9/24/2018 September 24th, 2018See You Saturday!Our 225th anniversary celebration is finally here! This Saturday, we will gather at the Grottoes Fire Department hall at 3 pm for children's games, dime toss, music, food, silent auction, and cornhole. Please be aware that we are not to park in the reserved spots along the front of the building. See the schedule below for all events. At 6:30, we will begin clean up and then move to the sanctuary at the church for worship filled with music and a message from our District Superintendent Rev. Dr. Victor Gomez. Worship will begin around 7:15 as everyone makes their way from the fire hall. 3-5 pm - Children's Games 3-5 pm - Dime Toss hosted by Port Republic Ruritans 3-3:15 pm - Registration for Cornhole Tournament - $10 per team 3-5 pm - Silent Auction to benefit Youth Mission Projects 4-6 pm - Music by Big City Band 5-6:30 pm - Food: Chicken, Mac & Cheese, Green Beans, Cole Slaw, Hot Dogs, Homemade Cakes! 5:30-6:30 pm - Silent Auction checkout - items must be paid for during this time! 7:15-ish pm - Revival Service at Port Church! This promises to be a fun day! Come out and join us as we look back over the last 225 years and prepare to move forward into the next 225! Looking Back, Moving Forward: As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is what he promised us-eternal life. ~1 John 2:24-25~ Blessings on the journey, Jim Sunday's Sermon SnippetConflict: To the Victor Goes... (2 Samuel 19) We left David last week grieving for his son Absalom who had died in a rebellious battle against him. His general tells him it is time to get up and start acting like a king to reclaim his crown. David begins the journey back across the Jordan and up to the heights of Jerusalem. As he does, he is confronted by many of those who had insulted and badgered him as he made his escape earlier. Now they come to grovel and beg for their lives. No one could blame David if he decided to solidify his control by eliminating all the enemies that have been outed in this unsuccessful coup, but he has one last surprise in store for us. First, he sends word to Absalom's general Amasa that he now wants him to be his own general in place of Joab who had killed Absalom. A man named Shimei, a man loyal to the previous king Saul, had insulted and condemned David in his escape but now comes to apologize. David forgives him and pledges that he is not to be killed for his treason. On his escape, a servant from the household of Saul had come to report that Saul's last heir Mephibosheth was planning to claim the throne for himself in the midst of the turmoil. Mephibosheth comes to dispute this rumor, and we have no way of knowing who has told the truth. David doesn't know either, but he also doesn't care. He is not worried whether the servant has lied or Mephibosheth has betrayed him. He forgives them both. In each encounter, David could take revenge but he chooses mercy. He is the king - victorious - and it is up to him to rebuild his broken nation. Finally, Barzillai, a man who provided for David and his army as they prepared for battle comes to see David off. David tried to bless him to thank him for his hospitality, the old man comfortable in his own riches refuses it and instead blesses David on his way. Just as the old prophet Samuel had blessed David to be king at the beginning of his journey, Barzillai now blesses him to become king - a better king - again. What we learn from these encounters is that our conventional wisdom is wrong. We say, "To the victor goes the spoils." David understood that he had won more than the crown and the power to punish his enemies through his defeat of Absalom. He had won the responsibility to reach out to the defeated and be reconciled to them. It was not up to the losers in the conflict to grovel and ingratiate themselves to him for fear of their lives. As the winner, it was up to David to rebuild what had been broken by eleven years of conflict with his lost son. David shows us that winning a conflict faithfully means showing mercy to those who have lost. Sometimes a conflict has no clear winners or losers, but as people of faith we claim a greater victory than any mere conflict so it is up to us to show mercy and reconcile in such cases. To the victor goes the responsibility to reconcile! Living in CommunityThanks again to everyone who has worked so hard over the last two weeks under the threat of flooding and to prepare for our anniversary celebration! It's not too late to join the choir for our cantata! Come to practice on Wednesday after the meal or on Sunday after worship. Talk to Linda for more details. This Week at Port ChurchWednesday, September 26 9:00 - 11:45 am - Office Hours 6:00 pm - Wednesday at the Port Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Beets 6:45 pm - Cantata Practice Thursday, September 27 9:00 - 11:45 am - Office Hours Saturday, September 29 3:00 pm - 225th Anniversary Celebration at GVFD 7:15-ish pm - Revival Service at PRUMC Sanctuary Sunday, September 30 9:30 am - Worship: "Legacy: Blessed to Be a Blessing" 11:00 am - Sunday School Join us for our Philippians Bible Study during Sunday School!
