Submitted by Pastor Bill Hargis, Rock Port and Watson United Methodist Churches

We have just wrapped up another “Old Fashioned Saturday night.” I ate lots of good food, watched a very competitive tractor pull, got a close-up view of a fire truck, and was arrested . . . again . . . thanks to my wife, Cher, and the Rock Port football team. I love the third weekend of September; the community comes together and just sort of hangs out and enjoys being together. It is as if the world is put on hold for a while.

Since last year, the Rock Port/Watson Ministerial Alliance has extended this old fashioned celebration to include Sunday as well with a community worship service, where all the churches in town join at the Memorial Building to praise and worship our God. After that, the celebration continues with a potluck chicken dinner.

The theme, if you will, for this year was “Kingdom Citizens.” Pastors Devon Sons, Kailea Nauman, and Richard Boettner were all inspiring with their music and words of encouragement. I had the honor of leading the service of Holy Communion.

People who know me will not be surprised that I messed up without notes. The great thing is, this is my week for the newspaper, so I can correct my mistake.

Have you ever wondered what the word church means? In Greek, the word church means “a community of members on earth or saints in heaven, or (and here is my favorite part) both! The word saint in Greek means “to be sacred, pure, blameless, consecrated, and holy.” What an awe-inspiring image this is! The church – all of us, not limited to us on earth but all the saints in heaven and all the saints on earth all together.

“One Community . . . Citizens of the Kingdom,” with only one purpose: to give God the glory for all things He has done. Because of our Savior, Jesus Christ, we are all saints in the eyes of God. We are all God’s children, loved the same, no matter the denomination. Because of Jesus Christ, “there is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male or female; for all of us are one in Jesus Christ,” (Galatians 3:28, NRSV).

Please, find a church that loves God and still lifts His word up. And then go! I love you all and there still isn’t a thing you can do about it.