Summer is officially over according to the calendar. Put away your white shoes and pants and get ready for fall! Have your COVID isolation months flown or dragged by? Mine have been a little of both, but I am ready for a normal life again! Who knows what that will be from now on? One thing I do know is that the world won’t be the same as it was 8 months ago. Face masks and social distancing do not make for close friendships.

Things have been very busy at FBC dispute the virus. Our church recently collected almost a trailer full of food, personal items, baby items, water and sanitizer for hurricane victims in Louisiana. Our pastor, Phillip Miller, and David Lozano drove to Lake Charles to distribute it all. Along the way, they will access other areas and needs that we might help with. Keep all in your prayers.

Our Sunday school and church services are beginning to fill up again. The children are so glad to be doing something away from home, as are the adults. We can’t really see each others faces because of our masks, but it’s so nice to hear the voices. Come join us for any service or Bible study. The ladies have started a new study by Beth Moore. It’s not too late to join them at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesdays. The men meet at 7:00 p.m. on the same day.

We are still collecting for Samaritan’s Purse Shoe Boxes. Any item small enough to fit in a shoe box (excluding food and any liquids) will be very appreciated. We are determined not to let the virus keep us from reaching our goal of 100 boxes this year. We have until mid November. The boxes go all over the world and include a Bible in the language of the country where it is received. Call if you would like to help with this project (Diane 903-467-6335). Soon we will be filling the boxes with items. Come help us! We are also collecting for the POC food pantry distributed by Fisherman’s Chapel.

Before we know it, the holidays will be upon us. During the fall and winter we tend to focus more on what we are thankful for and our families. Will we be able to celebrate the way we want to this year? Take time to worship with us at FBC. Help us pray for healing in our country, both from the virus and social disagreements. We’re waiting to welcome you. God Bless America.

Our 14th grandchild arrived on August 9, weighing in at 9 pounds, and already 20 ½ inches tall. Born to our youngest daughter Vicky who was extremely ready for Lane to be born, even though he came several weeks early, Lane has stolen our hearts. His very caring dad, Dom, has been exceptionally helpful to this new mother. Congratulations!

On August 18, we took Lane’s oldest sister to college in Brenham, where she is attending Blinn College. His older brother also began college in Austin the same week. In fact, we had another grandson, who also began college in Vermont -yes, three High School graduates in one year!

In our “overseer work,” we have installed two new pastors, one in La Grange and the other in East Bernard. It is always a delight to see congregations progressing. Pastor and Mrs. Williams had been in La Grange for over thirty years and Pastor and Mrs. Barbee had served 16 years in East Bernard. It is an honor to serve these congregations.

Captain Robert had another very successful Captain’s Class with 10 students. They come from literally around the state to take their class here to receive their Captain’s Licenses. Captain Robert has been doing these classes at the Chapel for over 20 years and has had excellent participation and an excellent track record of accomplishments – no one has failed! We are planning for the next class to begin on October 23 and end on October 30. Those interested in taking these classes should contact Captain Robert as soon as possible to secure a spot in the class. Captain Robert can be reached at 361/758-6184.

Our men traveled to Hallettsville for a Men’s Breakfast on September 12. Pastor Junior and his great men provided us with an excellent time of food, fellowship, and a lot of laughing was heard. Our next “out-of-town” Men’s Breakfast in scheduled for November 14. Plan to come and go with us – we have fun on the trip as well!

Pastors Joane and Erny will be attending the annual Empowerment Conference in Houston at the end of this month. It is hosted by our good friends, Pastors Don and Susan Nordin. We have enjoyed most of the ones they have had and expect a genuine move of God this year as well. In our absence on Wednesday, September 23, the Reverend Everett Ruddick will be ministering at the 7:00 p.m. service at the Chapel. Everyone should come and hear of his life changing miracle after being severely burned. It will be a great message of faith and hope.

We are already planning for Christmas at the Chapel. We will begin the month of December with the music and ministry of Reverend Ric Gorden. Brother Ric has been here numerous times and has always been a special inspiration. He comes here from Guthrie, Oklahoma because of the long standing friendship between him and us. Everyone is welcome to attend these special services and more information will follow.