6:00 pm - Wednesday at the Port 6:45 pm - Cantata Practice Looking AheadHarvest Table to benefit Food Pantry coming mid-October
Nativity - December 14 & 15 9/20/2018 September 20th, 2018Many HandsMany hands make light work! If you doubted the truth of that proverb, all you needed to do was see our church at work preparing for the hurricane and setting back up afterwards. I lost count of exactly how many folks helped out over the three days we needed it, but it was certainly in the dozens and ranged in age from the young children to some of our oldest members. So many people pitched in one way or another, each according to what they could do. Please know that I am thankful for each and every one of you. It is truly amazing what we can do when we work together for a common goal! Seeing something like how we came together to accomplish something that seemed so daunting makes you understand how a small group of fishermen and the like could change the world and turn it upside down. I pray that we will continue in that renewed spirit of unity and purpose to reach out to our community in the name of the one who called us here! While the flood waters stopped just shy of impacting the church parking lot and basement (and oh are we thankful they did), several good things came out of all this work. The basement received a thorough cleaning, we reorganized our supplies, we laid out the kitchen in a way more helpful for our cooking and cleaning crews for meals, and even the choir room upstairs that we used to temporarily store things from downstairs got a little more organized. All the while, we had some good fellowship and sharing despite the fatigue, humidity, and stress. I am thankful for your patience as our leaders discerned the best path through the uncertainty, for your understanding as we finish getting everything back into its rightful place, and for all the dedication and prayers that made the work lighter for us all. Blessings on the journey, Jim Sunday's Sermon SnippetConflict: Family Feud (2 Samuel 18) We left David last week repenting for his sin but knowing that it would bring trouble to his household. Years passed before it would come to fruition. David had many wives with whom he had children. His eldest son Amnon lusted after Tamar, David's daughter by another wife. With the relationship forbidden, Amnon hatched a plan to get Tamar alone and raped her. David heard of what happened and was angry, but he did nothing to bring justice for his daughter. Absalom, Tamar's brother and David's son, was incensed by the lack of justice and began to stew and plot. Two years later, he hatched his own plan to get Amnon to let his guard down at a feast, and he had his servants kill the offender. Absalom then fled and remained away from David for three years. David was angry and would not forgive Absalom his son. David gave neither of his sons what God had given him - accountability and forgiveness. David showed Amnon forgiveness but did not hold him accountable for what he had done, while he held Absalom accountable with no forgiveness. Absalom languished in exile until David finally relented and allowed his return. Yet David would not see him face-to-face. He avoided him for two whole years before receiving his son again. By then it was too late. Absalom, a handsome, charismatic young man, began to undermine David's rule and plotted a coup for four years. He rebelled and claimed the crown for himself, having the popular support of Israel. David fled in humiliation to buy time to collect an army to fight back. Before the battle, David told his generals not to harm Absalom - finally showing some tenderness to his son. In battle, David's army won, and Absalom fled but was caught in the branches of an oak tree by his beautiful hair. David's general had him killed to protect David's rule. David heard the news and cried out "My son Absalom!" repeatedly. What we learn from all of this is how important it is to settle conflict before it is too late. David cries out for his son in anguish. But what if he had cried it out in love and forgiveness over those eleven years prior? In conflict, we often want to sweep things under the rug. We ignore the problem and let it fester. We pretend it is not there and try to go on living as if it didn't bother us. We wind up avoiding the other person because it is easier - in the short term, at least - than dealing with the pain of admitting the conflict we have. That is what David did, and it cost him not just one but two sons. It also brought great and terrible consequences for the community around them as they were thrown in war and chaos. Handling conflict faithfully means settling it before it's too late. Living in CommunityThanks to everyone who helped to prepare for and set back up after the storm this week! A special thanks to our youth for all their hard work, to Chris and Dinah for watching out for the church overnight, to Courtney for bringing snacks, and to Barbara for supplying lunch! This Week at Port ChurchWednesday, September 19 9:00 - 11:45 am - Office Hours 6:00 pm - Wednesday at the Port Potato Bar 6:45 pm - Cantata Practice Thursday, September 20 9:00 - 11:45 am - Office Hours Saturday, September 22 2 pm - Church Work Day Sunday, September 23 9:30 am - Worship: "Conflict: To the Victor Goes ..." 11:00 am - Sunday School Join us for our Philippians Bible Study during Sunday School! 5:00 pm - Confirmation Class at Ciro's Wednesday, September 26 9:00 - 11:45 am - Office Hours 6:00 pm - Wednesday at the Port Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Harvard Beets, Brownies 6:45 pm - Cantata Practice Looking AheadNativity Workday - October 6
