Tag: holidays

Pastor’s Message

~ laurieagould ~ Leave a comment

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, October 29, 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 blue skies, puffy white clouds, and sunshine, and let us be glad for furnaces that take the chill out of the air in our homes and places of work! Autumn is a great time of the year, but also a time of great contrasts; paraphrasing a sign we once saw in a gift shop, “lovely to look at, delightful to behold, but if you think it’s warm outside, you’re about to be disappointed!” OK, perhaps not the best prose you’ve ever seen, but the point is made. We’re well beyond shorts and t-shirts, and well into sweatshirts and jeans!

Soon enough, Daylight Saving Time will come to an end (this weekend – remember to “fall back” on Saturday night), and our mornings will be brighter and our afternoons darker. As October fades into November, we’re entering a time of great contrasts in the church. Soon enough, Ordinary Time will give way to Advent, following the celebrations of Thanksgiving Day in the United States, and the decor of our sanctuaries will reflect the joys of Christmas yet to come. Soon enough, we’ll be inundated with ads for gift ideas, blurring the lines between the profoundly religious holiday that is Christmas and the profoundly secular season of overspending. While it may seem to be a bit early to take a stand for the true meaning of Christmas, we’re inviting you to hang onto autumn for a while longer. We’re inviting you to embrace the waning days of Ordinary Time in the church year, and allow yourself the peace of this calm before the inevitable storm of year-end holidays. Use this time to be still and know that God is everywhere around us.

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 will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13

Pastor’s Message

~ laurieagould ~ Leave a comment

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, November 13, 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 spectacular Up North morning, and let us be glad that (almost) all of the political signs are gone and that in the week following the elections things seem to be calming down a bit. Most of the leaves are down, so final yard cleanups can begin, and hopefully we’ll enjoy a few weeks of quiet on the weather front so that we can get our work done, and holiday decorations in place!

It’s hard to believe that we’re only two weeks away from the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States, which traditionally kicks off the year-end holiday season. This year, U.S. Thanksgiving is only a couple of days before the beginning of Advent, which is the real holy day that should be our focus. But, that’s not to say that we shouldn’t honor the holiday with happy gatherings of family and friends, and a heapin’ helpin’ of thanks and praise for the One who provides all things. We hope that all who are reading this message are well along in their planning for Thanksgiving, if not yet into preparation mode. But we also hope that all who are reading this message remember every day, that we have much to be thankful for: the beauty of God’s Creation, the love of family and friends, the joy of anticipating what is to come in only a few weeks, and the never-ending love of God and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that enfolds us. And we should also remember that, regardless of how the elections turned out, regardless of some of the challenges life puts in our paths, we are blessed beyond measure because Almighty God is with us every step of the way, watching over us as a loving parent does. As a loving parent, sometimes God lets us go off on our own way, even though it may not be the right path, and is waiting with open arms when we stumble back home. Something to be truly thankful for.

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 will praise the name of God with a song;
I will magnify him with thanksgiving. Psalm 69:30

Pastor’s Message

~ laurieagould ~ Leave a comment

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, July 3, 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 ever-brightening day, and let us be glad for the Fourth of July holiday that is just hours away!  The Fourth of July is such an important day in the history of the United States, with the Declaration of Independence having been signed 248 years ago tomorrow; it’s sad that we sometimes lose sight of what the fireworks and picnics are all about.  Yes, it’s about the birth of a new nation, but it’s also about the deep-seated human quest for freedom, respect, and self-determination.  As the United States gears up to celebrate, let’s not forget that our Canadian brothers and sisters are celebrating as well; Canada Day was on July 1st, celebrating the Canadian Confederation, drawing former British colonies together into a dominion known as Canada.

Both of these holidays are central to the identities of two great nations, and brings to mind the true meaning of “holiday;” holy day.  Not merely a day off from work, these national celebrations are sacred observations of the beginning of new ways of being a country.  Much has changed over the centuries since the United States and Canada were established, but the fact remains that both countries value freedom; as does our God.  In the Letter to the Romans, we read that we are set free from sin and death through Jesus Christ.  God freed the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt, and in the Letter to the Galatians we are reminded that we are called to be free, but that we should not use our freedom to indulge our basic instincts; rather we should use our freedom to serve one another in love.  Our freedom is indeed something to celebrate, not only on national holidays but every day, and our freedom is something to be thankful for.  So amidst the fireworks and hot-dogs and parades, let us take a moment to give thanks to God for his great gift of freedom.  And let us not misuse that gift to make mischief or cause harm; let us use it to spread the Good News of God’s love made manifest through Jesus the Christ!

Blessings,

Karen and Greg

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

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36