As we linger in the 12 days of the Christmas season, I (Barbara) want to share some personal Epiphany memories with you.  Yes, I know it’s unusual to have memories of Epiphany!  Epiphany was not an important or even a very familiar day in the church year as most of us were growing up – at least if we were American Protestants.  Yet Christians celebrated Epiphany before they began celebrating Christmas. (Christmas was a rather late addition to the church’s liturgical year, in the 4^th century.)  Even today, in much of the Christian world, the Christ event is celebrated on Epiphany (January 6) rather than on Christmas day (December 25). 

  

Epiphany is closely linked with the coming of the Magi to worship and bring gifts to the Christ child.  Since the Magi followed the light of the star in the East, Epiphany celebrates Christ as the light of the world.  Since the Magi represented the far reaches of the known world of the time, Epiphany celebrates the broad love of Christ for the whole world.

         

Even though my family was Methodist, a denomination which did not observe Epiphany, one winter my mother surprised us with plans for a special Epiphany celebration.  She was always creative about finding ways to turn any possible day into a special day. She had read an article about Epiphany, which included descriptions of how it was celebrated throughout history and around the world. One such tradition was an Epiphany cake.  An epiphany cake contains particular small items baked into it, each item representing one character in the Epiphany story from Matthew’s gospel.  Whoever gets that item in their slice of cake acts out their part later in an Epiphany drama.

         

So Mom announced that we were going to have a family party that evening, with an Epiphany cake and play.  As I remember it, the epiphany cake was basically an ordinary yellow cake. I can’t remember all the items and their meaning, but I know one of them was a penny, standing for the wise man who brought “gold.”  We four children were always excited about the process of washing and cleaning the items, and then stirring them carefully into the batter. When the cake was served, ideally each person around the table would find at least one of the items in their slice of cake.  If not, there had to be a bit of creative arranging so everyone got an item and all the crucial parts in the drama were covered (if not by family members, some doing double duty, then by dolls and stuffed animals). There were the three Magi, of course, along with Joseph and Mary and Jesus.  Other items stood for Herod, an angel, even camels and donkeys!  After we finished eating, we had 10 minutes to scour the house for materials for our costume, a suitable gift (if you were a wise man), and other props.  When we reassembled, my dad read the story from Matthew, and we each acted out our part, ad libbing a bit when we felt inspired.  It was great fun, and over time, some of us got quite creative and extravagant with our costumes, considering we never knew from year to year which role we were going to play!

        

 I have two other Epiphany memories of cherished celebrations, both from my young adult years.  Soon after we moved to Louisville, we received an invitation to an Epiphany dinner and carol sing – of Epiphany carols!  Our hostess was from the Netherlands, where there was a tradition of celebrating Epiphany.  She had collected a great variety of ancient and contemporary Epiphany carols, most of them new to us.  Some of them were extraordinarily beautiful.  After a wonderful dinner together, we assembled in the living room, where some of us played instruments and all of us sang the carols together.  The first year, we stumbled a bit, sight-reading, especially if we were singing a harmonizing part (like alto or bass).  But year after year, we got better and better, and by the year we moved away, the group sounded quite good!

         

The other Epiphany party was a moveable feast, not on Epiphany itself but some time during the 12 days of Christmas.  It also began with a good dinner together (an important element of so many celebrations!).  Afterwards, we gathered to read, in parts, W. H. Auden’s great long poem, “For the Time Being:  A Christmas Oratorio.”  Our focus was the section called “The Summons,” where each of the Magi tells why he follows the star.  The first says, “To discover how to be truthful now is the reason I follow this star.”   The second says, “To discover how to be living now is the reason I follow this star.”  The third says, “To discover how to be loving now is the reason I follow this star.”  Then all three Wise Men speak together saying, “To discover how to be human now is the reason we follow the star.”  When they kneel at the manger, they say, “O here and now our endless journey stops.”  There is much more, of course, and I encourage you to read the poem for itself!  I have always found that it both moves me and prompts me to ponder some of the important things in life.  In fact, you just may find that some time in this season, I’ll incorporate something of this poem in a sermon!

