PASTOR’S VACATION:  
Rev. Don will be on vacation from May 19^th – May 28^th and Rev. Dan Bryant will be leading us in worship on May 25^th.  For any pastoral emergencies, please call Rev. Barbara Davis at 440-774-1660.  




OUTDOOR WORSHIP BEGINS MAY 25^TH:  
Rockport is blessed to have a beautiful hidden gem, our outdoor sanctuary.  Beginning May 25^th at 10am service will be outdoors so please dress accordingly.  In the event of rain, we will move indoors to our air-conditioned sanctuary.  EMS remains at 8:30am in our indoor chapel.

ROCKPORT MUSIC MINISTRY:  
    A note of appreciation to our Rockport music ministry. Thank you, choir, Ramblers, instrumentalists, soloists and percussionists.  We have shared music, fellowship, laughter, learning, prayers, and worship together. The choir will return to rehearsal and worship in September.  
     As we move to summer, please consider signing up to do special music during worship while the choir is off.  Sign-up sheet is posted on the bulletin board. We share our ministry through music, "Tell the World."
In Service, Susan Shick, Director of Music /Organist cell,440-364-9672.

ADULT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR COMMUNITY VBS! 
June 9-13th 8:50 to 11:40 am at Rocky River Presbyterian Church. Rockport, RRPC, & St. Christopher’s Church unite in Christ and offer our community a wonderful experience to celebrate God and His wonderful Creation! See Kira Holchin for more info! 




BIBLE STUDY!  
Currently meeting is our Disciple short-term study on GENESIS. It is an 11-week study which meets every Wednesday, and finishes on May 28. Jim Spallino is teaching. 




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.! 
May 19th - We will see you at noon! 
June - NO MEETING
July 21st - We will see you at noon!
August 18th - We will see you at noon!




DINNER & A MOVIE:  
Join us on Saturday, May 31^st at 6:00pm for dinner and 6:30pm for the movie, TBD.  Sign-up sheet is posted.  Hope you will join us!



 

BOOK CLUB: 
Please join us June 4^th @7:00pm in the church parlor for our next book club. We will be reading "Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade." From the New York Times bestselling author Janet Skeslien Charles and based on the true story of Jessie Carson—the American librarian who changed the literary landscape of France—this is “a moving tale of sacrifice, heroism, and inspired storytelling immersed in the power of books to change our lives” (Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling author). Hope to see everyone on June 4th for food, fun, fellowship, and discussion.





PRAY & BIKE OPPORTUNITIES:
 Thursday, June 26 & Thursday, July 17
 6:30 – 8:00 PM
 Meet at the Church Parking Lot (Weather Permitting)
Join us for a time of scripture-focused prayer for our community and church, followed by a refreshing bike ride!
 Bike Route Options:
  Lake Erie
 Metroparks
All are welcome—let’s pray and exercise together!




HELP GROW ROCKPORT CHURCH! 
Are you passionate about growing Rockport Church? If so, join us for a dinner and study session based on the book:  Selling Swimsuits in the Arctic: Seven Simple Keys to Growing Churches
 Tuesdays | 6:00 – 7:30 PM
 Location: Outside, weather permitting or in the Conference Room.
 Light dinner, prayer, study, and discussion
Dates: June 17, 24, July 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29
 Please email the church office or sign up the bulletin board for a book. 
 
All are welcome to participate in this engaging and insightful study!
Book Synopsis:  The pastor of one of today’s most dynamic churches illumines the basic principles of attracting the unchurched to the Christian message. Using the story of Bob, a successful swimsuit salesman whose business takes a turn for the worse when he moves to Alaska, Adam Hamilton reminds us that all of life is about sales. Whether we are in a job interview, a candidates’ debate, or a classroom, we are selling something: our skills, our convictions, our selves. The same is true of presenting the gospel to the unchurched. In leading a friend to a saving relationship with Christ, in inviting them to join us at church, we are presenting them with something that we believe they need, that will make all the difference in their life. 




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 above. We will be collecting THROUGH MAY! Thank you!

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




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:
February 2025 Church financials can be found here.
Go to the Rockport All Church Information folder, Financial Reports folder, 2025 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

Easter Spirit: Discourse in Offstage Leadership
“You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’” (Mark 16:6-7)

The difference a Methodist preacher made in my life, was not through what he did “on-stage” on Sunday mornings, but what he did “offstage” in his ministry and intentional outreaches. I took him as a mentor. Thus, I became a Methodist! He reminded me of the Easter spirit and directed the place I need to focus on as the location of Galilee in Scripture.

A diverse community is like Galilee today, a sign of a place open to outsiders. So, we need to learn how to be a society with civility and diversity in communities that are open, tolerant, and safe places – instead of a society where church is predominantly known as rigid and captive to traditional divisive discourse.

In engagement with offstage leadership, we can embrace and be involved in creative discourse that can enhance a healthy society. Faith communities belong in this offstage leadership presence.

May we live with the Easter Spirit! May we look for adventurous ways to Galilee.

Read Bishop Jung’s latest Soul Food article in its entirety.


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

Storyboard Episode 58

By EOC News on May 5, 2025 https://open.spotify.com/episode/2EIGpRnypYrgpOvlnmPkJU Storyboard: Faith Witness Transformation is a podcast highlighting ministries across the East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church that are transforming lives locally, nationally, and globally. Produced twice-a-month by EOC Communications, each podcast episode focuses on one of the core values of the #BeUMC campaign: Disciple Making; Belonging & Inclusion; Influence, Connection & Impact; and Experience of God through The United Methodist Church. In Episode 58 “My Call Story: Pastor Tennille Power” ‘the pastor of Elyria First United Methodist Church shares from the heart about the process she went through answering Gods’ call into ministry. “I consider myself an ecumenical ball. I have United Methodist roots, and I have roots in the United Church of Christ, and I have roots in Catholicism,” Power said. She has answered calls from God throughout her life that have led to different occupations and experiences and eventually to seminary. “I believe all of us have a call. We all have a calling to do something for the work for the Kingdom of God. I think sometimes the challenge with clergy and those discerning is that we believe our call is just set. No, your call is big and global, but your assignment is for a season,” Power stated. Listen to previous Storyboard podcast episodes. View clergy and laity sharing their #BeUMC stories.