4/25/2016 0 Comments April 25th, 2016God's Eye Is on the SparrowThe major news of the past week for us has been the growing wildfire in Shenandoah Park. While the firefighters have thankfully kept it contained enough to prevent major impact on our community, the heavy smoke has at times impacted our daily routines, making travel harder and keeping us indoors. Many folks have also headed out in the evening to see flames lighting up the night. Whether it is the billowing cloud of smoke by day or the glowing flame on the mountain by night, seeing such a sight certainly puts things in perspective. While we are used to thinking that we humans are masters of the world around us, things like this wildfire show us how little control we have and how small we are truly are. How powerless and insignificant we are in comparison to something so powerful and great! And yet we are told that we are somehow special to the great God of all creation - an almost unbelievable claim if there ever was one. The One who made all the stars of the sky, all the living things of the earth, and hidden wonders beyond our comprehension knows us and cares for us. Scripture reminds us of how insignificant a sparrow is to us and yet God, the one infinitely greater than us, knows each one. Not a single sparrow can fall from the sky without God taking note. Not a single tree can fall in the wilderness of the park without God knowing it. Not a single bear cub can be driven homeless from its den without God taking note. Not a single thing can happen to us, as small as we are, without God knowing it and loving us all the while. On-the-Job TrainingSunday's Sermon Snippet: Gifted by God's Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:1-26) God has prepared amazing things for us to do in the name of Jesus Christ, and God is preparing us to do them. One of the ways that God prepares us is through the gifts of the Spirit. The Spirit gives us the ability to be teach, to speak for God, to discern good and evil, to pray, to stand firm in faith, and to encourage one another. Every one of God's people receives a gift of the Spirit, but the gifts are not about honoring us. The spiritual gifts are given to us but not for us. They are given for the common good - so that we can work for the good of all according to God's purposes. We receive these gifts but they are given to us for others. Likewise, no one person receives all the gifts of the Spirit. This means it takes many people to do the whole work of Christ. Some will teach, some will serve, some will pray, some will encourage. Each person is a part of the body of Christ, and the body needs the gifts and abilities of each member. Our spiritual gifts are given to us, but they are intended to be used with others. With others, for others - that is purpose of the spiritual gifts that we receive for the common good. Responding to God's Call Complete the online Spiritual Gifts Assessment. What are my strongest spiritual gifts? How am I using them for God? Looking Ahead Join us this Sunday as we explore how we are "Skilled by God's Provision" to do the good works God has prepared for us! Living in CommunityKeep praying for the firefighters and the support staff keeping the wildfire under control. May God give them safety, wisdom, and strength in the days ahead. This Week at Port ChurchWednesday, April 27 9:30 am - 2:00 pm - Office Hours Thursday, April 28 9:30 am - 12:00 noon - Office Hours Sunday, May 1 9:30 am - Worship Service: "Skilled by God's Provision" 11:00 am - Sunday School Looking AheadVBS Training - May 22
Vacation Bible School - June 27-July 1
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4/19/2016 0 Comments April 19th, 2016God of WondersOn a recent visit to a park, our family had a picnic under a group of pine trees. After enjoying the meal, the boys ran around playing chase and climbing trees. It wasn't too long before our youngest discovered pine cones that had fallen to the ground. He would pick them up and bring each one as a prize to be shown off to us. He was amazed by them, and, when we got ready to leave, he wanted to choose a couple to bring home. The wonder of a child is a thing to behold. To a child, the world is full of awe-inspiring, wonderful things even though these things may be so simple and common. As adults, we have learned to take these things for granted, so much so that we barely notice them when they surround us or we simply write them off altogether. Growing up in Georgia surrounded by Southern yellow pine everywhere, I have learned to see pine cones only as a prickly nuisance to be picked up before mowing. Seeing the wonder in my son's eyes, however, tells me I am not as wise as I would like to think. Which of us is right - that these are miraculous creations to be marveled at or that they are instead no more than a nuisance? I have to believe that my son knows more than me on this