TABLE OF CONTENTS (scroll to see it all) (click on to JUMP TO) From Our I-Pastor |
If you would like to see a recent Presbyterian Church service come to The Knolls on Tuesday, May 12 and Tuesday May 26 . The service will be shown in the Assisted Living dining room at 10:00 A.M. and anyone wishing to join us is welcome!
Becky Quay
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Deadline for the June 2015
newsletter is
May 20
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From Our Interim Pastor
"In the Birthing Room of the Church"
Easter Season, 2015
Pastor Hart Edmonds
When our son and his wife were planning for the birth of their first child, they gave a lot of thought about what kind of birth experience they wanted for themselves and their baby. Together, they decided they wanted a midwife to assist them in the birth of their first child. Many of us can relate to that kind of thinking, as we may recall attending Lamaze classes where as young couples we learned about how to actively participate in the birth experience. For a lot of us men, this was a revelation! Admittedly, we knew very little about the birth of children. As a young father, I recall that we were also entering a period of our culture in the last decades where the presence of men in "the birthing room" was welcomed, instead of discouraged. "Birth of children" is a normal part of life and should be shared, and there's much to learn and appreciate about that.
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From Our Interim Associate Pastor
Rev. Cheryl Edmonds
Many thanks to all who have made my first weeks at Oxford Presbyterian so full of warm hospitality. I have received numerous flower arrangements and potted plants. Someone knew how much I love flowers and chocolate.
Everywhere I have gone I have received a warm welcome and I could not be more grateful for your hospitality nor the hospitality of the church staff. I especially enjoyed the fellowship time after worship that included a light lunch. We truly brushed shoulders and enjoyed fellowship during that time. My deepest appreciation goes to those who planned and carried out that event.
I look forward to getting to you meet many of you in the weeks ahead. I have met most of the Christian Education Committee and many who serve on the Board of Deacons. I am looking forward to a good working relationship with both of these groups.
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MAY WORSHIP SCHEDULE
May 3 Communion Sunday
Theme: "Remain in Me"
Texts: John 15: 1 -8; I John 4: 7-21
Rev. Hart Edmonds
May 10 Christian Education Recognitions
Jamieson Awards & Sunday School Teacher Appreciation
How Joy Gets in Us
Text: John 15:11
Rev. Cheryl Edmonds
May 17 Theme: "When Jesus Prays for the Church"
Text: John 17: 6-19
Rev. Hart Edmonds
May 24 Pentecost Sunday
Rev. Diane Ziegler
May 31 Trinity Sunday
An Adventurously Expectant Life
Romans 8:12-17 (The Message)
Rev. Cheryl Edmonds
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REFLECTIONS Dan Anderson-Little
(This is an imagined letter sent from Dr. Henry Little to the Oxford Presbyterian Church in 1881 on the occasion of its Heritage Sunday, composed by Rev. Dan Anderson-Little his descendant. Writes Dan, " I have tried, to the best of my abilities, to render this letter in Ol' Henry's style and in faithfulness to his driving passion for the ministry of the Gospel. Henry would have been 81 years old when he wrote this letter.")
April 18, 1881, Easter Monday
My dear brothers and sisters in Oxford,
Word of your Heritage Sunday celebration arrived to me by post last week and it is my desire to send greetings to you on this auspicious occasion.
This year Susan and I, God willing, will celebrate our Golden Anniversary, a partnership that began at the same time that I was first settled over the Oxford congregation. As we look back over 50 blessed years, we thank God constantly that we were given our start in your environs. Our brief two years in Oxford were not only pleasant, but fruitful-both for the ministry with more than 250 souls saved and for our family as that is where our first child Sarah was born.
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UPDATE FROM THE INTERIM TRANSTION TEAM
The team is hard at work! Direct any questions to any member:
Carol Burkhalter, Pat Gifford, Mary Jo McFadden, Diane Young, Janet Ziegler
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CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
May in the Church School- The students will meet in the following classes through the 24h of May.
Children will worship in the sanctuary and be released for classes following the Children's Story at approximately 10:20 a.m. Classes will be held in the following locations:
Nursery- First Floor Nursery
Preschool- First Floor in the Nursery School Area
K-1-Second Floor K-1 Room
Grades 2-5- Second Floor Art Room
Middle School-Second Floor, Geneva Room
High School- Second Floor, AV Room
Every Sunday in the Sanctuary Activity Bags and Action Bibles are available in the Narthex for use in the sanctuary by children.
