Tag: faith

Pastor’s Message

~ laurieagould ~ Leave a comment

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, January 8, 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 a new year and all the
opportunities it presents, and let us be glad for the happy memories of the Christmas season that has just come to an
end. It may take a while for it to sink in, but we’re in the Year of Our Lord 2025, and it promises to be a year full of
personal and spiritual growth, adventures, and probably a few surprises. We look forward to sharing the year to come
with all of you!
This coming Sunday will be the celebration of the Baptism of the Lord, a truly significant day in the life of our Lord and
Savior, and a truly significant day in our own lives as well as we remember our own baptisms. For many of us, who were
baptized as infants or young children, we most likely don’t have very clear memories of our baptisms, but we certainly
have heard the stories and seen the photographs of that great day. And we have known the joy and confidence that
being baptized into the protection and love of the Body of Christ has given us. It’s fitting to start the new year with a
reminder of our baptisms, and it’s fitting to renew our commitment to living into the hope and promise that having been
baptized represents. Let us join together in celebrating the Baptism of the Lord, and let us join together in remembering
and honoring our own baptisms, and the vows made on our behalf when we were sealed into the protection of Christ’s
church. And let us also remember that God is good, all the time; and all the time, God is good! Here’s wishing each and
every one of you a grand and glorious 2025!
With our love,
Karen and Greg
Home: (989) 474-9116, Cell: (734) 502-5969
revgregrc@yahoo.com / revgreggl@yahoo.com
revkarenrc@yahoo.com / revkarengl@yahoo.com

I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who
believes in Me will not remain in darkness. John 12:46

Pastor’s Message

~ laurieagould ~ Leave a comment

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, December 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 the last days of the Season of Advent, and let us be glad for Christmas Day being only one week from today! The season of Advent blessed us with the gift of time, time to prepare for the coming birth of the Christ Child, and of course Christmas Day will bless us with the gift of the Light of World!

We’re close enough to the end of the Season of Advent that Merry Christmas is the greeting of the day, and we hope the sentiment in all of our hearts. One week from today, the world will become brighter and filled with love, joy, peace, and hope; the circle of the Advent wreath will be complete, with the Christ candle burning brightly at its center for all to see. One week from today, voices will be raised in song, as beloved carols will fill the air. One week from today, families and friends will gather to celebrate the true reason for the season. One week from today, all the planning and preparation will be behind us, and our efforts will be rewarded with faces glowing with the presence of the Holy Spirit, the same Spirit that visited Mary, the same Spirit that guides our steps (if we’re willing to follow). As the popular song says, it’s the most wonderful time of the year, and so let us embrace this last week of Advent and the first days of the Christmas Season with wonder and amazement, and a whole lot of love and joy!

We wish each of you a Merry Christmas!

With our love,

Karen and Greg

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


And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling
cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. Luke 2:7

Pastor’s Message

~ laurieagould ~ Leave a comment

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, December 11, 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 second week of the Season of Advent, and let us be glad the Christmas Day is only two weeks away! Or, let us panic because Christmas Day is only two weeks away, depending on how ready you are (or aren’t) to celebrate the birth of the Light of the World, Jesus the Christ.

We talked quite a bit about preparation last week, and of course the good news of today is that we have more time to become fully ready for Christmas Day. If you’re bordering on full panic mode, we encourage you to take a deep breath, and take a look at where you truly are in your preparations; odds are that there’s a lot more done than you might give yourself credit for. If you’re blissfully content with the state of things, we encourage you to take a deep breath, and be happy! But the truth is that none of us are likely fully prepared, because we haven’t fully invested in making our hearts and souls ready. Oh, sure, we’ve been attending worship regularly, we’ve kept our daily prayers going, and we simply can’t avoid the feeling of the Christmas Season that’s all around us. All of this is great and wonderful, but now is the time to sit down with our Bibles and turn to the beginning of the Gospel according to Matthew or the Gospel according to Luke (or maybe both, just don’t get hung up in the differences between the two tellings of the birth of Christ!), and read the story of how Jesus came into the world, to bring Light and Life and Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love into our lives for all time. Savor the story, and be reminded of how it all began. We’re confident that you’ll be filled with good things. Blessings,

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

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

Pastor’s Message

~ laurieagould ~ Leave a comment

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, December 4, 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 anticipation that is inherent in the Advent season, and let us be glad that we have time to make sure all of our plans are in place for our Christmas celebrations! As much as we’d like to proclaim “Merry Christmas” right now, and be about the business of joyously proclaiming the Savior’s birth, we can’t; we’ve got some prep work to do!

