Reaching Out from
Grand Lake Community Chapel
Wednesday, August 25, 2021
Greetings in Christ!
This is the last Wednesday in August that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it! Let us rejoice in the continuation of summer, and let us be glad that we are blessed to have much to celebrate in our little corner of God’s good Creation, even as there are challenging events taking place around the world. At the Grand Lake Community Chapel, the Diamond Jubilee of the congregation’s founding will be observed this Sunday, with a special litany during worship and an old-fashioned hymn sing (along with cake and coffee) following the service.
And we also celebrate that your pastor’s daughter is bound for Alma College today, to embark on the grand adventure of college life; Justice has blessed our lives, and those of our congregation, with her buoyant spirit and helpful nature. And, she has been blessed to receive your love, care and friendship over these last four years. She will be missed, and she (and we!) welcome your prayers as she adjusts to life away from home.
One cannot turn on a television, radio, or computer without being inundated with scary reports about the Delta variant of COVID-19, natural disasters around the world, and turmoil in Afghanistan; the world seems to be coming apart at the seams, but our faith informs us that nothing happening around us can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:38-39). As hard as it can be to believe at times, God’s got this, even if things don’t make any sense to us, and we can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. It is enough for us to know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and that Light is the Light of the World, which we know as Jesus Christ. Let us pray fervently for peace, unity, and purity in all things, and let us trust in the saving grace of God, the love of Christ, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit to see us through the tough days. God is good, all the time! And all the time, God is good!
God bless you!
Karen and Greg
You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, and Your right hand upholds me; and Your gentleness makes me great. Psalm 18:35
Grand Lake Community Chapel Celebrates 75 Years of Ministry!
On September 21st, 1946, Articles of Association were signed and notarized at the Presque Isle Post Office that established the Grand Lake Community Chapel as an ecclesiastical corporation. A few days later, on October 3rd, 1946, the Commissioner of the Michigan Corporations and Securities Commission certified these articles, and the Grand Lake Community Chapel was born!
The groundwork that led to the incorporation of the Grand Lake Community Chapel had begun a year before, in 1945, with the prayers and financial support of 196 families and individuals, along with seven businesses. These people of faith, trusting in the love of God, the grace of their Lord Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, stepped out on a journey to establish a place of worship in the heart of Presque Isle, near the shores of Grand Lake, where residents and visitors could gather for worship, learning, and fellowship. From these humble beginnings, this intentionally-interdenominational church has served the Presque Isle community through good times and challenges; the original worship space that was built in 1946 was renovated and expanded in 2000. Beginning in 2010, the Chapel was blessed to have 13 beautiful stained glass windows, made by Hubbard Lake artist Art Guren, installed in the sanctuary.
Today, the Grand Lake Community Chapel holds regular worship services on Sunday mornings at 9:00 a.m.; services are open to all, as is the Lord’s Table. The worship services are enriched by the talents of gifted musicians, including a hand bell choir. The Chapel offers an adult Sunday school, a weekly children’s gathering on Wednesdays after school, and hosts the God Loves You Food Pantry which is dedicated to addressing food insecurity in our region. The chapel family joyfully looks forward to the next 75 years of service to their community.
Wishing you joy and peace in your day! Remember, God’s got this.
