We were so pleased to be a part of the wonderful Easter Sunrise Service! It was delightful for us to see people we see only at this annual event and meet people who are present every year, It has been suggested to me that we plan more sunrise services on other occasions, and it is my contention that anytime we can come together to praise the Lord is a good time. Who knows what will be planned in the future!

The Chapel has been busy with several projects, some of which will be happening in the coming weeks. Next week, we are hosting 35 students from a Christian organization on the campus of Sam Houston in Huntsville. They will be arriving on Friday evening, and many will spend the weekend with us. It has been a challenging year for these students, and we want to make the weekend a very special one. The morning services on April 24 will be dedicated to them and they will be leading both the Bible Study time at 10:00 a.m. and the Morning Service which begins at 11:00 a.m. We will follow the morning activities with a special Chapel Fellowship Meal, and everyone is welcomed.

Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are always special at the Chapel. Each mother present on May 12 will be honored with a special gift, and every dad present on June 16 will receive a unique gift with our men in mind! Both Mother’s and Father’s Day celebrations will be great family events, and we encourage family to come and sit together.

We are having several groups who are booking our Retreat Center for special events. The facilities have been dedicated to assist families and church groups in developing the loving relationships that a retreat will foster.

We are gearing up for the fishing tournaments, where we glean fish to be provided to needy families in our community and our Warrior’s Weekend where we assist in providing the Saturday morning meal for our soldiers. We continue providing food from the Pantry for families who are facing the hardships of life in our community, because of the generous donations of our special Port O’Connor family.

Pastor Joane is continuing her series with messages from all the books of the Bible. She has called it “Route 66”, and we are learning so much about the Holy Scriptures. She has a unique way of presenting the stories and truths from the different Books that want us to hear more. She is presently ministering from Ezekiel and will be headed to Daniel in the next few weeks.

Fisherman’s Chapel is an interdenominational congregation, planted to help people in our area to have a greater personal relationship with our Lord. One will always find a warm welcome here. Please see the listing on page 6 of this issue for our service times. All are welcomed and urged to “Come Grow With Us”.

Fisherman’s Chapel
Chili Cook-Off Winners
Steve Linney, First Place; Erny McDonough, Third Place;
Kyle Hay, Second Place

Cook-Off Judges
Joyce Rhyne, Jessica Diercks, Bruce Bottger

Emma Jean Dumas passed away peacefully at her home in Port O’Connor March 11, 2024, aged 100 years. She was born October 22, 1923 in Iola, Grimes County, Texas to parents Charles Clifton Cobb and Emma Bell Tucker Cobb.
Emma Jean attended school in Houston (Jeff Davis) and graduated from The University of Houston in three years by attending summer session classes. While at the University she met H.F. Dumas in one of her classes. After Harrell served his country in World War II, he returned to Houston and he and Emma Jean married.

Emma Jean began teaching elementary school in the Pasadena Independent School District (Genoa Elementary) in 1955, and by taking night classes at U of H, earned a Masters Degree in Education, all the while lovingly raising daughter Susie and son John.

Emma Jean and Harrell retired and moved from Houston to Port O’Connor in 1982, but not before traveling all over the world. They went to Alaska, Australia and New Zealand, and Mexico, They also made elk hunts in Colorado.
Emma Jean enjoyed spending time with the many friends she made in Port O’Connor and attending First Baptist Church.
The family wishes to thank Emma Jean’s caregivers: Alice Reed, Stephnie, Morgan and Megan and the Memorial Medical Center ER staff for their always professional and courteous service.

