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9/29/2015 0 Comments September 28, 2015 Free Checking Money - that's everybody's favorite topic to hear about in church, right? For most of us, hearing about money, giving, and finances makes us uncomfortable in church. For most of us called to preach - myself included - we'd rather not ever have to talk about it at all to begin with. Why is it that something we call a blessing from God can cause us to squirm so much in church? Is it because - like the rich young ruler - we are so attached to our many things that we don't like to be reminded of the need to give to the poor in extravagant ways? Is it because we are trying to serve two masters - God and money - and we don't want to face the fact that it is an impossible task? Why is it that such a blessing becomes such a burden so as to become a taboo? This is a puzzling situation we find ourselves in, especially considering how positively the Bible talks about giving - it is a privilege and a joy. Perhaps the problem is that, in avoiding the topic altogether or at most approaching it in terms of amounts (tithing 10% or meeting the church budget), we have never really learned how to give to God. That may seem a silly thing to say - really all we have to do is write a check and drop it in the plate when it comes around, right? Perhaps there's more to it, though, if we want to give well, because giving well requires preparation. And if Scripture is to be believed, learning to give well leads to more spiritual fulfillment and deeper joy in giving. Those are the rewards of learning to give well. Over the next four weeks, we are going to look at four things we need to do to learn to give well and the resulting freedom and rewards that come from them. It is my hope that together we may learn to give in a way that celebrates God's gifts and brings joy and fulfillment to our lives - in a way that turns the burden of giving into a true blessing. This week, we'll kick it off as we hear about a church that actually begged for the opportunity to take up an extra offering - I know, it sounds crazy - and see what we can learn from them (2 Corinthians 8:1-6). Join us as we explore what it means to have "A Vision Larger than Our Giving!" Meeting Jesus TodayThis past Sunday, we wrapped our journey through stories of people "Meeting Jesus." We heard testimony from two of our members on how they have met Jesus and celebrated with baptism and confirmation of four youth who wanted to make a commitment to Christ in response to meeting Jesus in their lives. Sermon Snippet: Baptized (Acts 8:26-38) The Ethiopian eunuch did not have the privilege of meeting Jesus through his teaching, healing, feeding, or miracles. By the time this man visited Jerusalem to worship, Jesus had already died, was resurrected, and had ascended to heaven. So how could this man meet Jesus? He met him in Scripture, in the work of the Spirit that drew him to the right place at the right time, through the disciple Philip who explained the Scripture in light of his own meeting of Jesus, and through the water of baptism - the witness of creation. Today we, like the Ethiopian, cannot meet Jesus face-to-face in the way folks in the gospels did, but we still meet Jesus. We meet Jesus through Scripture, each other, the Spirit, and the witness of creation. This Week's Challenge Pray for God to open your eyes to see Jesus at work in your life in the many little ways we meet Jesus. Living in Community
This Week at Port ChurchWednesday, September 30 9:30 am - 2 pm - Office Hours 6 pm - Wednesday at the Port Thursday, October 1 9:30 am - 12 pm - Office Hours 10:30 am - Prayer Time Sunday, October 4 9:30 am - Worship with Holy Communion "Free Checking: A Vision Greater than our Giving" 10:30 am - Silent Auction for RENEW Camp begins 11 am - Sunday School 1 pm - Youth Kickball Tournament Looking Ahead
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9/22/2015 0 Comments September 22nd, 2015 Joining God's Work Here It's been a great couple of weeks of Wednesday at the Port! We've had around 100+ folks for dinner each night and over 20 kids in our Little Fishermen program afterwards. We've been overwhelmed by the response and give thanks to God that this ministry is reaching so many of you. So many hands have come together to make this happen. This week, I am especially thankful to Jordan, one of our youth members, who agreed to lead our opening prayer and shared in the Superman Prayer. It was a great scene to see folks of all ages giving thanks to God in song and in motion! With such a crowd to feed and to teach, we need your help. We have teachers for our activities activities but need help with managing the large group of kids that God has brought our way. If you can sit with our kids and simply show them kindness and love as they learn music and make crafts, please let me know. We also have a need for someone to lead adult discussion or games or to lead a class for upper elementary (Take your choice - I will do the other). If that's not your thing but you are able to help clean up after the meal and give our cooks a break from standing on their feet, please see Sue Good to sign up for one of the upcoming weeks. Even if you are unable to come out for Wednesday at the Port, please join us in praying for our leaders: Dianna Chandler, Sue Good, and Debbie Huffman - cooks; Randy Chandler - bus; Barbie Chandler - nursery; Liz Shifflett and Lee Obaugh - Little Fishermen; and Dinah Watson, Kendra Burns, Mark Hardy, and Meg Ward - youth. I am thankful to all these folks and all the other volunteers who help serve the meal, clean up afterwards, and watch our children. If you want to be a part of the amazing work that God is doing in our midst, come out for Wednesday at the Port! See you this week! Blessings on the journey, Jim Meeting Jesus We have finally arrived at the end of Jesus' story on earth as he meets his fate on the cross even as others continue to meet him. Sermon Snippet: Crucified (Luke 23:32-43) Jesus hangs upon the cross, but he is not alone. With him in this perfectly hopeless situation are two criminals, one to his left and one to his right. While one mocks him and tries to goad him into saving them all, the other cries the ancient words of God's people when they face hopeless situations: "Remember me..." - the words of Joseph in prison, of Samson who strength has left him, of Hannah who desires a child more than anything else, of Job who has lost everything, of Jeremiah when his work as a prophet earns him nothing but scorn and abuse, and of Nehemiah when his work to rebuild Jerusalem is jeopardized. This criminal in the midst of hopelessness joins the chorus of God's people. Jesus responds, "Today you will be with me in paradise!" Today! Salvation is not just a part of some distant future in a far-off otherworldly realm. It is here and now! Today is the day that can change everything. When hopelessness causes us to question, we join with God's people who wrestle and struggle with God through our doubts, and Jesus answers, "Today! Today is the day that salvation comes! Today is the day that changes everything!" This Week's Challenge What seems hopeless in our world or in your life today? What causes you to question and to doubt? Pray for God to help you remain open to the potential for change in those situations today. Looking Ahead Jesus has been crucified, has risen, and ascended into heaven. He no longer walks among the people. How can we meet Jesus as those so long ago did? Where do we find Jesus today? Join us this Sunday as we look for how to meet Jesus in the story of the Ethiopian eunuch who wished to be "Baptized." September 27 - "Baptized" - Acts 8:26-38 Party in the Park!Our youth are already making plans to serve our community in mission through RENEW Camp next summer. To help raise the $3000 that the team needs to be able to attend, they are hosting a Party in the Park on October 10 in Bradburn Park starting at 4 pm. The afternoon kicks off with a chili cookoff - sign up now to win the bragging rights of the People's Choice Award and come out to help choose the winner! They will have items up for silent auction and a cornhole cake toss where you can win your dessert! The evening will conclude with a dance at the picnic shelter with music from across the decades. Invite your friends and neighbors, come out for the food and fun, and support the transforming work of our youth in the community! Help Kids at South River!The school year is in full swing now, and Nurse Jan at South River Elementary has let us know of some of the needs that she has for the kids at the school. The Clothing Closet at SRES needs white t-shirts of all sizes, men's underwear - size medium, women's underwear - size 8, boys' and girls' underwear - both in sizes 8, 10-12, and 14-16, and any gently worn sweats and leggings. Thank you for your continued support of our school and the kids of our community! Living in Community
This Week at Port ChurchTuesday, September 22 7:00 pm Finance Meeting Wednesday, September 23 9:30 am - 2 pm - Office Hours 6 pm - Wednesday at the Port Thursday, September 24 10:00 am - 12 pm - Office Hours 10:30 am - Prayer Time Sunday, September 27 9:30 am - Worship: "Meeting Jesus - Baptized" 11 am - Sunday School Looking Ahead
 Joining the CovenantThis past Sunday we welcomed three families into our congregation. It is always a joyful time when we have folks become members and join the covenant of our congregation. But what does it mean to be a member of a congregation? What does it mean to be a part of the covenant of the church? When we are baptized into Chirst's Church (not the local congregation but the whole church of God), we make vows or promises of what we will do: repent of our sin and turn away from evil, accept the power God gives us to resist and defy evil wherever we encounter, and trust Jesus as our Savior and serve him in union with the rest of the Church. We make these promises to God, and then the congregation that is gathered makes promises to God - to care for these new members of God's family and help them grow. Then we make a promise together to serve God through our support of our specific congregation through our prayers, presence, gifts, and service. This is our covenant with God and one another. When we become a member of a church, we are committing to living our these promises as best we can. But can't I just come to worship and serve Jesus without all of that? The simple answer is, of course, that you can. There is nothing that stops you from following Jesus without becoming a member of a church, but these promises of the covenant are important. Think of it this way: there is nothing that stops a couple from living together, having children, and living in every way as a family even if they have not taken the