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 an exceptionally large gathering.

Oftentimes, we can evaluate the effectiveness of an event or endeavor by what is left behind. In this case, those numerous footprints — both large and small — gave testimony to an incredibly noble and, in the end, eminently successful effort by our Evangelism Team and each of you in our congregation.

Despite the cold weather, the doors of the church were open wide to welcome a cross section of residents in our community. Not only were there police, fire, and paramedics, but there were also young students, and a variety of other guests. For the first time in many years, our church was filled on a day other than Christmas Eve or Easter.

How this event will affect our church moving forward is uncertain, but on this particular day, Oak Chapel showed its true colors with a worshipful service, an engaging program, and a wonderful meal. Each and every one of you is to be commended for doing God’s will by making His House a warm, welcoming, and inviting place. My sincere thanks to all of you for your efforts. Now let’s continue to move forward as we profess our faith and
share the love of God to others.

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.

This Sunday, Oak Chapel will honor our local First Responders and medical professionals at our worship service and immediately following at our monthly Fellowship Dinner. We hope you can join us and bring a side dish, salad, or dessert to share. Former College of Wooster head basketball coach and current Evangelism team captain at Oak Chapel, Steve Moore, will deliver an inspirational message for our guests after our meal.

The Gospel of John makes clear the significance of one’s willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice with this familiar passage from Verse 13 from Chapter 15 — “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down [one’s] life for [another].” First Responders do this every day as part of their call of duty, so we thought it would be appropriate to show our gratitude.

We hope that you can join us, and make our local heroes feel welcome by bringing your favorite food, displaying your trademark hospitality, and showing them just how much we appreciate all that they do.

Also, don’t forget that this is “Jingly Buckets” Sunday. We will be collecting loose change (and paper currency, too, if you wish). Money collected will go to Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes.

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, he has guided his team into the playoffs, where they will face the Browns on Saturday. 

Football will be front and center, but it won’t be Stroud’s top priority. He is an anomaly among the athletes he competes with and against. Despite his success and his passion for football, he has shown uncommon humility and deep faith, which he is committed to sharing with whomever will listen. With symbols of faith on his headband, wristband, and even his face, Stroud says that his football experience is a vehicle for his primary purpose — “to spread the Gospel and the life of Jesus Christ.”

Clearly, Stroud has a platform that most others don’t — a weekly audience of millions of viewers. Our exposure is not nearly as far-reaching, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be just as effective. To the contrary, our one-on-one opportunities to share our faith can arguably have a comparable or even greater impact.

Stroud says that he is blessed “to walk, to talk, to interact with people…to do his best to thank the Lord, who laid his life on the cross for us.” Indeed, Stroud’s faith trumps everything else in his life. In that sense we are just like him. Even though we don’t have the same athletic skills or the same platform, we are called upon to share our faith whenever and wherever we can with the same passion as this talented young quarterback.

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 have conducted eight Celebration-of-Life services here at Oak Chapel, and after a while, it begins to wear on us. Sadness is an unavoidable part of life, but when you lose so many people in such a short period of time, it has a profound impact on us — individually and collectively.

The good news is that these departures are not permanent. Isaiah 40:28-31 gives us encouragement, even inspiration, with this familiar passage, so often read at memorial services: “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

We have been given a great gift through our faith, and it is that faith that we lean on in times of trouble and despair, lifting us up and giving us hope. God only knows what 2024 will bring, but we can rest assured that He will walk with us through the valley of darkness and up to the mountaintop of resilient light and joy. So take heart, remain faithful, obey God’s commandments, follow His Word, and love one another as he has loved us so that our journey will culminate in the glory of His eternal kingdom.

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, the shepherds said one to another, ‘Let us now go even unto Bethlehem and see this thing which has come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.’”

This is, indeed, a season of peace and good will, or at least that’s what we hope for. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always come to pass. Conflicts continue, bloodshed persists, and those words from the Gospel passage that we long to hear seem to ring hollow.

The shepherds keeping watch in their fields were struck with a profound sense of curiosity when the angels appeared to them. This led them to abandon their routine and see what “has come to pass.”

How often do we get so caught up in a daily pattern of life that our curiosity is stifled, and our routine turns into a rut? Perhaps this Advent season, we can allow our curiosity to take us in a different direction. Instead of being consumed by our to-do list, maybe we could take a break, relax, and enjoy the peace of the Christmas season.

With that in mind, allow me to invite you to join us for our Christmas Hymn Sing this Sunday at 2 p.m. Hear the sounds of the season, and lend your voice to the chorus if you wish. Then join us for a cookie reception in Fellowship Hall. Our hope is that this will bring serenity to your soul and inspiration to your spirit as we celebrate the birth of our Savior.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all, and take note: our Nutshell will also be taking a brief respite for the holidays before returning again in January.

