OXFORD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Lamplighter · 2011-01-14 · Page 2 LAMPLIGHTER Philadelphia Flower...

Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path

Table of Contents: 12 Things I Wish I .................... 1 Pastor’s Corner ......................... 2 Philadelphia Flower Show .......... 2 Youth Choir Notes..................... 3 Healthy Living .......................... 3 The “Greeter Directory” ............. 3 Outreach................................ 4-5 January/February Birthdays........ 6 January Calendar....................... 7 February Calendar..................... 8 Oxford Area Senior Center ....... 9 Souper Bowl ............................. 9 Can Tabs ................................. 9 Christian Education ............ 10-11

Our Leadership Team Pastor the Rev. D. Kerry Slinkard Clerk of Session Jane Trimble Director of Music Peter Slauch Organist Julie Allport Parish Nurse June Hoffman Director of Christian Education Stephanie Templin Ashford Preschool Director Nicole Hartman Secretary Eryn Gallagher Secretary Lorraine Holton Sexton Clyde Prigg Treasurer Beth Keefer

THE

Our Vision

Oxford Presbyterian Church is a family of

Christians dedicated to sharing the uncondi-tional love of Jesus

Christ with the local and world communities

Lamplighter O X F O R D P R E S B Y T E R I A N C H U R C H

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For a lark yesterday, on my 50th birth-day, I Tweeted 12 things that I wish I had known at 25. Or more accurately, 12 things that, had I put them into action, would have made my life a lot easier. Some are bits of advice that wisdom figures have told me and took years to sink in. Others are the result of some hard knocks. A few are in-sights from the great spiritual masters that I’ve adapted for my own life. Maybe a few will help someone you know who’s 25. Maybe one or two will help you. 1. First up: Stop worrying so much! It’s useless. (I.e. Jesus was right.) 2. Being a saint means being yourself. Stop trying to be someone else and just be your best self. Saves you heart-ache. 3. There’s no right way to pray, any more than there’s a right way to be a friend. What’s "best" is what works best for you. 4. Remember three things and save yourself lots of unneeded heartache: You’re not God. This ain’t heaven. Don’t act like a jerk. 5. Your deepest, most heartfelt de-sires are God’s desires for you. And vice versa. Listen. And follow them. 6. Within you is the idea of your best self. Act as if you were that person and you will become that person, with God’s grace. 7. Don’t worry too much about the

worst that can happen. Even if it hap-pens, God is with you, and you can han-dle it. Really. 8. You can’t force people to approve of you, agree with you, be impressed with you, love you or even like you. Stop try-ing. 9. When we compare, we are usually imagining someone else’s life falsely. So our real-life loses out, i.e., compare and despair. 10. Even when you finally realized the right thing, or the Christian thing, to do, it can still be hard to do. Do it any-way. 11. Seven things to say frequently: I love you. Thank you. Thank you, God. Forgive me. I’m so happy for you! Why not? Yes. 12. Peace and joy come after asking God to free you -- from anything that keeps you from being loving and com-passionate. Article by Rev. James Martin, S. J. Origi-nally published at the Huffington Post

December 30, 2010.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rev-james-martin-sj/12-things-i-wish-i-

knew-a_b_802687.html

LAMPLIGHTER

Philadelphia Flower Show Bus Trip

Monday, March 8th $48 per person

Leaving Oxford Presbyterian Church 12:30pm

Returning around 8pm

47 seats available,

first come first served

To register:610-932-9640

Sponsored by

The Memory Garden

Committee of Oxford Presbyterian Church

In my sermons and various Bible studies, I often have occasion to refer to Yahweh as the name for God. The Hebrew consonantal “Tetragrammaton” (four letters) YHWH is the ancient script for the God who made covenant with Noah, Abraham, Isaac and the people of God. When Moses encountered God at the burning bush in the wilderness, he asked what was God’s name. YAHWEH (including our best guess as to the vowels needed to properly fill out the name) was God’s answer. It is a form of the verb “to be” and could be rendered as “I Am Who I Am” or “I Will Be Who I Will Be.” This is the

source of referring to God as The Great “I Am.”

