PLEASE NOTE:  
The church office will be closed on Friday, Aug. 30^th and Tuesday, Sept. 3^rd for vacation days for Sara.  Also, on Monday, Sept. 2^nd the office will be closed for Labor Day.  When the office is closed, messages will be checked daily and for any pastoral emergencies, please call Pastor Don’s cell, 440-391-9823.









CONFIRMATION! 
If your child is in 7th or 8th grade this year, and you’d like for them to join our confirmation class, PLEASE let me know! If your child is in high school and did not get confirmed, they are completely welcome! We will begin our schedule this fall, and go through mid-May, with Confirmation Sunday being in May. THANK YOU!





THE ROCKPORT MEN’S GROUP 
will meet on Thursday, September 12th at 6:30 pm at the church for a potluck dinner. There will be a great meal and time for fellowship. We will have a very informative presentation on SCORE by Tom Mendelsohn, a SCORE mentor. 
   Since 1964, SCORE has helped more than 17 million entrepreneurs start, grow or successfully exit a business. SCORE's 10,000 volunteers provide free, expert mentoring, resources and education in all 50 U.S. states and territories.  Everyone is invited to come and hear this informative presentation by Tom. Come and enjoy this special time together! 





SINCE CHOSEN SEASON 2 WAS SO POPULAR!!  DINNER AND VIEWING THE CHOSEN SEASON 3 and 4!  MONDAYS FROM 5:30 – 8:30 PM.  ALL ARE WELCOME!  STARTING MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9!
    The Chosen is a groundbreaking historical television drama based on the life of Jesus, seen through the eyes of those who knew him. Set against the backdrop of Roman oppression in first-century Israel, the seven-season show shares an authentic and intimate look at Jesus’ revolutionary life and teachings.  The show teaches the human side of Jesus and his Chosen followers!  With over 200 million viewers, The Chosen is one of the most watched shows in the world! The Chosen is a show that everyone can watch, and it does not need to be viewed consecutively.  We are just finishing up viewing season 2 and have had between 25 – 35 people for each dinner and show!
    Please join us (STARTING MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 from 5:30 – 8:30 pm), we will have dinner, view back-to-back episodes of the Chosen Season 3 and 4 and pray (outside on the patio, weather permitting).  All are welcome.   The dates are Season 3 - Mondays September 9,16,23,30 and Season 4 - Mondays October 7,14,21 & 28.





BOOK CLUB:  
Join us on Thursday, October 3^rd at 7:00pm in the church parlor. We are reading “Blessings” by Anna Quindlen. “Late one night, a teenage couple drives up to the big white clapboard home on the Blessing estate and leaves a box. In that instant, the lives of those who live and work there are changed forever. Skip Cuddy, the caretaker, finds a baby girl asleep in that box and decides he wants to keep the child . . . while Lydia Blessing, the matriarch of the estate, for her own reasons, agrees to help him. Blessings explores how the secrets of the past affect decisions and lives in the present; what makes a person or a life legitimate or illegitimate and who decides; and the unique resources people find in themselves and in a community. This is a powerful novel of love, redemption, and personal change by the Pulitzer Prize–winning writer about whom The Washington Post Book World said, “Quindlen knows that all the things we ever will be can be found in some forgotten fragment of family.” Hope to see everyone on Oct. 3^rd for food, fellowship and discussion.





ROCKPORT CHANCEL CHOIR 
is seeking returning members, new members and welcome all voices!  Rehearsals are on TUESDAYS from 6-7:20pm in the choir room. Contact Susan Shick, Music Director/Organist, at ershick@prodigy.netor 440-331-9433 or come to any of our TUESDAY rehearsals if you are interested in joining our fellowship and music ministry!  
See you on TUESDAY, September 10, 2024 from 6-7:20pm.





TREE PLANTING CAMPAIGN:  
The Trustees have proposed buying ten trees to fill in around the church property to help maintain and fill in our tree canopy, primarily around the outdoor chapel and playground area.
This will cost an average of $500 per tree. We thought this would be a great opportunity for members and friends of Rockport to donate the cost of a tree (or part of a tree) in memory of or to honor a loved one, or simply to help beautify our church property. Names of those who contribute $100 or more will be listed in Rockport’s Abiding Memorials book (in the narthex).
We would like to have the trees planted by the end of October, 2024, and thus would greatly appreciate receiving donations by October 31, 2024.
What do you say, Rockport family? Let’s plan(t) for the future and fill in our canopy! Any questions, please contact Mike Wilkenson or a Trustee.





INVITATION TO JOHN BIBLE STUDY:  
The invitation from Christ is: "Come and see, Follow me". Experience the magnificent passages in John including the I am statements (I am the truth, the life and the way, I am the living water and more). Revisit stories only told in John's gospel including Nicodemus, Mary Magdalene and the raising of Lazarus.
   This study is 11 weeks, every Wednesday, beginning on September 11^th and ending on November 20^th. Class will begin at 7:00 PM.  There will not be an introductory class this time.  We will jump right into Week 1 on September 11^th.  Sign-up sheet is posted on the bulletin board. Books are ready for pickup for $7.  If you want a brand new one, we can order it for you, but it will be $16 plus tax, or you can order your own or look at the library. 




BOTTLE CAPS!  
The Youth Group are collecting bottle caps for a mission project. The plastic kind - for example, 2 liter and 16/20/24 oz bottles. 
   During these past weeks we have been asking you, the congregation, to collect bottle caps, and we are providing the boxes to collect them with to make it easier. (courtesy of Dave Stephan! THANK YOU!) You can grab one on your way out of the church on the Christian Ed table in the hallway…   
   We have been asking to collect these caps in order to create our own bench, fully from the caps we have collected. This bench will signify how recycling can be seen and the process. This bench will be placed in a chosen location on the church grounds.  Along with these recycled caps, we will also accept donations to use towards the processing of the caps to the bench.
   Through our collective efforts we will eventually have a product that can be enjoyed by everyone. You can find the acceptable caps and lids list posted on the table with the boxes, and also will be sent out in the Rockport updates. We will be collecting until Thanksgiving! Thank you!  

The link for information…
 https://www.greentreeplastics.com/abc-program/

CHAT & CHEW!
Lunch & Chat Adult Discussion Group! 
Come and join us! Bring your lunch and enjoy your food AND a great discussion! We will explore various topics in the church and Bible. 
12 to 2 p.m.! 

FALL DATES: 
September 16^{th (Welcome back)}
October 21st
November 18^th
December 16th 




COFFEE HOUR:  
Please consider hosting coffee hour and sign-up on the bulletin board.  Fellowship is so important to the life of the church and why not have a little snack at the same time!




GOOGLE DRIVE REMINDER:
June 2024 Church financials can be found here.
Go to the Rockport All Church Information folder, Financial Reports folder, 2024 Financials folder, or get a hard copy in the church office.




REMINDER:
Office hours are Monday-Thursday 8:00 - 2:00pm and Fridays from 8:00 - 1:00pm.  
Rev. Don's office hours are Tuesday and Thursdays from 11:00 - 1:00pm




DISTRICT NEWS: www.eocumc.com/northernwaters

CONFERENCE NEWS: https://www.eocumc.com

Storyboard Episode 42

Episode 42 is titled “Belonging & Inclusion: Sharing the Love of God with Gamers”. This episode features a conversation with UMC Rev. Derek White, known as “The Geek Preacher”, a long-time pastor to table-top gamers who recently partnered with clergy in the East Ohio Conference to serve as chaplains at the Origins Games Fair in Columbus.

Listen to archived episodes of Storyboard: Faith Witness Transformation.