Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, December 20, 2023


Greetings in Christ!

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!  Let us rejoice in this last full day of autumn, and let us be glad for the winter solstice that arrives at 10:27 p.m. EST on Thursday!  The rather wild, unseasonable swings in the weather over the course of this fall has had us raking leaves on one day, shoveling snow the next, and hanging on for dear life in gale-force winds on the day that followed!  Here’s hoping that the arrival of winter, on the shortest day of the year, will lend a degree of predictability to our days!

Something else that will lend a degree of predictability is Christmas Day; most of us have well-defined, predictable routines for the great day on which we celebrate the birth of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, that have evolved over many years.  Of course, we hope that you will join us in worship on Christmas Eve, as we hold our traditional candlelight services; but the next morning when we awake, everything will have changed.  Certainly many of us will gather ’round the Christmas tree, some in our jammies, some in our holiday best, some with a steaming mug of coffee (or hot chocolate); many of us will exchange gifts with our loved ones, delight in watching our children or grandchildren tear open their packages, or sit quietly with our special love.  All of us, ALL of us, should remember what the day is really all about, and focus our attention on the only gift that really matters – the Christ Child.  It seems that often this little detail is overlooked in our celebrations, that the reason for the season is overshadowed by the tinsel glittering on the tree or the contents of the next package to be opened; don’t let that happen this year.  Enjoy your traditions, revel in your loved ones, but above all else, honor the Light of the World.  After all, it’s His big day!

Blessings to you during this holy season!

Karen and Greg

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

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, December 6, 2023


Greetings in Christ!

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!  Let us rejoice in this crisp late autumn day and let us be glad that we have twelve days left to take advantage of the gift of Advent to finalize our preparations for the arrival of the Christ Child!  Some among us are rejoicing at the lack of snow and are glad for clear roads, sidewalks, and driveways; some among us are sad about the lack of snow, because wintertime toys are sitting idle.  Rest assured that the snow will come, and that those who are sad today will be rejoicing when the ground is covered with a pristine white blanket.

In the meantime, we are reminded that this coming Sunday, the third Sunday of Advent, is “joy” Sunday; we will light the pink candle on the Advent wreath, and we will be called to rejoice at the approaching birth of Jesus.  Also known as Gaudete Sunday from the Latin word for rejoice, this day invites us to celebrate with joy all the gifts and blessings we enjoy as children of the Most High God, and to eagerly anticipate the joy of Christmas Day.  But how truly joyful can we be when the world around us seems bound and determined to tear itself apart?  How are we to rejoice when we hear of wars, crime, devastating storms and earthquakes, and economic distress?  We can rejoice because the promise made to us is that the days are surely coming when all things will be made right; truth and justice will prevail, light will overcome the darkness, and love will rule the Earth.  We aren’t told when these things will come to pass, but we know that they are coming; and we know that the process of fixing the challenges of the world will get an enormous boost on Christmas Day.  We have much to be thankful for, and therefore many reasons to rejoice.  We wish you all the very best as our Advent observations continue.

Blessings to you during this holy season.

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 as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, December 6, 2023


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 the season and let us be glad that we have more than two weeks left to finish preparing the way of the Lord in our hearts and souls!  We know that the last-minute shopping push is well underway, with stores and on-line retailers urging us to hurry up and buy, but there’s no last-minute push to get ready for that which truly matters; we will celebrate Christ’s birth on December 25th, and we’re confident that we will be ready to receive him.

   Have you ever wondered what Advent and Christmas would look like if the holidays hadn’t become so heavily commercialized?  If, in the words of Ebenezer Scrooge, Christmas hadn’t become a “humbug – a waste of time and money. A false and commercial festival, devoutly to be ignored.”  Even during the 19th Century, when Charles Dickens penned “A Christmas Carol,” there was some sentiment that the true meaning of Christmas, the reason for the season, if you will, had been lost to a flurry of buying and selling; it’s only been magnified in the centuries that have followed.  It would be an interesting exercise to try to identify just when it was that this profoundly religious festival began to turn into the “false and commercial festival” that old Ebenezer described, but that is a task for a different day.  Today, our task is to embrace Advent, to embrace the true meaning of the candles on the Advent wreath; to embrace the little child that is to be born to us; and to make hope, peace, joy, and love the touchstones of our lives from this day forward. 

Blessings to you during this holy season.