Susan Hays Wallace, 61, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. Susan was a devoted wife to Greg, a loving mother to her two sons Kristofer (Rowina) and Matheau, an energetic and joyful grandmother to her two grandsons, Isaac and Benjamin, and a proud aunt. Susan had the biggest heart and was incredibly dedicated and invested in helping the communities that she was a part of. She divided her time between Katy and Port O’Connor, and fully immersed herself in a life of service. She volunteered her time to many organizations. She wanted to make the world a kinder and more fun place to be and made it her mission to spread the love around. She made people feel seen and valued. In 2020, while the world was on lockdown, she spent her time creating dozens of beautiful flower arrangements and quietly delivering them on doorsteps to brighten the recipient’s day. She drew chalk paintings on driveways with messages of hope, love, and kindness so that people would look out their window and have something to smile about. She was the first person to offer help to anyone in need and would often be seen assisting people with broken down golf carts, lost dogs, and all else during her daily runs. She was always ready to mingle, dance and laugh. She was a people person that would bring friends together by hosting outdoor movie nights, campfires, floral arrangement classes, wine tasting, and anything that she could think of to have people slow down and enjoy life a little more. She created a POC swim program and taught hundreds of children and adults patiently and skillfully. She made it her mission to teach as many people as she could how to swim, regardless of their limitations. She created scholarships for those that could not afford lessons so that there was equal accessibility. Coach Susan was adored by all the children that she taught. She donated all her swim program proceeds back into her community. In 2023 alone, her donations from swimming lessons were distributed to Mid Coast Sea Turtle Rescue, Texas Floating Classroom, Calhoun County ISD Band, Mary Jo Peckham Park Outreach Program, American Heart Association, Shriners Children’s Hospital- Galveston, The Harbor Children’s Alliance Domestic Violence Center of Port Lavaca, Port O’Connor Community Service Club, Port O’Connor Cemetery Association, Port O’Connor Community Center, Port O’Connor Elementary, Port O’Connor Library, Friends of the Port O’Connor Library, Calhoun County Senior Citizens Association Meals on Wheels Program, and The United Way Born Learning Trail at Port Lavaca’s Tilly Park. She was often seen greeting everyone at the POC Farmer’s Market with her freshly baked dewberry cobbler and lovely flower arrangements with the proceeds going directly to the POC Service Club. She was an avid athlete who trained extensively. She was known for her long bike rides, intense swims, marathon running and challenging herself to experience something new. The weekend before she passed, Susan completed the Galveston Ironman, finishing 22nd in her division. Susan was an exceptional person, a dedicated volunteer, a loyal friend and made the world a better place. She lived her life with integrity, compassion, and honesty. She will be missed immensely by her friends, family and by everyone that she taught, inspired, and listened to. The beauty that she infused into this world will live on as her legacy. There will be a public service at the Schmidt Funeral Home, 1344 W. Grand Parkway South in Katy, Texas, 77494 at 11:00 a,m, on Saturday, April 27th, 2024 and a Port O’Connor Service at the POC Community Center at 1:00 p.m. on May 5th, 2024. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you send a donation to the charity of your choice to honor Susan.

Written by Michelle Marlin, Photo by Lea Ann

The Easter Sunrise Service was absolutely the best one yet! Having partcipated in these for 30 years (except for the “Covid” mess), we have witnessed beautiful sunrises, cold and windy sunrises, mosquito-filled sunrises, and sunrises so cold and we we had to move to the Community Center. This year, the clouds clouded our vision of the sunrise, but the singing, preaching, and great fellowship we enjoyed made it exceptionally memorable! We did have an exception, Cathy’s Cinnamon Rolls to go with the coffee and orange juice. We though about a poor substitute and checked on the price of donuts, but the funds needed seemed to dampen the expected “fun”!

The thought got me to thinking about the Bible and our lives. There are many kinds of donuts, but the only ones I like are those with a sugar glaze on them. Holy Scripture is filled with wholesome ingredients, like the donut which includes grains, dairy, often fruit, and cooked in a protein derivative. The Bible includes the exploits and explosions of individual lives. I think about King David, who as a youth killed a lion and bear protecting his father’s sheep and a giant, twice his size, protecting his nation in battle. Despite his great accomplishments, his downfall was Bathsheba. Samson did some extraordinary physical exploits, but when he laid his head on Deliah’s lap his life was over. Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived, but his reign was marred by his harem. Saint Peter, in an attempt to defend the Savior, cut a man’s ear off, but he fell prey to a servant girl’s questions and denied even knowing who Jesus was.

What these examples have in common is not those ladies took these men down, but that little things accomplished what big things would never have. I could site many other examples of those who were on the right road until they turned off and went their own way! Jesus talked to a “rich, young ruler” who thought he had accomplished perfection, but left Jesus sorrowful!

It has always been the little foxes in life that do the greatest amount of harm and bring the most pain. One commentator wrote that “the church is often assailed by mischievous influences, which do grievous harm”. I think we could safely say that our whole society majors in minors which causes the greatest to society.

There are at least four things I see around Port O’Connor that cause me alarm. The largest small fox is self-centeredness. Many people look after their own personal desires, concerns, needs, and wishes while ignoring those same things in others. Love of pleasure creates prodigals. Selfish wills bring separation from neighbors and even loved ones. It is common that selfishness produces loneliness and we have several lonely people here. Friends are those who give of themselves for the benefit of others and reap the reward of fellowship.