Nativity - December 14 & 15 9/10/2018 September 10th, 2018Preparing for the HurricaneThis week, the anticipated approach of the hurricane is weighing heavily on our hearts and minds. While we pray that the hurricane will lessen in intensity and not endanger the lives and homes of those in its path, we also need to take precautions to minimize the risk to ourselves and our properties. In the coming days, please prepare as you need to and stay safe. If you need help as the storm hits, please feel free to contact me so that we can see what we can do. We also need your help to prepare the church for possible flooding. In years past, we have had the downstairs filled with water, and this storm poses a potential threat to do likewise. We have preparations to make at the park, in our storage barn, and in the downstairs area of the church building. As we gather for our Wednesday at the Port meal tomorrow night, we invite you to stay and help us begin this work. We are cancelling the youth classes (they will still fellowship and eat together in their classrooms as usual) and choir practice so that everyone can pitch in with the work. We will still have nursery care and a class for our elementary age kids so that their families can help out as well. The meal begins at 6 pm, and we will begin work when we are done around 6:40 pm. If you are available to come early, we can get a head start on some of the work from 5 to 6 pm. We appreciate your help and hope to see you tomorrow for food, fellowship, and working together! Because coming together to pitch in as we are able is what family does for one another! Stay dry, and be safe! Blessings on the journey, Jim Sunday's Sermon SnippetConflict: Called Out (2 Samuel 12) When we left David last week, he was mourning the death of his rival King Saul even as he held his crown as his own, but he was not yet king of Israel. There was still an heir in the house of Saul who claimed the crown as his own. Civil war raged on between the factions of David and Saul, eventually ending with the defection of Saul's general to David's side. As the king of Israel, David was successful. He took the fight to the enemies that harassed his people, and peace and prosperity came to the land. David conquered Jerusalem, built his palace there, and made it his capital. He began plans for a temple to replace the tent tabernacle as the place to worship God, but the prophet Nathan told him God did not ask that of him. His son was to build a temple later, but David was rewarded with a great blessing on his house that rule on from that day. All was well in Israel, except they had an imperfect king even in David. It came one spring when the kings went out to war that David stayed behind in Jerusalem as he sent his army to fight the Ammonites. David took a liking to Bathsheba, the wife of one of his soldiers named Uriah who was in the war. Bathsheba became pregnant, and David sought a way to cover up his sin and betrayal. He brought Uriah back from the front and encouraged him to go home to his wife, but Uriah would not do so while his fellow warriors remained at the front. He was a noble man - more noble than David at this point- caring for his partners in war in a way David did not. David sent him back to the front and ordered the general to put Uriah on the front line and expose him to the enemy so that he would be killed. Uriah, along with other soldiers, died in a needless battle, and David had successfully covered up his sin. He brought Bathsheba into his home to be his wife. God had other plans, however, and sent Nathan the prophet again to David - this time to convict him. Nathan told a parable of a rich man that stole that which was precious to a poor man. David was enraged and condemned the rich man to death. "You are the man!" Nathan told him. Nathan had called David out for his sin - his betrayal of Uriah, of his army, of his people, of God. Being called out is never easy, especially when we know how wrong we are. It is natural to grow defensive and deny any wrongdoing, to point the finger at the wrong others have done, to argue that what we have done is not that bad, or to justify our wrongs in the name of a greater good. Yet David does none of these things. He surprises us as he simply replies to Nathan's conviction and declaration of God's punishment for him and his family with a single sentence: "I have sinned against the Lord." David has been called out, and in response he simply confesses his wrongdoing. He accepts the conviction and condemnation. As we live in conflict with others, both personal and societal, we are inevitably going to be wrong at some point. Perhaps we are just plain wrong in our position, or maybe we are right about the argument but we go about the fight in a wrong way that demonizes and dehumanizes our opponents. Eventually we are going to be wrong. In those moments, we need a Nathan to call us out, and we need to recognize that being called out, even by those it is hardest to listen to, can be a gift from God that frees us from trying to cover up how wrong we are. Living faithfully in conflict means accepting when we are wrong. Being called out for our failures can be a gift from God. May God grant us the grace to hear those prophetic voices telling us when we are wrong and the courage to admit it! Living in CommunityThanks to everyone who has participated in communion server training and a special thanks to Donnie for helping to set up for it! The Potato Drop scheduled for this Saturday has been cancelled. Look for more details later. This Week at Port ChurchWednesday, September 12 9:00 - 11:45 am - Office Hours 6:00 pm - Wednesday at the Port Taco Salad and Applesauce 6:45 pm - Cantata Practice Thursday, September 13 9:00 - 11:45 am - Office Hours Saturday, September 15 Potato Drop cancelled Sunday, September 16 9:30 am - Worship: "Conflict: Family Feud" 11:00 am - Sunday School Join us for our new Philippians Bible Study during Sunday School! 5:00 pm - Confirmation Class at Ciro's Wednesday, September 19 9:00 - 11:45 am - Office Hours 6:00 pm - Wednesday at the Port Baked Potato Bar 6:45 pm - Cantata Practice Looking Ahead225th Anniversary Celebration - September 29, 3 pm - until
