Chapel blooming all over the place

In the midst of the summer heat (about to break, as I write this!), there is much to enjoy.

These flowers are tended to in the rock gardens alongside the parking lot by Joyce Chauvin. Thank you for this labor of love, Joyce!

Connections Bible Study is on for this Thursday night, July 29th - then off for a two-week break. We'll return for Connections on Thursday night, August 18th.

And this blog is highlighted among many other fascinating and interesting posts (including posts from our own Jim Clark, and my other blog) on the current edition of the Christian Carnival - a weekly collection of posts from a wide range of Christian blogs that is hosted by a different blog each time. Check it out!

Sunday - and some questions!

Pastor and Lois (otherwise known to me as "Mom and Dad") are heading home from the cottage on Lake Ontario (this picture shows a little of the magnificent beauty of that place, and why we love it so much). Pastor will be preaching on Sunday, and I asked him if he'd give us a little preview of what's coming.

Maybe being on the water for vacation has prompted this - but he said it would be on the "Storms of Life" and particularly that incident where Jesus was found sleeping on the boat in the midst of a crisis. Pastor wrote,

I'm considering a series on the many questions in the Bible - "What is truth?" "If a man die shall he live again?" "What must I do to be saved?" "Where is the promise of his coming?" But then there's that passage that has a cluster of profound questions and the most stunning - "Carest thou not that we perish?"

He also sent me the outline for Sunday's message:

I. At whom it was levelled
II. By whom it was asked
III. For whom it was written

And finally, Pastor asks his own question:

Why was this story included in the Bible, out of the many sea stories that could have been included in the N.T? It extends far beyond the incident of that day and has been included to teach us some profound truths.

Hope you're looking forward to Sunday, to the Summer Choir singing some of Chapel's favorites, to hearing God's Word preached, to fellowship with the family of God, and to another great day at Chapel. See you there!

Summer heat - and an important reminder

It is really hot out today. As a matter of fact, it's been hot for a good while now. And the forecast, with an occasion short break here and there, is for more of the same. Heat records have been toppled in numerous places and August is still before us. Just plain nasty!

I don't like, make that I detest, excessive heat and humidity. Maybe that's because I was a January baby or perhaps because my favorite sports are winter ones. Whatever the reason, I just function far better at lower temperatures. Last night at Connections Bible study, Nate Abrams, who is now working construction, said that a man on his job site actually cooked spaghetti yesterday by placing the noodles in a closed container on the dashboard of the car at noon! That's just not right somehow, unless your address includes the Equator!

My other issue with heat is a theological one. Whenever I get into a discussion with those misguided individuals (and you know who you are) who enjoy stale, hot, soggy air and the sweat that it brings (rather than the meat-locker air conditioning temperatures I prefer), I remind them of God's decision to make the eternal place of punishment one of unimaginable heat! He could have easily devised it with bone chilling cold. But an all-wise God knew, from eternity past, that too much heat is not a good thing and also the ultimate in "discomfort." So at least my "weighty" opinion on the whole subject has some biblical backing.

But seriously, heat is a stark reminder of something very important - the most sobering aspect of life and especially death. The Bible speaks of a literal hell as a place of intense heat and everlasting pain. Mark 9:43-44 makes this frightfully clear where Jesus says,

"If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched--where 'Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'"

Hell is described in God's word as a place of intense heat and hell is mentioned more there than even His glorious heaven. That is because, though His just nature requires Him to punish sin, His great love for us causes Him to warn us of a fate beyond our ability to envision. To enable us to avoid this awful fate, God sent His Son to die for us and suffer the penalty of hell in our place. Those of us who grasp that and accept Him as our Savior escape a furious hell and attain a glorious heaven. But sometimes we tend to get so comfortable and complacent in our amazing salvation that we forget the horror of what it means to be without Christ.

I detest heat. It drains me physically and too often effects my very mood. But I'm so grateful that I no longer have to deal with an eternity that will not include any aspect of extreme temperatures! But what about many of my neighbors, coworkers, acquaintances, or extended family? What about those I rub elbows with daily? What of those who may, or may not, like heat (not the point) but whose eternal future is beyond bleak unless they turn to the one who sacrificed Himself for their escape from a place so terrible that even the Bible's description falls far short?