one. It makes me wonder if we do not do the same thing in lives of faith. Does seeing God at work in our lives ever become commonplace and something we take for granted? Do we - in our worldly wisdom - lose sight of the miracles that abound around us? Do we lose the wonder and awe of God and all that God has done? May God refill our hearts with wonder and give us eyes to see the miracles all around us! Blessings on the journey, Jim On-the-Job TrainingSunday's Sermon Snippet: Equipped by God's Word (2 Timothy 3:10-17) God has prepared good works just for us to do and is preparing us to do them. Paul wrote to Timothy that God has given us Scripture so that we will be thoroughly equipped for every good work. God's Word of course tells us of salvation but it also prepares us in the ways we need it to so that we are ready for what God wants us to do. First of all, Scripture teaches us - it tells us how we should live our lives (what we should and shouldn't do), who God is, and who we are. Knowing more about God and what God wants from and for us, we are more ready to do the good works God wants us to do. When we know more about what God wants, there are still times when we will stand against what God wants. It is then that Scripture rebukes us and convicts us of what we ought to be doing. Even when we are seeking God's purposes, there are times we are on the wrong path for us and don't know where we should go. It is not that the path before us is bad as much as it is just not the right path for us. Scripture then corrects and guides us to the path meant for us. Finally, Scripture trains us in righteousness. Just as physical training entails practice that makes difficult things becomes easy and conditioning that helps us to endure, Scripture helps us build faithfulness into who we are so that we can endure when difficult situations arise. Scripture teaches, rebukes, corrects, and trains us in righteousness, so that we are thoroughly equipped for every good work. But to be equipped in this way, we must make use of Scripture - not just when we are troubled or looking for answers, but consistently letting it form who we are. Let us open the toolbox of Scripture that equips us! Responding to God's Call What is your favorite Scripture? What Scripture have you read lately for devotions or study? Spend some time this week reflecting on how these holy words equip you to for the good work God intends for you. How is God equipping me to do good? Looking Ahead Join us this Sunday as we explore how we are "Gifted by God's Spirit" to do the good works God has prepared for us! Living in CommunityThanks to Barbie for leading our prayers in worship this week! Thanks to Debbie, Martha, Pam, and Susie for serving as office volunteers! This Week at Port ChurchWednesday, April 20 9:30 am - 2:00 pm - Office Hours Thursday, April 21 9:30 am - 12:00 noon - Office Hours 10 am - Sunshine Seniors Sunday, April 24 9:30 am - Worship Service: "Gifted by God's Spirit" 11:00 am - Sunday School Deadline to register for Camp Overlook. Talk with Dinah or Pastor Jim for more details. Looking AheadVBS Training - May 22
Vacation Bible School - June 27-July 1 4/12/2016 0 Comments April 12th, 2016Everybody's Got a Part in God's ChoirJut before Easter, many of the kids and youth of our church had a competition to see which age group could clean up the most sticks in our park to get it ready for the spring season. It was a fun way to do an important but tedious task. After they were done, the park looked great just in time for our sunrise service there. With the recent high winds we've had over the last couple of weeks, however, more branches had come down, and the park looked like it hadn't been cleaned at all. On Sunday, another group of kids went out and cleaned up again, and the park is beginning to look nice again. I am thankful for all the young folks (and not so young as well) who have helped out and made easy work out of a large undertaking! One of the things that this has reminded me of is that everyone - no matter how young or old, rich or poor, this or that - can do something for God every day. Or as it has been said, "Everyone has a part in God's choir." When we work together for God, the Lord can use even the smallest gift of time, effort, and attention to make something wonderful. We all have a part to play. It's not just the young who are called to do the work, and it's not just the rich who are called to support it. We may not all be able to do the same things, but we are all able to do something. We are all called to do what we can for the sake of the love of Jesus Christ to make a difference in the world! What part do you have in God's choir? Blessings on the journey, Jim On-the-Job TrainingSunday's Sermon Snippet: Prepared by God's Salvation (John 14:8-14; Ephesians 2:1-10) Jesus made an incredible claim that those who believe in him will do the good works he