We have been asked to provide the breakfast tacos for our Warrior’s Weekend on Saturday, November 7. There will not be as many as in the past and the tents will not be set up. We will do the fixing here at the Chapel and transport them to the docks for the Warriors to enjoy as they load onto the boats. We are always honored to be a part of serving our Armed Forces. I personally know how not to treat a soldier, because of some of the treatment I received, so it is a privilege to treat our heroes with the respect and honor due! Only “purple heart recipients” will be a part of this year’s Weekend. We will be having our “egg cracking party” on Friday, November 6, and start very early Saturday morning getting the tacos ready. All helpers welcome!

Fisherman’s Chapel is an interdenominational congregation that seeks to make the pathway from here to Heaven plainer for us travelers! Our road map is the Bible and we attempt to reach out with services and special Bible studies., One will always find a warm welcome here and all are urged to, “Come, grow with us”!

Sheriff Vickery to Speak

The Republican Club will meet Monday, Oct 5, at the Red Barn Restaurant, 3187 Hwy35S (between Buccees and the 4-way at SH2433 and SH35).

Dinner ($11 by Reservation Only) is served from 4:45 p.m.-5:45 p.m. Meeting begins at 6:00 p.m.
Sheriff Bobbie Vickery will bring us up to date on all the Law Enforcement issues the county and Sheriff’s Association are facing. Public is invited.

Dinner reservations MUST BE made prior to Wednesday, Sept 30. Meals are ordered Thursday, Oct 1. For reservations please call Connie (552-0917) or Lisa (552-6313)

Two thousand years ago, a lawyer asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” His motives were not pre. He began by asking Jesus a test question on another subject. With Jesus’ response, this lawyer asked Jesus this question to justify . In response Jesus told what we now call the Parable of the Good Samaritan.

Jews in Jesus’ day regarded Samaritans as half-breeds and heretics. After the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C., the Babylonians exiled Judea leadership to Mesopotamian people groups and the ancestral lands of Ephraim and Manasseh, two of the twelve tribes of Jews. Over the next few centuries, that people group intermarried with the locals and began practicing a form of Judaism, based solely on the Pentateuch (first five books of the Bible) and centered around a temple in Samaria.

No love was lost between Jews and Samaritans. Each viewed the others as a repugnant people group. Jesus wanted to puncture the lawyer’s self-righteousness. And, Jesus also wanted to force him to reckon more deeply with the Law in which he was supposedly an expert.

Remember the lawyer’s first question: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Knowing the lawyer was attempting to test him, Jesus asked him how he would answer that question. the lawyer pointed to two Scriptures: “Love the Lord your God” and “Love your neighbor.” This was a common Jewish summary of Scripture’s moral teaching, one Jesus himself taught.

God had told the Jewish people that “The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt.” Jesus’ teaching was that we all should love God, our neighbor, and all foreigners in the same manner and that this teaching constituted “the Greatest Commandment”.

The irony in the Parable of the Good Samaritan is the Jewish characters did not follow their Scriptures, but the Samaritan – the foreigner – did. He acted like a neighbor. Those of us who follow Jesus know the other side – however “foreign” they and their beliefs and practices are to us – are still neighbors to be loved.

We all know how difficult it is to even have sympathy for some of those we see on our televisions. With their radical ideals and actions, we bristle at the idea of loving them. With their goal to destroy us and our way of living, how are we expected to love them?

In this politically charged time, it is easy for us to see people who speak up for another candidate than ours as enemies. For some, it is easy for us to see people who are wearing masks as our enemies! (There are many variations on this idea, but all of us understand the point!}

I believe in standing for my beliefs, which I strongly believe are accurate! If I ever decide that my beliefs are incorrect, I will gladly stand for the other side, because I want to live right in this present time! But, those with different opinions and practices are still as much my neighbor as those who stand beside me on the issues. I may never like their ideals, but I must love them as much as I love myself!

Our religious liberties are being tested all the time in the courts of our nation. Some are advocating changes to our “Pledge of Allegiance” to remove the “Under God” phrase. Our churches, nationwide, have been forced to shut their doors. (Thankfully our local government understands the importance of church!} Peaceful protests have become radicalized and turned into riots! Our police departments have been demonized! “new Born” rights to life have been removed in favor of mother’s rights! I could go on!

But, in my standing for what I believe, I must always remember that as much as I hate the cause, I am compeled by our Lord and obligated by His Word to love my neighbor. May we never lose sight of God’s greatest commandment, “Love your neighbor as yourself”.