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Fall 2009
Notes from Paul
Rejoice—September 6
Some smiles on my heart as I enjoy the beautiful blue sky …
I smile at the camaraderie of our pastoral leadership team. We spent two days planning and thinking future and loving on each other and serving Christ together. What a joy it is to be part of a team that desires the best for The Chapel and for northeast Ohio and the world.
I smile at the goodness of God and the generosity of The Chapel family. August was a crucial month to finish the budget year strong as well as for next year’s planning. And we did—finish strong! And God did—show up and bless us in a big way. May the Lord use our resources and open hands to bless our cities and his world.
I smile at the story of Revelation. A story that belongs in an apocalyptic movie with great special effects and yet belongs in our hearts. A story of God’s faithfulness and protection of his people as an angry world unleashes its misery. Keep in mind: Christ wins in the end!
I smile at the story of Ruth. A quiet woman, from Moab, not part of God’s covenant people, yet one who chooses faith and loyal love in the most difficult of times. Ruth’s faithfulness blessed a family and a nation and eventually the world. A great story of hope in difficult times.
I smile at the start of the fall. So much happening and so many opportunities to touch lives for Christ. Tomorrow—the Labor of Love Run and Chapel family day. See you there. Oh yeah and don’t forget the Fall Blitz out in the tents with all the information and opportunities for growth and service. How exciting to be back from vacations and summer break and celebrate life in Christ together. A good time to be reminded of our three priorities as a church and as Christ-followers: Worship, Community, and Mission. Make sure these three touch your lives.
Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say REJOICE! Let’s do just that today together…
Generosity, Simplicity, and Authenticity—September 13
“The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O Lord, endures forever—do not abandon the works of your hands.” (Psalm 138:8)
A reminder of God’s faithfulness and stick-to-it venues when it comes to his work and people.
And so, about 100 days ago we said, “Here we go,” into a new chapter and a new day for The Chapel.
Much to be thankful for as the Lord continues the work he began here 75 years ago. His love endures forever!
I am grateful for faithful ministry staff. The Lord brought us three new members: Pastor Jon Platek, who brings a great pastor’s heart and skill in the pulpit to the Akron Campus; Pastor David Fletcher brings leadership experience in becoming my partner in oversight and senior leadership as executive pastor; Janice Kelley, our new children’s director, brings with her a vast array of ideas and experience in order to make ours the best children’s ministry in the galaxy!
These past three months, you may have heard these important words a lot. Generosity: when we realize all we are and have come from God and can be used to glorify Christ, how can we not be generous? Simplicity: as in “this one thing I do” or as in worship, community, and mission. That’s all. That’s enough. Authenticity: we are real people with real life issues and real hope in Christ our Lord. That’s why our worship is authentic and our relationships are real and we have an authentic concern for the world.
We need patience, faithfulness, and perseverance as we run the race God has set before us.
Maranatha! (a timeless greeting meaning, “Come, O Lord”)
We Believe—Sepember 20
Whether you are a guest at The Chapel or a seasoned veteran let me remind us of several things we believe:
We believe in God who made everything including each of us and gives our lives meaning and purpose.
We believe in his son, Jesus the Christ, who died, paying the penalty for our sins, and then taking the fear out of death by his resurrection from the dead and establishing his rule in creation, and in the lives of his followers and someday in the entire world.
We believe in God’s Spirit who internally hounds us about the evil we do and empowers us for the good, to believe in Christ and to live in a manner fitting with our high position as the pinnacle of God’s creation.
We believe that the Bible is God’s voice, Words which truly tell us God’s story of the world and how to live in it today.
We believe that our most urgent responsibility is to turn from our selfish and godless ways and believe in Christ … following his example of loving and serving others and joining like-believers in community called the church.
We believe that when we embrace God’s son and live as he calls us to, our lives will take on profound meaning and our world can be a better place as we tangibly bring his love and care wherever it’s needed.
If you haven’t already, we would love for you to join us in this faith journey of following Christ.
September 27
Words in My Journal
Thoughts in My Alone Time …
So, sure! We have come out of the summer with some real enthusiasm. I have enjoyed teaching through Ruth in Akron and I hear really good things about Mike’s time in Revelation at Green. Yet, I miss the Green faces and look forward to being there next Sunday!
There seems to be a healthy buzz about Chapel goings-on. Kunkler and the team have begun like gangbusters in the college ministry! Moving to the worship center on Thursdays, 180+ kids retreating to Woodfest, 26 baptized there! God is really moving in Campus Focus!
Our new website just feels so good and fresh. More than a paint job, a new wardrobe or car in the garage that runs really smoothly!
