Category Archives: In A Nutshell

Standing in the Shadows or Walking in the Light? I think we all know what’s coming up at the end of this week. That’s right, Friday is Groundhog Day, one of the silliest but also one of the more charming days of the year. Pity the poor groundhog. Yanked out of a hole before dawnContinue reading “In A Nutshell | February 1, 2024”

Following the Footprints In the aftermath of this past Sunday’s evangelism event, in which we invited and honored First Responders as well as others from our area, I was struck by the soiled floor in the Narthex, which showed the remnants of the snow and ice that were tracked inside — a result of anContinue reading “In A Nutshell | January 24, 2024”

A Salute to the Real Lifesavers We toss around the term “lifesaver” rather casually these days, but if you have ever been in a life-threatening situation, you can certainly appreciate those who put their lives on the line to save ours. Firefighters, paramedics, police officers, doctors, nurses, and other emergency personnel are true heroes. ThisContinue reading “In A Nutshell | January 17, 2024”

Using Our Personal Platform to Spread the Good News (282) At a time when professional athletes are known as much for their massive egos and outrageous salaries as their ability, rookie NFL quarterback and former Ohio State Buckeye C.J. Stroud is a breath of fresh air. In his first year with the Houston Texans, heContinue reading “In A Nutshell | January 11, 2024”

Hope in the Midst of Darkness and Despair The year 2023 has finally come to an end, and not a moment too soon. As you know, our church was hit extremely hard by the passing of longtime, loyal members, and their loss has left a significant void in our hearts. Since July 1, we haveContinue reading “In A Nutshell | January 3, 2024”

Let Peace and Good Will Reign In the Gospel of Luke (2:13-15), an angel appears with a multitude of the heavenly hosts praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men! And it came to pass, when the angels were gone away from them into heaven,Continue reading “In A Nutshell | December 15, 2023”

Riding the Great White Horse On my way to the church each morning, I make a point of looking to my left and checking out the small white horses in the corral just east of the bright red barn.  In modern-day culture, the one who rides the white horse is the “good guy,” the nobleContinue reading “In A Nutshell | December 6, 2023”

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”