Summer heat makes me miserable! But that same heat is also a strange reminder of my forgiveness of sin, my heavenly home, and my duty to reach others with the love of God for them in Christ.

Snakes on a Church Blog??

Thought you all might enjoy a picture of your Associate Pastor engaged in one of his interests: snakes!

Yes, that's Pastor Bill holding up the snake. The reptile looks fierce, but it's only a garter snake. It lives under a little stone walkway in front of Pastor's Lake Ontario cottage. (And no, we're not into snake-handling in our church, in case anyone was curious! :-)

The picture is here on our kids' nature blog. You'll also see some pictures of an otter that we saw at a little place two miles down from the cottage. The picture of it swimming in the water is on our own beach, in front of the cottage. Yes, there's lots of wildlife there!

We're back, but Pastor and Lois are still there til the end of the week. Connections Bible Study and Prayer is back on this Thursday! Pastor Bill will be teaching.

Enjoy the special times God gives you this summer - even in the midst of the heat!

The Works of the Lord

As those who were in church last Sunday know, Pastor, Lois, Pastor Bill and I (and our kids) are all at the place we refer to simply as The Cottage, on Lake Ontario. A dear friend of our church, Jim Herman, will be preaching this Sunday - welcome him and be blessed by what God has to say to you through him. Paul D'Angelo will lead the service - and he'll also be singing, so it will be a great morning!

Anyway, hanging on a little plaque here in the cottage is this verse from the Scriptures: "They that go down to the sea in ships, and do business in great waters; these see the works of the Lord, and wonders in the deep." Well, it's not the sea, it's a Great Lake, but we certainly have seen some 'wonders' today. There was the huge flock of Canadian geese - maybe 75 or 100 - that swam by in the water (reminded us of home!), the snake Pastor Bill caught by the road (when I can upload pictures, I'll post it!), the great blue heron that flew majestically into the sky, and - a first for us! - an otter that made its way through the water!

We also have the red-winged blackbirds, the gulls, the butterflies and wildflowers, the sunsets - it's a beautiful place filled with the "works of the Lord."

Sometimes it's more obvious to see God's creation when you're on vacation in a place where you're seeing wildlife than when you're in busy, congested north Jersey. But it's still important to take a moment and think about God's incredible handiwork in our lives, too, and in the lives of those in our church - providing our needs, comforting us, leading us through decisions, keeping us safe, loving us, and using us to share His love with others. That's as beautiful as a sunset, as miraculous as any of His works of creation. "The Lord has done great things for us, whereof we are glad!"

Chapel Summer Readers

What an interesting night! Chapel held its first "Chapel Summer Readers" night - with eleven dedicated readers gathering together to talk about - what else? - books!

Stephen Virkler led our meeting, and began with some thoughts on "Why We Read." He gave it 3 'E's': to escape, to educate, and to edify. And then he started us off with his current selections. Stephen just finished reading "Understanding God's Will" by Kyle Lake. He said it was most likely written with young people in mind, but that the title caught his eye. That title itself was revealing, as the author writes of how we are not to be so caught up in knowing God's will, but rather understanding it - and that the book was very helpful during a recent time of seeking God's ways in his own life.

Stephen also recommended Peggy Noonan's "When Character was King" - a book by one of his favorite writers, about one of his favorite heroes: Ronald Reagan. He read some excerpts from the book, and talked about how Reagan's style of leadership always fascinated him. Then Stephen showed us his new copy of David McCullough's "1776" - which he has just begun, and is already enjoying!

Gayle Virkler talked about how her love of reading came early on, when her grandfather used to read to her, and then say "You know, when you learn how to read, you can read to me!" The books she's read recently that she's enjoyed so much are Lynn Austin's "Gods and Kings" and "Song of Redemption." These historical fiction books chronicle the life of King Hezekiah - and she said it prompted her to return to the Bible to learn more about this ancient king. The third book in the series is coming out soon.

Thelma Virkler said she's been reading series recently, and has enjoyed Beverly Lewis' series on the Amish people - "Abram's Daughter." She felt sad to read of the way they believe, and yet also gleaned from them, for instance how they keep Sundays special. She's also reading Michael Phillip's series about slavery, particularly "Angels Watching Over Me." She said the book personalized slavery, and made her stop and discuss this with her husband, and really contemplate this terrible thing that went on in our country. She and her husband have also been reading Randy Alcorn's book on "Heaven," which really fit with Pastor's recent messages at Chapel.