May 10- Church School teachers and youth workers will be recognized during worship. Graduating Seniors will be honored and the Jamieson Awards will be presented.
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CARES, CONCERNS, JOYS AND THANK YOUs
IN OUR PRAYERS:
Keep these friends in your prayers
Rick Sayers, Debbie Davidson, Darrell Cross, Robbie Wells, John Reller, Stacey Winn, Betty Barnhart, Evelyn Black, Cathy Fey, Marilyn Rettig, Sarah Soika
Lord in Your Mercy, Hear Our Prayers
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We remember Kent Peterson as he grieves the loss of his dear partner of 37 years, Denny Carlson. Dennis was a brilliant, kind, humble, generous and loving man. He will be greatly missed by his family, friends, students, colleagues and anyone who has had the opportunity to be touched by his life's work and writing.
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There will be a memorial service for
Kit Reller
on Saturday May 9 at 1:00 at
Ogle and Paul R Young funeral home.
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THANK YOU, Dick Munson, for sharing your enthusiasm and skills while making walking sticks with the 45-56 kids.
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THANK YOU
To Robert Reid, Bagpiper, and Glenna Rust,
Drummer for making Heritage Sunday Special.
and we all enjoyed the dancing!
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THANK YOU to Doug Hamilton for sharing the peaceful grace of his violin.
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DEACONS
Pastor Hart practices what he preaches......"We're Presbyterians and we WANT YOUR BLOOD!"
Thank you for making the Deacons Blood Drive in March a success! 33 units were donated. The goal was 28 units! --Connie Everhart
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Do you know someone who needs a Prayer Shawl? Shawls are given for comfort in times of illness or grief, as well as for celebration in times of joy. If you have a friend or relative to whom you would like to give a Prayer Shawl, please call Cornelia Browne.
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OXFORD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH WOMEN
THE TUESDAY AFTERNOON CIRCLE Will meet on May 19. Pat Gifford will guide the Lesson, Lawretta Clum will offer the Mission Yearbook and Betty Reinhart will direct Least Coin. THE TUESDAY EVENING CIRCLE
Will meet in the home of Janet Holmes on May 5. Debbie Davison will be Co-hostess, Jane Baer will offer Devotions and Jo Reinhart will handle the Program.
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EMMA DARWIN VISIT PLANNED
On Saturday, June 6, we are in for a treat. Murial Blaisell, an emeriti Miami professor of Interdisciplinary Studies will treat us to an "Interview with Emma Darwin." She will give a presentation, in costume, highlighting Emma's life with her husband, Charles Darwin and the ten children. She will speak about life in the mid-1800's, about her family, children, grandchildren, pets, science and religion. We will also have a devotional time, coffee time and a box lunch. Look for information in the bulletin and newsletter and be sure to make a reservation and lunch choice. Come and enjoy a morning with Emma Darwin.
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The Oxford Presbyterian Women celebrated the arrival of Spring at our annual Friendship Brunch on April 18th. We enjoyed good food, great fellowship, and a fun origami activity. In addition, we elected the following OPW officers:
- Treasurer - Ginny Layton
- Coordinator of Gatherings - Roberta Crain
- Coordinator of Studies and Mission Interpretation - Karen Simpson
- Coordinator of Issues & Action - Nancy Moeckel
- Search Committee member - Ginny Staberg
- Honored Women Committee member - Lawretta Clum
These officers will be installed at the OPW Retreat on June 6th.
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2015 BIRTHDAY OFFERING
Presbyterian women have a long tradition of caring for others and helping those in need. In 1922 Hallie Paxson Winsborough, superintendent of the Woman's Auxiliary in the PCUS, visited Miss Dowd's School for Girls in Kochi, Japan. She challenged members of the auxiliary to give one penny for each year of their lives (or a dollar if a woman preferred not to revel her age) to the school. Since then the Birthday Offering has helped launch nearly 100 major mission projects that continue to improve the lives of women and children around the world.
While the projects and donation amounts have changed, the commitment to improving the lives of others has not. The 2015 projects are to the Community of St. Therese of Lisieux, a nonprofit residential community in Memphis, Tennessee, specifically created to address the needs of women seeking to learn a new way of life after surviving prostitution, human trafficking, and addiction, and our very own mission, the Bethesda Christian Community Center reaching out to women in the violence-riddled El Por Fin neighborhood in Barranquilla, Colombia.
