The Lord has been demonstrating His grandeur recently at the Chapel. Following a message about healing from Pastor Joane,  Ray, a resident of Kerrville but here for a few weeks had two tumors in his lungs that were inoperable. He went to MD Anderson’s and both of the tumors were gone! Craig, a winter Texan from Iowa, had a leg that was infected and keeping him from resting at night – Ray prayed for him and Craig’s testimony was that he slept like a baby, without pain! We at the Chapel do not claim to have any special powers but we do know a Savior Who still performs miracles today and He meets the needs of those who ask in faith! We are humbled that we serve such a generous and caring Jesus, Who watches us to see our needs and springs into action to meet wherever He finds faith! 

 We are appreciative to the Port O’Connor Service Club Ladies, who have donated to our Thanksgiving and Christmas Benevolence Food Baskets. Some of the proceeds from their garage sale are placed in the Benevolence Fund at First National Bank to help us purchase the food that we give needy families at those special times each year. If others would like to participate in providing funding for the Food Baskets, they can take them to any of our local churches or to the bank for deposit. If I understand Old Testament Scripture correctly, when we give to help needy, we are lending to the Lord! The New Testament records the words of Jesus saying when we feed the poor, it is like we are feeding Him! 

 Our Calendar of Events has been filled with many activities. We have hosted Retreats and Guest speakers. We have enjoyed great and excellent fellowship meals. We have greeted several visitors, and we had been saddened to see some of our Winter Texans go home! Pastor Joane went to Washington State for a business meeting and was blessed with a trip to see her two brothers who live in Spokane. She rejoiced in seeing that both are doing good for being her oldest brothers.  

  All of our activities have not taken place! We are excited about celebrating Resurrection Sunday. We trust we will see most of you at the Sunrise Service, which will begin at 7 AM at the front beach. Pastor Rich will bring the Easter message. We will be providing hot coffee and sweet treats for those in attendance. At 10 AM, we will join others at the Chapel for our Bible Class. At 11 AM, Pastor Joane will share a message about the Resurrection of our Lord. Following the Morning Service, our children will enjoy an Easter Egg Hunt around the Cross.  It is a great time to get those cute pictures that are available each Easter. (On a personal note, Pastor Joane and I are enjoying a Easter meal with some of our children and grandchildren.) At 6 PM, we will gather for our Evening Service. Yes, it will be a very busy day, but knowing what Jesus did for us to make our Salvation possible is worth all our extra time and efforts! All are welcomed to be a part of it all! 

 At the end of the week after Easter, we are joining in with a Ladies Meeting from 10 AM to 4 PM, hosted at the Chapel by Terri Tedford. Ladles from around the area will gather for a time of fellowship, and Gospel inspiration. A noon lunch will be served. All ladies are welcome to attend and bring other ladies with them. 

 On the last Wednesday, April 30, we will be hosting a group of ladies from Saving Grace, a rehabilitation facility. Our own Jessica (Gonzales) Locklear will be leading this service. Our fellowship time will feature Shrimp Bisque and Meatballs with Gravy for our non-seafood friends. Jessica grew up in Port O’Connor but found herself in life-controlling problems. After attending Saving Grace, Jessica went forward and became a director of group homes. We are delighted to welcome Jessica home and she wants to invite all her friends to come and be in this special activity! The Fellowship and Service will begin at 7 PM. 

 Mother’s Day is extra special this year at the Chapel. We not only will be celebrating mothers, who will have many of their children present for the morning activities, but it is also Erny’s birthday. I was born on Mother’s Day and was the worst of the six children my mother bore! I could not cry for the first six months of my life, due to anemia – I was too weak! However, all of us know that I passed that stage long ago! It will be my “29th Birthday” again! Please come and join all these celebrations. We would love to see you!  

 Our friends from Sam Houston University will be with us for a retreat at the end of May. It is always a delight to host these fine young people who are training for a lifetime of service for our Lord!  Look for more information as they share their plans with us. 

 Fisherman’s Chapel has served this community for over 30 years. We have enjoyed growing in the Lord with this community. One will always find a warm welcome at the Chapel, whether on Sundays at 10 AM, 11 AM, or 6 PM, or it is on Wednesdays at 7 PM. All are urged to “Come Grow With Us!” 

The latest gathering of the Hooked on Books Club was held on Tuesday, April 8th. The wonderful hostesses, Susan Bertlshofer, Erin Turner, and Darla Miles, created a warm and welcoming atmosphere and complimented the assembly of members with a delightful spread of refreshments to reflect the book’s settings in Atlanta and Up Island in Martha’s Vineyard, which added a fitting touch to the afternoon.

