As the year comes to an end we can look forward to the Holidays.. The major ones are, of course, Thanksgiving and Christmas. There are others including the one to celebrate the ending of the old and the beginning of the new.

These year-end celebrations seem logical milestones in the cycles of the years that our planet makes. It is somewhat ironical that there is not this confluence of celebration in our individual lives. Perhaps that is because there is not a readily apparent cycle to the ending of a life.

It is true that many religions teach some version of a cycle to an individual’s life. Many of those versions teach of going to a better place. Some have a version of naughty or nice destinations depending of what has transpired in the individual life. Some teach of a restart or try over till one gets it right according to that belief. And some just believe there is an end and nothing more.

Hopefully, those that teach a version of going to higher planes are correct. We all are aware of the saying that ‘Getting old is not for Sissies.’ This is probably because all of us notice a deterioration of some, if not many, of the aspects of our life as we age.

I, for instance, have lost enough of my sight that I am no longer able to drive. An injury to my left leg has deteriorated to the point that my preference is to sit rather than move about. When I do move, a cane become more and more preferable, The loss of hearing makes communication difficult. Oh, if only folks would mumble less.

Some of the miracles of technology are DVR’s for TV which allows skipping through loud commercials, especially those for all those pills or injections that are supposed to cure the problems of age. I am pleased with E-readers that make the font big enough so these tired old eyes can still read. The fact is that here in the middle of my eighth decade there is a noticeable fade of exuberance.

Many of my relatives, acquaintances and erstwhile friends have “passed” to where I know not, but know where I hope they have gone. All my life I have wondered why those rituals called funerals are so often sad rather than joyous instead of celebrations like our traditional year-end ones like Thanksgiving or Christmas or even New Year’s Eve.

That celebratory type of transition of the yearly cycle seems to be more appropriate to those who believe in a “better place” than the sadness of a funeral.

These more of less melancholy thoughts are the results of the coming year end celebrations, the recent loss of respected friends, reflections on past joys and losses. They also include my own aches, pains as they have reduced my year end happiness.

So, I apologize and wish you a very happy rest of this year’s celebration.

I am truly glad this year is almost over! All we have left to do for 2017 is to “Count Our Blessings” and “Celebrate Our Lord’s Birth”! Both of these events come with a lot of activities for the Chapel.

Our Community Thanksgiving Celebration was a time for us to come together in “community” and give thanks for our Lord’s blessings. The Catholic Church did a wonderful job of hosting our community and the St. Joseph’s ladies did a splendid job of providing a time of fellowship around the tables. It is always good for us to come together, especially at Thanksgiving time to celebrate our common faith!

We received a special offering, which is combined with the giving of the Women’s Service Club, the individual churches, and special friends, to provide the food necessary for our Thanksgiving and Christmas Food Baskets. This year the needs have been greater, but together we are meeting the needs. The sign up deadline is Sunday, November 19. Please call 361/218-6693 if you need a food basket or know of someone who is in need. Remember, we attempt to feed NEED, not GREED! Baskets will be distributed on Tuesday, November 21, in time for Thanksgiving at the Chapel.

On Sunday, November 19, we will be having a special Thanksgiving All Church Fellowship. The Chapel will be providing King Ranch Chicken, and the side dishes will be provided by the congregates. Everyone is invited to attend with the activities beginning at 6:00 p.m. There will be plenty of time for fellowship and some excellent food to enjoy together.

Christmas activities begin almost immediately after Thanksgiving. We do not celebrate “Black Friday” at the Chapel, but we get the church decorated and ready for all our Christmas events.

On Sunday, December 3, we will host the ministry of Ric Gorden. Most will remember Ric’s unique singing style and the many songs he has written. No one who hears this outstanding minister will leave disappointed. Everyone is welcome to attend the 10:00 a.m. Bible Study time and the 11:00 a.m. Morning Service which will feature our special guest, Ric Gorden.

Our Christmas Sunday will be December 17. In the morning service, our children, under the direction of Angie Alderete, will be featured. We always enjoy our kids and they love to be a part of the Christmas activities. Our famed Christmas Party will begin at 6:00 p.m. on that date. Only those who enjoy great food, fellowship, and a lot of fun with much laughter are invited. We will share “white elephant gifts” during those activities.

On Wednesday, December 20, we will be going around our community singing Christmas Carols. We will return to the Chapel for some refreshments, including hot chocolate. When weather permits, we ride on an open trailer, sitting atop some hay bales. We just go around town singing at several houses along the way. It is a lot of fun and everyone is invited to participate.

On Christmas Eve, Sunday December 24, we will be having only one service, which will begin at 10:30 a.m. There will be no morning Bible Study or evening service to give families opportunity to be together and celebrate Jesus’ Birthday.

For those needing a Christmas Food Basket, we will be distributing them on December 19.

We sincerely believe one can never make it to appreciating the Manger and all that it means until they have been through Thanksgiving! Make Thanksgiving special and see the rewards it will bring.

The Chapel is an inter-denominational congregation whose goal is to see people have a better relationship with their Creator through Jesus Christ. One will always find a warm welcome at the Chapel and are all urged to, “Come, grow with us!”

This past week our Church had a “Work Day”. It was “Fix up” around the Church! A lot of men, women and teens spent the day trimming the shrubs and hauling trash! A lot was accomplished on the inside and outside of the Church. Where needed, outside the Church was Power Washed. Yes, It Was A Real Work Day!