        

 In our church, we have been developing some Epiphany traditions for our worship together.   The Sunday closest to Epiphany day, we celebrate by having three of the young men in our congregation play the part of the wise men, walking down the aisle in full costume, bringing their gifts to place before the manger on the chancel.  We sing some Epiphany carols from our hymnal.  And because Epiphany themes include Christ’s love reaching out to the whole world, we have often arranged a phone call (over the sound system) right in the service, to connect with our Russian or Colombian partner churches.  This year, two friends from our Colombian church (parents of Omar and Mario Bolivar) will visit us the Sunday before Epiphany in person!  We look forward to their visit on December 28, and we look forward to celebrating Epiphany together on January 4!  So let’s continue to celebrate Christmas throughout the full 12 days, rejoicing in the awesome wonder of God’s gift to us in Jesus Christ!

 

                                             Barbara and Mark

 

 

by Prue Dana

The New Year begins with Worship for Life, looking at Baptism. The Sacrament of Baptism is at the heart of the good news of Jesus Christ. Jesus began his public ministry after going to John for baptism in the Jordan River, and from the book of Acts we know that the first Christians considered baptism to be the ritual of initiation into the church. This is particularly appropriate as we celebrate the baptism of Jesus.

Adult Class

In January and February, we’ll be looking after church business. All are invited to stay and participate in the following discussions that directly affect our church!

January 18: Endowment Bylaws revision

January 25: Congregational meeting

February 8: Discussion of  General Assembly Issues

Greg Hughes is planning to lead a discussion series of God’s Problem, a book by Bart D. Ehrman. The book struggles with the age old question if God is good, why is there suffering. Various biblical explanations will be explored in the course of the discussion. Please let Greg know of times you are able to make this discussion. We may start it mid February.

 

Youth

Broomball with a Purpose is again on our schedule

January 11, 200, 6:30-8:30 at Goggin Ice Arena. Because

of the new arena and because of our great refs (Gil Pacey

and Brian Childers), we can have two games going at once.

 Cost for each youth will be $5. This includes equipment and pizza.

Our purpose? Sweat for Nets:  Our challenge to the congregation and friends of the congregation: Pledges for each Goal….from ten cents to a dollar to buy insecticide-treated nets purchased by the Center for Disease Control. Youth, can you give a donation as well?

We’ll also be connecting our program with care of the earth! We want to collect aluminum cans before and during the event! Why aluminum cans you say? A key component of aluminum is bauxite-mined in the western African nations that experience malaria. So there are two ways to contribute! One, turn the cans in for increased revenue for nets. Two, work up a sweat by playing broomball and scoring! Join us.

 

Sweat for Nets Facts:

Malaria: a disease that is spread by the bite of an infected anopheles female mosquito

Symptoms: fever and chills, vomiting and sweating. 90% of malaria cases are in Africa; others are in Asia and Central and South America.

Every 30 seconds a child dies of malaria.

 

Prevention: sleep under an insecticide treated mosquito net.  Cost of a net: under $10!

 

 

Hangout Time begins again this semester January 16, 7 to 10 p.m. Lights on Campus: all Senior Highs are invited.

We also hope to schedule another Fun and Fellowship Time for Middle Schoolers January 9 and 23. Look for the announcement.  

 

Feb. 1 Heads Up: In January you will receive order forms for Souper

Bowl Subs. The money raised will help finance our Habitat 2009 Trip to

Johns Island, South Carolina.  We’ll also be taking the Souper Bowl

Collection as we leave the sanctuary on Super Bowl Sunday. The Youth

will decide where the offering will go.And last but not least!!!

If you’re thinking about summer the 2009 Kirkmont Summer Camp

schedule is included. (see page 8)

 

 

Annual Report

The annual report for Oxford Presbyterian Church for the year 2008

needs to be turned into the office by January 12, 2009. The annual

meeting, where the reports will be distributed, will be held following

worship on January 25, 2009. In the past, we have had the reports

available (if possible) the Sunday prior to the Annual  Meeting.