The offering will be dedicated at our Women's Retreat on June 6. Special Birthday Offering envelopes are available. Checks should be made out to Oxford Presbyterian Women and designated Birthday Offering (with or without the envelope) and can be placed in the offering plate or given to Janet Ziegler.
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BETHESDA CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY CENTER IN BARANQUILLA COLOMBIA
If you wish to contribute to the OPW Colombia Fund, you can send a check to OPW with Colombia Fund in the memo line. This money will be used to furnish the new Community Center, once the construction is completed using the grant money from the Presbyterian Women Inc., USA Birthday Offering. We hope to furnish the kitchen that will be used to provide meals to the undernourished children in the neighborhood. We also hope to buy sewing machines and computers for vocational training for the women who have fled the violence in the countryside.
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SPRING RUMMAGE SALE MAY 7-9
The Oxford Presbyterian women have been busy sorting and they will have lots of wonderful, slightly used items for sale May 7-9. Please stop by to shop and to say hello. In addition to clothing for most everyone we will also have kitchenware, an assortment of jewelry and wonderful knickknacks and one of a kind items. Please spread the word and be prepared to buy. We will have wonderful bargains and it will please you to know that when you buy something at our Rummage sale you are giving the Oxford Presbyterian Women money that goes back to the community to help those in need. The sale starts Thursday, May 7 from 6:00 pm-8:00 pm at the Seminary and continues on Friday from 10 am-3 pm and Saturday from 9 am to noon.
We will continue to accept items through Saturday May 2nd. The Seminary is open for donations each Wednesday from 9:00 am to 11:30 am. You can also drop off items outside of Elaine's church office during the week until May 1 or call for a pick up 523-8848. The date for setting up the Seminary for the rummage sale is Saturday, May 2, at 9 am. Set up will involve setting up the tables and moving the boxes filled with items on top or underneath those tables. It should only take about an hour, but we do need strong men to help with this. Why should you support The RUMMAGE SALE? It supports the mission work of the Oxford Presbyterian Women, helps the environment by recycling gently used items, and provides an opportunity for all to find fantastic bargains and it helps those in our community that can not afford to buy new. Please spread the word and be prepared to buy.
If you have not signed up to help with the Rummage Sale and would like to do so it is still not too late, please call 523-(Check or Circle ALL that apply!!) The more the merrier!!
HELP SORT DONATIONS
Weds 9-11:30
Apr 8, 25, 22, 29
HELP WITH PUBLICITY
Put up posters
Make phone calls
Get boxes
HELP WITH SET UP
Saturday, May 2 9am
About 1 hour max
Set up tables and sort boxes
HELP SET UP FOR SALE
Display and Price
Monday May 4, 9-3
Tuesday May 5, 9-3
Wednesday May 6, 9-3
HELP STAFF SALE TIMES
Attend the tables, checkout, other
Thursday May 7, 6-8pm
Friday May 8, 10-3pm
Saturday May 9, 9-12
HELP WITH TAKE DOWN and PACK FOR CHARITY
Saturday May 9, 12-1pm 1 hour max
Name_________________________
Phone____________________
Email_____________________
Let the church office know how you can help by sharing info on this form with Elaine.
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OPW Scheduled Social Events
2015
May 7, 8, 9 Rummage Sale -
Seminary Building
June 6
OPW Women's Retreat
9-1 Western Lodge
Program to be announced - Roberta Crain
OPW Coordinating Committee
Molyneaux Lounge, 7:30 p.m.
February 25 and May 27
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SESSION
* Marj Lawson of the Presbytery of the Miami Valley's Committee on Ministry attended the April meeting. She is our consultant from the presbytery in guiding OPC and Pastor Hart through the transition time. The next step is to gather data for a church mission self study. This will be used to create the Church Information Form, a tool in searching for a new pastor.
* Discussion was held re where we want to focus our mission - Miami University? the Oxford community? other? Church members are asked for their input - talk to a session member.
* Tip Ziegler presented a detailed plan that explained what has been done in the past 10 months re finding out just who we are, what our goals are, and how we approach this task. May 3 is the target date to launch conversation groups to gather the hopes and wishes for the future of OPC members.