has done and, in fact, even greater things than he has done. It is hard to believe how this could be true. Jesus healed the sick, fed the masses, walked on water, raised the dead, and saved humankind. It's a pretty tall order for us to consider that we are called to do things like these much less even greater things. We want to do good things, but we doubt that we are capable of such incredible things. So we do our small good works and leave the big stuff to Jesus. Yet Paul reminds the good folks at Ephesus (and us who overhear him) that we are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God has prepared in advance for us to do. What an amazing claim he makes! Even before we woke up this morning, God has prepared good works for us to do, perhaps a great work worthy of Jesus himself. We should not be satisfied with doing our small works just when we feel up to it. We should consider whether God has prepared some big stuff, some good work, for us to do today. If God has gone to the effort of preparing good works for us to do, then surely God is preparing us even now to do those good works. In the coming weeks, we will look at several ways that God is giving us "On-the-Job Training" for the good works prepared for us to do. Responding to God's Call Pray the following prayer (or one of your own asking for discernment) and listen for the good works God is pointing you to: God of my salvation, thank you for setting me free from fear and sin. Show me what good work you would have me do. Guide our church to the works you have prepared for us. Help us together to live up to the holy calling you give us. In Jesus’ name, Amen. What do I hear God telling me? Looking Ahead If God has prepared good works for us to do, perhaps even greater works than Jesus himself did, how is God preparing us to actually do them? Join us this Sunday as we explore how we are "Equipped by God's Word" to do amazing things! Register for Camp OverlookNow is the time to register for Camp Overlook! Turn in your forms by April 24, and our church will cover the registration costs for your kids to attend. Brochures are available in the vestibule. The Cookbook Is Here!Our awesome cookbook is here! We have extras so we are asking everyone to try and sell one more so that we can sell all of them. They are still $22. If you need extras call Sue Good. Share the cookbook with all your address friends on email, and let them know what a great buy it is. Thanks to everyone for making this a successful project! Living in CommunityThanks to Maddie, Damian, Charity, Dinah, Chris, Dalton, Laurel, Keith, Zach, and Hunter for clearing up the recent wind damage at the park! Thanks to Bob for leading our prayers in worship this Sunday! Thanks to Debbie, Larry, and Meg for helping to serve communion this Sunday! We have a team participating in a fundraising walk/run for AVA Care. Please see Mark Hardy or one of our youth if you are interested in supporting this ministry. This Week at Port ChurchWednesday, April 13 9:30 am - 2:00 pm - Office Hours Thursday, April 14 9:30 am - 12:00 noon - Office Hours Sunday, April 17 9:30 am - Worship Service 11:00 am - Sunday School Looking AheadDeadline to Register for Camp Overlook - April 24
VBS Training - May 22 Vacation Bible School - June 27-July 1 4/5/2016 0 Comments April 05th, 2016The Road Less TraveledWith the arrival of spring, soccer season has begun with the assignment of teams and the first practice. All of this prompted an interesting conversation with one of my boys who was excited to be on a team that - to all appearances thus far - is fairly average in skill and will probably lose a few and hopefully win a few games this season. In seasons past he has played on team of differing levels of talent - from teams that could barely score at all and lost most games by a large margin to teams that couldn't help but run up the score and blow out the opposing team. My son has always liked to win so his reaction to being on a team likely to lose some games surprised me. "I'm glad to be on a team that will probably play a lot of close games," he said. Of course, being on a consistently losing team is not a lot of fun, but his reasoning about not wanting to be on a really talented team is that the games are too easy and how you play doesn't really matter anymore. If the two teams are balanced, however, every play matters and there is still excitement, perhaps even the greatest excitement, in the closing minutes as the teams struggle to come out with the win. Being on an average team, my son thinks, gives him the best shot at excitement and playing that matters. He would rather have a challenging but potentially rewarding game over an easy but, in the end, empty victory. How often, I wonder, do we in the church prefer an easy game to win over one with a real chance to lose? In church terms, how often do we choose an easier path to living our faith - giving a few dollars to a homeless ministry, for instance - over the harder trail of discipleship - being in relationship with a homeless person and trying to walk with them through their troubles, for instance? They are both good and important actions to help others, but one is easy and just as easily forgotten while the other is challenging and cannot help but change our lives. On a personal faith level, are we satisfied with a life of praying a little, worshiping a little, and serving a little or do we risk trying to do something new for the Lord knowing that we may fail? In my time, I have known churches that preferred the easier path of living the faith, and so often it was obvious that folks felt like something was missing from their faith. They wanted more but didn't know how to get it. I am thankful for you at Port Church who have decided to give the harder trail of discipleship a go - with Wednesday at the Port, VBS, the bus ministry, and being the village that raises the children of our community who are at risk. None of this is easy work, and we could certainly fail trying. Still, isn't the reward all the better because of that? May God keep us vigilant in our faith so that we will always choose the challenging and rewarding work to which we are called! Blessings on the journey, Jim On-the-Job TrainingOn the night in which he shared a final meal with his disciples, Jesus promised them that they would do greater things than he had done. That promise may seem a bit hard to believe, especially considering all that Jesus himself had done - the teaching, the healing, the miracles. As heirs to this promise ourselves, we may wonder how we could ever do anything that could even remotely compare to what Jesus has done. Fortunately, we also have the promise that God will prepare us and give us what we need to do these amazing things that are planned for us. Join us this Sunday in worship as we explore the "On-the-Job Training" God gives us so that we can do even greater things in Jesus' name! Praying for General ConferenceGeneral Conference, our denomination-wide meeting that is held once every four years, will convene in Portland from May 10th to 20th. The conference will make plans for our denomination's ministries, set our budget for the coming four years, and consider petitions from churches and individuals on the rules we follow. The Virginia Annual Conference elected delegates at last year's conference, and they have been preparing for the General Conference since. Bishop Cho is asking for our churches to be in prayer for the General Conference and our delegates and has called for a day of prayer this Sunday. We will pray for them in our worship service, and I encourage you to include our General Conference in your personal prayers as well. For more information, see the General Conference website. Living in CommunityOver the last two weeks we have had powerful worship services and awesome opportunities for fellowship, and it took many hands to make it happen. So we have many folks to be thankful for! Thanks to Sue and Pat for providing and setting up refreshments for our Sunrise Service! Thanks to Jason for leading our music at the Sunrise Service! Thanks to Curt and Keith for helping to get the park cleaned up in time for Easter! Thanks to Pam and Marvin for all the work you did decorating our sanctuary throughout Holy Week! Thanks to Linda and Liz for their special offering of music! Thanks to Liz and the Little Fishermen for their special message in song! Thanks to Lee, Lauren, Steve, and his class for organizing our Easter Egg Hunt! Thanks to Dinah, Meg, Steve, Mark, Liz, and Kendra for their work with the youth in preparation for Youth Sunday! Thanks to Isaac for powerful witness to God's work and word! Thanks to Tristan, Jordan, Baylor, Rayanna, Hannah, and Brenna for leading our praise music! Thanks to all the youth who helped to lead our worship in so many ways! Thanks to all of our parents of youth for sharing your children with us and supporting them over the last few weeks of practice! Thanks to all the many hands that made Wednesday at the Port possible this past year! A special thanks to our cooks - Sue, Dianna, Debbie, and Joyce - and our teachers - Dinah, Meg, Kendra, Steve, Mark, Lee, Holly, Barb, and Liz - and our weekly bus drivers and riders - Randy, Kelly, Mark, and Susie! Thanks to everyone to helps to make our worship and ministries possible day by day! This Week at Port ChurchWednesday, April 6 9:30 am - 2:00 pm - Office Hours Thursday, April 7 Deadline to submit items for council meeting agenda to Dianna 9:30 am - 12:00 noon - Office Hours 6:30 pm - Trustees Meeting Sunday, April 10 9:30 am - Worship Service with Communion 11:00 am - Sunday School Looking AheadVBS Training - May 22
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8525 Water Street
PO Box 116
Port Republic, VA 24471
540-249-4111