Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Greetings in Christ!

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it! Let us rejoice in a magnificent late-summer day Up North, and let us be glad for the warm days and cool nights of this time of year! There are so many wonderful things happening in our area as one season comes to an end, and another is about to begin; festivals, apple cider and donuts, the hint of color in the trees, and the list goes on. This is a great time of the year, and we encourage you to get out and enjoy it!

We’d like to thank the Rev. Dr. Bob Case for leading worship while we were on vacation, it’s good to know that our beloved congregants are in good hands when we’re away. This vacation time was very different for us, because we really didn’t do much of anything! Not sure we planned it that way, but that’s how it turned out; and we are beyond grateful to God for guiding us to exactly what we needed. We needed rest, quiet, and peace to recharge ourselves after a very busy spring and summer. That’s one of the truly amazing things about our God – he gives us exactly what we need, whether or not we ask for it. Our God knows us so well, and loves us so completely, that our every need is met at the perfect time and in the perfect way. If we need a bit of adventure, we’re presented with the opportunity to explore new places and things. If we need rest, our cares are lifted from us and we are given the time and space we need to be restored. Isn’t that a remarkable thing? Whether we need rest or adventure or something in between, God is good, all the time; and all the time, God is good.

Blessings,

Karen and Greg

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

Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Matthew 6:8

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, September 4, 2024

Greetings in Christ!

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and glad in it! Let us rejoice in yet another gorgeous Up North day, and let us be glad for the seasons to come! There are so many great ways to spend time in our area, whether it’s seasonal festivals or hunting or fishing or camping or whatever; all made available to us courtesy of Almighty God, who showers us with good things every day. We’d like to suggest that a fine way of expressing our appreciation for God’s gifts is to get out and enjoy them!

These next few weeks are a time for change, as children head back to school or college, seasonal businesses begin to shut down, and some of our friends prepare to move to warmer climates for the upcoming cooler weather. As things around us change, we’re presented with an opportunity to assess our own lives, and consider if there are things we’d like to change. Are there less-than-good habits we’d like to break, are there new habits we’d like to cultivate, and are there books we’d like to read or activities we’d like to engage in? Not surprisingly, your pastors would like to gently and humbly suggest that Bible study and prayer could be on your list of things to begin, or continue, as the case may be Emoji. And oddly enough, we’re planning on offering two structured Bible studies later this year, one in the fall and one during Advent; please consider joining us! Regardless of how you plan on spending your “free” time during this time of change, we urge you to invite the Triune God to be your companion. Remember that God is good, all the time; and all the time, God is good!

Blessings,

Karen and Greg

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

Beholding the glory of the Lord transforms us

into His likeness. 2 Corinthians 3:18

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, August 28, 2024

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 upcoming holiday weekend, and let us be glad that we are free to celebrate a national holiday that honors the importance and inherent dignity of labor. While for some among us, this holiday marks the end of the “season” Up North, for others it signals a return to life governed by the events and activities of a school calendar. And the Labor Day holiday kicks off the college football season! Yay!!!

As noted above, schools are coming back into session very soon, if not already back for some. Back-to-school shopping excursions may be ancient history for a few of us, but it’s probably fair to say that all of us have memories, fond or otherwise, of the process of getting back into the swing of the academic year. As classes begin, at all levels from kindergarten to graduate school, we invite you to honor the educators in your prayers; theirs can be a challenging profession, but it is an absolutely essential one for the future of our nation and our way of life. We know that many who are reading this message are educators (or have retired from this honorable profession), and to all who teach, or have taught, we offer our heartfelt thanks. And no matter how long it’s been since you cracked a textbook, you can get back into the saddle by studying scripture or participating in a Bible study or reading any of the thousands of excellent books about theology and church history that are out there; our faith is an enduring subject to study, one that is both exciting and confounding. Trust us, your faith will be made richer by ongoing learning; you may be truly surprised by the insights that come your way as you read (or re-read) passages from the Bible or thoughtful words by an inspired author. It’s way too early to think about cuddling up in front of a roaring fire with a good book, but you could curl up with that Good Book on a porch or patio or beach! To quote the founder of Faber College of “Animal House” fame, knowledge is good!

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, August 14, 2024

Greetings in Christ!

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!  Let us rejoice in summer Up North, and let us be glad that the season still has a ways to go!  We’ve touched on this in the past, but there’s something truly special about life north of the 45th parallel (which lies just south of Alpena, in case you didn’t know    ).  We’re blessed with an almost unlimited array of things to do and see, and we’re blessed with a beautiful place to do absolutely nothing, if that’s what’s calling to you.

Most importantly, we’re blessed with an amazing community.  Not only in our churches, but all across the region; we’re able to be out and about and not be too worried about our safety.  We’re greeted with a smile and a friendly wave when we meet others, and we’re happy to reciprocate.  We’re blessed to be surrounded by people who genuinely care for one another and for the world around us; people who are willing to help out, people who are generous with their time and resources when a need in the community arises, people who are compassionate and kind.  Sure, there are exceptions to what we’ll call “Up North hospitality,” but they’re hard to come by; our community is composed of a rich blend of natives, transplants, and transients, all of whom bring their very best to the work of the community; some do so with a bit of fanfare, some quietly, others anonymously.  And that’s OK, because no matter how we participate in our treasured Up North community, what matters is that we do indeed participate and celebrate life up here.  Let us honor our community, both the community of faith and the community outside the doors of our churches, for it is in community that we find strength and joy.  As we read in Psalm 133:1; how good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity.