* Pastor Hart's contract for another year was approved.
* Work has begun on the trusses of the Seminary roof.
* $22,000 has been received from donors for repair of the windows in the Seminary.
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Facilities Progress
WORK HAS BEGUN AT THE SEMINARY!
Joe Simpson, Bill King and Bruce Bueschel met onsite April 7 with BeauVerre, the stained glass company from Middletown chosen to do the window repairs. Start date (2 at a time) is very soon, completion date sometime in October. Each window will be releaded, cleaned, repaired, replaced, with � inch tempered glass on the exterior. The interior plexiglas will not be replaced, but will be saved, in case programming dictates replacement.
They will start with the SE lobby window, opposite the war memorial window. Nine windows need the full treatment.
Attic/2nd Floor Ceiling
Jim Wilson has started work. Lumber is in the attic, bracing has started. There is considerable savings from earlier estimates for ceiling work-we don't need to replace the whole ceiling, but use plaster washers and screws to stabilize, and thin drywall for cosmetic cover up.
RFQ (Request for Quotation) have been sent to 3 Architectural firms. A firm will be selected to begin conversations regarding improving access to and from and within the Memorial and improving fellowship space.
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If you would like to see a recent Presbyterian Church service come to The Knolls on Tuesday, May 12 and Tuesday May 26. The service will be shown in the Assisted Living dining room at 10:00 A.M. and anyone wishing to join us is welcome!
Becky Quay
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Save the Date
May 3, 2015
Celebrating our Journey
Declaring our Intent
Paving the Way
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THE TRUSTEES NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE
In order to maintain a safe, clean and functional church environment. Your constructive input will help insure that needs are identified and addressed in a timely manner. A box has been placed on the chest located along the hallway between the main office and the kitchen. Git'er Done cards are available on which you can note cleaning or repair jobs that need to be done.Drop the card in the box and it will be checked regularly and assigned in order to g it'er done. Thanks for helping to make our facilities better!
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CHURCH WOMEN UNITED 2015 MAY FRIENDSHIP DAY CELEBRATES THE JOURNEY OF THE CAREGIVER.
May Friendship Day 2015 will be celebrated Sunday, May 3, 3 to 4: 30 p.m. at the Darrtown United Methodist Church. Joan Potter-Somer, Director of Oxford Seniors, will be our speaker. Caregiving is a task entrusted to us by God. As women, we care for others throughout our lives: from children and youth, to our spouses and significant others, to our parents and grandparents. When the tasks of caregivers overwhelm us and our inability to care for ourselves, we recognize a need for love and respite for ourselves and our caregiving sisters and brothers. This May Friendship Day is for all people who struggle with their calling of caring for the needs of others. Caregiving can be a lonely place of isolation and frustration. Jesus calls all of us to care for the least of these. How can we provide support for our sisters and brothers in Christ who give of their own lives in order to care for the needs of others? Like Simon of Cyrene who helped Jesus carry the cross to His crucifixion, how can we help to lighten the burden of caregivers and join them on their journey? May Friendship Day encourages us to journey with those in our midst who find themselves in the role of caregivers. Many of us are on that journey.
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Answer to the question of the month
BAPTIST / BUDDHIST / BA'HAI
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FIRST FRIDAY NITERS
will meet Friday, May 1 at 6:30 pm in the Molyneaux Library for a potluck dinner. Joe Simpson will present the program, a review of "The General's Son Returns: Journey of an Israeli in Palestine" by Miko Peled.
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MEN! WOMEN! CHILDREN! THE ANNUAL OXFORD UNITED METHODIST CHURCH SPRING BUFFET SALAD LUNCHEON will be held from 10:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. on Wednesday, April 29th at OUMC Fellowship Hall, 14 N Poplar St. Adults: $7.00; Preschool: Free. Carry-out and delivery is available. Call the church at 523-5115 by April 27 to order box lunches with free delivery.
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Needed: Donations of furniture, appliances, kitchenware, etc. for ShareFest (May 13- 19). Contact Carol Michael, 523 -3376. Sign up at ShareFestOxford.com. Volunteers are also needed.
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NEWS FROM THE COMMUNITY
ADULT DAY SERVICE
Happy Spring Everyone
We have been busy this past month helping out our upstairs friend (the church) fold their weekly bulletins. We are in charge of a page and we form like an assembly line and put them together for Sunday services. We are very happy to be able to give back to such a wonderful group of people.
