Category Archives: In A Nutshell

Color Your World This Advent Lighting candles during Advent is a ritual with origins that date back to the Middle Ages, but the tradition of the Advent wreath as we know it today was conceived years later — in the early 1800s by a Protestant pastor named Johann Hinrich Wichern, who was known for his mission work amongContinue reading “In A Nutshell | December 1, 2023”

A Thanksgiving ‘Attitude of Gratitude’  As we prepare to celebrate another Thanksgiving, I find myself overcome with gratitude. I have been greatly blessed in so many ways throughout my life, and having the opportunity to serve as your pastor at Oak Chapel has been the ultimate capstone experience. Your kindness, gentleness, selflessness, generosity, and desireContinue reading “In A Nutshell | November 22, 2023”

Food, Fellowship, Faith Of the many joys that come with Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s, the opportunity to enjoy a hearty meal with family and friends is certainly one of the greatest! This Sunday, we will have an opportunity to “warm-up” for the holidays with our November Fellowship Dinner. We hope you can join usContinue reading “In A Nutshell | November 17, 2023”

When Death Becomes Us, the Lord Rescues Us As we age, we face the reality of our own mortality. Our aches and pains increase as our flexibility and mobility decrease. Even more sobering is the frequency of deaths among family, friends, and acquaintances in our age group. In just the last few weeks, each ofContinue reading “In A Nutshell | November 10, 2023”

Snow Kidding: Planning for the Months Ahead Snow on Halloween? You must be kidding! Five months of winter weather ahead, and we’re just getting started! Oh well, if you need a small dose of good news, consider this: We return to Eastern Standard Time this weekend, which means you will get an extra hour of sleepContinue reading “In A Nutshell | November 1, 2023”

Back on the Grid, Guided by the Light When the power goes out, we often refer to the ensuing experience as being “off the grid” — in other words, out of touch with anything that requires electricity.  We’ve all been there, right? A storm rolls through, and high winds or persistent lightning disable the powerContinue reading “In A Nutshell | October 27, 2023”

‘Boiler Alert’ Once upon a time, you had to wait an entire week, or longer, to see the next episode of your favorite television show. Back in 1980, fans of the hit series, “Dallas,” had to endure an extended delay to find out who shot J.R. because of the writer’s strike. When the program finallyContinue reading “In A Nutshell | October 20, 2023”

Do Not Be Deceived by Silly Superstitions and Unfounded Rumors  Are you superstitious? If so, just a friendly reminder that today is Friday the 13th. The origin of this superstition actually has some roots in our faith, dating back to the Last Supper in which there were 13 individuals present in the Upper Room on theContinue reading “In A Nutshell | October 13, 2023”

Let Us Be Blest When We Rest If there is a bright side to the post-surgery experience, it is the wealth of free time that one suddenly has. But is that really a blessing or more of a burden? Like many of you, I have been conditioned to make the most of every moment, toContinue reading “In A Nutshell | October 5, 2023”

God’s Presence in the Face of Evil The concept of God’s omnipotence is, indeed, complex and cumbersome, especially in the context of evil. How can the goodness of God coexist with the evil of this world? Well, it’s not really a question of why God can’t eradicate the malevolence in this world — I think a majority ofContinue reading “In A Nutshell | July 28, 2023”