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 noble one. Likewise, in the Book of Revelation 19 (11-16), the White Horse is believed to be carrying Jesus as our Savior, suppressing all evildoers and conquering all sin. 

Here is John’s account of that vision: “Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.”

Now that, in contrast to the white horse believed to be the antichrist in the sixth chapter of Revelation, is quite a striking image of the Lord coming in glory to rescue his people. It is, indeed, a reassuring vision of God’s great power and might.

The little white horses on Warner Hill are no match for the great White Horse, but they still provide for me an assurance of God’s other side — his purity, gentleness, compassion, grace, mercy, and, of course, love.

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 among the urban poor.

We are all familiar with the Advent Candles and what each one represents: three purple or blue candles, symbolizing hope, peace, and love; one pink candle, signifying joy; and a fifth candle, which is white, touting the purity of Christ.

In addition to the Advent candles, there are several other colors associated with Christmas — some sacred, some secular. Here at Oak Chapel, we have a long history of wearing a designated color on each of the four Sundays in Advent leading up to the arrival of the Christ child.

Believe it or not, I could not find a definitive answer regarding the meanings of each of these colors, despite repeated Google searches, so I have taken the liberty of drawing some conclusions of my own, which you are free to accept or refute. 

The first Sunday of Advent features the color Green, which represents a fresh start and a commitment to growth. The second week we wear the color Purple, which is often associated with penitence and sorrow. The third week we switch to red, most likely in honor of the redeeming blood of Christ. The fourth week is blue, symbolic of solemnity and reverence. And finally, at our Christmas service, we celebrate with the purity of white and the royalty of gold.

Christmas is all about colors, so be sure to wear yours this Advent season, beginning this Sunday by sporting some article of clothing — shirt, blouse, sweater, tie, etc. — with the color green, marking the beginning, or a renewal, of a relationship with Christ

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 desire to serve the Lord by serving others is heartwarming and inspiring. I am so grateful for each of you and thankful for your many benevolent acts, including your incredibly thoughtful gift to me at our Fellowship Dinner this past Sunday and your wonderful prayerful support during my recent surgery.

When I describe our faithful congregation, I could easily quote II Corinthians (3-5,7), which states, “For I testify that [you give] as much as [you are] able, and even beyond [your] ability. Entirely on [your] own, [you] urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. And [you] exceeded [our] expectations: [you] gave [yourself] first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us… But since you excel in everything — in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you — see that you also excel in this grace of giving.”

You do, indeed, excel in all phases of discipleship, including your many contributions of time and talent, and you are to be commended for all you do. In addition, your financial generosity is exemplary! In all the ways that you give, you do so with a joyful heart, and that certainly does not go unnoticed. I am confident that your “attitude of gratitude” is a reflection of your happiness, hopefulness, and faithfulness. I am especially thankful for you this Thanksgiving…and throughout the entire year. May God continue to bless you as you have blessed me and our church.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Pastor John

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 us and perhaps provide a dish to share. We could really use some hearty hot dishes or casseroles to feed an expected influx of guests, including members of the Scot basketball team. Salads and desserts are also appreciated.

Indeed, we are greatly blessed by the bounty of food we have been given, but it is also important that we never lose sight of the less fortunate — those who struggle to put food on the table for themselves and their family, especially this time of year. 

Jesus encouraged his disciples and all those who would follow to “feed the hungry,” and once we have provided for their physical needs, he reminds us to take care of their spiritual needs.

In the Gospel of John (6:35), Jesus said, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” In a spiritual sense, Jesus provides all the nourishment we will ever need.

Several verses before that (John 6:27), Jesus said, “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”

We know that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through him. He will guide and protect us on the pathway or righteousness, and just as we are to share bread with others, we are also called upon to spread the Word and provide nourishment for them.

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 of the three congregations I have had the privilege of serving, as well as the church I attended for more than 20 years, has lost a longtime member.

When a fellow believer with whom one has developed a lasting relationship passes, there is considerable sadness, but because of our faith we can work through our grief and eventually find joy as we celebrate their legacy and rejoice in their entry into God’s Heavenly Kingdom. 

In the Gospel of John (5:24), Jesus proclaims, “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.“

Later in that same Gospel (John 11:25-26), Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.”

That’s good news for those of us who believe, but what about those who don’t? Well, because life is so temporal, and the longtime stakes so high, it is essential that we not only affirm our faith but also share our testimony with others, so that they, too, will have an opportunity to come to the Lord.

We can encourage and influence others through passages from Scripture, including this from Joshua 1:9, which states, “Do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.“

Indeed, we have nothing to fear because, as Isaiah 25:8 says, “He will swallow up death forever. Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces.“

So, regardless of our age, we are to rejoice in the glory of the Lord. Therefore, we can live life to the fullest, actively share the Good News with others, and be prepared when He calls us home.