We are living in some extremely exciting days! Jesus made it very plain that when we hear of wars and rumors of wars, we need to get ready for His Soon Appearing! My heart breaks for the people of Ukraine and the personal suffering they are experiencing. I feel the pain of those in America who are kissing their loved ones good-bye as they set sail as a peace keeping force, because we all know how some of these missions escalate! I feel the stretch when I go to fill up my vehicle with gasoline and wonder if something else could be done by our leaders to reduce the suffering of ordinary Americans. (We drove over 50,000 miles last year, but will certainly be trying to make less trips.) I even feel badly for the Russian people who are also under oppression from a brutal dictator. Where is the suffering going to end? I wish I knew, but I do know one thing, Jesus cares! My task as a Christian is to join with all other Bible believers and pray the last prayer of Scripture, “Even so come quickly Lord Jesus!”
Call me “ crazy”, but “Time Change” did not adversely affect me as normally it does! Maybe it is because I have not changed many of my clocks from savings time. I like more sunlight later in the day, but I truly wish someone would make a decision that would work all year long! Maybe that’s a task for our Congress, since they have so “little” to accomplish – at least it seems to me that they get almost nothing done that affects me!
My mind is drawn to a small church which sat at the end of the football field in Catossa, Oklahoma. It was March 16, 1964, and I was there with my pastor F.L. Baker to meet a committee of ministers to ask for credentials to preach the Gospel of Jesus. I knew almost nothing but was willing to learn. “Have you read Bible Doctrines by P.C. Nelson?” “No, Sir!” “Will you read it and pass a test over the text?” “Yes, Sir!” With that I left the small Sunday School Room in the back of the church and exited a Credentialed Minister. I would have to read 7 other books and pass tests on them but would accomplish that task and be interviewed at Claremore, Oklahoma, for Licenses the following year. When I left that day, I was qualified to “Marry and Bury”! There would be 14 more book tests to complete, University to attend, and a lot of preaching to attend before being ordanined over 50 years ago. It has been a great adventure, which has taken me from Oklahoma to Germany, to Southern Missouri, to Arizona, back to Southeastern Missouri, and finally in 1986 to Texas. But in the words of an old song, “I wouldn’t take nothing for my journey now!” Thank you, Port O’Connor, for loving me these 27 years since we came here to found Fisherman’s Chapel, and to the Chapel for honoring Pastor Joane and me with a fellowship meal.
Pastor Joane will be attending a special Women’s Conference at the Houston Galleria and I will go to Halletsville for a Men’s Breakfast. Pastor Joane will be preaching in Victoria and Pastor Erny in Cuero this month. We will be leading a Sectional Revival at Victoria First with Pastor Don Nordin and Evangelist Rod Vincent on March 24 and 25.
We are headed to Easter. Our Community Sunrise Service will be at the Beach Pavilion on Sunday, April 17. Everyone is invited to attend, but be sure to bring a lawn chair. Last year, it was estimated that between 600 and 700 people were present. Many failed to bring lawn chairs so they improvised and sat in their ATVs and golf carts! It was a great time and we trust you will be a part of it again this year as we sing, “Because He Lives, I Can Face Tomorrow”!
Fisherman’s Chapel is an interdenomination congregation that has something for the whole family. On Sundays we gather at 10:00 a.m. for Bible Study; 11:00 a.m. for Morning Service; and 6:00 p.m. for Evening Service. On Wednesdays, we arrive before 7:00 p.m. and generally enjoy a fellowship meal before listening to the Word. It is a great Midweek experience. Everyone is welcomed to attend any and all of our services and all are urged to, “Come, grow with us!”
