October 31st, 2016

Work of the People

What a wonderful time of worship we had this past Sunday! From Dinah's powerful reminder that God's promises trump our problems to the moving music led by the RENEW Praise band, from Meg's testimony about how working with our youth has impacted her own faith to Jeff's thankfulness for how God has worked in his life in the midst of difficulties, from a small child asking for prayers for an ill grandmother to laying hands on one of our own facing major surgery, there is no doubt that the Spirit was up to something bringing together so many folks in so many ways to offer true worship to our Creator and to fill all of us with the mercy and grace of our Savior.

Yet it was not just the folks we saw up front that made this powerful worship possible. Each week, there are those who set up and fine tune the sound board throughout the service, those who run the projection system, those who create, fold, and hand out the bulletins, those who pull music to be sung from the library, those who spend countless hours crocheting and praying over prayer shawls, those who turn on the heat or cooling, those who nurture our little ones in the nursery, and those who lead our children in their own worship. There are so many others who serve in so many ways - large and small. Of course, then there are also all who gather to lift up names in prayer, to sing praise for God's glory, and to offer hearts and minds in attentiveness to the Word of God.  Worship is not just something where the preacher speaks and the praise band plays music for. Worship is a work of all God's people offering their gifts to God and opening their souls to be renewed and transformed by God's Spirit.

That is what we experienced at a profound level on Sunday - the work of the people of God coming together in praise! Peter, one of Jesus' main disciples and the one who went on to lead the early church, reminded us that with Jesus as our foundation we have been built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood - in short, that we have all been chosen to act as God's priests and to offer the sacrifice of praise. May we all work together through the power of the Spirit to bring God praise each week!

Blessings on the journey, Jim

As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him — you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ... But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.  Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
- 1 Peter 2:4-5,9-10

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Thanksliving

Thanksgiving will be here before we know it - a day in which we sit back to ponder our blessings and give thanks to God alongside our family and friends! Yet with all the ugliness and violence in the world, the stream of tragic news, and even our own daily struggles, it can be hard to stay thankful in the meantime. Over the next few weeks in worship, we are going to look at some ancient prayer of Celtic Christians along with Paul's advice to the early church for the wisdom they offer us on how to grow a thankful heart! Join us this week as we start off celebrating "The Present of Presence!"

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Help Needed

We are searching for someone to join our Children's Church team as a leader on the fourth Sunday of the month. You must love children and have a passion for sharing the story of God. Curriculum for the lesson is provided, and other leaders can help you learn what works. If you are interested, please contact Becky or Pastor Jim.

Living in Community

Thanks to the RENEW Praise Band for their wonderful offering of music in this Sunday's worship service!

Thanks to Dinah for her powerful message reminding us that God promises trump our problems!

Please continue to pray for Sue's healing this week.

This Week at Port Church

Tuesday, November 1
9:00 - 11:45 - Office Hours

Wednesday, November 2
6:00 pm - Wednesday at the Port
7:30 - Choir Practice

Thursday, November 3
9:00 - 11:45 - Office Hours

Saturday, November 5
Fill the Field Youth Hunger Awareness Event
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​Sunday, November 6
9:30 am - Worship wiith Communion: "Thanksliving: The Present of Presence"
11:00 am - Operation Christmas Child Packing Party/Sunday School

Looking Ahead

Chick-fil-A Spirit Week - November 7-11
MORE Worship led by PRUMC Youth - November 13
Drive-thru Nativity - December 9 & 10
Christmas Musical Program - December 18