vows of marriage. So why get married? Because the promises that make up the covenant of marriage - that we will stick with each other through thick and thin - are important. Without these promises, it is harder to trust one another as completely as we want and need to. And it is important that these promises and vows are made publicly. The community of friends and family that gather for a marriage make their own promises to support us and care for us especially when things get tough. They are there to help hold us accountable and remind us of the promises we have made when we threaten to break them. The same is true of baptism and church membership as of marriage. The public promises are important for us to be able to live together in trust and in mutual accountability. I think this is what becoming a member of a church and joining its covenant is about. It's not like becoming a member of a civic club. We are not just saying we want to work together for a common cause; we are saying we want to live together as family - as brothers and sisters. When we join a church, we make promises to God and to one another that makes us just that kind of family - the best of what family can be. Family that will do anything for anybody, family that accepts us as we are - faults and all - but wants the best for us, family that sticks with us through thick and thin, family that doesn't give up on us just because we disagree or had an argument. After all, isn't that what love is truly about? I am glad to be members of the family of God, Jesus' brothers and sisters, here with you at Port Church! May God grant us the grace to live up to our vows and hold our covenant close today, tomorrow, and forever more! Blessings on the journey, Jim Meeting Jesus We are at the end of Jesus' journey among us and encounter some of the last people to meet Jesus as we reflect on what Meeting Jesus today means for our lives. Sermon Snippet: Reconciled (Luke 19:1-10) As he approaches Jerusalem for the final time on his way to the cross, Jesus enters the town of Jericho where a rich, short tax collector named Zacchaeus lives. Zacchaeus, so intrigued by Jesus, climbs a tree to get a better look over the crowd. Jesus calls him down saying that he will stay Zacchaeus - a great honor for this hated man in the community. Zacchaeus pledges to give half of what he has to the poor and to make good on any wrong that he has done. This becomes one of Jesus' greatest miracles - that a man so loathed by the entire community is reconciled to the community, and the community is reconciled to God as they let go of their grudges and welcome one of their own back. When we meet Jesus, he calls us to let go of our grudges, our old hurts and wounds, and our self-righteousness so that we can be reconciled to one another and then together to God. This Week's Challenge Who are you holding a grudge against? What old hurts and wounds are your clinging to? Pray for the grace to forgive and be reconciled. Looking Ahead As he hangs upon the cross, a criminal crucified alongside makes a request of Jesus - to be allowed into his kingdom. Jesus' response proves that anything is possible for the Crucified One! September 20 - "Crucified" - Luke 23:32-43 September 27 - "Baptized" - Acts 8:26-38 Stepping Up to the CrisisWe have all seen the pictures of the horrors caused by the refugee crisis coming out of the Middle East and North Africa, especially Syria, and several of you have asked what we can do about it. Our United Methodist Committee on Relief - our humanitarian relief agency - offers great information about what is happening, the issues at the heart of the crisis, and how we can help by supporting the work of our brothers and sisters in United Methodist congregations in Hungary, Macedonia, Austria, Germany, and beyond. You can make a donation to UMCOR's International Disaster Relief on their website or by writing a check to the church designated for "UMCOR Refugee Relief" and we will forward your donations to them. What Happens to a Christmas Child Shoebox? Have you ever wondered what happens when a Christmas shoebox leaves our church? Every gift-filled shoebox is a powerful tool to share God’s love and to transform the lives of children and their families around the world! Yves Dushime is one of these children. His life was forever changed because of a simple shoebox gift, and he is coming to share his story. Join us on September 25, 2015 at 7:00 pm (doors open at 6:30pm) at First Church of the Nazarene or September 26, 2015 at 7:00 pm (doors open at 6:30) at Calvary Baptist Church. See Kendra Burns for more details. Living in Community
This Week at Port ChurchWednesday, September 16 9:30 am - 2 pm - Office Hours 6 pm - Wednesday at the Port Thursday, September 17 9:30 am - 12 pm - Office Hours 10 am - Sunshine Seniors - Trip to Nursing Homes 10:30 am - Prayer Time Sunday, September 20 9:30 am - Worship: "Meeting Jesus - Crucified" 11 am - Sunday School 6 pm - High School Confirmation Bible Study at Ciro's Looking Ahead
