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10/31/2017 0 Comments October 31st, 2017 Sing Your StoryWhy do we sing when we get together in church? Singing can be a way of speaking to God much like prayer – offering praise for who God is, giving thanks for what God has done, and opening our hearts up to God. When we sing together, however, we are offering more than just a communal prayer. The Apostle Paul talked about this in his letter to the church at Ephesus: Ephesians 5:15-20 15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. While Paul mentions bearing our hearts before God and giving thanks in song at the close of this passage, there is an important aspect of verses 18-19 that is easy to overlook: “Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit.” Paul is telling us that we sing not only to God but also to one another! As we sing with and for one another, we are filled with the Spirit, empowering us to live wisely and according to God’s will. In other words, our singing is a source of encouragement to one another on life’s journey. I am not much a singer myself – in our family, the gift of song lies firmly, perhaps solely, with Courtney. You will never get me to do a solo, nor would you want me to. Still, I remember once sitting at the bedside of a faithful saint as she prepared for her final journey home to be with God. She had struggled for days but lay mostly unaware on her bed that last day. I visited her in the morning – no one else was around. As I sat there, her unable to open her eyes or make a response, I remembered the time we had spent together, especially her love of music. She had recently shared with me her list of favorite songs that she wanted sung at her funeral service. The Spirit nudged me – it was indeed a song from the Spirit – so I began to sing softly to her from those she loved. Her breathing relaxed and the slightest smile came to her lips. Perhaps she may have been laughing a bit at my surely off-key renditions, but I believe that she also found encouragement for her journey. I wound up singing from most of the hymns I know in the hour that followed before saying my good-bye to her. She would pass away that evening surrounded by her family, and a few days later they, along with the whole congregation and led by the choir, sang some of those same song as she settled into her new home with God. Encourage one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit and sing your story! Blessings on the journey, Jim Living in CommunityThanks to Linda, Liz, and Dinah for leading our worship this past Sunday! Thanks to everyone who shared their favorite hymns and made our worship so special! Thanks to Dinah, Brenna, and Mark for cleaning our church last week during Linda's recovery! Please continue to keep her in your prayers for healing. This Week at Port ChurchWednesday, November 1 9:00 - 11:45 am - Office Hours 6:00 pm - Wednesday at the Port Thursday, November 2 9:00 - 11:45 am - Office Hours Sunday, November 5 9:30 am - Worship with Communion - "Come and See: Be Kind!" Bring items to share with those who are hungry for our Harvest Table! 11:00 am - Sunday School Our "Love Does" Book Study for adults kicks off this week! Read the first seven stories in preparation for this week's class. See Pastor Jim for a book. 6:30 - 8:00 pm - Financial Peace University Class Looking AheadOperation Christmas Child Packing Party - November 12th
OCC Shoeboxes due November 19th Charge Conference - November 29th
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10/24/2017 0 Comments October 24th, 2017 Work that MattersLast week at Wednesday at the Port, our kids in the Little Fishermen elementary class did an awesome job and earned a trip to our Treasure Box. Inside the box were stickers, fun pencils and pens, toy cars, bouncy balls, and a new item. This past week, we added a handful of electric toothbrushes leftover from the Vacation Bible School kickoff party supplies. When they saw these laying in the box, the eyes of several kids lit up and they quickly took their prize and headed on their way home. One of our kids who rides the bus was headed down the hall when my wife saw their new toothbrush and said, "Wow! You are going to have fun brushing your teeth tonight!" The child said, "No, I can't brush my teeth. I don't have any toothpaste." "You can brush your teeth with just water, and it will still do some good," she encouraged. "No, you can't," he replied. About this time, another child came along and entered the debate, "Yes, you can." This short incident tells me a couple of things. First of all, there are so many things that I take for granted while others are in need. We made the decision to put these toothbrushes in the Treasure Box because they were leftovers from