So, you may be asking, “What does Yeshua mean?” The name “Jesus” is not His factual name. Surprise! Jesus was a Hebrew and as such, He had a Hebrew name! “Jesus” is the Greek anglicized name for Yeshua. Yeshua, short for “Yehoshua” means, YHWH is salvation (Roth, 2012, p. 2). So, when you see or hear a reference to “Yeshua”, you will know who is being mentioned. I love saying Yeshua because it is so authentic. Growing up, my family and I called Him, “Jesus”. However, I was blown away when I learned that “Jesus” is actually not what Gaberial told Mary to name the Messiah in Luke 1:26-31 (New King James Version). If you think about it, it does make sense, though. The Hebrews do not even have the letter “J” in their language. So, why would the Messiah have a name that begins with the letter “J”? Consequently, our Anglicized Bibles have taken on the Greek version by translating “Yeshua” into “Jesus”. I’m not saying calling Him “Jesus” is wrong, it is just not authentic. I like what Beckah Shae, a Christian songwriter and singer, said in an interview regarding “Jesus” vs. “Yeshua”. According to the interview done by the Holy Language Institute, Beckah Shae says, “when I say, “Jesus it is like wearing a nice necklace, but when I say “Yeshua” it is like wearing a real gold necklace.” Additionally, Shae says, “it feels like it’s the real thing. It is like the real gold. It’s the real thing and it’s just more rich. It’s…more meaningful, more precious. It is more of a precious thing”. In conclusion, by knowing the Messiah’s given name, I feel like it will help to bring us into a closer walk with our Creator while we strive to know Him better on this journey called life.

Citations:

Holy Bible: The New King James Version, Containing the Old and New Testaments. Nashville, T. Nelson, 1982.

Holy Language Institute: Following Yeshua Together. “Beckah Shae: “Why I Use Hebrew in My Songs.”” YouTube, 13 July 2011, www.youtube.com/watch. Accessed 19 Dec. 2024.

Roth, A. G. Aramaic English New Testament. Fifth ed., Netzari Press, 2012, pp. i–1069.

“Come as You are” is the theme of this nondenominational church in Seadrift. Located at 912 W. Broadway, its pastors are Mart and Mary Ann Maxwell. They love to have visitors at the 10:30 service on Sunday mornings and their 6:30 Bible study on Wednesday evenings. Their youth services are led by Allen Pokluda. The youth service times vary so a phone call would be in order to find out. His number is 361-235-2291.

Christmas and New Years celebrations were special at the Chapel. We had our usual Christmas Food Baskets distribution, which provided a lot of food for needy families. We had our fire pit ready for three occasions – our caroling evening and two evenings of live nativity scenes. There were a lot of hot dogs cooked and desserts as well. It was a special time for fellowship and celebration of the birth of our King! 

 On New Year’s Eve, we had a chili cook-off. There were eight entries, and Debbie was crowned as best in the class, with Liam coming in second place. Pastor Joane’s was named third place but Erny got honorable mention – the worst chili of them all! Since I picked the judges this year, I have already let them know they will never be asked to be a judge again! I am not bitter, but I know my can of chili was not that bad!  

January has also brought a lot of special activities. We honored the New Year with a new word – Pastor Joane had “JOY” as her theme for two years and last year, “Prosperity” was the theme. We experienced much added joy in our congregation as new victories were won and this past year, we noted a number of prosperous blessings coming our way. This year we are asking the Lord to provide “Multiplication” in every aspect of our congregation’s lives. We are believing that folks in the Chapel are going to have many testimonies of blessings that have resulted from “multiplication!” All are welcome to come and be a part of our growth.  

 This Sunday Evening, we are celebrating Pastor Joane’s birthday. We just celebrated Pastor Joane’s and Erny’s wedding anniversary and now we will be pulling out all the stops to help her celebrate another year of service to our Lord. We are having a special “gumbo” meal which will be the delight of all attenders. 

 Few will remember that the second Sunday of February, 1995, we came to Port O’Connor to see if we could help pioneer Fisherman’s Chapel. We are planning to have a 30th Anniversary event in February to mark the blessings of the Lord we have experienced. The plans are still being formulated, but we will be announcing it so everyone can come. We trust that those who have been a part of the Chapel congregation at any time in these 30 years will come and help us celebrate. We will have some pictures of past experiences that will bring back a lot of memories. Make plans to be here at the Chapel for this special Anniversary Celebration! 

 Fisherman’s Chapel is an interdenominational congregation whose goal is to assist all in developing a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. One will always find a warm welcome at any of our services. We have a Bible Class on Sunday mornings at 10 AM, Morning Service at 11 AM, and Evening Service at 6 PM.  On Wednesdays we gather for a fellowship meal at 7 PM, which is followed by an opportunity to “feast on God’s Word.” Everyone is welcome and all are urged to, “Come, Grow With Us!” 

Port O’ Connor’s “Hooked on Books” Book Club held its monthly meeting on January 14. Hostesses Brenda Berger, Beth Smith, Mindy Miles, Lisa Barger and Kristina Lewis created a lovely atmosphere for attendees. Everyone began the new year chatting, laughing, and enjoying each other’s company.

The ladies who attended the meeting were delighted to reunite after the holidays. The afternoon began with a meet-and-greet, followed by a delicious spread of deviled eggs, veggies with dip, delicious fruit, chicken salad sandwiches, desserts, and beverages. Members munched while catching up with each other about holiday experiences.

The book club hostesses took members on a trip back in time to a cotton farm in 1950s Arkansas with a book discussion to explore John Grisham’s A Painted House, a story inspired by the author’s childhood. Most readers enjoyed the historical setting, the coming-of-age story in a small town, and its relatable themes. Readers emphasized how the power of family unity helps people face challenges, and how tough times can make family bonds stronger. Readers also noted that Grisham’s slower, detailed writing style brings farm life, its struggles, and the main character’s journey from innocence to understanding life in a heartfelt and straightforward way. Also, many shared their personal experiences of relatives who lived and worked on farms and the life the farmers experienced.

Next month, Hooked on Books Club will meet on February 11, 2025, at 2:00 P.M. and the selected reading is Barbara Kingsolver’s Prodigal Summer. If you would like to join “Hooked on Books,” please email your contact information to alanehaardt@yahoo.com.  All are welcome!