‘Drive-By’ Observations of Oak Chapel

It never ceases to amaze me the things I encounter in the parking lot of our
church. I mentioned a few weeks ago that the Coroner’s truck was parked there for
several hours, which was unnerving to say the least.

Last fall, a couple of young men drove up and were taking pictures of the church
on their phone. That, too, was unsettling until Miriam assured me that they were
probably playing a game of Pokémon.

Then a week or so ago, a purple pickup pulled in during a driving snowstorm.
The driver got out of the truck, pulled a bicycle out of the back of the truck, and merrily
peddled on his way — with at least two inches of snow on the ground.

When I was young and foolish (as opposed to being old and foolish), I tried to
ride my bike in the snow. It only took me one time to realize that bicycling in the snow is
pretty much impossible. I didn’t know where this guy was going or if he would ever
come back, but evidently he did because the purple truck was gone the next day.

All of this has caused me to wonder what people are thinking when they drive by
our church or pull into our parking lot? Do they see it as an inviting, welcoming place, or
are they simply using it as a meeting place, a staging area, or a turnaround? I wonder if
any of them would ever consider joining us for worship.

What would it take for those who use our parking lot for other purposes or drive
by the church to consider joining us for worship? How about those who never even
make it to the parking lot, much less the sanctuary? How might we persuade those folks
to worship with us?

Perhaps we should be more vocal, more inviting. Perhaps we should follow the
lead from Psalm 66, which lays out a nice invitation that is both compelling and
captivating…

Shout for joy to God, all the earth!
Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious.
Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!”
So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you.
All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you,
They sing the praises of your name.
Come and see what God has done, his awesome deeds for mankind!

Maybe we should be more intentional about inviting others to “Come and see
what God has done, his awesome deeds for mankind.” After all, many people don’t
know or fail to see the power and majesty of the Lord God Almighty.

What better time to invite others than during this solemn Lenten season. It gives
us a great opportunity to be inclusive so that others can share in the joy and glory of
Easter Sunday. There is plenty of room to socially distance in the sanctuary or to
worship from the parking lot in the safety and comfort of one’s vehicle.

Why not offer that invitation today? Fear not rejection or ridicule. Instead, let us
spread His Word as we share our faith. Let us give others a chance to experience what
we experience with fellow believers — the glory and majesty of our Sacred Savior.

Until we meet again, Be Blessed! – Pastor John

Is Our Long-Awaited Youth Movement Finally Here?

Three cheers for Erica Boyer! She has been a real champion in sharing her faith
and her love for Oak Chapel with others. She has been inviting many of her peers to
experience our church and perhaps become actively involved with our ministry.

This past Sunday, she brought four of her friends, and they really seemed to
enjoy their visit. They were engaged during the service and excited when they visited
our new youth room. One of the young men even said, “This is my new church.”

We have been hoping and praying for this moment for some time, so I think it is
important for us to capitalize on the opportunity. Let us warmly welcome these young
people and those who follow into our church. Let us invite them to become involved and
develop a real sense of purpose. They are already asking about church projects and
mission opportunities, so I am hopeful that we can integrate them quickly into the life of
the church. I hope you will join me in this venture, as we attempt to grow in the coming
months. If you know of anyone in this age group that might be interested in joining our
group, please let us know. All are welcome!

So much of Scripture talks about patience, prayer, and perseverance, and I
believe we are seeing the fruits of those virtues right now. If we are faithful and
obedient, God will answer our prayer in His time, and I believe that His time has come.
We are ready to grow and expand our base so that we can become a multigenerational
church.

Imagine the possibilities as young people bring new excitement and enthusiasm
to our mission. Imagine the potential of young families connecting and establishing a
rock-solid foundation for the future. All of this is possible through the God we serve and
the covenant we create with him.

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has
been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all
that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

We don’t have to travel to all nations; we can have an impact right here in Wayne
County. Let us welcome others and teach them to observe all that Jesus commanded,
so that they, too, might become disciples and share in the promise of salvation.

Imagine for a moment what it will be like 15-20 years from now when our church
is flourishing and possibly even expanding. Such thoughts are enchanting and
exhilarating — and it’s all possible through our divine partnership with God.

I salute all of you as faithful servants and invite you to join with me as we prepare
and plan for a future of prosperity. It all starts with a dream.

Until we meet again, Be Blessed! – Pastor John

Keep the Faith: A Revival is Coming

I had a conversation last week with a longtime friend who asked me if I thought
revival was coming anytime soon. I wasn’t sure how to answer, especially given the
current circumstances, which would lead us to believe that we are nowhere close to any
sort of spiritual awakening. In fact, I fear that we are headed in the opposite direction.