the supplies we had for a VBS craft that we no longer have a need for, and yet it was a great treasure for those who received them. How often do we live like that - not even recognizing the value and blessing of what we have? Secondly, the work we are doing with these kids each is important - and urgent! Sometimes, it feels like we are making little difference through our efforts and that we are just making it through each week's meal and lesson. But if we are giving something as a simple as a toothbrush to a child in need, that is an important way to show God's love. And you better believe we will have some fun toothpaste in the Treasure Box this week! Blessings on the journey, Jim Sunday's Sermon Snippet Come and See!: Know Your Story, Grow Your Story (Isaiah 43:8-13, Galatians 1:11-24) When we talk about evangelism as sharing the good news, one of the words that comes up is "witness." The prophet Isaiah tells us that God has called us to be witnesses to what God has done and who God is. To appreciate what this means, it is helpful think for a moment about what it means to be a witness in a general sense and not only in a faith sense. To witness something is to see, hear, or otherwise experience some event of importance. To be a witness is to then report on what you have experienced in that event in some detail. While this report is certainly from our own perspective, acting as a witness means that we stick to the facts and leave aside speculation or opinion about what happened. To witness to our faith then would mean that we talk about what we have seen God do and how that has impacted our lives. There is, however, also the idea of being a witness not just to what someone does but to the kind of person they are - a character witness. We are called to do this as well, and this is where our opinion and interpretation of events come more into play. Isaiah encourages us to be character witnesses for God as well, declaring that God is the one and only savior. Yet, even to be a character witness means talking about the reasons we believe what we do. We can say someone is a good person, but we need examples of their behavior that leads us to believe that. The Apostle Paul talked a lot about who God is - often in deeply theological language and abstract ways. Yet even he tells his personal story of how God redeemed his own life as he witnesses to the Galatians about how he knows who God is. Paul did not learn about God only from the statements of the ones who knew and followed Jesus but because of how God worked in his life. If we are to be witnesses for God - even witnesses to who God is - it is not enough to simply quote what Scripture tells us about God or what we have learned in Sunday School. To be ready to share the good news, you first need to know your story of how God has changed your life! This may be the story of how you came to believe in God (a conversion story), or perhaps it is the story of how God saved you in a time of need. Maybe it is the story of God's call for you to take a new direction in life. Whatever it is, it is the story that God has given to you alone to tell. What is the story God has given you to be a witness to? Living in CommunityIf you are interested in our book study on "Love Does" starting in Sunday School on November 5th, pick up a copy this Sunday and start reading a story a day. We will discuss the first seven chapters on 11/5. If you have a request for our 2018 budget and did not receive a budget request form, please let Pastor Jim know. This week, we are having a hymn sing in worship. Come ready to sing and to share about your favorite songs! This Week at Port ChurchWednesday, October 25 9:00 - 11:45 am - Office Hours 6:00 pm - Wednesday at the Port Thursday, October 26 9:00 - 11:45 am - Office Hours Sunday, October 29 9:30 am - Worship - "Come and See: Sing Your Story" Hymn Sing! 11:00 am - Sunday School 6:30 - 8:00 pm - Financial Peace University Class Looking AheadHarvest Table for the Food Pantry – November 5th thru November 26th
Operation Christmas Child Packing Party - November 12th Charge Conference - November 29th 10/17/2017 0 Comments October 17th, 2017 The Wait Is OverIt has been a long time coming, but the restoration of our oldest window is now complete! Last week, this window and the small round one above it were put back in their permanent places (you may have noticed they were a little off when put temporarily in place) and had new trim put in. This week, the protective covering was installed on it and the small round window above it! (Thankfully, no stray rocks found their way towards the window over these last few weeks that it was unprotected!) It was a long process raising the funds for this work, and it has been a long time waiting for the work to be