 Praying in the PewAs a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and behold the face of God? ... Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God. - Psalm 42:1-2, 11 Last Thursday, we kicked off our weekly prayer time with these words from the Psalmist and reflected on what they mean for us as we seek to follow God. We all face times that are dry and barren - times when we feel abandoned, lost, hopeless, overwhelmed. During these times, we thirst for just a bit of grace from God as if it were a stream of water when we are parched. When we feel cast down, we can remember those times when we rejoiced in and praised God for our cup that was filled to overflowing. While it is easy to want to just give up, we still can have hope that we will again praise God who is our help. With this in mind, we began to walk among the pews, stopping at each one, and praying for you who normally sit there on Sunday mornings. After thirty minutes, we had made it up and down only one aisle and decided to continue this week with the next aisle. You see, we had so much to pray for - giving thanks for you and your ministry, asking for God's spirit to rest mightily with you, and remembering the burdens you bear and how they weigh on you. By the end, my eyes were filling with tears - tears of thanksgiving for who you are and tears of sorrow for the trials you face. In the coming weeks, we will continue praying our way through the pews of the sanctuary, and I hope that you will consider joining us one week. If you cannot come because of work, school, or other obligations, I invite you to find a time at some point on Thursday to pray for those who sit on the pew with you, in front of you, and behind you. Give thanks for them and their ministry, ask for God's blessings, lift up any concerns you know that they have, and pray that God will draw you closer as brothers and sisters in Christ. Together, we can lift one another up, even when the other feels cast down and hopeless. Remember to pray for one another, because we are all in this thing together! Blessings on the journey, Jim Meeting Jesus We approach the end of Jesus' journey among us and encounter some of the last people to meet Jesus as we reflect on what Meeting Jesus today means for our lives. Sermon Snippet: Convicted (Luke 18:18-25) After Jesus has welcomed children to be blessed and taught that we must enter the kingdom of heaven like little children, a ruler approaches him to ask what he must to do to inherit eternal life. After affirming that he has followed the rules of the Ten Commandments from his childhood, Jesus tells him that he lack one thing still - to sell all he has, give it to the poor, and follow Jesus. The ruler is sad because he has many things that he loves. When we meet Jesus, he not only comforts us in our afflictions by healing, forgiving, and giving peace to us, but he also afflicts us in our comfort by showing us how far we have fallen short of the glory for which we have been created. When we are confronted with our failures and convicted of our sin, we have a decision to make. Do we give up and walk away from Jesus in sadness because what he asks of us is virtually impossible? Or do we stick with Jesus despite the discomfort and try to figure out how to do these crazy things he calls us to do through the power of God for whom all things are possible? This Week's Challenge How is Jesus afflicting you in your comfort today? What crazy thing is Jesus convicting you to do? Instead of trying to ignore it, stick with Jesus this week and pray for him to open the path for you to join him in his work. Looking Ahead Jesus is on the final leg of his journey in to Jerusalem and his fate upon the cross at Calvary. As he enters Jericho, a rich tax collector climbs a tree to get a better view of Jesus. Fortunately for him, Jesus has saved one of his greatest miracles for just this day. Join us this Sunday as we explore this great miracle as wee little Zacchaeus is "Reconciled" by Jesus! September 13 - "Reconciled" - Luke 19:1-10 September 20 - "Crucified" - Luke 23:32-43 September 27 - "Baptized" - Acts 8:26-38 Wednesday at the Port begins this week! Wednesday at the Port is back for the fall! This week's free meal includes Pork BBQ, Cole Slaw, Mac & Cheese, and Desserts! While the meal is free, donations help us keep this ministry going. A $5 donation covers the complete cost of your meal and part of the cost for one of our friends of the community. Little Fishermen are looking at some of the stories of Jesus this fall, while the youth kick off their fall with a shortened version of the Proverbs Amazing Race! Invite your family and neighbors, and come out for Food, Friends, and Faith! MORE Worship! Are you looking for an opportunity to worship more? MORE is a community worship service focused on singing praise to God and is held every two months. The next MORE service is September 13 from 6 to 7 pm at Mountain View Fellowship Church in McGaheysville. Enjoy Oreos and milk after the service! The spiritual food this week will consist of people sharing their favorite Scriptures, so come prepared if you want to share! Talk with Pastor Jim, Dinah Watson, or Keith Robinson for MORE details. We will offer bus transportation from our church, leaving at 5:30 and returning around 7:30. Living in Community
This Week at Port ChurchTuesday, September 8 7 pm - Administrative Council Meeting Wednesday, September 9 9:30 am - 2 pm - Office Hours 6 pm - Wednesday at the Port Thursday, September 10 9:30 am - 12 pm - Office Hours 10:30 am - Prayer Time Sunday, September 6 9:30 am - Worship: "Meeting Jesus - Reconciled" 11 am - Sunday School 4:30 pm - High School Confirmation Bible Study at the Church 5:30 - Bus Leaves for MORE Service Looking Ahead
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