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

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, October 4, 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 brief return to summertime, as the thermometer is expect to touch the mid-70’s today, and let us be glad for the promised rain in the coming days that will intensify the beautiful fall colors that are coming into full expression.  And let us further rejoice and be glad that no one is calling for snow any time soon…

With happy memories of summer still front of mind for many of us, and eager anticipation of crisp autumn days and snuggling in next to the fireplace or patio fire pit occupying some of our thoughts, this is a good time to give our heartfelt thanks to our loving God, who blesses us with varying seasons to enjoy.  Summertime can’t be beat for fun and relaxation, but it’s hard to argue with the sights, sounds, and smells of autumn; winter brings cold temperatures and the serene beauty of the snow-covered ground, and spring gives us the thrill of new life emerging from the cold.  But today, we give thanks for autumn, for cider mills and apple farms, for cozy sweaters and just a hint of coolness in the air; today, we give thanks for family and good friends, for fellow travelers in The Way, and for fond memories of those who have gone on before us into the Church Triumphant.  Today, we celebrate the countless gifts and blessings that are ours to enjoy, as summer fades into fall.  We know that for many of you, each day is cause for celebration; we celebrate with you!  But we also know that for some, each day brings pain, either physical or spiritual; and we pray for relief for you.  In these days of seasonal transition, we invite you to remember that God loves you and wants only good things for you, including freedom from any hurts you may feel; turn to the Almighty when the day seems hard, and you will find refreshment.  Turn to the Almighty when the day seems great, and you will find further delight.  Turn to the Almighty always and forever, and you will find love.

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

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, September 27, 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 cool evenings that are so nice for sleeping, and let us be glad in early autumn days that allow us to enjoy the great outdoors in comfort. Now, if we could get just a little rain to freshen things up a bit! The colors of fall are beginning to dominate the landscape, and the apple orchards and cider mills are beckoning us to come sample their offerings (we’re particularly fond of Knaebe’s), so we invite you to get out and enjoy the blessings of the season!

Earlier this week, a dozen of our congregants from both Westminster Presbyterian and Grand Lake Community Chapel came together for the final “Adopt-A-Highway” road cleanup of the season along US23; a total of 19 bags of trash were collected, and more importantly good fellowship was shared by all. This joint effort got us to thinking about the power of community, about how much can be accomplished when good women and men join forces to tackle a project; which in turn got us to thinking about how we express our faith in the world. There’s a tendency to think that our public witness has to be big and splashy to grab the attention of the world, but walking along US23 on the stretch of highway assigned to our churches, and proudly proclaimed on signs posted at both end of the stretch, with passers-by waving and honking horns in support of our work, was a witness to our Christian way of life. Volunteers giving freely of their time to make the world a cleaner place, clearly connected to our churches, sent an unmistakable message about who we are and what we value. When we hold a door open for another person, when we share a friendly greeting with a stranger, when we slow down enough to let another vehicle ease onto the freeway, and then wave a “hello” to the other driver, we’re demonstrating what it is to live out our faith. Certainly, helping out at a food pantry distribution or lending a hand in response to a natural disaster are great things; but it’s so often the little things that carry the work of Christ out into the world we share with billions of others. A community of faith can do amazing things, one small gesture at a time. As we read in Psalm 133: “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”

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 we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building. 1 Corinthians 3:9

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, September 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 the beautiful late-summer day that is ours to enjoy, and let us be glad that truly cold temperatures are still a few weeks away (we hope…).  Yes, many of our furnaces were running early this morning, but the day in Presque Isle County promises to warm up a bit, and the next few days are expected to be very nice; so let’s all try to get out and revel in the blessings of nature that surround us!

As nice as the next few days are predicted to be, the fact is that summer officially comes to an end this coming Saturday.  Endings are very often difficult for us to deal with, be it the ending of a season, the ending of a relationship, or the ending of a well-lived life; many of us mourn the endings that present themselves to us, and rightfully so.  We’ll miss the warmth of summer days, and that makes us melancholy.  We’ll miss the familiarity of a relationship with another person or group.  We’ll most certainly miss the presence of a loved one who has gone on before us into the Church Triumphant.  But we must remember that each ending brings with it a new beginning; a new season to enjoy, new friends to know better, and the peace and comfort that comes from the sure and certain promise of the Resurrection of our Lord that we will be reunited with our loved ones in due time.  It’s OK to be sad when endings intrude on our happiness, but it’s not OK to stay sad when beginnings present themselves.  It’s OK to remember what had been before the ending, either fondly or ruefully; it’s not OK to be paralyzed by the past and stop living the today that has been gifted to us – or the tomorrow that awaits.  Remembering that God is good, all the time, and all the time, God is good can help us keep ourselves in a place of balance and joy.

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 he is before all things,
and in him all things hold together. Colossians 1:17

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, September 13, 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 glorious day that has dawned Up North, and let us be glad for the promise of several more days like this one to get out and enjoy!  It may be a bit on the cool side for some, but a light jacket or sweater addresses that, so try to get outdoors if at all able and soak in the grandeur!

It’s all too easy to take what we’ve been blessed with for granted, because it’s always around us; beautiful surroundings, good people, loving families, and God’s abundance.  So easy, in fact, that we often forget to say “thank you” for all of it, every single day.  Sure, we say “thank you” when an unforeseen need is met with an unanticipated gift, or when a feared diagnosis turns out to be a relatively minor (and easily treated) ailment; but what about those days when everything just kinda’ goes along without any issues, kinda’ routine and kinda’ easy?  Why don’t we consistently say “thank you” for normal?  Normal (acknowledging that “normal” is a loaded word) is a gift from God every bit as much as a miraculous healing.  “Kinda’ easy” is every bit as much a gift from God as being guided through a challenge.  While it may be a tad trite, adopting an attitude of gratitude can fill our hearts and souls with reservoirs of spiritual energy that we can draw on when kinda’ easy gets replaced with kinda’ hard.  So try to say “thank you” for all the little things in life that we take for granted, ranging from the lights turning on when we flip the switch to the friendly wave of a neighbor as we pass by.  Trust us, your day will be brighter for it!

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

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:15