October 17th, 2017

The Wait Is Over

​It 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!

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Living in Community

Thank 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 Church

Monday, 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 Ahead

Hymn 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