Ancient peoples often associated the power of God with the use of the name. Hence, since YAHWEH was awesome in power and the Hebrews did not want to risk misusing the name and its power, when they read the scriptures and encountered the Divine Name, they did not utter it, but substituted “adonai”- Lord - instead. In most modern Bible translations, the tradition of substituting Lord for YAHWEH has continued. To help us to know when the Divine Name is being translated instead of “adonai” itself, the translators use LORD (using small caps). Whenever you see that in the Old Testament, you will know that God’s true name is being used.

It has always been a powerful spiritual exercise for me to consider the power of God’s name when I read LORD in the scriptures. It helps me to feel God’s presence in a special way. I hope that we will continue to feel God’s presence in our lives and our congregation as we begin our faith journeys through 2011.

See you in church!

PEACE, Pastor Kerry

VOLUME 24, ISSUES 1&2

I won’t have hot biscuits, or corn bread, or pie. I’ll munch on a carrot and quietly cry.

I’m hungry, I’m lonesome, and life is a bore. But isn’t that what January is for?

Unable to giggle, no longer a riot, Happy New Year to all and to all a good diet!

If this poem fits you and you want this to be the last year for the “January Diet,” join Healthy Living, Living Well and get the tips and tricks to lose the weight once and for all! Success is just around the corner with the sup-port of the professional staff to educate and motivate you to reach your weight loss goals for life. No tears and no deprivation but a true understanding of nutri-tion and exercise.

We began our 16-week session on Tuesday, January 18, 2011, from 3:30 to 4:15 PM in the li-brary. The cost is $10.00 and scholarships are available. There has been tremendous success and we are pleased to offer this unique program on site. For other locations, visit www.beefit.org.

To ask questions or to register for a class, call 610-299-2622

Hope to see you there!

The “Greeter Directory”

For the past five years Nancy Thomson has been responsible for scheduling individuals to greet members and visitors to our 8:15 and 11:00 AM services. Please join me in thanking her for her dedicated years of service. Having decided to “retire,” Nancy has passed her phone list on to

me. Some of you have heard from me and others will hear from me in the near future.

Greeters arrive about a half an hour prior to the service, one at each building entrance, greeting people as they enter for worship. Children can serve as greeters too.

If this type of service appeals to you and you would like to join the “greeter directory,” please contact Andrea Evans at 610 804 0317 or [email protected]

Youth Choir Notes

The youth choirs have had a very successful fall thanks to a small but loyal group of children who faithfully attend practices and sing and play in church regularly. All children and youth ages 4 (prior to September 1, 2010) through 8th grade are invited to participate. We have many excit-ing things planned and are hop-ing to increase our membership to make it possible for us to pre-sent a musical in the spring. Youth choirs will resume prac-tices on Wednesday, January 19. Grades 1-8 choirs rehearse from 4:30-6:00 in the second floor choir rooms. The Cherub Choir meets from 5:15-6:00 in the Cherub Choir Room next to the stage in Fellowship Hall. New members are welcome.

Questions regarding Youth Choirs should be directed to Julie Allport (Grades 1-8 singing choirs), Dave Keefer (Bell Choirs grades 1-8), or Beth Keefer (Cherub Choir).

Healthy Living, Living Well

Does this poem fit you?....

‘Twas the month after Christmas and all through the house, noth-ing would fit me now even a blouse.

The cookies I’d nibbled, the egg-nog I’d taste, at the holiday par-ties had gone to my waist.

When I got on the scales there arose such a number! When I walked to the store (less a walk than a lumber).

I’d remembered the marvelous meals I’d prepared. The gravies and sauces and beef nicely shared.

The wine and the rum balls, the bread and the cheese, and the way I’d never said, “no thank you, please.”

As I dressed myself in my hus-band’s old shirt, and prepared once again to do battle with dirt.

As I said to myself, as only I can, “you can’t spend a winter dis-guised as a man!”