That prep work isn’t limited to seeking the perfect gift for everyone on our list, or making sure that our homes are perfectly decorated with a mix of the latest technology and much-loved heirlooms of the season. The most important (and toughest) prep work is making our hearts and souls ready for Christmas Day, the day that Light will come into the world and make all things new. For those of us who have been around for a few Christmases past, it might be easy to fall prey to thinking that we’ve done this so many times before, so what’s left to get ready? We understand the significance of Christmas, we know how the stories unfold, we have proclaimed our love for God and adoration of the Christ Child, so can’t we please get on with hanging tinsel on the tree and baking more cookies? Well, you can if you wish, but in our experience if we don’t intentionally focus on the “reason for the season,” to borrow an overworked cliché, we’ll lose the “reason for the season” amongst the scraps of wrapping paper and unwashed baking pans. Advent and Christmas are holy times, and if our focus isn’t on the activities of the Divine in our lives, then we’re truly missing the point. So, please enjoy the shopping and baking and decorating that help make the season bright, but please also remember that the birth of Christ is why we celebrate.

Blessings,

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

“Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14

Pastor’s Message

~ laurieagould ~ Leave a comment

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, November 20, 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 anticipation of the upcoming holiday season, and let us be glad that we still have time to get ready! Let us rejoice as travel arrangements are finalized, and shopping lists are coming together. Let us be glad that seasonal decorations are coming out of storage, and let us be glad for the delight that we feel as our homes are transformed. While we’re not quite into “the best time of the year,” to borrow from a favorite holiday song, we’re getting close.

Anticipation is a unique feeling, isn’t it? Some of us tingle with joy as we think about what is just over the horizon, others grumble, and still others panic. The funny thing is, we can’t do anything to make time move at a different pace; we can’t speed things up so that the holidays get here sooner (for some), or slow things down so that everything can be “just so” when they arrive (for some). As we read in Ecclesiastes 3:1; there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. And that includes holiday preparations; which also includes spiritual preparations, or it should. It’s easy to get caught up in the pre-season whirlwind, so caught up that we don’t remember why we’re getting ready. So consider this a gentle reminder from your friendly neighborhood pastors; take time to pray as you prepare; take time to be still amidst the rush; and take time to be thankful for what you have received and what you will receive in the future. Make the holidays truly holy.

Blessings,

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

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” James 1:17

Pastor’s Message

~ laurieagould ~ Leave a comment

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, November 6, 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 beautiful Up North Wednesday, and let us be glad that the long election season has finally come to an end. Based on the results of yesterday’s elections, about half of us are pleased, and about half of us are not. While the final numbers have yet to be tallied, it is clear that we the people have spoken, and there will be new political leadership at local, state, and federal levels. Now is the time to take down the yard signs, take off the buttons, and go about our everyday business; and to work tirelessly for unity and peace.

Psalm 133 reminds us that it is good and pleasant when sisters and brothers come together in unity. One of the presidential candidates said a few days ago that there is much more that brings us together than separates us; and while we may (or may not) agree with other things this particular candidate advocates for, this sentiment is absolutely true. It’s kind of like the way Christian denominations have evolved over the millennia; we agree that God is in charge, that Jesus Christ came to Earth to save us, and that the Holy Spirit indwells each of us. We agree that God is love, and that love conquers all. We read from the same Bibles, sing many of the same hymns, and recite the Lord’s Prayer in worship. But we disagree on about 5% of doctrine and details of Scriptural translation, and so we separate ourselves; and in this the body of Christ, which is the church, is diminished. In the Pledge of Allegiance, we profess that the United States is “one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all,” an ideal and a goal that we strive to achieve. The election is over, now the real work of coming together begins. As people of faith, it falls to us to lead, to console, and to heal. Let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work, trusting that God will give us the wisdom and strength to overcome the forces that would divide and destroy.

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 I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. John 17:11

Pastor’s Message

~ laurieagould ~ Leave a comment

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, October 16, 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 family and friends, wherever they may be, and let us be glad for the opportunities that present themselves to spend time with those near and dear to us! While we’re still about a month away from the traditional holiday season that starts with Thanksgiving, it’s nice to anticipate joyful gatherings, so let us rejoice and be glad for what is just over the horizon!

Sometimes it’s easy to take relationships for granted; to assume that those special people in our lives will always be available to us for fun events or when we’re in need of support. But, life has taught us that that isn’t always the case; whether it be due to long distances between us, or the distractions of everyday life, or sadly because a special person has gone on to the Church Triumphant. We lose touch with important people all too often. It’s been said that there is nothing quite so grand as a good friend, and if you’ll pardon the reference to a favorite Christmas movie of ours, It’s a Wonderful Life; no man (or woman) is a failure who has friends. So let us humbly suggest that this is the perfect day to reach out to a friend with whom you may have lost contact; be that friend, a family member, or an old pal. Friendships are precious things, things to be nurtured and honored. Think about it, Jesus called his disciples friends, not buddies or chums or traveling companions. He died for them, and for us. Friendships matter, so care for them.