Janice and her band of merry men and women are making our kids area THE place where the future and the present happen at The Chapel. Oh, when couples with kids start sensing the need for church, may we be ready with all the colorful splashes and spiritual nurturing we can muster.
I hope the 75th anniversary will be a great time of celebrating God’s goodness in the past as well as looking expectantly to the future. It will be fun to see old friends again in light of tomorrow’s vision.
Father, it’s all about you. Lord Jesus, thanks for your redemption of our selfish lives. Holy Spirit, be present in our midst and in our conversations and choices. Almighty God, as we celebrate your communion table next Sunday, please prepare us to meet with you face to face, as we have fellowship with you and with those whom you have called to be our brothers and sisters.
This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!
Rejoice—October 3
October 4
Take and Eat … Together
Welcome to the “Lord’s Supper.” To our observance of “Holy Communion.” To the participation of the “Eucharist.”
So many labels for one sacred event. So many layers of significance.
Supper signifies a meal, a family meal, a spiritual meal. Foreshadowed by the Passover setting, this meal reminds us of Christ, the Lamb of God, who gave his life to effect our salvation.
Communion signifies that we are now one with God in Christ and in unique fellowship with each other. We are one family and we are having a meal together.
Eucharist reminds us of how thankful we are that the Lord has invited us to his table and into his covenant family through his Son.
And so as a church family we celebrate around our Father’s table. Full of life and full of hope.
October 18
The Intersection of Worship, Community and Mission
Forever, God’s people have been a missional people. A “world” people. A scattered bunch. From the earliest days, the family of the Lord have been scattered like seed “into all the nations of the earth” (Deut. 28:25).
From God’s hand, “I will scatter them to the far corners of the earth … ” to his clear command, “Go into all the world,” God has seen to it that his people live in foreign places among unbelievers. They do not live despondently, but rather purposefully, depositing seeds and bringing a presence of Christ’s kingdom wherever they are.
One day, the Lord will again gather all of his people together as one great family and we will worship Christ our Lord as King of kings. Jesus promised that his cross would effectively “gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad” (John 11:52). And that in the grand finale of history, “he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other” (Matt. 24:31).
And in the meantime, we are privileged to live in community telling and living the story of Christ’s grace. “They’ll remember me in the faraway places. They’ll keep the story alive in their children and they will come back. I’ll bring them back … ” (Zech 10:8-9).
And so as the worshipping community of Christ-followers, we remind ourselves of our pilgrim status and of the great privilege of telling an unredeemed world about the gospel of Christ, wherever we find ourselves.
October 25
The Challenge
Okay, what’s a conference without a challenge?
So here come some challenges …
1. Faith challenge cards—historically at The Chapel, we’ve desired that everyone play an intentional part in our Global Ministries and its budget. (Not pledges. No one gets billed, names aren’t recorded.) We can then designate a portion of regular giving toward Global Ministries.
2. Affirm again the uniqueness of Christ and his death and resurrection being the focal point of world history and the only hope for mankind. And therefore all means must be taken to proclaim and display the hope in Christ in all the world.
3. Consider your part. Learn of needs and opportunities. Be open to a cross-cultural experience, to a “1-Year” opportunity, to the Lord’s tugging on your heart to begin preparing for vocational ministry abroad for the sake of the gospel.
4. Pray. Pray for Chapel missionaries. Pray for the world. Read Operation World by Patrick Johnstone. Pray to the Lord of the harvest, to send out workers into his harvest field. —Jesus
November 1
Journey On
Well, we made it to another Sunday. October is in the rearview mirror and November is before us.
We are each on our own unique journey. Some of us have been sprinting downhill lately, enjoying the breeze in our face. Others have been trudging uphill for quite some time now and the hope for some relief seems far away. That tired one might be sitting next to you.
In Christ, our journeys have purpose and direction—indeed a goal, even if it seems hard to envision clearly. We are called to persevere and are empowered to do so by the example and vision of God’s Son, Jesus.
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus … so that we will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12)
Our journey’s paths have crossed on this day’s worship experience. As we celebrate the Lord together, may we only see Jesus and be reminded of his journey which took him to the cross—and know that ours will end in great glory.
November 8
God is faithful and so are his people of The Chapel’s family.
God loves cheerful givers and many of them call The Chapel their church home.
Awesome—and thank you.
A couple months ago, your leadership communicated a financial need as we came to the end of the budget year. No panic, but we made a clear call for generous and even sacrificial giving so we could close the budget year strongly and begin anew with momentum.
We not only made up the need but ended the fiscal year with a slight surplus! What a great statement of faithfulness and generosity. During these economically trying times to give so strongly is quite a spiritual feat.
