The New Year has begun. How are your resolutions going so far?  I have several that I’m working on.  This year I’m going to lose weight, by sticking to my diet and exercising more.   Second, I’m going to grow more hair and be less bald.  Third I’m going to read my bible in a different way.  I’m going to read a Leaders bible I’ve had laying around for awhile.

I fully intend to keep my first resolution, but if history repeats itself, my chances of success in this area may be limited.  I often think of the Apostle Paul when he talks in Romans the 7th chapter about his struggle to do what is good.     “ I want to do what is good, but I can't. ¹⁹ I don't do the good things I want to do. I keep on doing the evil things I don't want to do. ²⁰ I do what I don't want to do. But I am not really the one who is doing it. It is sin living in me. “

Yes, I need to lose weight to be healthier, and honor this, God’s temple.  This will continue to be a real challenge.

I doubt I’ll accomplish my second goal. Nature has the upper hand. I just need at least one resolution I can abandon and not feel guilty about it.

Reading the Bible more, or in a different way is a good goal for any of us.  Reading one that is different from our normal bible can help bring greater understanding and clarity.  I should accomplish this one. 

If you have never read a Chronological Bible, perhaps you would find that interesting. Having the stories of the Bible organized chronologically brings them to life and helps us understand God’s involvement in human history better.  This may be a good goal for you in this new year. 

I advise you to live out your resolutions, a)  keeping your past failures in perspective (diet), b)don’t set yourself up with impossible and silly expectations (hair growth),  c) but do discipline yourself to daily deepen your faith through some additional study, service and prayer.    

I was just thinking, maybe that’s good advice for a Church to think about as they start a new chapter in life.

Have a great New Year.   

---Rolly

Worship at the Nursing Homes
by Margaret Ellefson

Worship services at Maryhouse and Golden Living Center are an important ministry.  Rolly led the Christmas Day worship service and has graciously agreed to continue this.

The following are 2012 dates for Oahe to provide this ministry:

•     February 26

•     April 29

•     July 1

•     September 2

The times are on Sundays at 1:30 PM in Maryhouse and at 2:30 PM in Golden Living Center.

Many times the choir has come to the services; we are all encouraged to attend as it means a great deal to everyone.

OPC Christmas Mission Project by Kate Divis Nelson During Advent and Christmas, OPC collected socks, underwear, diapers, and toys for the Underwear Tree in the narthex.  Thanks to the generosity of our congregation and Marcia's knitting group at the women's prison, we collected a car full of gifts for the center: 3 packages of tank tops 14 packages of socks 3 hats 3 hat/mitten sets 10 blankets, knitted by Marcia's group 6 packages of diapers 2 pairs of pajamas 4 boxes of kleenex A box full of of toys, coloring books, crayons, puzzles, blocks, jump ropes And a whopping 23 packages of underwear!	Our OPC “Underwear” Tree *Please click on photos to view enlargements*
These items will be donated to Missouri Shores Domestic Violence Center to help women and children in need.  THANK YOU to everyone in the congregation who helped decorate our Underwear Tree!  These items will be a true blessing to others.
A big Thank You  for the gift of cash I received for Christmas.  People are being so generous and thoughtful, it's a bit overwhelming.   Thank you for all the cards, they are very encouraging to me.   ~ Rolly

Annual Secret Sister Tea Coming Soon
---Kate Divis Nelson

Ladies of OPC: Mark your calendars! 

The annual Secret Sister Tea will be held Feb. 12 at 2:00 pm in the church basement.  

You need not have drawn a secret sister name to attend the tea.  Come find out who your secret sister was in 2011, and enjoy a time of fellowship and food. 

We will also be implementing a change to the secret sister program this year, so come to the tea to learn about the new and improved, stress-free program! 

Please come and enjoy and afternoon of fellowship with your sisters in Christ.  We'll see you there! 

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The Study of Mark
Candy Sowers

Have you ever wondered what Jesus meant when he said “But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of eternal sin.” (Mark 3:29)?  Why is that an eternal sin?   What if I have blasphemed the Holy Spirit?  I thought all my sins could be forgiven if I asked for forgiveness and repented.   What about the actions of Jesus' family in Mark 3:21 and Jesus’ Mother and Brothers from Mark 3:31-35? Or why did he say to the Twelve AND the others around him that “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you.  But to those on the outside everything is said in parables" …. (Mark 4:11)?

These are just some of the things that we discussed during our first study in the New Year on the Gospel of Mark.  Pastor Laura has done this study several times and is leading it now in Onida and Pierre.  She used materials from Intervarsity.  Each week stands on its own.  It is careful, intense, focused study.  One of the first hand-outs we received says “Too often students of the Bible rely on second-hand, derivative knowledge, acquired from pastors, teachers, parents, books about the Bible, or other secondary sources.  While all of these have their place, there is no substitute, in the end, for one’s own first-hand study and experience of the Scriptures, and for the joy of discovery.” (http://people.bethel.edu/-dhoward/resources/Agassizfish/agassizfish.htm)  It has been a joy to have a light suddenly come on as we carefully look at different words or verses in the book of Mark.

We will continue to meet on Thursday night from 6:30 to 8:00 until we have finished Mark 16:20.  We are each provided a handout with the scripture so we can us markers or pencils to highlight words or phrases and make notes without worrying about “messing up” our Bible.  Sometimes we are given other handouts too that help clarify or focus our discussion.  Class size has ranged from 3 to 8.  Everyone is welcome.  Come once or come every week.  I think you will learn something valuable even if you can only come once.  What a great way to start the New Year. 

I hope to see you there.  Feel free to contact Marcia Graves, Candy Sowers or Pastor Laura if you have any questions.

---Candy

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Annual Christmas Program Held on December 18th

A lack of young people in the church did not stop the choir from putting on the annual Christmas musical and program.  

A children’s musical was used with two youth and 15 adults participating. 

The choir also sang ten anthems during the program. 

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