The event began with a lively meet-and-greet, followed by a delicious assortment of appetizers, desserts, and beverages. Book club members enjoyed dips, crackers, and chips; peach jelly spread over cream cheese; stuffed jalapenos with crab meat, sliced cheeses; deviled “swan” eggs; clam chowder, Coke floats; and coffee and tea.  Guests enjoyed mingling, sharing stories, and soaking up the camaraderie before immersing themselves into an engaging discussion of Up Island by Anne Rivers Siddons.

Following refreshments, the hostesses introduced a fresh format for our discussion, leading to some truly engaging conversations. We explored a playlist of songs tied to themes from the novel, such as separation, isolation, healing, and divorce. The lyrics sparked deep reflections on Molly’s resilience and themes of loss and renewal. Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons’ “Sherry,” Tammy Wynette’s “Stand by Your Man” Dolly Parton’s “Jolene,” Linda Ronstadt’s “You’re No Good,” Carrie Underwood’s “Before He Cheats,” Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive,” and Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” were a few of the songs, and the format was an absolute “hit” of the day.

The various musical genres revealed the complexities of the book and rich character development. The lyrics also ignited discussions on personal transformation and how life’s challenges can lead to new beginnings. Many admired Molly’s journey from a sheltered, dependent wife to a strong, independent woman. Overall, we all agreed that Siddons perfectly captures the essence of personal growth and the bittersweet journey of starting over.

All in attendance agreed that it was an engaging and fun-filled afternoon. They thanked their wonderful hostesses for the ingenuity, expert planning, and hard work put into making it all happen. It was an afternoon to remember!

Hooked on Books’ next gathering will be on Tuesday, May 13th, the last meeting before our summer respite and promises another exciting literary adventure! Members voted to read another book published by our local author Megan Freeman. Away is a companion novel to Alone, a New York Times best-selling novel that members read in 2024.  We look forward to another great discussion with Megan!

Mark your calendars for our upcoming summer break during June, July, and August. Another intriguing discussion is in store for September 9th with our next selection, Run Brother Run by David Berg. This summer’s read is sure to inspire deep reflection and lively dialogue at September’s meeting.

 Everyone who has attempted to live in this world and make a commitment to following the Christ of the Cross and of the Empty Tomb is going to be a man in the middle! The “No Man’s Land” will be there between a commitment to the Lord and a desire to live in a real world, with all of its temptations. Our natural bodies will crave things that our spiritual man will say “no” to. Our spiritual man will be forced to say “no” to things our natural man wants to say “yes” to! How vividly this fact is demonstrated in the life and death struggle of Jesus during what we call Holy Week, which is even witnessed as He hangs on the middle Cross on what we call “Good Friday.”  

 Jesus came to become the bridge between the Old Law and the New Testament, which is based in Grace. The Law of Moses had provided for mankind’s sins to be rolled ahead of them with a blood sacrifice. The New Testament provided proof that the Christ provided the perfect blood sacrifice which will remove our sins eternally! Remember that Jesus had to cleanse the Temple before He died for the people!  

 Jesus came to fulfill the covenant between the Creator and His creation. The Tabernacle and Temple of the Old Testament was there to teach rituals and lay forth laws that help mankind to know the God of Abraham and of Mount Sinai. Jesus came to teach us that God wanted to have a personal relationship with us. Everyone who has ever had any kind of relationship understands that fulfilling a law brings fear, but a relationship spans love. It is much easier to follow a set of rules than it is to be ruled by a loving relationship! We often want to take the easy way and try to be good instead of developing a loving relationship with a Holy God. 

 On what we call “Palm Sunday,” the masses were shouting great things about Jesus, taking off their robes to make a path for the donkey on which He rode, and placing palm branches before Him as a sign of the acceptance of His Kingship. But a few days later, many of the same people were calling for His execution. All of His followers (Disciples) fled when He was arrested and yet after His Resurrection, He called them all to be the leaders in the New Testament Church! He had washed their feet knowing the betrayal of each, but empower even Peter who denied even knowing Him, to lead the Gospel Followers.  

 Hanging suspended on the Old Rugged Cross, we hear Jesus cry, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing!” And to the one repented thief hanging on His side, He said, “Today, you will be with me in Paradise!”  

 How could Jesus have been such a bridge for all mankind between sin and salvation? I believe because He knew that “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life! For God did not send Jesus into the world to condemn the world, but so that the world through Him might be saved!”