As we exercise great care with each dollar given, we look forward to expanding ministries with greater impact and excellence. In Green, we will be offering a new worship venue for nearly 300 people much as we do now in Akron at Resonate. You’ll be seeing improved communications on several levels in our lobbies and foyers in the days ahead.
Whether locally or abroad—for church family or for those who don’t follow Christ—please know that the offerings that you faithfully give are prayerfully used to accomplish Christ’s purposes for the Church for the benefit of many and the glory of One.
November 15
The “Trinity of Christian Virtues”
That is what Os Guinness, our Bathos Lecture Series teacher, called truth, goodness and beauty—an important reminder of the balanced diet and perspective a Christ follower ought to live by.
Truth, beginning with God himself and his revelation as given in what we call the Bible. Truth expressed in the biblical propositions and the redemptive story line. The truth of God’s love for us, his creation, which drove him to give up his Son Christ to atone for our sins. The truth that Christ is the world’s Savior and Lord which makes Christianity the unique hope in a world of diverse ideas and faith claims.
Goodness flows out of truth. A sort of “faith without works is dead” kind of thing. Goodness, as in the relief team just now returning from Atlanta, or the group presently serving in Mozambique, or all of our teachers and volunteers and “staff” offering a smile and a hand to make our Sunday experience a better one; or the kindness, patience, generosity and assistance we all give to the elderly neighbor or in line at the store or at school.
Beauty. The soul of it all. Appreciating and even imitating the artistic wonder of our great God. From stopping long enough to marvel at that sunrise to taking in the fall colors on a country road drive. How kind of our God to allow us to experience the breadth of his art gallery. And then to enjoy it again, experiencing the gift, be it music or visual of another’s art. And finally having my own life as a testimony of God’s beauty instilled in my spirit pouring out in creative ways for the world to enjoy.
Truth, goodness and beauty. May our worship, our collective celebration of Christ, be a catalyst to affirm the trinity of Christian virtues and prompt us to live them.
November 18
Excitement and Anticipation
Listening to the voice in my head, reminding me of the many things I am excited about at The Chapel …
In our “big rooms” I am excited about Worship and various upcoming things:
- Our Thanksgiving Eve worship at each campus—family opportunities to give thanks with those we regularly worship.
- Our Advent sermon series “The Soundtrack of Christmas” studying the songs in Luke’s Gospel surrounding the birth of Christ. Songs of historical significance and contemporary relevance.
- Our Christmas Concerts 2009, this year entitled The Glory. Masterfully created by Pastor Kenton Kober with a wonderfully talented and faithful team who love to serve Christ with their gifts. Again a special time and opportunity to invite guests to enjoy the beauty of our art and hear the story of our Savior.
Community excites me because it not only sizes down a big church into real and loving relationships, it provides important and natural discipleship opportunities.
- For adults the new Galatians Groups on the horizon is very exciting. To have many, many HABFs studying along with the sermon series is so good because of the content and because of the consistency. Many new groups with new leaders and new participants—exciting stuff indeed.
- That our high schoolers will be blending teacher-based learning with servant-based learning excites me. By their words and actions, our students have shouted out their desire to meaningfully put their faith to work on a weekly basis. The full Sunday experience of serving in the morning and learning and worshipping in the evening truly excites me for the well-rounded opportunity that it is.
- And for our children—the new day of 1/10/10 looming with all of its excitement and deliberate planning excites me big time! In a joyous and innovative fashion, our kids and families will encounter Christ and his Word in such memorable ways. No one will want to miss.
And of course Mission! Naturally translating Christ into our worlds next door and around the globe. Exciting for sure!
There, I said it. Now maybe my head will be a little quieter.
November 25
Don't Be Afraid
Long before “Shop till you drop” or “Pass the ham” became the refrains of Christmas, “Don’t be afraid” was a common phrase surrounding the birth of Christ.
“Don’t be afraid” was the charge given to Joseph, to Mary, to Zechariah, to the shepherds. The Christmas story is not lacking for fear.
Perhaps each of us are facing fears great or small this Christmas season. Perhaps the root is financial or medical or relational.
As real as our fears are, the real message of the Christmas season—of every season —is that the Christ of Christmas provides freedom from fear. Christ’s presence and his mission expels our fears.
Faced with his sin and guilt before God, Adam explained, “I was afraid.” Addressing our sins and frailties and humanities, the words surrounding the Christ event are “Don’t be afraid.”
The answer to our fears is the coming of Christ into our world and into our lives.
Don’t be afraid!
December 3
Thank You Mary
There’s a line in a song in the movie The Sound of Music, “How do you solve a problem like Maria?” that could be jovially applied to Mary, Jesus’ mother. Some in the church adore her. Others ignore her. From the biblical record, I say we thank her.