But then I read the following passage from Psalm 102, and I quickly realized that
the Lord often surprises us with blessings of hope when we least expect it. While I have
been discouraged by the consequences of the coronavirus, which have had a
devastating impact on church attendance, I realize that God is always with us, and so I
encourage all of you to stay connected with us — whether remotely or in person —
because there is a promise of future prosperity. We just have to remain patient and
faithful. Here’s what the passage says…

Let this be written for a future generation,  that a people not
yet created may praise the Lord:   “The Lord looked down from his
sanctuary on high,  from heaven he viewed the earth,   to hear the
groans of the prisoners    and release those condemned to death.”
  So the name of the Lord will be declared in Zion and his praise in
Jerusalem   when the peoples and the kingdoms assemble to
worship the Lord.

There is a generation coming that will praise the Lord just as we and our
ancestors have tried to do. We may not see ourselves as prisoners, but, in fact, we are
slaves to the Word of God, and although we may now be groaning, the Lord is looking
down from his sanctuary on high. He knows what we’re doing and how we are
desperately committed to keeping the doors of Oak Chapel open for that future
generation to one day come through. He hears our prayer and will release us from what
now seems like the slow, disheartening, and agonizing death of our church.

We are called upon to keep the faith so that the name of the Lord will be
declared, not only in Zion, but also in Wayne County; not only in Jerusalem, but also in
Jefferson.

The day will come when the peoples and the kingdoms assemble to worship the
Lord, and each of us will have had a role because of our efforts to keep the church
afloat.

So be not discouraged, a revival is coming. Whether it happens in our lifetime, I
cannot say, but I do believe that God will bless our efforts, and so I share my heartfelt
gratitude with each of you. Let us never give up, for the God we serve is faithful and
true, and his will shall be made known to a new generation of believers.

Until we meet again, Be Blessed! – Pastor John

Ash Wednesday Symbolizes Death to Sin, Life in Christ

It’s been almost a full year since we last opened the solemn season of Lent with
the imposition of ashes. As you may remember, we gathered in the sanctuary with our
friends from New Pittsburg United Methodist Church to mark the 40 days leading up to
the epic events of the Last Supper, the Crucifixion, and the glorious resurrection of the
Lord.

As it turned out, that would be one of our last public gatherings because word of
the coronavirus was about to force us to close our doors for three months. It would be a
dark and difficult year. Nearly half-a-million people would lose their lives, either directly
or indirectly, because of COVID 19.

Now, it appears that we are headed out of the darkness and into the light.
Promising vaccines are being administered as we speak, and perhaps by summer or
fall, this taxing ordeal will finally be behind us.

With good news on the horizon, we were hoping to gather in person for an Ash
Wednesday service next week, but for a variety of reasons, we have decided that our
Ash Wednesday service will be virtual this year. You will be able to access the service
through a link on our website (oakchapelumc.com).

As we prepare for that service, let us reflect on the book of Ezekiel, Chapter 9,
which is where we learn about the origins of this custom of imposing ashes…

Then I heard him call out in a loud voice, “Bring near those who are appointed to
execute judgment on the city, each with a weapon in his hand.”    And I saw six men
coming from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with a deadly
weapon in his hand. With them was a man clothed in linen who had a writing kit at his
side. They came in and stood beside the bronze altar. Now the glory of the God of Israel
went up from above the cherubim, where it had been, and moved to the threshold of the
temple. Then the Lord called to the man clothed in linen who had the writing kit at his
side   and said to him, “Go throughout the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the
foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in
it.”   As I listened, he said to the others, “Follow him through the city and kill, without
showing pity or compassion. Slaughter the old men, the young men and women, the
mothers and children, but do not touch anyone who has the mark.” 

The graphic and unsettling passage of Scripture reminds us the Lent is very
clearly a time of judgment, but it is also a time for repentance and ultimately salvation.
Those who were marked were spared. Consider the irony of the mark we would
ordinarily receive on Ash Wednesday — ashes, the symbol of death. However, when
you think about it, it all makes sense. Jesus Christ died for our sins. In the same way,
we must be dead to sin so that we can be alive in Christ. Let us all come together as we
prepare to mark the beginning of Lent — albeit virtually — on Ash Wednesday.