completed this summer. Now that this work is complete, I hope that you enjoy the beauty that has been revealed in the cleaning and repair of these windows. This beauty is a testament to the faith of those who have gone before us here at Port Church. This Sunday, take a moment to check out the windows and their protective coverings. Sunday's Sermon Snippet Come and See!: Be Yourself (John 4:1-42) Evangelism is one of those loaded church words. It can conjure images of beating people over the head with a Bible, arguing with people about what they should believe, and convincing people to come to church in coercive ways. These, however, do not represent what evangelism really means: to share the good news. To help us explore what that means, consider the story of the Samaritan woman who meets Jesus at the well. She comes there at noon, avoiding the time when her neighbors would be coming for their own water. Yet she shows up and proceeds to get her water even when she sees a strange man - Jesus - sitting by the well. When he asks for a drink of water, she does not hesitate to point out the awkwardness of the situation - a Jewish man talking with a Samaritan woman. When he says he has living water to give, she engages him in debate - are you greater than Jacob who dug that well long ago? (Jacob was a part of the common heritage of the Jewish and Samaritan peoples.) What follows is a theological discussion between Jesus and this disregarded woman about where to worship and the Messiah, and she does not shrink back. She did not need to be a scholar to engage with Jesus. When the conversation turned personal and Jesus told her to fetch her husband, she likewise does not shy away. Despite the pain and insecurity of having had five husbands and now living with another man, she is open. When she goes to share the good news with her neighbors in the village, she is open with them saying that Jesus told her everything she had ever done - admitting what they surely knew. She did not need to be a saint to share the good news of her encounter with Jesus. The same is true for us: sometimes we make the excuse that we do not know enough or we are not good enough to be the kind of people to talk with others about God. You don't need to be a saint or a scholar to talk about the difference God has made in your life. You simply have to be yourself - your whole, vulnerable self. May God give you the grace and courage to share the good news of your life with those you know and love! Living in CommunityThank you, Linda, Meg, Liz, Keith, and Barbie for bringing our Scripture lesson to life during worship! Thank you to all our cooks for sharing your pots of chili with us! Congratulations to Chris, Scott, and Linda on your winning recipes! Thank you to everyone who donated and bid on items for our silent auction! We are still counting the proceeds, but the day was a success for our Youth Missions! Thank you, Susie, for your work as financial secretary and providing us with statements of our giving! This Week at Port ChurchMonday, October 16 9:30 - 11:45 am - John Bible Study at Dianna's 7:00 - 8:15 pm - John Bible Study at Barbie's 7:00 pm - Nominations Meeting Wednesday, October 18 9:00 - 11:45 am - Office Hours 6:00 pm - Wednesday at the Port Thursday, October 19 9:00 - 11:45 am - Office Hours Sunday, October 22 9:30 am - Worship - "Come and See: Know Your Story, Grow Your Story" 11:00 am - Sunday School 6:30 - 8:00 pm - Financial Peace University Class Looking AheadHymn Sing in Worship - October 29th
Harvest Table for the Food Pantry – November 6th thru November 27th Operation Christmas Child Packing Party - November 13th Charge Conference - November 29th 10/3/2017 0 Comments October 03rd, 2017 Come and See! Invite people to church. Tell them about Jesus. Lead folks to Christ. When we think of the word evangelism, these are often the kinds of things that come to mind. As Christians, we know that we are called to share the good news, but the kind of things listed above can be tough to actually do. In our relationships, we often choose to make light of any talk about God or to just avoid the topic of God altogether rather than to do the uncomfortable things that we think of as evangelism. But what if there is more to evangelism than simply trying to get more people in worship on Sunday? What if sharing the good news doesn't require being a Biblical scholar or having life all figured out? What if "leading" folks to Christ us more about joining them on the journey as we look for God together? In our new worship series that begins this Sunday, we will be exploring these questions and simple ways that we can share the good news so that we along with others can all grow in God's love. Come and see what it means to share the good news of God's