Karen and Greg

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

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.
1 John 4:16b

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, November 29, 2023


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 blanket of fresh snow on the ground, and let us be glad that the weather forecast is offering us a bit of a respite over the course of the next few days so that those of us who haven’t completed all of our change-of-season preparations can catch up!  And yes, that includes your pastors…

This week is kind of unique; we’re not yet into the Season of Advent, but we’re no longer in “Ordinary Time,” those days following Pentecost that make up most of the church year.  This week is very much an in-between time, that is best used to finalize our preparations for the season of preparation and waiting that we know as Advent.  Preparing to prepare might seem to be something of a head-scratcher, but bear with us for a moment– preparing to prepare involves clearing our decks of clutter and distraction, whether we’re talking about getting ready for a big project around the house or getting ready to observe a holy Advent, during which our entire focus is on preparing the way of the Lord in our hearts, minds, and souls.  We have been presented with a rare opportunity to tie up all the loose ends of our faith lives so that the incredible, amazing, wondrous, and glorious events leading up to the birth of our Savior can be celebrated without reservation.  So take advantage of this week to prepare for the season of preparation; it will be well worth the effort!!

God bless you!

Karen and Greg

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

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Acts 2:42

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, November 22, 2023


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 arrival of Thanksgiving Day, and let us be glad for family, friends, good food, and the blessings that God has showered upon us all!  Tomorrow marks the beginning of the holiday season in the United States, and it is beyond fitting that the first event of the season is a day of thanks.

Give thanks with a grateful heart, give thanks to the Holy One, give thanks because he’s given Jesus Christ, his Son; so go the lyrics to a much-loved hymn composed in 1978.  This hymn has been stuck in our heads for several days, as we started planning for the Presque Isle County Community Thanksgiving service that we celebrated this past Monday evening.  And it’s a perfect hymn to carry in our hearts today, and throughout the entire holiday season; we all have much to be thankful for, even if sometimes it feels as if the wheels are coming off the world.  Living Up North, we’re blessed with clean air and water, relative safety, and a lifestyle that can’t be beat.  We’re blessed with generous friends and neighbors, who give freely of their time, talent, and treasure to aid those in need.  At this time of the year, we’re blessed with gatherings of loved ones to share fellowship and favorite foods (and maybe celebrate the Detroit Lions getting to an 8-2 record!).  We may wish for a few more dollars in our bank accounts, we may be facing medical concerns, our families may be spread across the world and can’t come home for the holiday, but still we can be thankful.  We must be thankful, because we are children of God, brothers and sisters in Christ, and we know beyond any doubt that our lives are in good hands.  So give thanks with a grateful heart tomorrow, and every day that follows; because God is good, all the time.  And all the time, God is good.

God bless you!

Karen and Greg

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

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, November 15, 2023


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 truly lovely mid-autumn day, and let us be glad for those partaking of the opening day of firearms deer season that it’s not raining and bitterly cold (although we understand that a bit of tracking snow might be welcome)!  Our prayers are with those out in the field for a safe and successful hunt.

Opening day of deer season marks something of a “hinge” in the year; a week ahead of Thanksgiving in the United States, today could be thought of as the calm before the storm of the holidays.  While our mailboxes and email inboxes are stuffed with catalogs and sales flyers, and store shelves are loaded with potential gifts, for many of us the craziness of the end of the year celebrations hasn’t quite hit home yet.  Come Monday, meal planning for Thanksgiving gatherings will begin in earnest, then next Friday (Black Friday for those in the retail world) unleashes a buying frenzy both in stores and on-line.  After these two big events, the next five weeks will be packed with special worship services, parties, travel, treats, and last-minute shopping.  For some, the holidays are exhilarating, for others they’re depressing; for all of us, they should be a time for reflection.  Reflection, because the modern word “holiday” derives from the Old English word halidaeg, or “holy day.”  While it may not feel like it at times, the upcoming holiday season is supposed to be a holy season; one in which we acknowledge the One who has given us everything we need, and one in which we celebrate those gifts and blessings.  These next several weeks are not supposed to be all about food, football, and overspending; they are supposed to be holy days on which we give thanks and praise.  Truthfully, they can be about both, if we’ll just make a slight adjustment in our points of view.  Today is the calm before the storm.  Today can also be the beginning of a truly holy time in our lives.

God bless you!
Karen and Greg

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

“Be still, and know that I am God.  Psalm 46:10a

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, November 8, 2023


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 “calm before the storm” of firearms deer season’s upcoming opening on November 15th, and let us be glad for the camaraderie and fun of deer camp for those who partake of this culturally and ecologically important season.  Deer season is such a big part of our Up North way of life, even if we aren’t hunters or members of a hunter’s family, so let us all celebrate with the hunters and wish them safety and success!

With all that’s going on in the world, so much of it less than good and joyful, traditions like going to deer camp take on a new level of significance; at camp, the outside world and its problems can seem very far away, and therefore less troubling.  As we approach the holidays, traditions like gathering for Thanksgiving meals or decorating our homes or putting together Christmas wish lists serve the same purpose; they shift our focus away from worry and fear, towards hope and joy.  There may not be a lot we can do to solve the problems of the world other than fervent prayer, but there is a lot we can do to brighten our days and those of our family and friends.  We can spend time together, enjoying cherished traditions; we can break bread together, tell stories and laugh and sing.  We can pool our resources, and bring relief to the hungry in our communities, and provide for a bit of holiday cheer in the lives of those who are struggling.  We can be our best selves, honoring the One in whom we place our trust, and radiate peace and love on all those we love (and those we are called to love).  We can rejoice and be glad that we are children of the Most High God, for that is indeed who we are.

