Hundreds of shoppers enjoyed the many bargains found at the POC Service Club’s “Mega Spring Garage Sale”!

The POC Service Club held its annual “Spring Mega Garage Sale” on April 2, 2022, and it was a smashing success! The Club would like to thank everyone who showed up with their Big Hearts and Generous Pocketbooks to support the Club in a huge way! Your generosity allows the Club to continue to do great things for Port O’Connor, its residents, and its visitors! We would also like to thank all of the hardworking people who showed up to help at the Garage Sale: our members; their spouses and relatives; members of the U.S. Coast Guard, POC Station; and our student volunteers! For those who don’t know, all items left over after our Garage Sales are donated to, and picked up by, Restoration House Ministries in Victoria, who support various charitable endeavors for those in need. The Club also donated leftover pet supplies to “Calhoun County Humane Society”, and leftover toiletry items to the “Calhoun County Community Ministries”. Nothing is wasted, and nothing goes unused, and it’s a Win-Win for all of us, and the many people who benefit!

The Club is also proud to announce that our current project, the purchase and installation of the new sign for the POC Community Center, is nearing fruition, and the sign has been ordered!! The sign is being funded by your generous contributions to the Club at the Turkey Cook-Off, which was graciously hosted by Josie’s Mexican Restaurant and Cantina in November 2021, with all proceeds from the Cook-Off and Silent Auction donated to the POC Service Club!Thank you all for your support! We’ll keep you posted on the sign.
Please continue to support the Service Club’s Booths at the Farmers Market held every second Saturday of the month, the next one being May 14, 2022. We always have a variety of homemade breads and sweets, plants, ceramics, etc. We have something for everyone, so please stop by!
With our “Spring Garage Sale” behind us, the Club is already preparing for our “Fall Garage Sale”, and are happy to accept your generous donations of gently used household, decorative, and kitchen items; small appliances; clothing; shoes; toys; children’s and baby items, and appreciate every donation! For your convenience, we have a “Donation Drop Box” located at the front of our Donation Center, which is the building immediately behind the Community Center Pavilion. As always, we greatly appreciate your continued support so that we can continue to do great things for the POC Community! (Please note that we cannot accept computers, electronics, mattresses, or microwaves, and, because of our limited storage space, we cannot accept furniture of any kind either,) For Donations, please contact one of the following Service Club Members:
Alane Haardt- 291-416-6028
Nancy Ladshaw- 830-832-0510
Marie Hawes- 361-676-3093
Nan Burnett- 832-276-5948
The Club’s next meetings are: April 21, 2022; May 5, 2022; and May 19, 2022. If you are interested in joining this great group of fun, hard working Ladies, we would love to have you! All Ladies are welcome!

Wednesday’s TEAM KIDS enjoying their dinner.

The hummingbirds are visiting. School is almost out. It’s almost summertime in Port O’Connor!!! People are beginning to fill up the town. POC FBC is ready for visitors. Come join us for any of our weekly activities and services. They are listed at the end of the article.

Lots of work has been going on at FBC. Under the direction of Mary Nell McGee, the head of our Building and Grounds Committee and all those who serve with her, the nursery and preschool area have been completely renovated with new doors, new lighting, paint and flooring. We also now have new front doors into our sanctuary. Our audio/visual equipment now has its own room. Our pastor’s name is on our outdoor sign. Several classrooms have had mini splits installed to help with heating and cooling. All of these updates have taken many months and lots of hard work, but the end is in site! Everything is sparkling! Come check everything out.

Easter Sunrise Service is Sunday, April 17, 7:00 a.m., at Kingfisher Beach. Join hundreds of others who come each year to watch the sun come up over the bay and worship together. This year, Brother Erny McDonough will be bringing the message, the FBC choir will sing, and FBC Pastor Phillip Miller, will be opening the service with prayer. Afterwards, there will be coffee and (perhaps) cinnamon rolls for everyone. This is a wonderful way to start Easter Sunday. All the area churches will be holding their regular Sunday morning services later on as usual.

FBC Easter Egg Hunt is the day before Easter at 2:00 p.m. Toddlers through those just finishing 5th grade are welcome to participate. Bring a basket and be prepared to fill it up! If you find a golden egg, you win a wonderful prize. Afterwards, popcorn, cookies and drinks will be served. Be sure and be there to join in the fun. Grandpas and grandmas are welcome.

Shoe Box items are collected all year. This wonderful project is part of Franklin Graham’s Samaritan’s Purse Ministries and FBC supports it in a BIG way. Last year we filled 200 boxes that were sent all around the world and we hope to surpass that this year. If you would like to be a part of this, donate small, useful items and toys that will fit in a shoebox. Suggestions include school supplies, washcloths, bar soap, toothbrushes, T-shirts, socks, hair ribbons, etc. No liquids or gels, please. Thank you.

Food Pantry items are also needed and collected all year. Any nonperishable goods are accepted. FBC collects these items and delivers them to Fisherman’s Chapel. They distribute them to qualified individuals. Please continue to contribute to this important ministry, which supports the needy in our own community.

VBS is just around the corner – June 6-9, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Pre-K through 5th grade are invited. If you know of children in this age group, sign them up. It can be done on FACEBOOK starting next month or you can call the church at 361-983-2727. Every year, over 100 people (teachers, aides, kitchen ladies) and children participate in this FUN event which includes Bible study, crafts, snacks, music, exercise and much, much more. Register your children. Don’t let them miss it!