May 4 Is National Walk week. You may catch us out walking around the community this week. We are also going to be making fudge on the 4th to take to our friends at Oxford Fire Dept - that is National Fire Fighter day. National Police week starts the 10th so we will make cookies and take to them as a way of saying thanks to them. Please remember to thank those who help keep us safe. We do have several craft projects scheduled for May and Mother's Day. Since the school year is coming to a close we would love to have some summer volunteers to help with our upcoming projects. If you have a special talent such as playing the piano or another musical instrument, we would love to have you! We are very fortunate to have several student volunteers during the school year. IF you are interested in our information or know someone who may want to attend the ADS, we do have spots available, please call Debbie at 513-523-0464. All of our games and activities are geared towards individuals with memory impairment or special needs.
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Oxford Presbyterian Church Staff
web page: www.oxfordpresbychurch.org
Telephone: 513-523-6364
Fax: 513-523-8215
Seminary Building: 513-523-7411
Interim Pastor: Pastor Hart
Music Director: Kent Peterson
Organist: Lynn Jacobs
Pastor Emeritus: Dr. Joseph R. Hookey
Parish Associates: Dr. Bruce Bueschel, Rev. Diane Ziegler
Administrative Assistant:
Elaine Patterson: [email protected]
Financial Secretary:
Jean Hitsman: [email protected]
Director/Teacher C.C.N.S.:
Sarah Mapel: 207-3630
Newsletter Editor:
Nancy Moeckel, [email protected]
OFFICERS OF OPC
SESSION
Class of 2017:
Mary Jane Roberts, Jeff Smith, Robert Smith, Janet Zeigler, Tip Ziegler
Class of 2015:
Carol Burkhalter, Diane Young, Brent Bader, Jenny Bailer, Mary Jo McFadden
Class of 2016:
Pam Deahl, Lynn Cronk, Pat Gifford, Tom Poetter, Rich Drewes
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Deadline for the June, 2015 Newsletter is May 20, 2015
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MAY BIRTHDAYS
2 Lisa Brunckhorst
3 JoAnne Hagerman
3 Joe Simpson
5 Joe Hookey
5 Lynn Cronk
6 Violet Suit
6 Michael Hughes
6 Katya Fisher
7 Breanne Parks
8 Valerie Green
8 Betty Wills
8 Ralph Jordan
9 Melanie Ziegler
9 Spencer Lykins
10 Phil Lindsey
13 Cia Beal
14 Genee Hesse
14 Ray Patterson
14 Nancy Gates
14 Bryson Fears
15 Bryan Richmond
16 Hank Thomas
17 Brent Bader
17 Katie Payne
17 Zachary Grajewski
18 Doug Gardner
19 Katie McDaniel
19 Amelia Johnson
20 Cathy Fujii
22 Rachel Grajewski
23 Evelyn Black
23 Dave Ferris
23 Keith Payne
24 Joan Teckman
25 Dennis Deahl
25 Jacob Bailer
26 Allyson Gayhart
26 Autumn Saylor
27 Charles Kennedy
27 Sarah Soika
27 Mark DeGennaro
27 Kyle Gardner
28 Charles Teckman
28 Melissa Chase
29 Cristina Hunter
30 Candace Crist
31 Debbie DeGennaro
May Marvels for our Celebrants
Armed Forces Day - celebrated the third Saturday of May
Mother's Day - celebrated on the second Sunday of May
Memorial Day - celebrated on the last Monday in May.
On May 1, 1931, the Empire State Building was officially opened
In 1644 maypoles were banned in England as a 'heathenish vanity'. Local officials who defiantly put them up could be fined five shillings a week.
According to old Cornish superstition, it is unlucky to buy a broom during the month of May.
A world record for the longest conga dance line was set by 119,986 people in Miami in 1988.
When first cultivated, carrots were grown for their leaves and seeds rather than their roots which is what we now think of as carrots.
(my dad always said I should eat my carrots because they made my cheeks curly and my hair rosy-ed)
Hyenas aren't actually dogs. They are more closely related to cats (and that's no laughing matter)
May's Full Flower Moon, also called Mother's Moon, Milk Moon, and Corn Planting Moon, marks a time of increasing fertility with temperatures warm enough for safely bearing young, a near end to late frosts, and plants in bloom. The flower moon is May 3
QUESTION OF THE MONTH:
Can you name 3 religions beginning with the letter B?