 

 

Presbytery

At the November meeting of the Presbytery, discussion was held concerning the General Assembly's vote, taken last summer, to remove the restrictions to the ordination of gay and lesbian persons from the Book of Order.  The proposed changes would return the requirements for ordination to the way they were prior to 1978.  All candidates for the offices of deacon, elder, and minister would be subject to the same process of discernment by sessions and presbyteries and judged on the basis of their gifts and call to ministry.  If a majority of presbyteries vote to concur, the controversial G-6.0106b amendment to the constitution would be replaced by a more general requirement that officers "live lives obedient to Jesus Christ the Head of the Church, striving to follow where He leads through the witness of the Scriptures, and to understand the Scriptures through the instruction of the Confessions."

The Presbytery of the Miami Valley will meet on February 14, 2009, at which time voting members will cast their ballots either pro or con.  Nationally a majority of presbyteries must ratify the General Assembly action in order for it to take effect. Prior to our Presbytery meeting, there will be an opportunity for members of the Oxford Church to express their feelings regarding this issue at a meeting, date to be announced, following a worship service.

 

 

Amendments of the By-Laws

by Bill Fisher, Endowment Committee

 

Below is the revised Appendix A: Amendments to the By-Laws, regarding the Church’s endowment.  These proposed by-laws are shorter than the current version of 1996.  The rationale for the change is that the Endowment Committee, Trustees, and Session find the current version too cumbersome.  This version simplifies the by-laws in order to give a basic core to the purpose of and structure for the governance of the endowment.

 Much of the material in the current version has been moved to an Endowment Policy Statement and Investment Policy Statement.  Both of these documents can be found outside of Elaine’s office for your reference.

The congregation will vote on the change to Appendix A at the Congregational Meeting in January.  A meeting will be held after church on January 18 to answer questions about these proposed by-laws and the two policy statements. Copies of the proposed changes will be available in the church office prior to the January 18th meeting. 
 

APPENDIX A:     AMENDMENTS TO THE BY-LAWS
 
ENDOWMENT BY-LAWS

Through the generosity of Oxford Presbyterian Church members, the Church established an endowment.
 
Section 1    Purpose of the Endowment

The purpose of the endowment is to accumulate a portfolio of unrestricted and/or undesignated assets to support both current and future needs of the Oxford Presbyterian Church, and to also allow a single, managed asset repository for restricted and/or designated assets.
 
Section 2    Duties of the Session

The Session will ensure disbursals in support of Church operations are within the guidelines of the Endowment’s unrestricted asset disbursal strategies.  They will also ensure the disbursal of restricted and/or designated assets are in accordance with the wishes of the donors.
 
Duties of the Board of Trustees

The Trustees will have discretionary investment authority of the endowment assets.  Their goal is to maximize the total value of the endowment portfolio by employing prudent investment management practices.

The Trustees will ensure the overall investment policies and administrative practices and procedures are published and maintained current in the “Oxford Presbyterian Church Endowment Policy Statement.”

Duties of the Endowment Committee

The overall duties of the Endowment Committee are to oversee and implement the “Oxford Presbyterian Church Investment Policy”.
 
Section 3    Periodic Endowment Disbursals

Endowment disbursals of unrestricted and/or undesignated assets, not to exceed 4% of the fund’s prior five-year rolling average value, may be done on a periodic basis for support of current church programs and operations.   An additional 1% of the fund’s prior five-year rolling average value may also be made available to the Trustees for purposes of facility and asset maintenance and improvement.
 
Section 4    Conflict of Interest

No member of the Endowment Committee shall
personally profit in any way, directly or indirectly, from the management of the endowment.
 
Section 5    Borrowing from the Endowment

Borrowing from the endowment will require a two-thirds vote of those active members (as defined by the Clerk of Session) present at a congregational meeting.  The congregational meeting must have a quorum, defined as 20% of the active membership of the Church present.