Sunday 10:00 Sunday School
11:00 worship
5:00 Choir practice
6:00 worship
Tuesday 4:00 Women’s Bible Study
7:00 Men’s Bible Study
Wednesday
5:30 -7:00 TEAM KIDS
6:00 Youth Group
6:00 Prayer Meeting

Beacon of Light…Anchor of the Community”

Spring is a busy time at the POC Library, as Librarian, Michelle Marlin, continues with “Business as Usual” with all the Library’s routine services and schedules, but also readying everything for the influx of summer visitors, and school children looking for entertainment when school ends, which includes the Library’s Summer Reading Program, which is the highlight of summer for many of POC’s children. In addition, the Calhoun County Library System is conducting a survey to find out how they can improve Library Services. They ask that all POC residents and visitors please come by the Library to complete one of the survey forms at your convenience!!

The Library’s support group, the Friends of the POC Library, is busy making plans for their annual Membership Drive, which begins on June 1, 2022. The Friends welcome all who would like to join this hard-working group in supporting the POC Library. The Friends will have their Annual Meeting at 4:30 p.m. on June 21, 2022 in the Multipurpose Room of the Library. The group is also staying busy with their Spring Adult and Children’s Programs. Please mark your calendars for the Friends’ upcoming Programs in April and May, all listed and detailed below. The Friends appreciate the continued support of the POC Community, and continue to work hard doing wonderful things for our beautiful POC Library and its constituents!!

POC Library Hours: Sunday and Monday – Closed
(The Library will also be closed on April 15 and 16, 2022 for Easter.)
Tuesday – Friday – 10:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Saturday – 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

The POC Library offers the following Programs and Meetings in the Library’s Multipurpose Room, and invites one and all to attend!!

Every Wednesday: 8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m. – “Coffee and Conversation”, hosted by Friends of the POC Library
Every Thursday: 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. – “POC Bridge Club” Every Friday: 1:00-3:00 p.m. – “Mahjong” Every Friday: 6:00 p.m. – “S.M.A.R.T. Recovery” Meetings led by Robert Smith, 401-575-9778

April 14, 2022: The POC Library is hosting “Stop The Bleed” presented by Mike Monnig. There are 2 Sessions offered: 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM “Stop The Bleed” is a National Course that teaches how to help in a bleeding emergency before professional help arrives. The Course is free and open to the Public!!
April 18,2022: 6:00-7:30 p.m. – “Book Signing and Program by award winning author, Myra McIlvain.”

Ms. McIlvain is a teller of Texas Tales through her historical fiction novels, one of which is set in the 19th Century town of Indianola, that blew away in the 1886 Hurricane, and her other novels depicting various historical stories throughout Texas and other Gulf Coast towns. Refreshments will be served starting at 6:00 p.m.; program begins at 6:15 p.m. Presented by the Friends of the POC Library.

May 9, 2022- 6:00 p.m. – “Chamber of Commerce Meeting”

May 14, 2022 – 10:00-11:30 a.m. – Children’s Program: “Arts and Crafts” Presented by Friends of the POC Library.

-Submitted by Alane Haardt
Friends of the Port O’ Connor Library, Publicity Committee

Easter Sunrise Service will be especially special this year, so please do not miss it! What is so special about this service? With the war in Ukraine this year, those who live there are not getting the opportunity to celebrate the Resurrection, but we have the freedom and safety to gather on the front beach at 7:00 a.m. and sing, “He Lives” and other great songs in praise to our Lord Who died for us, was buried for us, and arose for us! Jesus did it all for us! Join with others and let us lift our voices in praise for Jesus’ sacrificial death to pardon us from all unrighteousness! The First Baptist Choir will be singing, and retired Pastor Erny McDonough will be preaching. Cathy Osborn at Cathy’s has been feverously trying to get her ovens fixed in time to make her usual treat for Sunrise Service, but if the oven part does not make it on time, we will have to wait next year to enjoy her scrumptious cinnamon rolls! There will be plenty of coffee.

The McDonough family is preparing for the wedding of two granddaughters. Ariel will be marrying Hunter on Saturday, April 23 at Texanna. Her sister, Naomi, will be marrying Jordan in Ohio, but are planning to travel to Texas in honor of Ariel’s wedding. We will be exceptionally busy hosting these grand events and are sincerely praying for those two couples as they begin exciting journeys in their individual lives.

Pastor Erny has been traveling to Cuero to assist that church while their pastor is away on a family emergency. We have been having a good time leading this growing congregation. We are expecting to help them until after Easter Sunday.
Pastor Joane continues teaching through the Book of Acts each Sunday at 10:00 a.m. Everyone is invited to attend these special sessions and glean great information that will help in our Christian development. There is always hot coffee and a lot of interaction.

Pastor Erny is preaching through the Book of Nehemiah. There are so many parallels to today’s situations in this short Old Testament book. We have finished the first three Chapters and are continuing toward completion. These messages are available in printed form and any that are missed can be received at the Chapel.

Pastors Joane and Erny will be at the Annual Conference in San Antonio in early May. They will be spotlighted for their efforts here in Port O’Connor. Just over 27 years ago, they moved to this community and led in the founding of Fisherman’s Chapel. Not many ministers involve themselves in such ministry and there is an emphasis on Church Planting at this year’s Council Meeting. Please be praying as they attend.

Pastor Joane will be leading this service on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 8. The activities will begin at 10:00 a.m. with Bible Study and she will be preaching in the morning service, which begins at 11:00 a.m. Each mother present will receive a gift designed with them in mind. Don’t miss this special event and be sure to bring your mother with you!

Fisherman’s Chapel is an interdenominational church whose goal is to help everyone reach Heaven as a result of their lives here on earth. We believe Heaven is being readied for those who truly want to go there, and our goal is to help each other learn how to accomplish that feat. We believe in growing one relationship at a time, and our arms are long enough to reach everyone in Port O’Connor. You are welcome and urged to, “Come, grow with us!”