God bless you!
Karen and Greg

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

The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.  Psalm 19:1–5

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, November 1, 2023


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 new month dawning, and let us be glad that this new month is full of possibilities and celebrations!  Today, November 1st, we honor all those who have gone on before us as we observe All Saints’ Day.  Daylight savings time comes to an end on November 5th, so remember to “fall back” on Saturday night and re-set your clocks so you’re on time for worship on Sunday morning (well rested from an extra hour’s sleep!).  On November 11th, we honor those who have served in the Armed Forces, and thank them for their service.  And of course, on November 23rd, we will celebrate Thanksgiving Day!  That’s a lot to pack into one month, eh?

But today, our focus is on All Saints; today, we remember.  Today, we pause from our activities and turn our thoughts to loved ones who have entered the Church Triumphant.  Today, we again mourn their physical absence from our daily routines.  And yet, today we celebrate their memories; today we honor them for the roles they played in our lives, the lessons they taught, the examples they set, the love they shared.  Today we smile, as we remember.  Today we laugh, as we remember.  Today we shake our heads with rueful grins, as we remember some of the things they did that embarrassed us.  Today, most of all, we are joyful that they are at home in the paradise that is Heaven, surrounded by love and joy and peace, in the presence of the Most High.  As the great old hymn of the church goes; “For all the Saints, who from their labors rest, who thee by faith before the world confessed, thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest.  Alleluia, Alleluia!”  Thanks be to God for all those who helped make us who we are, today.

God bless you!
Karen and Greg

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

For the Lord takes pleasure in His people;

He will beautify the afflicted ones with salvation. Psalm 149:4

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, October 18, 2023


Greetings in Christ!

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!  Let us rejoice in bright sunshine, and let us be glad for the ongoing display of the Almighty’s handiwork in the bright colors of fall!  To be sure, it’s “sweater weather” more often than not, as we progress further into the autumn season, but that just adds an element of coziness to our days.  Let’s savor these days in the beauty of Up North!

Our brothers and sisters in the Middle East and Ukraine know little of coziness right now, as their days are filled with the sights and sounds of war all around them, sights and sounds unbidden but unavoidable, as they are caught up in centuries old conflicts that defy solutions.  Our first and best response is to pray fervently that God will bring peace; our second response should be to find ways to support relief efforts through legitimate agencies and organizations.  Our third response should be to reflect on our own propensity to demonize those whom we consider “other” or “enemy,” and try to understand why we hold some of those with whom we disagree in low regard.  To be sure, there are myriad reasons to be wary of some people, based on their rhetoric and actions, but we must be careful not to paint with too broad a brush when it comes to nationalities and races.  We must remember that all people are God’s children, and that while some have chosen to forget that fact, we cannot; our Christian beliefs and values have little room for dismissing others.  We are called to be peacemakers.  We are called to love.  While this may seem simplistic, even naïve, in the face of the horrors that cross our TV screens every day, it is the reality of following Christ Jesus.

God bless you!

Karen and Greg

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

If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.  Romans 12:18

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, October 11, 2023


Greetings in Christ!

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!  Let us rejoice for the glories of autumn Up North, and let us be glad that we need only step out of our homes to enjoy them!  No need for long drives from Downstate, no need for booking hotel rooms; just open the door, and there before us are the colors and the sights and the rich aromas of fall.  We are indeed blessed to call this place “home.”

Sadly, in other parts of the world, autumn brings no such joy; war continues in Ukraine, and as we all know, war has broken out in the Middle East between Israel and those who would see her destroyed.  Here in the safe and friendly confines of Northern Michigan, we cannot fathom the horrors faced by our brothers and sisters on the other side of the world; our values don’t allow for us to even comprehend the atrocities that are being reported in the aftermath of Hamas’ incursions into Israel, nor the fear resulting from Israel’s military response.  Many of us are at a loss as to what we should do; conflicting reports in the news media leave us questioning whose fault all of this is, which side we should back in these wars.  We will leave that to the politicians and pundits; our support should go to the innocents.  Our prayers, our gifts to relief agencies, our advocacy belongs only to the men and women and children who are caught up in these wars.  They have not chosen to live in war zones; they have done nothing to deserve the death and destruction that surrounds them.  And so we stand with the children of God in the war-torn places of the world.  We turn to Almighty God in prayer, that he might take them in his strong arms and protect them, and that he might swiftly bring peace and justice to the whole world.  That is the most powerful thing we can do; pray.

God bless you!

Karen and Greg

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

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.  Colossians 3:15