What an interesting and very exciting July 4th weekend! The Fire Department Bar-B-Que was out of this world! The food was plentiful and delicious and the service was outstanding. This event every year attracts Port O’Connor people and most of the visitors. It takes a lot of volunteers to cook all the food and serve it to the hundreds of people. The group of volunteers who cleaned the Fire Station the next day did a terrific job. Thanks to all those who participated in this outstanding event.

After a huge meal at the Fire Station, most people headed to King Fisher Beach for the Annual Fireworks Show, and what a show it was! Special thanks and appreciation for Bill Tigrett and the Port O’Connor Chamber of Commerce for their leadership and all contributors whose donations made all this possible. Sure makes you feel proud to live in this great community.

The Church Youth returned to Port O’Connor from their week of Summer Camp at Highland Lakes Baptist Encampment this past Friday. The Youth enjoyed “Journey Camp 2015” along with 350 other teenagers. The worship speaker was Jeffery Dean and the worship band was Clayton Tyler Band.

Last Sunday the Church enjoyed a Patriotic Service and the congregation Pledged Allegiance to the American Flag and sang our national Anthem. Dorothy Ruehman sang the beautiful song “America The Beautiful”.

The Children’s Sermon, given by Bro. Raymond Grant, was very inspirational. Pastor Donnie Martin delivered a great morning and evening message. The Church had many visitors and family guests.

See you in Church Sunday!

To say that “excitement is in the air” would be a great understatement! Excitement is everywhere! The Lord is showing up and “showing out”! Things are changing almost every week. We have got some of our new lighting installed. We have new paint and flooring. We are expecting our lighting to be complete and the rest of our sound system installed by the middle of August. Great things are happening at the Chapel!

We will be celebrating “Christmas in August” again on August 9. Ric Gorden will be our guest again and the Chapel will be decorated; we will exchange gifts, and our hearts will be drawn to remembering that Jesus Christ was born for us! This is always a fun event and a way to “beat the summer heat”! Yes, we will be serving ice cream! Plan to be a part of that great celebration.

We had a great Father’s Day Sunday and every dad present received a special gift, donated by Marty’s Landing – thanks, Marty! “Bill” was not such a big deal for us but others north and east of us had much more water with which to contend. Our Men’s group took our boys for a retreat at the Farm and it was a special time for both men and boys. Now the girls are wanting a time set aside for them to go “camp out” at the farm!

What a great weekend July 4 was for us. We had 25 people as our guests and enjoyed the community fireworks show. Our special guest was Evangelist Gene and Mona Summers. We enjoyed hearing two special messages and the Lord moved in individual lives.

We are thrilled to announce that Friday Night Youth (FNY) has new leadership in Nathan and Darin Luna. We miss Julian and Alissa, but are excited to have the area youth join us for activities, food, and fellowship on Friday evenings, 7:00 – 10:00 p.m. The summer schedule is flexible due to the many other activities that youth are invited to participate in. So, Kids, keep your ears open for the return of Friday Night Youth!

Pastor Joane is leading a study titled “Conversation Peace” at the parsonage each Tuesday evening. These have been well attended and the students are excited about what they are learning. Everyone is welcomed to attend and for more information, please call Pastor Joane at 361/648-4622.

As part of our Sunday Morning service, on July 12, we celebrated the life of Pat Rodgers. Pat left earth for Heaven on June 28, and the Chapel congregation will truly miss her. Pat was a nurse and had her own company which attended to patients’ needs at their homes. She was faithful to care for her son James, her dog “Bear”, and to her Lord. On Father’s Day, Pat spent time with her 90 year old dad in Conroe. She told him that soon she wanted to leave the corporate world behind and spend the rest of her time working for the Lord. Now she has attained her goal! We miss Pat Rodgers!

We are looking forward to gleaning for missions from Poco Bueno, the Lone Star Shootout, and the Shark Tooth tournaments this month. The fish donated during these events make it possible for us to do more to feed people than we would ever be able to do without them. We remember that last year, we had a storm that kept us from gleaning as many fish, but two years ago, we fed more than 5,000 meals from those events. Thanks to all who participate in the tournaments, who donate their catch, and for all who work to make sure nothing goes to waste! We could not do this without a lot of chapel friends who go out of their way to help us. We have some who take their vacations in order to come and work these events! Thanks!

Fisherman’s Chapel is an interdenominational congregation that is involved in working for the Lord in Port O’Connor and beyond. We offer many opportunities for participation. We have Bible Study for all ages at 10:00 a.m. each Sunday, Evening Services on Sunday at 6:00 p.m. and Wednesday at 7:00 p.m., special study groups on Tuesday, Friday Night Youth, and other special retreats. Everyone is welcomed to be a part of all these activities. You will always find a warm welcome at the Chapel and are urged to, “Come, grow with us”!