So—away with the last of the sour cream dip, get rid of the fruit cake, every cracker and chip.

Every last bit of food that I like must be banished, ‘till all the ad-ditional ounces have been ban-ished.

I won’t have a cookie—not even a lick, I’ll want only to chew on a long celery stick.

Mission Highlight

Christmas Food Boxes were delivered to 150 families in the Oxford Community, thanks to your help collecting, sorting, and delivering. Special thanks to a great

committee led by Sue Sizoo.

Jim Sumner is sorting out canned goods on the tables.

The Eighth Grade Class from Bethany Christian Academy, Nottingham, PA, comes every year to help sort out canned goods for the Christmas Food Boxes.

Marci and Jamie Workman and their family, along with Tyler Carter are delivering Christmas Food Boxes.

“Least of These” Please continue to support this mission. In the Church Narthex you will see a basket where canned good, non-perishable items, cleaning and toiletry sup-plies may be donated. Neighborhood Services Center is meeting the growing needs of the community. If every family brought in one bag of groceries each week, we would fill up the basket!! Let’s collect 2000 pounds of food in 2011. That is double the food, and we know the need is double.

Jesus said, " Whenever you did this for one of the least of these, my brothers, you did it for me."

***************************

Martin Luther King Service

The Martin Luther King Service

will be held January 16 at OPC at 6:30p. It is sponsored by the Ministerium. Vivian Brown

started the first Martin Luther King Service in Oxford.

Please attend to honor the battles that were fought for us to live

peaceably with our neighbors, and continue to this day. History is

our teacher.

LAMPLIGHTER

Missions We Support Local Neighborhood Services Center

Oxford Senior Center Domestic Violence Center of Chester County Lighthouse Ministry Miscellaneous Local Mission Peacemaking Offering (25%) Christmas Food Boxes

Beyond our Area Onesimus Prison Ministry Good News for India

Missions with the Larger Church Per Capita (sent to Presbytery) Basic Mission Support/to Presbytery Theological Education Fund/to Presbytery Meeting Ground One Great Hour of Sharing Pentecost Offering Peacemaking Offering (75%) Christmas Joy Offering


OPC Youth Group helps sort canned goods

Don Drennen and Vivian Brown

Thanks to our generous church and all of the volunteers who helped make it all possible.

This year the Ten Thousand Villages Gift Shop took in over $5200.00. That in-cluded $3500 for Ten Thousand Villages, $1050 for Coffee, Tea, Olive oil, $286 for Palestinian Olivewood Products, $285 for Threads of Hope (Honduras) and $85 for Church Cookbooks.

We delivered 4 HUGE BOXES of socks, underwear, toys and clothes to Neighborhood Services Center from our tree sponsored by Adventure Club and Outreach.

We gave out 150 Christmas Food Boxes for an estimated 10,350 pounds of food!!! The food was from the Oxford community and OPC. But OPC was the coordinator for making this happen for 150 families. Sue Sizoo. the Pro-ject Leader, is a Pro!

We gave 20 gifts to Ware Village Residents through the coordination of Kay Skinner.

Christmas is TRULY A TIME OF GIVING AND SHARING WITH OTHERS…

We wish for PEACE in the New Year!!

January 2 Carolyn Guzzo 2 Christine Vanella 2 Jerry Coe 2 Merton Deaver, Jr. 2 William Taylor 3 Woody Hartgrove 5 Connie Gatlin 5 Evan Adams 6 Walt Osborne 7 Guy Hager 7 Lucille Liggitt 8 Michael Miller 10 Daniel Pugh 10 Justin Hogg 11 Gale Drake 11 Philip Atkinson 12 Gage Cave 12 George Boettcher 13 Colleen MacKrell 13 Larry Nelson 13 Marilyn Deaver 13 Teressa Verkamp 14 Ann Holton 14 Lawrie Drennen 14 Ronald Brooks 16 Abby Keefer 16 Rebecca Kelso 17 Jeffrey Miller 18 Yilan Slinkard 20 E. Warren Vosburg 20 Judy Hastings

