September 04th, 2018

Time to Learn and Grow

In 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 Snippet

Conflict: 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 Community

Thanks 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 Church

Wednesday, 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 Ahead

Potato Drop hosted at Grottoes UMC - September 15, 12 noon
225th Anniversary Celebration - September 29, 3 pm - until
Nativity Workday - October 6