We extend our sympathy to the family of Linda Cyphers Fielder of Port Lavaca who passed away December 29, 2013. Linda will be remembered by many in Port O’Connor. She taught at Port O’Connor School for 20 years, retiring in 1997.

Christmas 2013 is a fond memory and we accomplished many great things in that celebration. We now are in a New Year with new goals and ambitions. The same God that was faithful last year is the same God that will be more faithful to us than we will be to Him! We received several “thank you’s” from those we caroled. We remember the great laughter that filled the Chapel at our Christmas Party. The food baskets were well received and greatly appreciated. But, we must embrace this new opportunity of a New Year and see what we can accomplish for our Lord this year!

Already this year, Joane and I have celebrated our wedding anniversary; as a congregation we have honored Pastor Joane’s birthday with a Soup Social; and participated in several area events.

We continue offering a special Bible Study each Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m. It is an interactive class and provides one with deep insight into God’s Word. We are presently studying Philippians in our adult class, and everyone is invited. Our children are involved in “Super Church” each Sunday morning and enjoy time together from 10:00 until noon. all children are welcomed.

Our service times remain at 11:00 a.m. each Sunday for Morning Service; 6:00 p.m. for the Evening Service; and 7:00 p.m. for our Midweek Service on Wednesday. We do not want to be a “Sunday morning church”, so many activities are planned during each week.

Each Tuesday, from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m., we offer Fisherman’s Bible Institute for this community. These classes are patterned after the Bible Institutes of days gone by, where in three years of study, one will gain an excellent overview of the Bible. Our instructor is Pastor Joane, who has begun her doctorial work. Anyone willing to spend time with a workbook and teaching time will want to be a part of FBI.

Each Friday, from 7:00-10:00 p.m., except for the first Friday of each month, is our Friday Night Youth. Julian and Alissa Garcia, with many helpers, lead this event. There are games to play, food to eat, and always a devotional to help provided guidance for our kids. All kids are welcome and the Chapel is always open for parents who want to come and share or just observe.

All of our children (ages 6-12) are planning to participate in the Victorious Mini Kids Camp on January 31 and February 1. It will begin at 6:00 p.m. on Friday and end about noon Saturday. It will feature the ministry of Vicki Evans and be at First Assembly, Victoria. Those teenagers who wish to participate can do so as workers and should be getting registered as soon as possible. There will be two new bicycles given away at this event. See Julian or Alissa for further information.

The last Sunday of January, we will be saying “farewell” to Patrick Overton. Most of you know Patrick since he has been raised in Port O’Connor. He believes that the Lord has burdened him for San Marcos, so he is relocating there. He will be ministering in the evening service (6:00 p.m.) that day (Jan. 26). Everyone will want to come and say, “God bless you,” as Patrick leaves Port O’Connor.

Several times each year, the Chapel hosts the Sea Academy and its instructor, Captain Robert Meza. The next class will be offered beginning January 31 and continue until February 7 here at the Chapel. Those interested in successfully completing the Coast Guard approved “Captain’s Class” should call the Sea Academy at 361/758-6184 or Captain Robert at 361/816-3010. Captain Robert has been providing classes at the Chapel since 2000 and many have been employed in the fishing charter business as a result.

The chapel will be noting February 9 at the 19th Anniversary of existence. There were a few meetings concerning forming a church prior to February, but it was on the second Sunday of February, 2005, when I (Pastor Erny) came to Port O’Connor. Many great things have happened in these years, but many more are anticipated!

The first weekend in February, there will be a team of men from Houston coming to put a fresh coat of paint on the Chapel. It is headed by Leo Martinez, who helped us put tile down in our Youth Room last year.

We truly appreciate those who are coming and welcome any one of this community to come by, help and also befriend those Houstonians. The ladies are planning a great meal for our guests on Satruday noon. Hermana Angie is leading this effort, but all helpers are invited to particiapte.

As one can tell, the Chapel is an active congregation. It is an interdenominational group whose goal is to help sojourners reach Heaven safely. We have special activities for all interests, including the children, youth, women, and men. You will always receive a warm welcome at the Chapel and are urged to, “Come, grow with us!”

Port O’Connor was a joyous place this Christmas and New Years Day. Everyone enjoyed the Annual Service Club’s Christmas Luncheon with the most delicious food and desserts. The beautiful singing by the School children and the outstanding “Lighted Boat Parade”! The fantastic Christmas Program at the School, complete with the Manger Scene. The town was truly decorated for the Christmas Season. Many homes and businesses were elaborately decorated and all deserved to win praises. A record was set for the number of toys brought to Port O’Connor in the Annual “Toy Run”. Thanks to everyone who volunteered their service!

We now look to the new year 2014. We pray that God will Bless our health, our families, our schools and our Great Nation.