20 Loretta Rhodewalt 20 Louis Neyman 20 Patty McComsey 20 Richard Jones 21 Brooke Dillard 21 Carol Brown 22 Jacob Crawford 22 Wesley Robison 23 Stephen Albrecht 24 Cindy Pugh 24 John Duppel 24 Mark Gundrum 26 Madison Hopkins 27 Sally Tipton 28 Ann Nelson 28 Ashley Talley 28 Elena Olivieri 28 Patrick Workman 29 David Meyers 29 Robert Hook 29 Virginia Lorah 30 Helen Ribaudo 30 Richard Forcey 31 Jacqueline Montgomery

February 2 Kirsten McAllister 2 Carley Stoltzfus 3 Janet Hudler 3 Robert Hudler 3 Ryan Hudler 3 Brooke Stoltzfus

4 Elizabeth Abel 4 Kimberly Carter 5 Elizabeth Baity 5 Reese Hudler 6 Karen Hopkins 7 David Arthur 7 Carolyn Clark 7 Doris Groseclose 7 Cynthia Hager 8 Whitney Bradford 11 Jean McCauley 11 Logan Quigley 11 Terry ReisingerJr. 12 Tabitha Colmary 13 Claire Herr 14 Edith Flessner 14 Brenda Sherman-Turns 15 Andrew Ralston 15 James Sarver 16 Rachel Sarver 18 Bryan Van Kleeck 19 Kaitlyn Somers 20 Dorothea Murray 20 Lillie Spotts 21 Sharon Brooks 23 Jonathon Love 24 Donald MacMillan 25 Jennifer Ettenger 26 Mackenzie Staller 27 Judith Jefferis 28 Elsie Ringler

LAMPLIGHTER

January 2011 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

2

3 OFFICE CLOSED NO Lectionary Bible

Study

4 Military Parents

Support Group 7p Library

5 Officer Training NO Adventure Club NO Youth Choirs Bells of Praise Chancel Choir

6 Naomi Circle Shalom Circle

7 Deadline for Annual

Reports to Office

8

9 Communion Sunday Officer Installation Officer Training Session Meeting

10 Lectionary Bible Study Christian Ed Meeting

11 WIC

12 NO Adventure Club NO Youth Choirs Bells of Praise Chancel Choir

13 Naomi Circle

14

15 NOMADS Dinner at

the Abels’

16 Deacon’s Meeting NOMADS Brunch at

the Hills’ Martin Luther King

Service at OPC 6:30

17 Lectionary Bible Study

18 Presbytery Meeting at

OPC WIC—Room 5

19 Adventure Club Youth Choirs Bells of Praise Chancel Choir

20 Naomi Circle

21 Women of Faith

Circle

22

23 Congregational Mtg. Deborah Circle


25 WIC


27 Naomi Circle

28

29

30 Blood Pressure

Readings Deborah Circle


Entries on the calendar are as of press time. Events, dates, and times subject to change. More info on events available throughout Lamplighter and in office.


Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 Wellness Council 7p

Library Parents of Military

Personnel 7p Bride’s Parlor


3 Naomi Circle Shalom Circle

4

5 Souper Bowl 11-3

2nd Presbyterian Church

6 Communion Sunday


8


10

11 Adventure Club

Dance—Fellowship Hall

12 Pillowcase Sewers

10-2 Fellowship Hall

13 Session Meeting—7p

Library

14 Lectionary Bible Study Preschool Jump-A-

Thon—Fellowship Hall

15 WIC

16 NO Adventure Club NO Youth Choirs Bells of Praise Chancel Choir

17 Naomi Circle

18 Women of Faith

Circle

19 Blue and Gold

Dinner for Pack 176 Fellowship Hall

20 Deacon’s Meeting


22 Christian Education

Meeting—7p Library


24 Naomi Circle

25

26 2nd Presbyterian

Church Theater

27 Blood Pressure

Readings Deborah Circle


February 2011

LAMPLIGHTER

Entries on the calendar are as of press time. Events, dates, and times subject to change. More info on events available throughout Lamplighter and in office.