Blessings,

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

I do not cease to give thanks for you,
remembering you in my prayers, Ephesians 1:16

Pastor’s Message

~ laurieagould ~ Leave a comment

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, October 9, 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 opportunity to enjoy the blessings of God’s good creation, and let us be glad that there are countless ways to do so. Everywhere we look, we can see God’s handiwork, the intricate balance of life in its various forms, and we are in awe (or we should be). Let’s allow ourselves to be wowed today!

Unfortunately for so many in the south, God’s good creation is under stress today; the aftermath of Hurricane Helene reveals new tragedies every day, and the preparations for Hurricane Milton have disrupted lives along Florida’s Gulf Coast, and has left the people of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico reeling. Many in our congregations have family and friends in Milton’s path, and others have winter homes in the threatened areas. Many of us wonder why do these things happen? Why are there storms in life; why is there such awful destruction; why is there sometimes death as a result of hurricanes and tornadoes and other natural disasters? Is God angry with us? No, he’s not; he may be frustrated with us, or he may be disappointed in us, but he’s not angry with us. When disaster strikes, God grieves with us; God walks with us; God takes care of us; perhaps not in the way we would prefer; perhaps not on the timeline we would specify; but let there be no doubt that God is present, enfolding us in his arms and making all things right. Let us pray for our brothers and sisters impacted by the storms of life, and let us also have absolute faith that God’s got this, and we may well be part of his answer.

Blessings,

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, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Psalm 19:1

Pastor’s Message

~ laurieagould ~ Leave a comment

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, October 2, 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 truly spectacular Up North day, and let us be glad for crisp morning air and comfortable afternoon temperatures (and for working furnaces…). This is one of those incredible early autumn days when the trees are showing off the beginnings of their seasonal color change, brightly illuminated by the sun against a cobalt blue sky. God has quite the artists’ touch, eh?

Unfortunately, much of the rest of God’s good Creation isn’t in particularly good shape today; death and destruction in the Middle East and Ukraine dominate the news, the political divisions in the United States and other nations around the world are driving heated exchanges and violence, and the devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene is almost beyond comprehension. People of faith are left wondering what to do? The “easy” answer is to pray, which we’re confident is happening, but is there more? Yes, there is; there are relief agencies that can receive donations of money and supplies, if you are able to make a contribution. Some communities are organizing drives to collect much-needed articles of clothing and basic supplies. A few people are able to volunteer in the hardest-hit areas, to provide relief to government and private sector crews who are working beyond the point of exhaustion. And we can all pray, and pray fervently for those directly impacted by the above mentioned events; this coming Sunday presents us with a unique opportunity to join with Christian brothers and sisters on World Communion Sunday, sharing the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper in a display of solidarity. These are hard times, to be sure, but the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit will see us through to a bright tomorrow.

Blessings,

Karen and Greg

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

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

John 15:12

Pastor’s Message

~ laurieagould ~ Leave a comment

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, July 31, 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 wonders of an Up North summer, and let us be glad that this weekend gives us the opportunity to enjoy the Nautical Festival in Rogers City!  The annual Nautical Festival brings artists, classic cars, carnival rides, and fun food choices to Rogers City for all to enjoy.  Add in the parade on Sunday and strawberry shortcake treats offered by the Deacons at Westminster Presbyterian Church and there’s something for everyone at the Festival!  As an added bonus, if you’re looking for someplace to put your lawn chairs for optimal viewing of the Sunday afternoon parade, the pastors just happen to have lots of space in front of their house on 3rd Street that they’re quite happy to share!

Speaking of sharing, have you ever thought about how central to our faith sharing is?  In Acts 4:32-35, we read of the apostles sharing everything they had equally, having no concern about who owned what.  Now, we’re not suggesting that everybody reading this note get together and put all of our possessions in a giant pole barn somewhere, so that any person can take anything that catches their fancy and use it as they wish; but we are suggesting that some of us could do a better job of practicing charity and sharing generously from the abundance that we’ve been blessed with – your pastors included.  The phrase “sharing is caring” has come into common usage in recent years, and it’s true (if a bit jaded at times); sharing from our abundance, without putting ourselves in a challenging position as a result, is a way of expressing care and concern for those who have need.  We are called to share because God first shared with us, from the first acts of creation through caring for the Hebrews in the wilderness to sharing his Son; so let us give generously and joyfully, for God loves a cheerful giver – and cheerful sharers as well.

Blessings,

Karen and Greg

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


A generous person will prosper;
whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. Proverbs 11:25