Until we meet again, Be Blessed! – Pastor John

Let Us Break Bread Together

Celebrating communion on the first Sunday of each month is a sacred and
longstanding tradition at Oak Chapel and many other churches across the country and
around the world. It is a deeply personal sacrament that unites us as one with Christ.

I had forgotten just how intimate communion was intended to be until I reread a
passage from the sixth chapter of the Gospel of John in which Jesus said to those who
had gathered with him while he was teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum, “Very
truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have
no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will
raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.”

I can’t imagine what his followers were thinking when they heard this. Eat the
flesh and drink the blood of the one we follow? Did he really mean this in a literal
sense? No, but the elements of bread and wine would serve as a surrogate for his body
and blood, so that whoever eats and drinks in this sacred ritual, Jesus said, “remains in
me, and I in them.”
In other words, the sacrament of communion unites us with Christ in a way that
we are actually in him and he is in us. We really can’t become any more united or
intimate than that.

Jesus goes on to say, “Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the
Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came
down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this
bread will live forever.”

Jesus was obviously quite serious about the sacredness and solemnity of
communion, and so are we here at Oak Chapel. In keeping with the tenets of the United
Methodist Church, we place no restrictions on the distribution of communion. All are
welcome and encouraged to participate.

Even this deadly pandemic has failed to undermine our efforts to share Christ’s
body and blood. For those who worship in the sanctuary or in the parking lot, we have
communion kits that include the wafer (symbolic of Christ’s body) and the juice
(emblematic of His Blood).

We invite and encourage you to commune with us as we share the sacrament
this Sunday. If you will be home, feel free to prepare your own elements with bread or
crackers and juice. We would also be happy to deliver some of our communion kits to
your home, so that you will have a supply until you are ready to rejoin us in the
sanctuary. If you are interested, please contact me at 330-988-2577 or
jfinn@wooster.edu, and I will deliver the kits directly to you (at no charge, of course).

Communion is an all-inclusive sacred celebration at Oak Chapel, whether you
are there in person or online. Let us all break bread together this Sunday.

Until we meet again, Be Blessed! – Pastor John

Billboarding Our Faith

Scripture tells us to boldly proclaim our faith. It makes no mention of putting it on a billboard because, well, to the best of our knowledge, billboards did not exist in Biblical times. Still, we thought, “Why Not?” so we are moving forward with the project, planting the seed and waiting patiently and faithfully to see what develops.

Beginning on Saturday (Jan. 30), the world (or at least those traveling on Route 30 West from Wooster) will see our church in lights.

Thanks to a very generous donor, we will be promoting Oak Chapel to all who drive by — eight seconds every minute, 24 hours a day, for seven days — on the new electronic billboard located on the site of RES Auction Services, just west of Church of the Savior.

Why not more? Well, that’s all we can afford right now. Plus, we hope to assess the effectiveness of our exposure before moving further. We know that we will increase awareness, but will we attract more people to Oak Chapel? We’ll have to see, but we believe it is worth the effort.

The sign will identify us as the “Kind, Caring, Compassionate Church in the Country” and list our address as well as our website. In addition, it will feature our stained glass windows in the sanctuary, so you will recognize it as soon as you see it. We’re hopeful that those who drive by, especially those who are looking for a church home, will be struck by it, and consider visiting us some Sunday.

In the 16^th chapter of the Gospel of Mark, we are encouraged to  “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.” This is one way we can do that. It’s not a direct proclamation of the gospel, but it is an invitation to hear the Good News.

Other Scriptural references to spreading the Word include this passage from II Timothy, which exhorts us to “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.” What I like about the billboard is that even though it will only carry our message for one week, it will do so all hours of the day and night, So perhaps someone driving at 4 a.m. will be attracted to it, and give further consideration to their personal faith journey. Even if it doesn’t bring them to Oak Chapel, perhaps it will bring them out of the wilderness if they are wandering and into the light.

There are many other Biblical references to spreading the Word, but I will leave you with this from Psalm 96:3, which I believe sums it up rather nicely: “Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!”

We’re not necessarily reaching a global audience, but we are definitely stretching beyond the borders of Wayne County. In addition to influencing local residents, we are hopeful that our message will reach and resonate with others traveling across the country so that even if they reflect on their faith for just a few seconds, it will certainly be a blessing worthy of praise and thanksgiving.

Until we meet again, Be Blessed! – Pastor John

Sleep Tight and Then Actively Bring the Church to the People

            What keeps you up at night? We all have something that occasionally causes us to toss and turn. For me, it’s not so much about falling asleep — I can do that pretty much anywhere at any time. My problem is that if I awaken in the middle of the night, I often have a hard time getting back to sleep.