love. "Come and See!" Blessings on the journey, Jim Sunday's Sermon Snippet A Life-Changing Gift: Saying Grace (2 Corinthians 9:10-15) What is grace? If a dancer moves in a beautiful way, they have grace. If someone is kind and generous in their relationships, they have social graces. Saying grace is how we give thanks to God before a meal. Grace - whether from God or someone else in our lives - is an undeserved gift or act of forgiveness, especially one we every reason to believe we would never receive. Grace means many things. This is true of our English word and the Greek word behind it - "charis" - as well. In fact, charis is used in 2 Corinthians 8-9 ten times although it is translated as grace only a few times. At other times, it is translated as privilege, generous undertaking, thanks, and gift (depending on the translation, of course). This variety of ways it is translated reflects the richness of the word but hides how prevalent it is in Paul's thought as he considers the act of giving. If we look more closely at how Paul uses charis in these two chapters, including here in his conclusion, we find that he speaks of grace as being given in all kinds of relationships. We normally think of grace as a gift we receive from God and that we might pass on to those who are less fortunate. Yet Paul speaks of the recipient of a gift giving grace to both the giver and to God. Likewise the giver gives grace to God in thanksgiving as well. Grace is not a "trickle-down" kind of thing but rather something that flows all around us where it chooses to go like the wind. The opportunity to give is a gift from God - a gift that can change our lives forever! When we choose to accept that gift, when we give, we let grace loose to flow throughout the world in amazing ways, connecting us to God and one another in new ways. Charis be to God for this indescribable gift! Sunday Morning Book StudyIf you are interested in or have questions about our book study on "Love Does" during Sunday School, please let Pastor Jim know. This book is a collection of 31 short stories about living a secretly extraordinary life in an ordinary world. Join us as we discover how to unleash the power of love to do amazing things in our lives. Seeing Our Blessings through the Eyes of OthersDinah shared this story with us in worship on Sunday about how a member of another church helped her see the blessings we have here at Port Church that we often take for granted: Setting: It's the last day of RENEW Camp and we're going to Massanutten Water Park to celebrate. It's 240 teenagers, 60 adult chaperones, and a LOT of food and drinks for everyone. We load our blue Port Church bus up with food. As we're unloading at Massanutten a RENEW chaperone approaches me. She's a 40 year old woman who attends a 'large' church with about an average attendance of 600 at one service. They have multiple services. Other lady: "Is that your church bus?" Me: "Yes." Other lady looks confused: "But you go to the church in Port Republic, right?" Me: "Yes." Other lady: "What do you use the bus for?" Me: "Various things. like VBS, our Wednesday night program, sunshine senior trips, and we pick-up kids on Sundays." Other lady looking more confused : "Didn't you say that was a small church of about 100 people?" Me: "Yes." Other lady: "Wow, I can't believe it." Me: "What?" Other lady: "Do you know how unusual it is for a church your size to have such a nice bus?" Me: "Ummm, no" Other lady: "Our congregation is 6 times as big as yours and we haven't been able to make this happen. Good for y'all." Our giving can become an inspiration to others, and their eyes can help us to see the blessings that we take for granted. Living in CommunityThank you, Chris, Meg, and Davida, for helping to serve communion this week! Thank you, Dinah, for sharing your witness to how blessed we are as a congregation! Thank you, Courtney, for sharing a new song with us! Please remember all who grieve and struggle in your prayers this week, especially those is Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, Puerto Rico, and Las Vegas. This Week at Port ChurchMonday, October 2 9:30 - 11:45 am - John Bible Study at Dianna's Tuesday, October 3 7:00 - 8:15 pm - John Bible Study at Dianna's Wednesday, October 4 9:00 - 11:45 am - Office Hours 6:00 pm - Wednesday at the Port Thursday, October 5 9:00 - 11:45 am - Office Hours Sunday, October 8 9:30 am - Worship - "Come and See: Show Up" 11:00 am - Sunday School 6:30 - 8:00 pm - Financial Peace University Class Looking AheadChili Cookoff & Silent Auction in support of Youth Missions - October 14th - 11:00-1:30!
Harvest Table for the Food Pantry – November 6th thru November 27th Charge Conference - November 29th |
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