Can Tabs

Please bring your can tabs to the church office. They are

being collected to donate to Dupont Children’s Hospital

in Wilmington, DE.

Souper Bowl!

On February 6th, OPC will participate in Souper Bowl Sunday. Students will be

standing outside of worship with Soup Pots collecting

change. We will continue to support the Mtatha Com-

puter Outreach Ministry with this offering. Please give

generously!

News from the Oxford Area Senior Center

Health Care Powers of Attorney:

What You Need to Know:

Two types of Powers of Attorney that exist regarding health care directives are Living Wills and Health Care Power of Attorney. A Living Will is an end-stage medi-cal condition directive. The Health Care POA, which may not be so well known or utilized, al-lows you to direct another indi-vidual to make medical decisions on your behalf no matter what your medical condition. The infor-mation below is intended to pro-vide a brief outline of PA law re-garding these POA but it is cer-tainly not a complete analysis.

The Law: Under PA law, the Ad-vanced Health Care Directive stat-ute addresses both Health Care POA and Living Wills. Although these two directives serve differ-ent purposes, they are usually combined into one document.

Living Will: It is very limited be-cause it only addresses your de-sires for what life-sustaining pro-cedures you want implemented or withdrawn on your death bed.

Health Care POA: You are ap-pointing another individual to make health care decisions for you along the way. You designate a trusted agent to make health care decisions on your behalf. This agent must be an adult and a blood relation to you. You do not give up your rights because you can always change your mind, revoke the health care power of attorney and appoint another agent. If competent, you may countermand any health care decision your agent makes by personally informing your attend-ing physician.

Health care powers of attorney provide assistance and flexibility in your medical decision-making process all along the way, not just near the end. It also encour-ages discussion and understand-ing now, when things are okay. It provides you a means to let your desires be known and know that someone is there to communicate them when you may not be able.

For more info regarding these two powers of attorney, contact an attorney.

Information for this article was provided by Barbara Paisley, Esquire

Health Care Powers of Attorney: What You Need to Know…...


Trip to Old First Shelter

Colton Turns

By Stephanie Templin Ashford

Going to the homeless shelter was a great experience. While me and the rest of the kids were there we helped prepare food, set tables, and some of us even talked a little trash.... (Thanks to Sunday night football) After a thoughtful prayer we all sat down to eat Sunday dinner. After talk-ing to some of the fellas I was seated with, I realized just be-cause I differed from them in fi-nancial ways doesn’t mean I should look down upon them. We’re all God’s children, regard-less of the decisions we’ve made. Happy Holidays.

Mission Trip 2011

Greetings!

This letter is to get you started on what could be the most amaz-ing adventure of your life!

We will meet on January 24th at 7pm in the OPC fellowship hall to discuss details and finances of the proposed 2011 OPC Youth Group Mission Trip to Jamaica.

This meeting is for parents and students and will cover the plan for raising the money, the details of our proposed trip, code of con-duct, and more.

If you have interest in this trip as a student $100 deposit is re-quired to hold your spot by the end of January. The early registra-tion date is Feb. 1 for the trip. If you are 100% sure you are com-ing along and cannot make the

deposit by the end of the month, let me know and we can extend your deadline. If you have extenu-ating financial circumstances that make this deposit difficult or im-possible, please mark the regis-tration form box: financial diffi-culty. In order to put most of our money toward the experience for the students the adult registra-tion fee will be $200.

Please fill it out the forms ASAP and put them in mailbox as soon as you can! And, if you haven’t applied for a passport, please do that now as well.

Thanks and have a great day!!!

—Stephanie Templin Ashford


We are having a great time and we thank you for your prayers and support!!

Preschool

The Preschool had a wonderful first half of the school year! In September we began the year making new friends in school and gathering for a delicious ice cream social in the Fellowship Hall. Families had an opportunity to get to know one another and play games with their children. October was filled with fun fall activities and the children were all adjusted to coming to school. As we walked through the halls in November one could see how much the children had grown.

