WORSHIP
Sunday Services:
OUUMC offers three worship services each Sunday: two traditional services in the Sanctuary and The Journey, a more relaxed and informal service in our Activities Center. Our 10:55 service features the Chancel Choir.
8:45 a.m. Traditional Service, Sanctuary
9:00 a.m. The Journey, Activities Center
10:55 a.m. Traditional Service, Sanctuary
Wednesday Night Holy Communion:
Each Wednesday night, we break bread together and celebrate the gift of Holy Communion.
6:00 p.m., Sanctuary
The Christian Calendar
| Season | Description | Dates Celebrated |
|---|---|---|
Advent |
Preparation for the coming of Christ |
The first four Sundays before Christmas |
| Christmas | The birth of Christ | December 25-January 6 |
| Epiphany | Celebration of the revelation of Christ to the world | January 6-beginning of Lent |
| Lent | Commemorating the 40 years Israel spent wondering the wilderness and the 40 days Jesus spent in prayer and temptation; a time of penitence in preparation for Easter | 40 days plus Sundays before Easter |
| Holy Week | Remembering the last week of Jesus' life | week before Easter |
| Easter | Celebration of the resurrection of Christ | Easter Sunday and 50 days afterwards |
| Pentecost | Christian celebration of gift of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the church | Seventh Sunday after Easter |
| Trinity Sunday | Celebration of the Trinity: one God in three persons—Father, Son and Holy Spirit | First Sunday after Pentecost |
| Sundays after Pentecost | Also called ordinary time | Begins the day after Pentecost and ends the day before the First Sunday of Advent |
| All Hallow's Eve/All Saints Sunday | Celebration of the communion of saints, all Christian people of every time and place | October 31 and November 1 |
| Reign of Christ | Celebration of Christ as King and Lord of all creation | Last day in the Christian year, November |
Special Services:
Special worship services are conducted throughout the year during holy seasons in the Christian calendar such as Advent, Christmas, Lent, Holy Week and Easter.We also celebrate special services throughout the year such as Children's Sabbath, Confirmation, Youth Sunday, Graduation Sunday, Pentecost, All Saints, and Reign of Christ.
Baptisms:
Holy Baptism is a process by which we are incorporated into the Church, which is the body of Christ, and made one in Christ. Because baptism initiates us into Christ's whole Church and not only into a denomination, United Methodists recognize all Christian baptisms and look upon baptism as something that should unite, rather than divide, Christians.
To schedule a baptism, contact Barbara Camp, 234-5278.
Weddings:
A marriage is a contract between two people. By choosing to hold the ceremony in a public building and inviting guests you are recognizing both that your new life affects the lives of many other people and that you will need their support if you are to sustain your life together. Everything about the ceremony testifies to the significance of the choice you are making and the roles that God, family, friends and one another will play in supporting your marriage.
To learn more about the wedding process at OUUMC, please contact Lee Uhlhorn, 662-234-7102.
Funerals and Memorial Services:
The Liturgy for the celebration of a life is an Easter liturgy. It finds its meaning in the Resurrection. Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we, too, shall be raised.
The liturgy, therefore, is characterized by joy, in the certainty that "neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor power, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."
This joy, however, does not make human grief unchristian. The very love we have for each other in Christ brings deep sorrow when we are parted by death. Jesus himself wept at the grave of his friend, Lazarus. So, while we rejoice that the one we love has entered into the nearer presence of our Lord, we sorrow in sympathy with those who mourn.
If you have any questions or needs pertaining to this ministry, please contact one of the pastors, Warren Black or Claire Dobbs, at 234-5278.
Music:
Chancel Choir
Handbell Choir: Oxford-University United Methodist Church is fortunate to own five octaves of Malmark handbells and three octaves of Malmark handchimes. At present we have two choirs:
Celebration Ringers ring all five octaves of handbells, adding the handchimes for special effects. The thirteen ringers play for church at least twice each semester, always joining in Christmas and Easter celebrations. Celebration Ringers meet on Wednesday evenings from 6:00-7:15 p.m. in the handbell room, Room 418 of the Activities Center.
Genesis Ringers ring from two to three octaves of handbells, depending upon the number of ringers. While some of these ringers have experience with handbells, this choir welcomes new ringers or those with limited experience. This choir presently plays a couple times a semester for The Journey. Genesis Ringers meet on Sunday evenings from 5:00-6:00 p.m. in the handbell room.