June 19th, 2017

Where Do You Want to Go?

With yesterday's observance of Father's Day came the online flood of tributes to fathers and words of wisdom. Among them, this gem from Christian author Bob Goff particularly struck me: A father’s job, when it’s done best, is to get down on both knees, lean over his children’s lives, and whisper, ‘Where do you want to go?’ ​As a father to three boys, I appreciate the wisdom in these words. My job is not to have my children live the lives I would live but rather to help them discover the lives they want to live and journey with them along the path to get there.  

​Here at Port Church, we are blessed that God has entrusted us with so many kids as a part of our family on a weekly basis. Next week, God will give us the opportunity to serve around 200 kids as a part of our Vacation Bible School. As we encounter these children who are a part of our family, those we see each year at this time, and those we have never met before, may we get down on both knees, say a little prayer, lean over their lives, whisper, "Where do you want to go?" May God bless us to be worthy of the calling of helping these young folks on the journey of faith!

Sunday's Sermon

This week, we were blessed to hear from our RENEW Camp mission team about their experiences of working with people in our community. It made me think about some words that Bishop Swanson of Mississippi shared with us in a mission service at Annual Conference last week. God has the ability to change the world but God often chooses to work through us engaging in mission. The reason we sometimes do not participate in God's work is not as much because we do not want to share our money or time as because we know what it means when we surrender to God. We have to give our all to God, and we will be changed. That is what happens when we engage in mission - we feel we get so much more out of it than we give because God is at work changing us. It is scary to surrender to this change, because when we do God's work, the world is going to get mad at us. When we do good, the world gets mad. The proof of it is the man who came to earth and all he did was good - heal the sick, raise the dead. For all the good he did, they nailed him to the cross, but God had another plan. When we do good, the world will get mad at us and may even try to kill us, but God has another plan for us. Surrender to God, and make the world a little mad today!

Bible Study on Marriage and Relationships

​Pastor Jim is planning a worship series on marriage and relationships in the next couple of months. In conjunction with that, he would like to offer a book study during the Sunday School hour for those interested in a more in-depth discussion on the topic. Please let Pastor Jim know if you are interested so that he can plan accordingly.

Living in Community

Thank you to all of our RENEW youth and leaders who represented Port Church
in our community this past week and for sharing their experiences in worship on Sunday!

​Thanks, Ralph and Kelly, for representing us at Annual Conference in Hampton this past weekend!

​Please be in prayer for Pastor Rick and his family, former members here,
​as they move this week to serve the Blue Ridge Charge.

This Week at Port Church

Tuesday, June 20
​9:00 - 11:45 am - Office Hours

Thursday, June 22
9:00 - 11:45 am - Office Hours

​​​Saturday, June 24
5-7:30 pm - Maker Fun Fest VBS Kickoff Party
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Sunday, June 25
9:30 am - Worship with Communion - "Fearfully and Wonderfully"
​11:00 am - Sunday School
​12:30 pm - VBS Walk-through at SRES

Looking Ahead

June 26-30 - Vacation Bible School
​July 2 - VBS Children's Program in Worship
​July 9 - VBS Slideshow in Worship
​July 9, 3-6 pm - Olde Time Revival hosted by Verona UMC, Bishop Lewis preaching