Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, October 15, 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 the beginnings of peace in the Middle East, and let us be glad that hostages are being reunited with loved ones. The two-year ordeal suffered by so many has come to an end, and while true and lasting peace is a fragile thing right now, we trust that God is actively at work securing a just and eternal peace for all parties. Let us pray for similar results in Ukraine, and everywhere around the world where violence abounds.

Few of us can fully understand what people in Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine have endured, in spite of the images on our screens and written reports of the horrors of war. None of us want to experience what those people have known. But all of us should rejoice that families on both sides of the conflict in the Middle East are being reunited. All of us should pray earnestly for the success of the peace plan, and all of us should pray earnestly for peace in Ukraine. All of us should pray for Christians in Africa who are being persecuted by terrorists, and all of us should pray for peace in the major cities of the United States where protests and unrest are dominating the news. Right now, it seems as if the world is coming apart at the seams; right now, it seems as if there’s nothing good people can do. Of course, we can donate money and goods to relief efforts if our personal resources allow, but the most powerful thing people of faith can do is to pray. Pray without ceasing, to quote the Apostle Paul. Prayer works, even if we think it’s taking far too long. Prayer works because the God to whom we pray wants only good things for all of his children. So pray; pray for peace, pray for kindness, pray for compassion, pray for forgiveness, pray for new beginnings. God hears our prayers, and God acts.

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 prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” – James 5:16

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, August 20, 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 the overnight rain, that gently soaked the parched ground, and let us be glad for rejuvenated flowers and lawns!

We’ll be taking our daughter, Justice, to Louisville, KY, so that she can begin her studies at the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary soon. We covet your prayers for safe travel!

While our trip will be something of a whirlwind, oddly enough the preparations aren’t a whole lot different than if we were going to be away for a week or more; we still need to select clothes, make sure our various medications are packed, and take care of whatever “business” might come up while we’re traveling. If you think about it, it’s not a whole lot different than how we should prepare for each new day as children of God and followers of Jesus Christ. We need to put on the “whole armor of God” so that we’re properly dressed for the day, we need to practice healthy self-care by eating properly and taking our prescribed medications, and we need to take care of whatever business the day presents – work, chores, social obligations, and of course, prayer time. Whether we’re just hangin’ around home, heading out for a brief overnight getaway, or leaving on a long trip, the process of getting ready doesn’t really change; every day should start with prayer, proper attire, and proper nutrition!

Blessings,

Karen and Greg

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

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” – Colossians 4:2

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, February 12, 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 the pristine blanket of snow covering the ground, and let us be glad for the hard-working men and women who move that pristine snow off the roads! Winter Up North is at times breathtakingly beautiful, but getting around can at times be challenging, so all of us owe a debt of gratitude to those who clean up after a snowfall, even if that’s a member of our own households!

This week’s communication will be a bit different than you’ve become accustomed to. During the pandemic, we sent a daily message of hope and encouragement, along with some things we thought might be helpful during those long locked down days. When we were able to be out and about a little more, we transitioned to a weekly note very similar to what we had been sending out daily, and added a current prayer list. Starting with this week’s email, the “Midweek Update” will consist of words that we hope will be inspiring and thought-provoking, and a list of prayer joys and concerns. We welcome your feedback on the Midweek Update; is it too much, too little, or just about right. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Soon we will be entering into the Season of Lent as we observe Ash Wednesday on March 5th; but right now, we’re very much in an in-between time, a time perfectly suited for reflection and study. As we look out on the snowy landscape while nestled into our favorite chair, maybe with a blanket and a mug of something hot to sip on too, we are able to let our minds wander and consider the thoughts and ideas that come our way. And then we can approach our God in prayer to get his thoughts on what has come to us; are there actions we are to take, are there actions we are to avoid, are there things that we should dig into more deeply? The quiet times are when we can best focus on listening; and if we can be patient, we’ll begin to hear incredible things, things that can change our lives forever. Take full advantage of these quieter days. Be still and listen. And when the time comes, get up out of that comfy chair and act on what you’ve heard. If you’ve been listening carefully, you will have been blessed to have heard the voice of God falling gently on your ear. And you will know 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

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. Psalm 62:5-6

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

Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel

Wednesday, May 22, 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 warm (albeit overcast) spring morning, and let us be glad for the upcoming Memorial Day holiday.  Let us rejoice that old friends are beginning to return to Northern Michigan for “the season,” and let us be glad that we are blessed with the opportunity to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf, so that the blessings of freedom have been ours to enjoy for 248 years.

As we prepare to step into summer, it’s helpful to look back on the seasons that came before and to remember some of the challenges and joys of winter and spring.  We had a relatively mild winter, but still we had snow to shovel and ice to negotiate.  Spring came in fits and starts, with mild days followed by hard freezes that put fear into the hearts of those of us who enjoy gardening.  On the cusp of a new season, summer promises us warmer, longer days in this amazing place we call home, yet there will be storms to contend with.  In a similar way, as we look forward to a long holiday weekend, it’s helpful to remember why we celebrate Memorial Day; it is a day to remember.  Even though the holiday has become something of a “standard” long weekend, replete with furniture sales, family picnics, parades, and speeches by politicians, the reason we observe Memorial Day is far too important to forget.  And forget we have; this weekend isn’t a time to honor all who served – every day is a time to honor those who served.  This is a time to remember and honor those who died in service of our country.  This is a time to remember and honor their families, who forever have an empty space at the dinner table, whose hearts forever have an empty space that looks very much like their loved one who paid the highest price of all.  This is a time to give thanks to God that there are those among us who are willing to meet Jesus’ standard for friendship; that they are willing to lay their lives down for another.  This is time to ask God to hold those who lost their lives close in his arms, and to ask God to hold their loved ones in those same arms.  Memorial Day is a day of remembrance; and so let us remember, let us give thanks, and let us pray for peace, so that no more names will be added to the rolls of the honored dead.  Celebrate the day, to be sure.  But start the day by remembering.

Blessings,

Karen and Greg

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

“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” Romans 12:10