Section 6   Procedures for Over-Riding

Monetary Limits

Over-riding monetary limits specified in these By-Laws will require a two-thirds vote of those active members (as defined by the Clerk of Session) present at a congregational meeting.  The congregational meeting must have a quorum, defined as 20% of the active membership of the Church present.

 

 

 

The Gene and Faye Santavicca Christian Ministry Scholarship Fund of the Oxford Presbyterian Church

Dr. and Mrs. Santavicca have funded this scholarship for the advancement of Christian ministry. Church members, their families, or other Presbyterians who are interested in attending theological seminary should contact Dick or Marian Nelson, 513-523-2246, or the Oxford Presbyterian Church secretary, Elaine Patterson, 513-523-6364, for information regarding applying for this scholarship.

 

 

 

 

 

The afternoon circle meets Tuesday, January 20^th at 1:30 in the Country Kitchen at the Knolls. Lawretta Clum leads the group in Bible Study with Prue Dana as hostess.  Lynn Cronk will do Mission Yearbook and Sarah Soika conducts the Least Coin.  Visitors are always welcome. 

 

The Tuesday evening circle meets January 6 at 7:30 p.m. at the home of Jane Baer. Janet Holmes will lead the program.  Jean O’Connell will offer devotions.

 

 

In our prayers:

Charles Skipper, Betty Wills, Danny Cross, Jeanne Bondhus, Cathy Fey

 

In Memoriam:

Richard Ziegler’s father Bud Ziegler died December 4 after an extended illness.  We keep Richard, his mother, and the rest of the family in our prayers.

 

Our prayers surround the family of June Capel, especially her daughters Janice and Gail, as they celebrate her life and mourn her loss.  June died December 16. 

 

 

 

Thank you to Marilyn Curry who makes sure we have greeters on Sunday morning.

 

Thank you to Barbara Skipper and Carol Bowers for making sure the brass is polished and ready for Advent every year. (Barbara Skipper faithfully polishes the offering plates, all brass fixtures on the doors, crosses, etc. every week.)

 

Thanks to Joan Hoover for her direction of the Children’s Choir and to Billie Best for her accompaniment this Christmas season.

 

 

 

First Friday Niters

The First Friday Niters will meet on Friday, January 2, at 6:30 p. m. at Phan Shin’s.  Everyone is welcome.

 

Free Jazz Concert

Jazz guitarist Dan Faehnle, a native of Ohio and a Hamilton resident, performs at 12 p.m. on Wednesday, January 21 at the Oxford Presbyterian Church as part of the Midday Music in Oxford series.  As a member of the Diana Krall Quartet, he made several world tours, including stops at Carnegie Hall and the Hollywood Bowl, and appeared on television shows, radio and media events. Critics have said, "A jazz giant ... has taken the jazz world by storm ... simply one of the best around ... a guitar great."  Information:  523-6969.

 

 

Monday at the Movies (and popcorn)
The two-part Remember Me episode from the Little House on the Prairie series was broadcast in November 1975. It includes members of the Ingalls family, Rev. Alden, Dr. Baker, the pesty Mrs. Oleson, and those familiar characters which made the series a favorite of viewers worldwide.  The story involves the widow Sanderson (portrayed by Oscar winner Patricia Neal) who discovers she will soon die and asks Charles Ingalls to find a good home for her 3 children.  After her death, it's frustrating for Charles to fulfill his promise, but you'll learn the outcome by viewing this poignant 87 minute story at 6 p.m. on Monday, January 19 at the Oxford Senior Center.  

 

 

Newsletter Deadline:

The next newsletter deadline is January 20, 2009.

 

 

 

Reminder:  The community dinner sponsored by OPC is Wednesday, December 31.  See Prue Dana if you can volunteer to serve or to donate food.

