Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, January 21, 2026

Greetings in Christ!

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it! Let us rejoice in the calmness of the days of the season after the Epiphany, and let us be glad for the season of Lent that is drawing ever-closer! Sooner than we think, we’ll be gathering to worship on Ash Wednesday to begin the 40-day (Sundays are not included in Lenten observations) period of preparation. In the meantime, we a few more weeks to enjoy a less-structured faith walk!

With the bitter cold temperatures we’re experiencing in Presque Isle County, turmoil around the world and here in our country, and dreams of warm and sunny climes for some of us, it’s probably a good thing to have several days to take stock of where things stand in our lives. Certainly, we’re all praying for peace everywhere, certainly we’re all praying for good health, certainly we’re all praying for the hope, peace, joy, and love that was so prominent during Advent and Christmas to transform our world; but are we praying for God’s guidance, both for ourselves and for others? Let’s be honest, shall we? Without God’s guidance, it’s highly unlikely that the messes we human beings have created are going to be cleaned up; this is not a political statement, it’s merely an observation. Maybe, just maybe, if we all stop shouting at each other, if we all stop blaming the “other guys” and turned to the Triune God for guidance, we might start having conversations instead of arguments. And from those conversations will come creative solutions, and from those creative solutions will come the peace and prosperity that we seek. It’s worth a try, isn’t it?

Blessings,

Karen and Greg

Home: (989) 474-9116, Cell: (734) 502-5969
revgregrc@yahoo.com / revgreggl@yahoo.com
revkarenrc@yahoo.com / revkarengl@yahoo.com

Turn from evil and do good;

seek peace and pursue it. Psalm 34:14

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, January 14, 2026

Greetings in Christ,

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it! Let us rejoice in the warmth of our homes, and let us be glad for the hard-working crews that clear our roads so we can get around in safety! As we write today’s message, it’s a balmy 15 degrees, with a -9-wind chill, and we’re under a Winter Weather Advisory; our heartfelt recommendation is to snuggle in and stay put! If you do have to go out, please, PLEASE be careful!

If you choose to take our advice to snuggle in for the day, let us further recommend a nice mug of hot cocoa, a cozy blanket, and a good book to read; and the Good Book, as in the Holy Bible, is a great choice! We’re not suggesting that you try to read all 66 books of the Bible in one sitting, or even one entire book (unless it’s one of the shorter ones), but if it’s been a while since you dedicated some time to reading scripture, now is a great time to start! It doesn’t matter in the least which book you choose, just grab your Bible and see where you’re led! As we read in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Not that any of you are in need of rebuking or correcting, but all of us can benefit from all the teaching and training we can get! So, take advantage of a “stay-in” kind of day, and see what the Bible has to share with you!

Blessings,

Karen and Greg

Home: (989) 474-9116, Cell: (734) 502-5969
revgregrc@yahoo.com / revgreggl@yahoo.com
revkarenrc@yahoo.com / revkarengl@yahoo.com

Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light to my path. Psalm 119:105

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Blessings,

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it! Let us rejoice in the New Year, and let us be glad for the delights that await us in 2026! We’ve entered into a new, and short, season of the church year, with our observance of the Epiphany of the Lord yesterday (Tuesday). By tradition, the Magi arrived at Bethlehem to pay homage to the Christ Child, and to be the first Gentile witnesses to the arrival of the Messiah. There’s quite a lot of debate about just when they arrived from the East, but that debate doesn’t change the significance of their role in the evolution of our faith tradition.

We hope that your Christmas and New Year’s celebrations were full of joy and love; it’s hard to believe that after all the build-up, preparation, and planning that the holidays have come to an end. After you’ve all taken a well-deserved nap, we invite you to join us in making a commitment to keep the hope, peace, joy, and love of the season that has just ended alive throughout the year that is to come. To borrow a line from Ebenezer Scrooge, “I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach.” Let this be our pledge for the new year, and for every new year yet to come, that we will keep the spirit of Christmas alive; because if we do so, the light of Christ will never go out, no matter how hard some might try to put it out.

Blessings on the new year to each of you, we look forward to sharing the journey with you! Karen and Greg

Home: (989) 474-9116, Cell: (734) 502-5969 revgregrc@yahoo.com / revgreggl@yahoo.com revkarenrc@yahoo.com / revkarengl@yahoo.com

“I am crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself up for me.” Galatians 2:20

Reaching out from the Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, November 19, 2025

Greetings in Christ!

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it! Let us rejoice in the gift of today and all the wondrous things that God has given to us, and let us be glad for the promise of the great joys that the holiday season will bring! As stressful as Thanksgiving, Advent, and Christmas can sometimes be (if we allow them be so…), these days are always full of excitement.

Isn’t it interesting to see how many opportunities to give and to share we are presented with at this time of the year? Every day, without fail, we can count on at least three or four requests for donations to worthy causes, each of them designed to tug on our heartstrings through stories and pictures; your pastors are suckers for anything to do with animals, and so it’s hard for us to not grab the phone and pledge our life savings to the Humane Society or ASPCA, or to adopt several dozen puppies! Each of you most likely have a soft spot or two for a special cause, whether it be for children, veterans, the homeless, or the hungry. And you know what? That’s a very good thing!! As Christians, we are called to care for the “least of these,” and to share from what we have been blessed with as generously as we can. So, when those solicitations for donations come in hot-and-heavy, try to resist the temptation to delete them from your inbox or toss them in the recycling bin before you even read them, and do your best to discern how real the need is; and then set a budget for your charitable giving, and stick to it. There is nothing in our faith tradition that requires that we put ourselves in a tough spot in order to give to others. And remember, if you decide to give, do so with joy, for God loves a cheerful giver!

Blessings,

Karen and Greg

Home: (989) 474-9116, Cell: (734) 502-5969 revgregrc@yahoo.com / revgreggl@yahoo.com revkarenrc@yahoo.com / revkarengl@yahoo.com Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. Proverbs 11:25

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, November 11, 2025

Greetings in Christ!

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Let us rejoice that the recent snowfall has melted away, and let us be glad for the “head’s up” from Mother Nature that it’s time to get serious about our winter preparations. Those of us who hadn’t dealt with the leaves in our yards (and yes, that includes your pastors) have a bit of a reprieve to take care of that bit of business! Our local retailers have already stocked up on ice melter and snow shovels, so it’s time to get ready for what’s to come – no excuses!

Getting ready for what’s to come extends to our faith journeys as well. In just a couple of weeks, we’ll be entering into the Season of Advent; the paraments in the chancels at Westminster and the Grand Lake Chapel will change to blue, Advent wreaths will be found near the pulpits, and the scriptures on Sunday will focus on preparing the way of the Lord. Of course, we’ll also be inundated with ads on TV about the latest “must have” gifts, our mailboxes will be overloaded with catalogs, and many of us will lose hours of precious time to untangling strings of lights. In the midst of all these things, and many more, we cannot let ourselves forget what we’re getting ready for; the birth of the Christ Child. We don’t mean to diminish the importance (and the joy) of getting ready for the season, we simply want to remind you of the “why.” The “why” is what changes the world; the “why” is what changes lives. As you get ready for what lies just a handful of days down the road, make sure the “why” is front of mind. And front of heart.

Blessings,

Karen and Greg

Home: (989) 474-9116, Cell: (734) 502-5969 revgregrc@yahoo.com / revgreggl@yahoo.com revkarenrc@yahoo.com / revkarengl@yahoo.com

And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. 1 John 2:28