The Church Fellowship Committee is continuing their work on the upcoming Annual “Sweetheart Banquet”. This will be the 19th. year the Church will be sponsoring the Banquet and everyone is excited about the success of this year’s affair. We are seeking volunteers to help with the Banquet in decorations and food preparations. If you would like to volunteer, please give me a ring at 983-4866 and let me know. This year we will have a 10 ounce Charcoal Broiled Steak with all the trimmings and dessert for $8.00 each. Entertainment will be by “Danny Bourg and the Classics”, and I know everyone will enjoy his music.

We will have door prizes and the “Citizen Of The Year” Award, which is always a surprise. We will recognize those couples who have been married 50 years and longer and the couple married the least amount of time.

Tickets are available now for purchase and remember to get your tickets early as we can only accommodate 200 people. Invite your friends and visitors to this enjoyable evening in Port O’Connor.

See you in Church Sunday!

As most of us know the Dolphin is published on the third Friday of each month. Thankfully all months have one of those third Fridays. This year, that creates a befuddlement for me in writing about what is happening. The curious would ask why, those not so curious would wonder how many cards short of a deck is this writer.

The reason is simple. This year due to the way Fridays fall there are five Fridays between the January’s and February’s issue. January is the logical month to talk about New Year’s resolutions. By the time of the February issue Valentine’s Day will have passed.

It is like the old Roman date ides. Most of us know of this from Shakespeare’s play “Julius Caesar” where the soothsayer told him to beware the ides of March. In the old Roman calendar ides was the middle of the month. The exact day depended on the month. The ides of March was when Julius was assassinated and that marked effectively the end of the republic and the start of the empire. It was one of histories unintended consequences.

Valentine’s Day falls on the middle Friday between issues. . So it is the ides of my dilemma. Both Resolutions and Valentines will be discussed.

As to resolutions is seems some 44% of the folks make them each year. I have found no statistic that mentions the percentages that are kept but the suspicion is that in many cases the consequences are unintendedly not kept. One of the most common is to lose weight or exercise more. Weight Watchers notwithstanding, those resolutions are not likely to be kept.

However, there are two types of resolution that appeal as probable. An author, Neil Gaiman, once wrote that he hoped his readers would try so many new activities and different efforts that they would make mistakes. Mistakes would indicate progress and improvement in all areas of your life. Now, that is a can do resolution, it seems to me that mistakes come naturally with new activities and efforts.

The other is to choose one word as your theme for the year and work it in all manner of actions the whole year. For one thing, it is easy to keep one word in mind and for another words, if really focused on, can have many subtle meanings and lead in many subtle directions. For instance how many different ways or situations do you think you could adapt to. For that matter, how many different ways could you adapt to a situation?

Well that leaves Valentine’s Day as a topic of discussion. We probably know that it is named after St. Valentine. But the ides of February were celebrated in some romantic or procreative way for years before there was a St. Valentine. Many of those Pagan rites were more Pagan than the card or candy that are traditional today. So, my suggestion is to stick with the card or candy. Just enjoy the romance of it.

In the British Museum of London is an old mariner’s chart drawn in 1525, which outlines the North American coastline and the surrounding waters. The cartographer, no doubt inspired by the folklore of the natives of that area, penned some rather ominous notations on yet unexplored areas of the map. “He wrote: ‘Here be giants,’ ‘Here be fiery scorpions,’ and ‘Here be dragons.’ Eventually, the map came into the possession of Sir John Franklin, a British explorer in the early 1800s. Scratching out the fearful inscriptions, he wrote these words across the map: ‘Here is God.’”

In our enlightened age, superstitious warnings of giants, scorpions, and dragons give us more cause to chuckle, than for alarm. However, fear of the unknown and uncharted future still fills many with a bit of trepidation and insecurity. Nevertheless, there is hope; for as Sir John Franklin surmised, whatever impending dangers of life, real or imagined,  the child of God may face, he can safely conclude, “Here is God.” Though sickness, or medical issues might await you this year, “Here is God.” Though financial setbacks perhaps loom before you this year, “Here is God.” Though separation and loneliness may assail you this year; even here, one may confidently affirm, “Here is God.”

The omnipresent God who loves you, has promised, “…I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Heb. 13:5c). This loving heavenly Father encourages you to respond to every scary situation and crisis circumstance in the same way: “Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved” (Psalm 55:22). “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7). To put this another way, Corrie Ten Boom once said, “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”

As we face a new year with our faith resting resolutely in our ever-present and faithful God, let us share the heart attitude of Frances R. Havergal, that great hymn writer of years past, who said the following:

Another year is dawning,
Dear Father let it be,
In working or in waiting,
Another year with thee.

Another year of progress,
Another year of praise,
Another year of proving
Thy presence all the days.

Another year of mercies,
Of faithfulness and grace,
Another year of gladness,
The glory of thy face.

Another year of leaning
Upon thy loving breast,
Another year of trusting,
Of quiet, happy rest.

Another year of service,
Of witness for thy love,
Another year of training
For holier work above.

Another year is dawning,
Dear Father, let it be,
On earth, or else in heaven,
Another year for thee.