            Lately, what has awakened me most is the uncertainty as to whether I set the alarm at the church. It’s easy to do, and I remind myself to do so by using the app on my phone as soon as I lock up the church doors, but something always seems to happen between the time I leave the church and the time I get into the car (a span of just 30 seconds) that causes me to forget.

As a result, I often wake up in the middle of the night, and realize that I have failed to arm the system. Fortunately, I can do it from the comfort of my home, so I just pick up the phone, go to the app, and arm the system (provided someone else hasn’t done so in the meantime). Then, I can roll over and go back to sleep.

All of this made me think about the early days of our current sanctuary. I assume that back in 1970 the church would be locked up at the end of each day, but I doubt that Pastor McLachlan lost sleep over external threats to the church, and I am certain he had no security system to arm each night.

I am very grateful to our Trustees for their swift and decisive action in providing a reliable security system for our church, and for the plans to install additional cameras to increase surveillance, which we hope will reduce threats to the church that means so much to us.

At the same time, I lament the fact that our church doors can’t be open all the time — to anyone who wants to draw closer to God anytime of the day or night. I realize that this is a very naïve and unrealistic objective, especially in today’s increasingly unsafe world, but I also believe in my heart that access to the church should not be impeded under any circumstances. What a dilemma — idealistic expectations versus real-world circumstances.

I realize that one day — in accordance with God’s plan and timetable — we will have unrestricted access to the Him in the glory of His Kingdom, and we can all rejoice in that.

The question is, what can we do in the meantime? How can we make our church more enticing to those on the outside — those who could benefit most from a relationship with the Lord.

The answer, I think, comes from I Timothy 4:13-16, which states, “Until I arrive, pay attention to public reading, preaching, and teaching. Don’t neglect the spiritual gift in you that was given through prophecy when the elders laid hands on you. Practice these things, and live by them so that your progress will be visible to all. Focus on working on your own development and on what you teach. If you do this, you will save yourself and those who hear you.”

Our gentle words and our compassionate actions will encourage others to seek the Lord and set our minds at ease so that we can all get a good night’s sleep.

Until we meet again, Be Blessed! – Pastor John

Bundle Up This Winter and Don’t Be Cold-Hearted

Did you know that January 18-25 is typically the coldest seven-day period of winter in Ohio? Me neither!

The bad news is that’s next week. The good news is that once we get through it, things should get slightly warmer, or at least not any colder.

However, as we know, the weather in our state often changes suddenly, unexpectedly, and without notice, so bundle up and beware.

According to Aaron Wilson, climate specialist with the Ohio State University College of Food, Agriculture, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES), “the polar vortex — a wide area of swirling cold air near the North Pole — has weakened and split in two,” What this means is that temperatures could plummet to single digits and possibly even sub-zero — the very thought of which sends chills up and down my aging spine.

At the same time, according to Wilson, “this winter’s weather is also being influenced by La Niña, meaning the temperature of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Central and South America is colder than average.” These conditions affect weather patterns around the globe, including Ohio, which could mean “a wetter and warmer-than-average winter and spring.”

Makes me wonder why the weather can’t make up its mind. But then I am reminded of how difficult it is for many of us to make up our mind. Let’s face it, we all run hot and cold from time to time, and like the weather, our disposition often changes in an instant.

So, as we head into what may be the coldest weak of the winter, ask yourself to gauge the temperature of your heart. Is it warm and steady, or is it cold and variable?

To give us some spiritual perspective, consider these passages from Scripture as you adjust your internal thermostat…

• Proverbs 4:23 states that we are to “keep [our] heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” If our heart is so cold that it freezes, how can we possibly enable the springs of life to flow from it?
• Psalm 51:10 asks God to “create in [us] a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within [us].” More good advice because as temperatures drop, it is advisable that we clean or change the filter in our internal furnace so that we are renewed by the Spirit from within.
• Psalm 73:26 encourages us to remember that even when our “flesh and heart fail, God is the strength of [our] heart.” Now, that’s encouraging, right? When all other means of warmth fail, God is always there to bring warmth to our heart and comfort to our soul.
  Let us not allow our hearts to be cold or hardened in this or any other season. Instead, let us abide in the Spirit as it touches and softens our hearts, so that compassion will flow freely, and that we may bring others closer to the Lord, leading to what we read in Psalm 34:18, which reminds us that he will “heal “he brokenhearted and save the crushed in spirit.”