Es bueno poder gozarnos en estos meses en donde muchos terminan la escuela y comienzan una vida nueva. La Biblia nos dice que cuando el joven crece y comienza su vida como adulto, muchas cosas vienen a tratar de desviar sus corazones y corromper sus mentes por medio de la vida de pecado. Dios nos habla por medio de su palabra que debemos instruir a nuestros hijos de las cosas de Dios cuando son niños para cuando lleguen ser maduros, no se apartaran de él, Proverbios 22:6. Les aconsejo que hagan el esfuerzo e instruyan sus hijos en el camino de Dios y verán como tendrán bendiciones en su vida y la vida de sus hijos. Que tengan muchas bendiciones y tiempos gozosos con su familia. Su hermano en Cristo.

Pastor Jesse C. Alderete
Fisherman’s Chapel
361-482-9485

About a week ago, Tropical Storm Bill blew ashore into our typically quiet little community of Port O’Connor. I’ve always been fascinated by inclimate weather, so I decided to drive to the Front Beach to get an up close and personal view of all the excitement.

I parked my car within sight of the boisterous bay, so I wouldn’t miss the events unfolding before me. It was quite a show. The clouds were menacing, and hung ominously in the sky. The waves, whipped by gusting winds, rushed toward the seawall, making a furious assault. The resulting explosion of water against the wall sent large plumes of ocean spray into the air. The scene was dynamic, powerful, and relentless.

As I looked at all that was going on around me, an unexpected view caught my eye. On shore, a large number of seabirds had aligned themselves four abreast, as though in military formation. They didn’t appear to be rattled or disconcerted. They simply stood their ground, looking intently ahead. However, not only were these creatures orderly, but all of them, to the last bird, was facing into the wind—they were facing the direction from which the storm was coming. This struck a chord in my heart. It was as though God was saying, “Look closely. There are lessons to be learned here.”

Like the seabirds standing in the midst of the storm, we need to determine to stand our ground and stay focused forward. The storm will eventually blow itself out. Better days will come again. Until then, the Bible commands, “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” (Ephesians 6:13).

Like the seabirds, when the storms of life come, we should be facing into the wind, not running away in fear. As a wise person once said, “If God has brought you to it, He will bring you through it.” Even in the storms of life, God is teaching us something; He is speaking to our hearts. Therefore, we must continually be “…looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2) to meet our needs and to protect us.

Do you have a storm in your life right now? Turn your face into the wind and stand fast. You can successfully weather the storm if you look in faith to the Master of the Wind—Jesus. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13)

My neighbors Parker and Patty are always telling me how proud they are to be a part of Port O Connor, Texas. They say it is a great community and so friendly.

Recently Patty’s sisters came for a visit. Having grown up in a house full of girls with no brothers, the sisters are close. The youngest sister wasn’t there, but the Patty and her two older sisters had a great visit. They fished, swam, walked on the beach, cooked, ate great food, talked and laughed. Boy, did they talk and laugh. Parker would go to bed only to be awakened by belly clutching, eye tearing laughter over and over.

Parker never thought the sisters would get up and go fishing the mornings after staying up late, but just like clockwork, they got up, got ready and fished. Finally he asked what they found to talk about until all hours. And, he wanted to know what they laughed so hard about so much of the time. They all three began to giggle like girls and told him that’s just what sisters do. They talk and laugh.

In fact, they said when they were little they were sometimes corrected and even punished for giggling at the dinner table. One night at dinner they got to laughing and pretty soon their giggle box was completely turned over.

In frustration their Daddy sent the two of four oldest girls to the laundry room. He gave them a stern talking to, told them to sit on the floor and think about how they should act at the dinner table, and then came back to the table to eat.

He looked up and found his two younger daughters crying their little hearts out. When he asked Patty what was wrong, the little girl tearfully cried out, “Daddy, Please, I want to go the laughing place too! I need to laugh with my sissies.” Daddy patiently took her by the hand, led her to the laundry room and called the older sisters back to the dinner table.

From that point on, they were told to laugh quietly at times but never told not to laugh. He was often heard to say, “Giggling and girls, it just goes together.”
In all the years he taught his daughters the laughter continued. Whether fishing, hunting, learning to drive, changing a tire or making small repairs, he was a patient teacher who not only tolerated but expected the giggles and laughter.

Now, even without Daddy, here, they still find time to laugh whenever they’re together and they always miss him sharing in the fun.