(as always, you gotta read the newsletter to find the answer!)
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Full Article
"In the Birthing Room of the Church"
Easter Season, 2015
Pastor Hart Edmonds
When our son and his wife were planning for the birth of their first child, they gave a lot of thought about what kind of birth experience they wanted for themselves and their baby. Together, they decided they wanted a midwife to assist them in the birth of their first child. Many of us can relate to that kind of thinking, as we may recall attending Lamaze classes where as young couples we learned about how to actively participate in the birth experience. For a lot of us men, this was a revelation! Admittedly, we knew very little about the birth of children. As a young father, I recall that we were also entering a period of our culture in the last decades where the presence of men in "the birthing room" was welcomed, instead of discouraged. "Birth of children" is a normal part of life and should be shared, and there's much to learn and appreciate about that.
One classic image of ministry, I've come to learn, draws on the image of minister as "spiritual midwife" to individuals, as well as to congregations. It's a fascinating concept with biblical roots. Ministry as midwifery speaks about attending to people in travail, in any kind of tribulation or anguish or life transition, as God does the miraculous work of delivering new life in its myriad forms. The midwife model of ministry is helpful in expanding our usual male models of ministry- shepherd, prophet, priest. The image of spiritual midwifery draws on biblical images of God that are less familiar.
The midwife in Scripture includes the names of Shiphrah and Puah who are named in the first chapter of Exodus as having risked their own lives by saving Hebrew males form being killed at birth by order of Pharoah. For their role in helping the people of Israel grow many and strong, these midwives were blessed by God and are remembered by name as part of our spiritual heritage.
The image of people suffering affliction and of God delivering is a powerful midwife image. For example, Exodus 3: 7-8 describes God's intent to "midwife" the people of Israel out of their affliction, or travail, and to deliver them out of bondage to a land flowing with milk and honey. The passage of deliverance is a channel through the waters of the Red Sea, through which God births the people into new life. God's activity in bringing to birth does not end with the creation of the world and of the people of Israel. Several New Testament images speak of God's deliverance as well. Jesus himself characterized the upheavals to be expected before the end times as "the beginning of the birth pangs.' (Mk: 13:8; Mt. 24:8) In his letter to the Romans, the Apostle Paul expands the image to cosmic proportions: "The whole creation is groaning in labor pains until now." (Romans 8:22)
Midwife imagery in scripture, then, is rather substantial and inspiring. God acts as a midwife in delivering a new creation and a new people. Our calling as the church and as God's servant leaders is to be person-centered. We are in the business of assisting God in birthing new life in people and in their relationships with self, others, the world and God.
The interim or transitional time of ministry in the life of a congregation is in many ways connected to "the birthing experience" or "rebirth" of a congregation's passion and purpose in its life. This just may be a pregnant moment in the church's life in its yearning for greater wholeness, in its longing for a deeper compassion, in its hope for meaning and purpose in how it conducts its ministry. Imaging our interim/transitional experience as midwifery here in the life of OPC, may help us sustain our purpose and hope and give us a new vision of what it is we are hoping for in the life of the church.
Can you imagine this time in the life of OPC as a time for rebirth? In John 3, Jesus tells the older Nicodemus that "no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.' And Nicodemus responds, "How can anyone be born after having grown old? If you were to imagine a rebirth of faith and mercy and servanthood in the life of this church, what do you think would be happening? What would we be doing as church? What would we decide is no longer needed? What delight would we experience together? Can you imagine?
(Some material for this article is drawn from "The Midwife", in Classic Images of Pastoral Care, Ed. By Robert C. Dykstra)
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REFLECTIONS
Dan Anderson-Little
Full Article
(This is an imagined letter sent from Dr. Henry Little to the Oxford Presbyterian Church in 1881 on the occasion of its Heritage Sunday, composed by Rev. Dan Anderson-Little his descendant. Writes Dan, " I have tried, to the best of my abilities, to render this letter in Ol' Henry's style and in faithfulness to his driving passion for the ministry of the Gospel. Henry would have been 81 years old when he wrote this letter.")
April 18, 1881, Easter Monday
My dear brothers and sisters in Oxford,
Word of your Heritage Sunday celebration arrived to me by post last week and it is my desire to send greetings to you on this auspicious occasion.
