The Lighthouse - August 3, 2015

Hidden Away

Along the C&O towpath.

As I prepare this weekly newsletter, program flyers, and worship graphics, I often find myself scouring the internet for beautiful, inspiring photos of pastoral meadow scenes, shorelines, wilderness trails, and the like to use to illustrate some point. As I swim through the overwhelming sea of pictures, I am simply amazed at some of the wonderful places that people have found to capture. Living in God's country that is the Shenandoah Valley, there are certainly such places around us, but I don't know how often I notice them as I hurriedly go up and down the roads of Rockingham County, much less even know where to look for new ones.
Last week, Courtney and I took a couple of days away in the Western Maryland to celebrate our anniversary. As we both enjoy hiking in the woods, we decided to take a morning to walk along the old C&O Canal towpath that has been converted into a recreational path - mind you, a very flat one for those accustomed to the trails of the Blue Ridge and Alleghenies. Unfortunately, we could not find the entrance to the path that we had been told about, and the GPS had no idea what the C&O is. So we stopped to ask around at a nearby gas station, and surprisingly many people were confused by our question. One guy overheard us and told us that the entrance was only a few blocks away, so we finally made it to the path.
The path was beautiful, but even better were trails leading down the hillside to the bank of the Potomac.  We took each one and marvelled at the views they unveiled. As we came around each bend on the towpath and walked down each trail to the river, we found one picture-worthy scene after another. All of this natural beauty was right there, and a mere few blocks away was a store filled with folks who had no idea it was so close by. It makes me wonder how much beauty - the handiwork of our Creator - is hidden away right here just down the road. How often do we travel the roads without noticing the miracle that surrounds us? How often do we pass each other by - making snap judgments - without noticing the beauty of the soul that lies within? 
So much of the beauty that the Lord has created lies hidden away. May God grace us with the vision to discover it!
Blessings on the journey, Jim

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Meeting Jesus

This past Sunday, we kicked off our new worship series "Meeting Jesus" - a look at stories that Luke tells of people encountering Jesus along life's journeys. Over the next couple of months, we will explore how we meet Jesus and what difference it makes in our lives.

Sermon Snippet: Called (Luke 5:1-11)
Simon Peter, James, and John were fishermen tending their nets after an unsuccessful night of fishing when Jesus came along as a stranger, climbed in Peter's boat, and had him row him out a bit to be able to speak to the crowd gathering at the shoreline. After teaching the crowd and guiding the fishermen to a miraculous catch, Jesus called them to follow him and catch people for the kingdom of God. They left everything to follow him and become fishers of people. From this encounter, we find that, when we meet Jesus, hear his call, and follow him, he uses all of who we are - our talents, skills, experiences, and even our very identities - to serve God. Jesus does not erase our identity of who we are but redirects us to use it for his work of life, love, and grace.

This Week's Challenge
What is the most important part of your identity? Is it being a parent, a grandparent, or a friend? Is it your job or a hobby? Find at least one way this week to use this part of who you are to share life, love, and grace with someone else.

Looking Ahead
We arrive just in time to see a group of friends carrying a paralyzed man up onto a roof and dangling him down to meet Jesus. As the Pharisees and scribes who have come from all over Galilee, Judea, and even Jerusalem to hear this powerful new teacher watch on, Jesus takes notice of him and does something miraculous, even to us! Join us this Sunday as we are "Carried" to meet Jesus yet again!

August 9 - "Carried" - Luke 5:21-27
August 16 - "Seeking" - Luke 7:1-10
August 23 - "Pouring Out" - Luke 7:36-49 - Back-to-School Blessing/Promotion Sunday

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Proverbs Challenge!

The gauntlet's been thrown down - will you accept the challenge? The youth group has shared with us their challenge of reading the book of Proverbs before the beginning of school on August 25.  If you started today, it would only take one or two chapters each day. The youth will celebrate at the end of the challenge with an Amazing Proverbs Race on August 30. For every chapter you read, you are invited to submit one Proverbs trivia question and answer for the race. See Dinah Watson for more details.

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Change a Life Forever!

As the new school year approaches, we are getting ready for a new year of Sunday School and of Wednesday at the Port! We are looking for one or two people to join in the rotation of teaching our older elementary Sunday School class or to help with Little Fishermen and youth classes for our Wednesday evening programs. These are great opportunities to share God's love and change a life forever! Please talk with Pastor Jim if you are interested in serving Jesus in either of these ways.

Now We're Cooking!

We need your recipes! Helping Hands is putting together a new church cookbook and is asking for at least ten recipes per family. Recipes can be submitted by email or in person to Sue, Joyce, Liz, or Connie, or by dropping them in the box in the church entry hall. All proceeds from the cookbook will go towards long-term care of our church windows, so please help out with this project!

Back-to-School Blessing!

Where did the summer go? It's hard to believe that a new school year is quickly approaching. We will celebrate these new beginnings in worship on August 23 with Back-to-School Blessings including:

• Blessing of backpacks - Kids, bring your backpacks and we will pray over them.
• Blessing for teachers and staff - Invite any school teachers or staff you know for a special blessing.
• Sunday School Promotion - Children will move up to their new Sunday School classes.

Join us for this very special day!

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Living in Community

• Thanks to Adam Shifflett and Megan Ward for updating our worship presentation software! We also appreciate everyone's patience as we work through the kinks over the next month and learn to make the best use of the new software.
• Thanks to Dinah Watson and Randy Chandler for going the extra mile (literally) to lead the youth on a second hiking trip all the way to Humpback Rock!
• Thanks to Bob Pettit and Amie Robinson for all the work they have done preparing for the 2016 budgeting process!

This Week at Port Church

Tuesday, August 4
7 pm - PPR Committee Meeting

Wednesday, August 5
6-8 pm - Youth Group

Thursday, August 6
6:30 pm - Trustees Walk-through

Saturday, August 8
8 pm - "Chillin' at the Campfire"
for Rising Senior High Youth

Sunday, August 9
9:30 am - Worship: "Meeting Jesus - Carried"
11 am - Sunday School
12 noon - RENEW Team Pizza Party

Looking Ahead...

• Tuesday, August 11 - Wednesday at the Port & Administrative Council Meetings
  
• Thursday, August 13 - Trustees Meeting
• Tuesday, August 18 - Lay Leadership Meeting
• Thursday, August 20 - Sunshine Seniors
• Sunday, August 23 - Back to School Blessing/Promotion Sunday
• Sunday, August 23 - Proverbs Challenge Q&A Due
• Sundays, August 23-September 20 - High School Confirmation Bible Study
• Sunday, August 23 - 2016 Budget Requests Due
• Sunday, August 30 - Youth Amazing Proverb Race
• Monday, August 31 - Recipes Due for Helping Hands Cookbook
• Wednesdays, September 9-November 18 - Wednesday at the Port