would be done.  Then, at that point, when the options for and the full costs of the repair are known, the Trustees will make a recommendation to the Session which the Session will address in consultation with the Facilities Planning Committee and the congregation.  

          At this point the Trustees know it will require a total of $20,000 to design the repair of the roof support structures, probably $25,000-$50,000 to perform the repair if nothing else of significance is found.   This month the Trustees are contacting contractors about performing the repair and to confirm this $25-50,000 figure.  Another, separate cost that must be addressed is an additional $45,000.00 to repair the stained-glass windows on the second floor. You may remember that this project was left over from the 2002 Phase 2 Project when we were not able to fund it at that time.   

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