The Annual Port O’Connor Thanksgiving Service was this past Sunday at St. Joseph Catholic Church. Our Choir sang and Bro. Erny McDonough gave the Thanksgiving Message. Everyone enjoyed this very special, inspirational service which was followed by a fantastic meal provided by the ladies of St. Joseph’s. A special offering was taken for Port O’Connor needy families for Thanksgiving and Christmas Baskets.

The Special Church Christmas Service will be Sunday, December 17 during the 11:00 a.m. Service. The Choir will present the Christmas Story in MUSIC and SCRIPTURE along with the ‘’LORD’S SUPPER”. This will be a very inspirational Service!

The Annual Church Christmas Party and “Birthday Bash” will be in Fellowship Hall on Sunday Evening December 17, at 6 PM, please bring a wrapped “WHITE ELEPHANT”
Christmas Gift and enjoy a fun time!!

Our church is still in prayer with the folks at Sutherland Springs First Baptist Church.

NOTE: The following article is a chapter from Meditations of the Heart: Thoughts On the Christian Life, written by Rev. Donnie L. Martin. I offer it here in honor of the lives so savagely taken by a lone gunman, as the congregation worshiped at the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, Texas. May God use these words of comfort to aid those left behind as they deal with their inestimable loss.

Having been a part time chaplain with Grace Community Hospice Care for the last 10 years, in addition to serving as a full time pastor of a local church, I have witnessed firsthand the emotional pain brought on by the separation of death. One definition of the word “separation” is, “break; division; gap.” That is precisely what takes place when one experiences the death of a loved one. In a physical and emotional sense, there is a break from the norm of the relationship between the deceased and the survivors. The survivors and the deceased also experience a division of time and space. The deceased now exist in the realm of eternity and infinity, while the survivors continue to dwell in the realm of the temporal and finite. And lastly, but certainly not least, is the unquestionable emotional gap, void, or vacuum, if you will, left by the absence of the departed loved one, resulting in a sense of loneliness, or perhaps even a sense of abandonment.

What I’ve just described is often the reality of those suffering from grief. Why is it thus? How does one survive the awful feelings of separation that are the natural outgrowth of death? At times, the weight of our loss can seem almost unbearable. Is there anything that we can do to get through these obviously difficult and hurtful periods of grief? I want to give you some answers to these confusing questions. Though my answers will not be comprehensive in nature, I believe they will provide some help.

First, let me try to answer the question of why we experience sadness. In order to answer this question we must remember that God created mankind in the moral, spiritual, and emotional image of Himself (Gen. 1:26a-27). It is that biblical fact that sets man apart from the animal kingdom. In Scripture, God exhibited the emotions of anger, hatred (for sin, never for sinners), joy, and even grief. One of the shortest verses in the entire Bible says of Christ, who was God on foot, “Jesus wept” (John 11:35).

Though some may find strong emotions uncomfortable, they are actually a part of a protective mechanism built into all of us, due to the wisdom and forethought of God. By analogy, our emotions serve much the same purpose as the release valve atop a pressure cooker. The valve releases pressure in the pot so its contents don’t wind up all over the ceiling, or cause injury to the cook. The valve releases pressure in a controlled manner, thus preventing an explosion. The same is God’s purpose for our expressions of grief and sadness.

Not only do we experience grief and sadness because God created us in His emotional image, but our feelings of grief actually help preserve our emotional health. Have you ever noticed the seemingly contradictory words of Ecclesiastes 7:3? That verse says, “Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.” God is not saying that sorrow is to be preferred above joy in our lives, but that sorrow has a certain healing quality about it. He is saying that the best way to handle grief is to allow oneself to grieve. Another version of the second part of the verse reads, “…for sadness has a refining influence on us” (NLT ). God never permits us to hurt in order to harm us, only to help us.

However, knowing the truths mentioned above will not make the very real emotional pain of the separation of death go away. How does one cope with it? To begin with, remember that experiencing grief is both normal and necessary. Do not let yourself panic over the present severity of your emotional pain, but realize that your ability to cope will increase with time. “Grief is a process, not an event.”

Also, be aware that your tears of sorrow are not an indication that you are an emotional weakling. Tears are a healthy expression of grief. Let no one tell you any different. If you feel like crying, give yourself permission to vent your grief in that manner. There should be no shame in the honest expression of sorrow.
Do not be afraid to verbalize your feelings of loss with someone whom you can trust with those feelings. You must not stuff your feelings, but talk about them. It helps to get your feelings out in the open, and to give them a voice. Do not be afraid to talk about the deceased person, or mention his or her name in conversation. Talk openly about the traits that endeared that person to you.

On the other side of the statement above, let me also say that it is important that friends of the grieving be listeners, not critics. A grieving individual may run the gamut of emotions, such as anger, self-pity, abandonment, depression, and even pseudo-guilt. The listener’s job is to console and comfort, not correct and chastise. There may come a time for correction of misconceptions or faulty emotional postures, but not initially.

Finally, remember that God knows what you are feeling, and He cares. I will conclude my remarks with some biblical truths. The Bible refers to God as “…the source of all comfort” 2 Cor. 1:3—NLT ). As such, God is “…touched with the feeling of our infirmities” (Heb. 4:15). Therefore, He says to the hurting and grieving, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you” (1 Peter 5:7—NLT ). In so doing, you will survive the separation produced by death.