Jim Clark intrigued us with his selection: German physicist Werner Gitt's "In the beginning was information." Jim found the book on a German website - but the book is translated into English. I'll let him explain the book on his blog, but it was amazing to think of how the origin of information, properly understood, is a powerful argument for creation. We're glad your mind is on our side, Jim!

Bill Hodgetts enjoys reading history - and his recent summer read (gotten at a garage sale!) is Stephen Longstreet's "War Cries on Horseback," about the Plains Indians. The other book that he's been reading recently is A.W. Tozer's "Knowledge of the Holy." Bill's wife Val has also been reading "Knowledge of the Holy," Rick Warren's "Purpose Driven Life," and Edward Rutherford's "London." She's also read Rutherford's "The Forest" - fact with fiction about this magnificent reserve in England. Joyce Chauvin has read Dr. Wayne Dyer's "There's a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem." The title alone is an important truth. We also learned that when Joyce, who is British, was growing up in India, her favorite book was a biography of Abraham Lincoln!

Mary Nolfi came to learn what others are reading - and she told us of the interest children have in reading these days. She volunteers at a local public library and also at a college library. Donna Clark brought the same Michael Phillips book as Thelma! And she also shared with us her studying about end-time events in preparation of her Ladies Bible Study beginning again this fall. One of the books on that topic that she's enjoyed is David Jeremiah's "Escape the Coming Night."

Susan Clark brought us to the classics. She has completed Jane Austen's "Mansfield Park," and is halfway through "Sense and Sensibility." We enjoyed hearing some excerpts from this great writer.

I (Donna-Jean) shared some thoughts from David McCaslund's "Abandoned to God: The Life Story of the Author of 'My Utmost for His Highest'" which is the biography of Oswald Chambers. Oswald Chambers never actually wrote this world-famous devotional book (read by President Bush, according to an article in Newsweek magazine); he died at the age of 43 while serving as a chaplain to British troops during World War I in Egypt. But his wife, Biddy, took copious notes of all his messages and lectures (she could take shorthand at 250 words a minute!) and she compiled them all into "My Utmost for His Highest," and other books. (I'll be sharing quotes from this book on my blog.) I also shared about Hugh Hewitt's influential book "Blog," which challenges and educates readers about the current "information reformation."

We concluded the night with refreshments and this word from Scripture. Paul is writing a letter to young Timothy, and he asks:

"Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come - and the books, but especiallly the parchments." II Timothy 4:13

What a gift we have - of so many books to read and glean from - and above all, for the 'parchments': God's Word, in our own language and our own homes.

We look forward to another "Chapel Summer Readers" night - and we'll let you know the date. Enjoy your summer reading!

A Blessed Departure

Today I had the opportunity to conduct the funeral service for an elderly lady who attended our church as often as her health allowed. Several members of her family are also part of the church family and are actively involved.

My comments sprang from, of all places, the book of Ecclesiastes. Solomon begins his writing revealing a heart that is frustrated and defeated after seeking happiness and purpose through every means imaginable in that day. And being King of Israel, there was literally no limit to what he would try. Instead he finds that "all is vanity and grasping for the wind" until, that is, he learns that God alone heals, satisfies and makes life worthwhile! His eventual "enlightenment" is seen in the final words of the book where he declares, "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man's all." This is why we exist!

But back in chapter three, words known to a whole generation more through music than through the Word of God, address the reality of death. "To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven. A time to be born, and a time to die." Death is certain, sometimes cruel, and brings great grief to those who lose a part of themselves when it strikes. But for the Christian, this agonizing departure can be oddly mixed with an unexplainable joy. The Bible provides assurance to those who have lost precious friends or family of a supernatural "peace that passes all understanding" through Christ. They are promised in Scripture that, "to depart and be with Christ is far better." And in this case the words "far better" are simply inadeqate to convey what that will be like!

Hebrews declares that "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." There is an "appoinment" with death which we will all someday keep unless the Lord's return prevents it. And there is a second "appointment" with even greater consequences where each man's life, work, and very thoughts will be evaluated by an all-knowing God. But how very precious it is to be "in Christ," to have no fear of either event, to be soundly secured in the God's family, and to even look forward to our own "Blessed Departure."