This year Susan and I, God willing, will celebrate our Golden Anniversary, a partnership that began at the same time that I was first settled over the Oxford congregation. As we look back over 50 blessed years, we thank God constantly that we were given our start in your environs. Our brief two years in Oxford were not only pleasant, but fruitful-both for the ministry with more than 250 souls saved and for our family as that is where our first child Sarah was born.
As my ministry, and indeed my days, draw to a close, I have occasion to look back and see the providential hand of God in my ministry. There are so many places and occasions where God's grace has proved "sufficient." I pray that this is one of the lessons that you gained not only from my ministry with you, but throughout these many years since-that in every situation, in every time, God's grace is sufficient. That grace enabled Abraham to depart from his "country," his "kindred," and his "father's house." That grace enabled David to slay the fearsome Goliath with "five smooth stones." That grace enabled Paul and Silas to sing "praises unto God" while sitting in a Philippian jail. And you, the faithful of Oxford, have both received that grace and shared that grace as you have been generous benefactors of the work of home missionaries as we have brought the Gospel to those who did not know of the love of Jesus and of his salvation.
My beloved Oxford church, you were one of the first great churches of the West with such luminaries as Bishop and McGuffey counted among your membership. You built great edifices and gave liberally to cause of home missions. You held steady when pernicious attacks were hurled your way due to your position on abolitionism. These are all great acts on the Lord's behalf, and I praise God for them. But lest you be tempted to consider only the past, recall the words of the prophet Isaiah: "Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them."
May God carry you into His glorious future as you "bless the Lord and forget not all his benefits."
Your brother in Christ,
Henry Little, DD
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CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
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May in the Church School- The students will meet in the following classes through the 24h of May.
Children will worship in the sanctuary and be released for classes following the Children's Story at approximately 10:20 a.m. Classes will be held in the following locations:
Nursery- First Floor Nursery
Preschool- First Floor in the Nursery School Area
K-1-Second Floor K-1 Room
Grades 2-5- Second Floor Art Room
Middle School-Second Floor, Geneva Room
High School- Second Floor, AV Room
Every Sunday in the Sanctuary Activity Bags and Action Bibles are available in the Narthex for use in the sanctuary by children.
May 10- Church School teachers and youth workers will be recognized during worship. Graduating Seniors will be honored and the Jamieson Awards will be presented.
May 15-17 Middle School Mission Trip to Kirkmont. There are 6 youth registered and they will be accompanied by Leanne Staley and Jennifer and Scott Walter.
On May 31st the Summer Schedule will begin. For the summer, nursery care will be provided in the nursery and the preschool class in the preschool room on the first floor. All other children and youth will worship in the sanctuary. There are Action Bibles and activity bags available.
NEEDED: Teachers for the Summer Preschool Class. Please contact Lynn Cronk if you will be able to teach the 3,4, and 5 year old Class this summer.
June 9 Lock-In for Senior High Youth attending the Mission Trip
June 21-27 Mission Trip to Atlanta- Door Mission
July 10-12 VBS at Oxford United Methodist Church- Watch for a bulletin insert. Registration will be on-line.
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SAY THANKS TO A TEACHER
As the school year winds to a close a huge THANKS to all of those who have taught our children this year. It does take a village to educate our children! The 30 workers will each be honored on the 10th of May. A special thanks to Jenn Walter for recruiting our church school teachers. Also to be honored are youth workers, 45-56 advisors, and Carol Klumb for telling such extraordinary stories.
Libby Burch, Jenn Burns, Lynn Cronk, Marilyn Curry, Prue Dana, Debbie DeGennaro, Gwen and Nick Fears, Missy Friede, Paula Green, Janet Holmes, Angie James, Carol Klumb, Amy Kraushar, Matt and Emily Lykins, Sarah Miller, Dick Munson, Jean O'Connell, Breanne Parks, Katie and Keith Payne, Becky Quay, Deb Sayers, Katie Saylor, Mary Shinn, Leanne Staley, Cassidy Venema, Jenn and Scott Walter.
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If you have questions about the Christian Education Program please contact any member of the CE Committee, Lynn Cronk, Sarah Miller, Dick Munson, Katie Saylor, Mary Shinn, Leanne Staley, Jennifer Walter and Diane Young.
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