Until we meet again, Be Blessed! – Pastor John

Responding to Life’s Curve Balls

When life throws you a curve, should you take the pitch, or swing as hard as you
can and try to hit it? I guess it depends on the situation, but often you don’t have much
more than a split second to make a decision.

Life is full of curve balls, and when they come our way, we need to respond in
short order. Last Sunday, for example, I was preparing to come to church to get ready
for our first worship service of the new year. I was looking forward, as I always do, to
communing with each of you. Then I learned that my granddaughter had tested positive
for the coronavirus.

First, there was the initial shock and concern for her. Then, I had to think about
my next move. Should I come to church and lead worship as I am called on to do, or
should I stay away and enter into quarantine? What was the right decision? Either way,
I didn’t have much time to make it.

In the meantime, my son and daughter-in-law (who is a medical doctor) called
and strongly advised me not to go. By this point, I was already in the car headed to the
church, so I called Jen and asked her and Miriam what they thought. Ultimately, we
decided it would be most prudent for me not to come. I could possibly infect others,
despite that fact that I would stay masked and distant from everyone else. What I
initially thought was the right and responsible decision turned out to be a wrong and
potentially dangerous option, so I turned around and went home.

Fortunately J.J. was planning to be there, so I called and asked if he would take
over. Like a faithful disciple and a real trooper, he willingly and graciously stepped up
and did a great job leading the service, much to the delight of all of us at Oak Chapel.
So, what’s the moral of the story? For me, I guess it’s that I need to step back
before I make any decision, even if I don’t have a lot of time. I might think I have all the
facts, but if I don’t seek God’s wisdom and listen to other believers, I’m probably going
to set myself up for failure.

There is plenty of Scripture to guide our decision making, including this from
Psalm 27:14 – “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the
Lord.” Valuable advice in just 16 words, four of which are repeated: “Wait for the Lord!”
And, consider this well-known passage from Proverbs 3:5-6 — “Trust in the Lord
with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways,
acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

Perhaps we can remember those passages moving forward, so that every
decision we make will be based on His Wisdom and guidance.

Until we meet again, Be Blessed! – Pastor John

Chances are, you are becoming less and less likely to answer your cell phone when an unfamiliar number comes up on your screen and the audio voice inside proclaims, “unknown caller.”

That’s where I was a week ago when a Mount Vernon number appeared. One ring, two rings…O, what the heck, I’ll answer it, and I’m glad I did. On the other end of the line was our dear friend and former pastor, Keith Bohley, who served at Oak Chapel from 1987-1996.

It was great to hear his voice. He sounded as strong as ever, despite a health scare this past fall. He was calling about the sudden passing of Roger Burckhart. He related to me a story of when he was appointed at Oak Chapel and Roger, along with Roger Martin, arranged for some trailers to transport the Bohleys’ furniture and other belongings to their parsonage on Warner Hill — just one of many fond memories of his highly successful tenure here.

I then reminded him of one of my favorite memories. It was 1995, just before he was called to another church. My young family and I decided to sample Oak Chapel one Sunday that spring, and we were immediately hooked. First, we realized that we had a number of friends and acquaintances who attended the church. Then, we heard Rev Bohley preach a brilliant sermon, and we agreed, this was the place for us.

Later that year, Rev. Bohley invited me to breakfast at the old Friendly’s Restaurant at the corner of Beall and Winter near Wooster Community Hospital. As I have related several times, it was there that he asked me to lead a young adult Sunday School class.

“Me,” I thought. “No way,” but for some reason I said, “Sure.” Neither of us could possibly have known that more than 20 years later I would be asked to serve as pastor at Oak Chapel. As they say, “God works in mysterious ways!”

I reminded Rev. Bohely how grateful I was for his invitation to breakfast and all that followed. He planted a seed that fall day in 1995, and I guess you could say, I have grown into an “old Oak” in the process.

On this New Year’s Eve, when we listen to Guy Lombardo’s rendition of “Auld Lang Syne” (at least we used to listen to that on New Year’s Eve), I am reminded how precious our acquaintances are. Rev. Bohley was saddened to hear about Roger’s sudden passing, but no doubt comforted by the fact that because Roger was a faithful believer, he was now safe and joyful in the Kingdom of Heaven.

At last, a year of turmoil and unrest will pass at midnight tonight, and a new year will begin. We don’t know if things will be better, but we can certainly hope. Regardless of what is to come, however, we can take heart in the relationships we have with our fellow believers, and most importantly the relationship we have with the Lord God Almighty!

Until we meet again, Be Blessed! – Pastor John