I also see people who are always discontented. It seems that a slight insult, which a humble person would scarcely notice, will torment a proud person to madness and will spoil all their comforts. A larger home and a new pickup will not bring much more than temporary happiness, never true joy. Pride always spoils meekness, which is simply strength under control. Nothing will ever be enough for the discontented! I believe that we should strive for better, but not to the point of destroying our own vineyards – our personal comfort.

Another pit that is easily fallen into is the lack of faithfulness. I have a very strange way of starting my pickup – I turn the key in the ignition without thinking about battery cables! I expect it to start 100% of the time. I think faithfulness should be just like my battery. Every time I tell someone that I will, I should unless I have something that prohibits me and then I will explain before the event is about to happen. I recently read that people in the 70’s believed that to be faithful to a church meant attending at least three times each week. Now, attending three times a month is the standard of faithfulness. There are many CEOs who live in Port O’Connor when it comes to church attendance – Christmas, Easter Only! We are always glad to see you, but we would enjoy having that “gladness” more often!

There is a “King James Version” of the Bible word that is often not understood: slothfulness. It is a fancy word for laziness. “The worst of sluggards only ask for a little slumber, and he would be angry if accused of idleness.” We have lost services in our community because the companies could not find a dependable workforce. When I was building homes, I found my greatest task was keeping people on task – often just showing up for work was more than they could accomplish. Often it is called procrastination, which is simply a thief of the time. Without planning to delay longer than necessary, minutes turn into hours, into days, into months, and a year has passed us by and the work is not finished.

I have learned that if I will work on the small things in life, the large things will fall into their rightful place. When I allow the little foxes to occupy my space, my vineyard gets destroyed and I am not as productive as I could be. May we all strive to be more than donuts – with a little icing dribbled over our exterior!

Seadrift Easter Sunrise Services

What makes Easter special? There are lots of reasons. Time with family, vacation, and good food are reasons. For those who enjoy going to church Easter is a most special time of the year to celebrate the Risen Savior.
Both the Seadrift First Baptist Church and the Seadrift Community Church celebrated Easter with Easter Sunrise Services. The Sunrise service for First Baptist was held where the new Baptist parsonage is being constructed in Seadrift. The Seadrift Community Church held their service at their church located in Seadrift as well.
When asked why Easter is so special Pastor Mart Maxwell had this to say: “Easter is the sealing of the work that was done on the Cross with Jesus Christ. Without the resurrection the work was done in vain.” Pictured inside the church before their Easter service started is Pastor Mart Maxwell (back row, far right) with his beautiful congregation. Front and center are Pastor Mart’s wife Mary Ann with two of their three grandchildren Rostyn and Amberlee. Front and far right is their daughter Meghan Chessher.

Pictured at the Baptist Parsonage right after their Sunrise service is the Baptist congregation with their pastor and his family at the far left. Their pastor is Pastor Aaron Corporon, his wife Heidi, and their sons Edward and Alexander.

Seadrift is so blessed to have active churches who are making a stand for God and all that He represents! We salute ALL the Seadrift Churches. Thank you!

-Tanya DeForest

Seadrift Community Church

Seadrift Baptist Church

Hip-Hoppity Fun

“I think Seadrift needs events like this to better connect with the community.”
Seadrift Police Chief Marie Carisalez

On Palm Sunday, March 24th, a crowd of close to 200 people came to the First Annual Easter Egg Hunt put on by Seadrift’s police department. The location was at the Seadrift Civic Center and an open lot next to the Seadrift Police Station. Seadrift’s Community Service Club joined in all the fun as well as several volunteers including the Seadrift School National Honor Society. It was indeed a community effort! The Easter Bunny made a grand appearance. Not only was there an egg hunt but there was free popcorn, cotton candy, and hot dogs. The Service Club raffled off ten Easter baskets and there were several games as well as a 50/50 raffle. A Bounce House provided lots of fun for the kids.

Sponsors for the event were as follows: Bubba’s, La Terraza, Dick’s, Belinda’s Bookkeeping and Tax Service, Seadrift Community Service Club, Peace Maker Technologies, Tracey Johnson, Coastal Pool Cleaning, Dollar General (Miss Maggie), Family Dollar (Miss Celia), The Shack, and Seadrift Police Clerk Annette Delgado
.
Pictured at the egg hunt are proud grandparents Nick and Monica Ureste holding grandson Easton Ureste and standing is Evelyn Reese.-Tanya DeForest

Happy Egg Hunters in Port O’Connor