VB 2008 error BeginInvoke cannot be called on a control until the window handle has been created problem

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.NET3.0

VB

.NET

threads

I have read posts here and elsewhere online but cannot figure out what the problem is. Please help. FYI, I am new to OOP.
I have 2 (simplified)code files shown below, one with the UI form and one class for the serial port stuff. When the beginInvoke occurs I get the uncreated handle error. If I check for the handle in Form1 in the form load it of course exists and has a value.
If I take all the serPort_cls code and rearrange it so it is part of the Form1 class it works fine. I suspect I am missing something very obvious.

#Region "formFile"
 Public Class Form1

    Dim sp As New serPort_cls

    Public Sub processRcvdData()
        'do something useful here, msgbox() just for testing
        MsgBox("data rcvd")
    End Sub

    Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load

        Dim h As Integer
        If Me.IsHandleCreated Then
            h = Handle              ' yes, handle does exist, here it is
        End If
        'Me.CreateHandle()
        sp.openCom()

    End Sub

End Class
#End Region


#Region "classFile"
 Imports System.IO.Ports

Public Class serPort_cls

    Private WithEvents serPort As New SerialPort
    Delegate Sub UIrcvdDataHandler()

    Public Sub openCom()

        serPort.PortName = "COM1"
        serPort.Open()
        serPort.BaudRate = 38400
        serPort.ReceivedBytesThreshold = 10 ' set bigger than largest message expected, EOF will trigger DataReceived event

    End Sub

    Private Sub Receiver(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.IO.Ports.SerialDataReceivedEventArgs) Handles serPort.DataReceived

        ' invoke handler in UI thread
        Form1.BeginInvoke(New UIrcvdDataHandler(AddressOf Form1.processRcvdData))
        'Form1.beginInvoke(New MethodInvoker(AddressOf Form1.processRcvdData))

        ' either of the invoke methods above produces the following error
        '"Invoke or BeginInvoke cannot be called on a control until the window handle has been created."

    End Sub
End Class
#End Region