Blessings,

Karen and Greg

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

How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity. Psalm 133:1

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, August 7, 2024

Greetings in Christ!

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!  Let us rejoice in an absolutely gorgeous Up North day, and let us be glad for the opportunity to enjoy it!  Today is one of those days that almost takes your breath away; a near-perfect blend of clear skies, ideal temperature, and gentle breezes that beg us to get outdoors and soak in the gloriousness!  So let’s do it, shall we???

Thanks be to God for this grand day, but let us remember that each and every day is a gift from God.  Each and every day is full of promise, each and every day affords us the opportunity to learn, serve, and grow.  Each and every day gives us a chance to take care of ourselves and those around us, by treating ourselves gently when we make mistakes, being generous with our kindness towards others, forgiving when necessary and celebrating when possible, and above all else honoring Almighty God who provides all things for our enrichment and joy.  As much as we’d like to put today in a bottle so that we can pour it out on the inevitable rainy day that’s coming our way, that’s not the way this works; we live today fully and joyfully, and remember it for the great experiences we shared.  We should live every day fully and joyfully, and remember them for the great experiences we shared.  You see, it’s not the weather that governs how we receive each new day, it’s our attitude.  Choose joy today, and every day.  Then every day will be remembered for great experiences shared.

Blessings,

Karen and Greg

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

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. Psalm 16:11

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, July 24, 2024

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 steady, soaking rain overnight and into this morning, and let us be glad for our rejuvenated lawns and gardens!  While it’s not a great day to be outdoors (at least not in the morning as we’re writing this), it’s a great day to enjoy a second mug of coffee or tea and to linger over the newspaper or your favorite TV shows.  As the day progresses, the weather looks to improve a bit, so maybe we’ll all be able to get in a stroll or a bike ride later!

It’s been another tumultuous week in our world, with unexpected changes in the political landscape in the United States, ongoing wars in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, and another season of wildfires that our friends in Western Canada are struggling with.  Thanks be to God that we have a safe place to retreat to, that place being in the presence of the Lord Almighty, so that we can face the storms of life.  The lyrics of the much-loved Rodgers & Hammerstein song “You’ll Never Walk Alone” come to mind when the road gets bumpy; in case you’ve forgotten them, here they are:

When you walk through a storm                         Walk on through the wind
Hold your head up high                                         Walk on through the rain
And don’t be afraid of the dark                            Though your dreams be tossed and blown
At the end of the storm                                         Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart
There’s a golden sky                                               And you’ll never walk alone
And the sweet silver song of a lark                      You’ll never walk alone

Hope.  That’s the key to facing up to life’s challenges, along with joy, peace, and love.  As children of God, hope is ours to claim, so that we can walk on; and never walk on alone.  God is with us, always.

Blessings,

Karen and Greg

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

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:13

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, July 17, 2024

Greetings in Christ!

This the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it! Let us rejoice in gentle breezes and puffy clouds, and let us be glad that the temperatures have moderated a bit! Summertime Up North is such a wonderful, marvelous place; sometimes we take for granted all that we have been blessed with, including where we live and where so many come for rest and relaxation. Our hope and prayer is that everyone reading this message can get out and enjoy the beauty that surrounds us every day.

We can’t ignore recent events, neither are we going to dwell on them; we will only say that we must, must find ways to disagree without being disagreeable. Violence is never an acceptable response to differences of opinion. As has been said many times in recent days, the national temperature has to be dialed down. A lot. There are many passages of Scripture that speak to the subject of conflict, but the bottom line from each of them is that we are to come together and work through our differences with an attitude of kindness and forgiveness; as Jesus says in Luke 6:27 “love your enemies, and do good to those who hate you.” Hopefully there isn’t hatred amongst us to be dealt with, but we are not so naive as to think that there aren’t differences of opinion that can become heated at times; the events of last week should serve as a cautionary tale about how easily “heated” can become “violent.” Let us resolve to come and reason together when we disagree, as Isaiah tells us to do in the beginning of his writings (Isaiah 1:18), and let us resolve to be peacemakers, for then we shall be called children of God.

Blessings,

Karen and Greg

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

Love your enemies, and do good to those who hate you. Luke 6:27

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, July 10, 2024

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 joys of summer Up North, and let us be glad for a bit of life-giving rain to freshen our yards and gardens, before the promised sunshine and warmth of the weekend!  After a somewhat chaotic start to the season, weather-wise, it’s nice to see things settling into a more comfortable pattern, so that we can get outdoors and enjoy the blessings of Creation!

It’s hard to believe that we’re at what some consider the midpoint of summer, now that Canada Day and the Fourth of July are behind us!  We just heard an ad on the radio for a back-to-school sale, for Pete’s sake; let’s not fall into the trap of pushing the season along faster than it needs to go.  Instead, let’s revel in these days before the inevitable return of cooler weather and the busyness that always seems to come with it.  Let’s take advantage of opportunities to follow Jesus’ example, and go off by ourselves to a quiet place to pray; that quiet place being a beach or a shady spot under a tree or a comfortable chair on our front porch.  Summertime is a wonderful time to set the cares of everyday life aside and talk with God; and more importantly, to listen to God. Somehow it often seems easier to listen when the breeze is gentle and warm and the birds are singing in the background.  Join us in embracing this glorious time of the year, when the livin’ is easy and time feels like it’s moving a bit slower; God awaits our conversations!

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 in the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and prayed there for a time.  Mark 1:35