Nativity Workday - October 6 9/4/2018 September 04th, 2018Time to Learn and GrowIn the next week we will be starting up two opportunities to learn and grown. In Sunday School this week, Dinah will begin our Bible study of the Letter to the Philippians for adults of all ages. This book has been transformative for her as it has changed how she approaches life and helped her to find deeper joy. Join us to share in this great experience of God's word. Next Wednesday at 6 pm, we kick off our fall session of Wednesday at the Port - our free meal for the community followed by programs for children and youth. Our children will explore how they are blessed by God as we dive into the story of Jacob and Esau, while some of the youth will explore the choice to follow God in "Why Jesus?" Adults are also invited to join our choir for Christmas cantata practice from 6:45 to 7:45 after the meal. I hope to see you there for a time to learn and grow! Blessings on the journey, Jim Sunday's Sermon SnippetConflict: The Lord's (2 Samuel 1) When we left David last week, he had been warned by his friend Jonathan, King Saul's son, to flee the king's murderous wrath. David moved from one place to another, seeking refuge in the wilderness and in the towns of the Philistines whose champion he had famously killed in battle. It was a dangerous, precarious existence running from Saul. Eventually David found himself serving the Philistine king of Gath who commanded him to harass the Israelites, but David instead took his army to harass Israel's enemies. When the Philistines decided to go out in war against Saul himself, David is asked to join the army, but many of the commanders distrusted him (rightfully so). So he was left behind from the great battle. Meanwhile, Saul had been in pursuit of David hoping to capture and kill his rival. Saul decided to seek a word from the prophet Samuel who had died. Consulting his spirit, Saul learned that he was to fall in battle along with his sons. As the battle drew near, he still went out to fight and protect his country, his people. As Samuel predicted, Saul's sons died in battle. As the circle tightened around him, Saul asked his sword-bearer to kill him. The man refused and so Saul fell on his own sword. An Amalekite seeking David's favor found Saul's crown and ran to present it to David - thus making him the king he was anointed to be. He falsely claimed to be the one who killed Saul in order to curry extra favor with the new king. He thought he was presenting the crown to a warrior, for David was indeed a great warrior. What he didn't count on was that David was first and foremost a theologian. Instead of being pleased at his enemy's demise, David was grieved for Israel and shocked that someone would raise a hand to kill the Lord's anointed king. Despite all that Saul had put him through and whatever hatred he may have harbored against him, David still recognized that there was something holy about Saul because he had been chosen and anointed by God. David had the Amalekite executed for his self-claimed crime against God. Our beliefs tell us that everyone is sacred to God because we all are made in the image of God. There is something holy about us that we do not have the right to deny one another. When we find ourselves in conflict, however, it is so much easier to set aside these beliefs and to demonize our enemies. If they are completely wrong, foolish, or even evil, we can fight back however we want. We are right to do whatever it takes to defeat them. We can treat them however we want for the sake of the fight. David reminds us that we are called to do better than that. We must still see the holiness within our enemies and treat them with respect even as we oppose them. As Jesus would later tell us, we are to love our enemies - anyone can love a friend but it takes faith to truly love an enemy. Disagreeing with someone does not give us the right to deny that they are God's beloved creation. We are called to respect those whom God loves even when we are in conflict with them. Living in CommunityThanks to Keith, Dalton, Courtney, Zach, Seth, Lee, Max, Kaylee, Dinah, Chris, and Chandler for coming out to help clean up the park and finish up the parking lot! Thanks to Kaylin Willow, Linda, and Donnie for helping to serve communion this past Sunday! Thanks to Susie for sharing her powerful witness as a part of our sermon this past Sunday! This Week at Port ChurchWednesday, September 5 9:00 - 11:45 am - Office Hours Thursday, September 6 9:00 - 11:45 am - Office Hours Sunday, September 9 9:30 am - Worship: "Conflict: Called Out" Communion Server Training following worship 11:00 am - Sunday School Join us for our new Philippians Bible Study during Sunday School! Wednesday, September 12 9:00 - 11:45 am - Office Hours 6:00 pm - Wednesday at the Port 6:45 pm - Cantata Practice Looking AheadPotato Drop hosted at Grottoes UMC - September 15, 12 noon
225th Anniversary Celebration - September 29, 3 pm - until Nativity Workday - October 6 |
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8525 Water Street
PO Box 116
Port Republic, VA 24471
540-249-4111