 

 

 

The warmth, graciousness, and good humor of Richard (Dick) and Marian Nelson are an antidote for these cold, gray days of winter.  They are the quintessential deacon team, quietly serving others behind the scenes with tenderness and genuine concern.  Committed to feeding the hungry of Oxford, they contribute to the deacons’ efforts by purchasing food ($200 at a time from the Kroger Card fund) and stocking the Food Pantry.  They have developed insights into the needs of this community, gained in part by serving the church dinners on the fifth Wednesdays (a project nurtured by Prue Dana). 

 

Delightful shared stories emerge from their experiences.  Once while conducting the Sunday service at Woodland Manor with other deacons, they were having some difficulty getting everyone to sing.  Little granddaughter Emily announced that they should play “Jesus Loves Me” while she led the group--and the center came alive in song, guided by a child.

 

Six-year-old Emily is the light of their lives; indeed, they seem to be gifts to each other.  Emily is the daughter of the Nelsons’ much-loved daughter Jody, a first-grade teacher in Hamilton, and her husband Jim Platt, the Hamilton School District’s lead plumber.  Emily has decided that Sundays belong to Mamaw and Papaw, and so she is with Dick and Marian in church each week and has made many friends here.  Her presence is obvious in the Nelson household through little arts and crafts projects that have special places of honor. 

 

Hamilton is also the childhood home of Marian.  She went to Hamilton Presbyterian, where Bob Bogan was her Sunday School teacher.  After they were married, she and Dick both taught Sunday School there and supervised the junior high youth group (with Marian making many a tuna casserole).  After transferring by letter to Oxford Presbyterian, the Nelsons again taught Sunday School for a few years.

 

Dick and Marian’s first meeting was not at church, however, but at Potter’s Park ice skating pond in Hamilton.  Marian and her friends were playing “Crack the Whip,” and Dick had the responsibility of making them quit because the game wasn’t allowed.  Their friendship developed, and they married while still in college.  Marian eventually cut short her education at Ohio State so that she could help support Dick as he finished school and did his student teaching.  She worked for Whirlpool in Hamilton in the purchasing department for many years.  Dick states how much he has appreciated her and how much he has appreciated that she chose to be a stay-at-home mom. 

 

After earning his doctorate from UC, Dick worked at MU for forty-eight years, thirteen of those as a part-time instructor, in anatomy and kinesiology. As the department chair for ten years, he was responsible for hiring Tom Holmes and Roger Cromer as grad assistants and Susan Lipnickey as an instructor.  He still participates in special events at Miami.

 

The Nelsons live at home with their “high-maintenance” cat Farley (named after the comic strip dog).  Because the cat is declawed, Dick takes him for walks on a leash and laughs, “The neighbors must think I’m crazy.”  Not if they know him, they don’t.  The Nelsons are both just tender-hearted—towards everyone and everything. 

 

 

 

JANUARY BIRTHDAYS

 

Jan. 2   Laura Bishop

Jan. 3   A.J. Wilkins

Jan. 4   Jane Baer

Jan. 5   Harold Puff

Jan. 5   Sara Smith

Jan. 6   Ruth Britt

Jan. 7   David Scotford

Jan. 7   Deanna Roberts

Jan. 9   Ellen Buerk

Jan. 9   Tom Fey

Jan. 9   Jessica Stephenson

Jan. 10  Cindy Satkowski

Jan. 11  Jean Butterfield

Jan. 11  Amber Beal

Jan. 12  Marty Miller

Jan. 13  Donald Harrington

Jan. 14  Ann Imhoff

Jan. 15  Mary Quigg

Jan. 15  Judy Herold

Jan. 18  Dick McLaren

Jan. 19  Judy Cross

Jan. 19  Dolly Thomas

Jan. 19  Sara Bailer

Jan. 24  George Imhoff

Jan. 24  Mickey Preston

Jan. 25  Marilyn Rettig

Jan. 26  Steve Flee

Jan. 27  Glenn Rymer

Jan. 27  Cathy Fey

Jan. 27  Jane Jackson

Jan. 27  Bruce Suit

Jan. 29  Steve Snyder

Jan. 30  Kim Logsdon

Jan. 30  Isaiah Yutzy

Jan. 31  Andy Farler