One evening during Advent, our family gathered together for story time.  After we inserted the disc, the story of Bethany Hamilton began to unfold on the screen before us.  The first scenes of Soul Surfer reveal an island paradise as Bethany's home - sun and sand, surfboards and ukuleles.  Yes, Hawaii.

Bethany seems to have an ideal childhood in a relaxed and loving family of faith that bonds over surfing.  Excelling on the surfboard, Bethany's passion and goal is to become a professional surfer.  Achieving this goal appears well within reach as she wins surfing competitions and corporate sponsorships. 

Then one day while training, Bethany is paddling out in the surf when a shark attacks.  Bethany loses her left arm.  She is 13 years old.  Initially, she responds with an inspiring determination to heal and return to surfing. 

Continue to Full Article

WELCOME MARY MARTIN

OPC FINANCIAL SECRETARY

Mary Martin joined the staff of Oxford Presbyterian Church on January 3, as the newest Financial Secretary.  She  will be working part-time, Tuesdays and Fridays for now. You can contact Mary by using the email: [email protected] . Please reach out to her with your questions. 

 

In order to get to know Mary, we asked her some usual and not so usual questions.  Her is just a little bit of her story.

 

Mary was born in Japan, at Misawa Air Force Base (approximately 400 miles north of Tokyo) and is the oldest of 4 sisters. The family left Japan when she was 12, but she still has a 104 year old grandmother there. Her grandmother is very musical and sings at the request of the Japanese government.  Mary does speak a little Japanese.  She has 2 children and 5 grandchildren and a cockatiel who makes lots of noise. Other animals in the family include her daughters attack roosters. Mary enjoys gardening, baking bread, is interested in holistic health, and can drywall a ceiling. (Trustees, take note!)

She recently read the book Oath of Office, and though it's a work of fiction, she sees some truth in there, having worked for the government of the city of Harrison.  Mary likes bacon, banana peppers, cheese and onion on her pizza, and while she does not have a bucket list she does have a grocery list.  She's had lots of experiences from the many places she has lived, but one of the most memorable was when she was 11 years old, in Japan, and a 7.5 magnitude earthquake tore the schoolhouse down.  The quake opened up sinkholes that swallowed cars and motorcycles, and then closed again!  Her family lived in a field for 3 days during the early days.  The devastation was enormous. 

 

This just starts the telling of Mary's story.  We welcome the opportunity to learn more as she joins the OPC staff.  WELCOME, YOUKOSO, Mary.

All are welcome to our first forum that will be held on Sunday, February 26 in the Seminary building. Dr. Jay Baird will facilitate our discussion of Hillbilly Elegy and dialogue of "Poverty and Economics in the Bible and Our Times."

OUR MISSION STATEMENT AT WORK

 

Hi Everyone, I wanted to share an update on the Bethesda Community Center project with you.

    On January 17, 2017 our sister church in Barranquilla, Colombia received the second half of the Birthday Offering Grant, $50,000.00. This money will enable them to complete the building that was started last year using the first half of the grant money. They will also now be able to furnish the building with all of the items they need to help feed, counsel, and give occupational training to the children and women of the El Por Fin neighborhood of Barranquilla. This will include but not be limited to tables, chairs, kitchen items, books, computers, and sewing machines.

   When OPC sent a mission team to Colombia in 2013 we visited the former Community center. There we saw live wires hanging down, a food storage area with no refrigeration, a playground that was a cement slab, no bathroom (there was but it was a bucket), and we were told there was water under the foundation. I can't even adequately describe the horrible conditions there, yet our sister church was able to feed about 80 displaced and abused children and counsel and retrain their mothers. Now with the help of the project this Christmas our sister church was able to use the new but empty building to feed 230 children!

   In August of this year OPC will be sending a small delegation to Colombia for the dedication of the new center and I want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for all of your support on this project. The latest word I have received from session of our sister church is that they have found several doctors willing to volunteer their time to open a health clinic twice a week in the new building once it is completed. Thanks to you these children in one of the poorest neighborhoods will now be fed, counseled, receive medical care, helped with homework, and given a chance at a bright future that they would not have been able to have without your help and support. Personally, I believe that this is how we foster peace in the world. One child at a time.

 

Deanna Maxwell

Return to Top

_________________________________________________________

Just to be sure you know, Bridgite's regular hours in the Church Office are 8:30 to 4:30, Monday thru Friday.

________________________

Answer to the question of the month:

octothorpe