Thank you Mary, for your willingness to serve the Lord even at great risk of your reputation.
Mary, thank you for showing the way through personal dilemma and even trauma by worshipping and magnifying the Lord.
For your clear words and example that reminds us that the Lord seeks out the humble and sends the proud packing, thank you Mary.
And thank you Mary, for obeying the Lord and considering it an honor to bear our Savior, the Christ child.
December 10
Zechariah's Song
This morning we reflect on Zechariah’s Benedictus. It causes me to dwell on the many blessings from our great God.
The Glory Christmas concerts have been full of energy and meaning. I am thankful for the many guests that I’ve met and for a church that seeks to love their friends enough to share the gift of Christmas.
In response to Valleyview’s request, we have entered into an “engagement” with our friends there in Wadsworth. Our participation with them will begin to take on a more formal level whereby we will look to impact the greater Wadsworth area for the cause of Christ.
For Steve and Sophie, we will designate the purchase of a bicycle for a Dalit student. And for my sister, we’ll get the gift that pays for training seminars in Mozambique. What a privilege to give our riches and represent Christ’s love to those with great needs. Thanks for making use of The Chapel’s Christmas Gift Catalog this year!
What a privilege to be a part of a church that mimics John’s (Zechariah’s son) ministry … pointing people to the Messiah.
December 17
Happy Christmas
The Christmas season fills the air with words and phrases that we don’t hear much at other times of the year. And now we hear them so much, it becomes easy to disregard their meaning or implications. Certainly that applies to a greeting like Happy Holidays or the ubiquitous “sale” or “50% off” signs.
Same with the more biblically-based slogans and phrases such as “Wise men still seek Him.” I get it. But do I really get the wisdom of the magi who came bearing gifts and looking for the Messiah? I live in a world that doesn’t look for Christ but instead requires that he prove his existence, and that he comes bearing gifts for us, not the other way around.
Or how about today’s “Peace on earth, good will to men,” from the King James Bible? Nice words—hard to comprehend as we send more troops to Afghanistan and wonder if the conflict in Iraq or other parts of the world will ever end. It is more accurate to translate it, “Peace on earth on whom his favor rests.” Through God’s favor—his grace—we can know peace. First, peace with him through Christ. Then passing that peace along to other relationships and realms.
Sue and I send warm and sincere Christmas greetings to the entire Chapel family. May your holiday be filled with meaning and peace. And may all of our lives be acts of worship, bringing Christ our gifts of obedience and sacrifice. Happy Christmas!
I have been a pastor for 25 years. I am so grateful and privileged to serve our risen Lord this way. A wee bit tired now and then, but no worse for the wear :-). I can honestly say that this year has been a standout among the 25!
December 23
Remembering with Gratitude
The Chapel's 75th anniversary. I am thankful to be a part of a church that God has blessed spiritually and with vibrancy for so long! And to follow the ministries of Knute Larson and Dave Burnham is humbling indeed.
Our "missional" influence locally and around the world is wonderful. And the wonder that we continue to tangibly take the love of Christ to the downtrodden of India, Africa, Akron and places in between with such enthusiasm is beautiful! Our Christmas concerts kept that momentum up.
Looking at our staff and the way they serve and teach and lead and preach with such faithfulness and loyalty. A privilege to work with them. Bringing on several new ones this year has been huge!
I must thank God for his healing power and for Sue's health and strength. Tough couple of months indeed. We are both grateful for a loving and caring church family!
A church family that is so committed to the needs of others. Responding so positively to budget and year-ending needs. Wow!
2009--God's faithfulness, new every morning and every year.
December 30
Here's to 2010!
We called last year 09. What do we call this one? 010? Just 10?
I say we call it new and ripe with opportunity and faith-building chances.
So Sunday, a bit different. "State of the church." What is the state of the church? Healthy. Forward thinking. Prayerfully optimistic. Biblically sound and culturally engaged. Strong, historically and built for the future. State of the church? Stick around and listen and participate.
Members' meeting? What's that? A meeting where church members gather :-). Actually a necessary time for the ratification of new leaders, trustees and deacons. Faithful men and women who will serve in important ways. Also a time to thank God for our fiduciary health and integrity.
2010? Worship--look for new venues, first in Green then in Akron. Our partnership with Valleyview in Wadsworth will play a significant role in our church site strategy.
Community--Galatians groups! First Aid for High School growth through serving opportunities! And kids. 1.10.10.
Mission--global, local, personal. Taking the love and redemption of Christ wherever we go this year.
Here's to 2010! May the year be filled with joy and challenges and spiritual growth and Christ. See you in the trenches.
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