Their artwork was beautiful, the singing sounded delightful, and learning was happening every-where. Every class shared a Thanksgiving feast with their classmates and Pre-K performed in the Chapel for their families and friends. The Fellowship Hall filled again afterwards for a Thanksgiving Feast of muffins, vegetables, and fruit. The pre-school hallways became" Tradi-tions Around the World" in De-cember. A large train traveled through the hall as we learned about Hanukkah, Las Posados, Kwanza, St. Nicholas Day and Christmas. The families were in-vited to enjoy coffee, doughnuts and the a special tour from their child to show all of their projects around the world and the story that went with them. The children are so proud of their work and what they learn. We are so fortu-nate to have such a warm and

loving environment that we can share with children in our com-munity. Thank you and Happy New Year from the preschool staff!

OPC Youth Group Calen-dar

January 16th – OPC Laser Dome Trip. Meet at OPC at 3:45 to travel to Laser Dome in Manheim, PA. We will have a package with laser tag, tokens, and pizza. The cost per person is $16. I have space reserved for 15 but I can increase that number if we need to, just let me know if you are coming or bringing a friend soon! We plan to return between 8:30 and 9PM. This is a non-school night as the next day is the Mar-tin Luther King holiday.

January 23 – 7pm Youth Group OPC

January 30 – Mission Event. We are working with The Rotating Winter Shelter in Cecil County to assist with a homeless meal. More details to follow.

Youth Group

On Sunday December 5th, the OPC youth group headed to Phila-delphia to serve dinner at the Old First Reformed Church. This church hosts a men’s overnight shelter from November to April. Margo and John Kraybill organ-ized a wonderful meal. Students set the tables and organized the food. We were ready early so the kids had the chance to watch the Eagles game with the residents! We had time to chat over dinner and we headed out after a great meal was shared by all. Thanks to all of the wonderful adults who accompanied us on this journey!!

Adventure Club

Adventure Club Highlights

In October, AC students deco-rated and stuffed bags of candy and goodies, dressed up in Bible costumes and headed to “give a treat” to our residents in the Ware Cottages. They were so surprised to find that children were giving them items for Halloween! It was a special treat for all of us!

In November, Adventure Club Kids learned about sacrifice and wrote letters to some of the vet-erans of OPC. One veteran was so moved that he offered to share an old Air Force Hat with the stu-dent who wrote to him!

In December, AC students deco-rated the giving tree in the Fel-lowship hall with Clove Covered Oranges and sang Christmas Car-ols in the main building at Ware.

LAMPLIGHTER

The Lamplighter

Oxford Presbyterian Church

6 Pine Street

Oxford, PA 19363

Return Service Requested

Our Session

The Session meets the second Sunday of each month at 7:00 pm

Our Deacons

The Deacons meet the third Sunday of the month after the 11:00 service

Class of 2011 Class of 2012 Class of 2013

Jackie Caleb Chris Arthur Whitney Bradford

Wqrren Vosburg Vivian Brown Bob Cantarera Carol Carter Eryn Gallagher Kerry Gerich

Jim McLeod Barb Hill Rich Lombardi Wendell Higgins Nancy Andress Andy Ralston

Don Drennen Bev Hartgrove Mark Verbanas

Class of 2011 Class of 2012 Class of 2013

Steve Hill Ann Terry Andy Arthur

Jackie Montgomery Victoria King Lisa Slinkard

Cindy Hager Jamie Workman Neeley Spotts

Herman Wharton GeneTurns Judy Walls

6 Pine Street Oxford, PA 19363

OXFORD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Phone: 610-932-9640 Fax: 610-932-0863

E-mail: [email protected]

Our Web Page:

http://www.oxfordpresbyterian.org

OXFORD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Lamplighter · 2011-01-14 · Page 2 LAMPLIGHTER Philadelphia Flower...

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