An Easter People

Every Easter at Chapel on the Hill, the front of the church is adorned with fresh lilies. They look gorgeous - and they smell spectacular.

Ahead of time, members and friends of Chapel sign up for a lily - in memory of a loved one who has died. Each of those names is recorded on a special flyer that's handed out on Easter Sunday morning. It's a special way to remember parents, grandparents, and others who have gone on to heaven. And when the service is over, those who signed up carry home their lily plant to enjoy even longer.

Thelma Virkler always replants her lilies after they die. Just the other day, I took this picture of this year's Easter lily, blooming once more in her garden. It was so surprising to see this "Easter flower" amidst all the summer colors and herbs and vegetable plants - and it got me thinking.

At Easter, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He died a horrific death by crucifixion, was buried in a rich friend's tomb, and the entire world went black. But on "Resurrection morning," Jesus walked through that tomb of death, fully alive, fully God and man - and having conquered death and sin and hell. As a result of believing that what He did there was for me, I have eternal life. I will have victory over death - and the presence and power of sin.

The lily reminds us of that. Long after our Easter weekend celebration and pageantry was over, long after the services ended, long after the newness of the children's clothes and the shine of their shoes have gone, the Easter lilies have faded and died. They shrivel up, turn brown, and are discarded by some as worthless. But on a summer afternoon standing next to my Aunt Thelma's garden, I saw the 'dead' lily was 'resurrected' to new life.

Angie Calderone's mother has died. She was 94 (she would have preferred we think of her as only 93; true ladies are always sensitive about their age) - and she loved to come to Chapel on the Hill. It was a joy to see four generations in a family come to worship together - Anna, her daughter Angie and son-in-law Frank, their daughters Debbie and Dina, and Dina and Dennis' daughter Jessica. What a testimony!

Today and tomorrow, we are remembering Anna's life, and acknowledging her death. She will be buried - and there will be that time of separation. But as Angie reminded me this afternoon, standing near her mother's casket (and her mom was wearing the gown she would have worn at Debbie's wedding in three weeks), "As your father told me, it's not a period at the end of a life - it's a comma!"

Indeed, Anna Torsiello will bloom again, as an Easter lily that has died - and that blooming will be even more beautiful than the first.

We can rejoice, even at a time of sorrow, for we are an Easter people!

Coming this Sunday!

Pastor Bill will be preaching this Sunday.

I asked him about his message, and he said it was from the book of James, chapter 1: "Counting trials as all joy: how can you possibly do that?" He added that some of the questions that prompted this selection were "How can trials possibly produce patience? What is the purpose of patience?"

The Scriptures tell us that the testing of our faith produces patience, and that patience produces a 'completion' in us - but there seems to be a key missing here in our understanding of all this.

But then, he said, he thought about our Thursday night "Connection" Bible study. We've been studying Proverbs - the wisdom book of the Old Testament - and its parallel in the New Testament is the book of James. Over and over in Proverbs, we read about wisdom - and the context of joy in the midst of trials in the book of James is wisdom!

Right after James' words about counting 'it all joy when you fall into various trials,' and the part about patience it produces, the writer says immediately, 'If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God...'

It's not just a general wisdom - it's asking God for wisdom in how to deal with a severe testing or trial.

Important words - for important times. Looking forward to this Sunday - to hearing more - and to seeing you there!

Special birthday

On July 6th, Margery Anderson, Pastor's mother (and my grandmother) turned 96.

For a post that honors her and recognizes the gift she still is, go here.

Wings!

David Virkler is both a Chapel member and an evangelist whose ministry is supported by our church. He's also a husband, father, and grandfather, whose family gave him a special gift recently: the opportunity to fly!


Dave loved flying years ago, and was excited to get in the cockpit again.


He took his grandsons with him for his Fourth-of-July weekend flight.


Liftoff!

An exciting moment...



A safe landing.

Dave leaves July 11th for a special week of preaching and witnessing in Honduras in Central America. Pray for God to use him fully, and for the power of the Holy Spirit to be evident as a result.

Satisfying the Savior

Do you need a fresh glimpse of what your Lord endured to save your souls and what He expects in return? Then read Isaiah 53 from The Living Bible. This chapter speaks of Him as "a man of sorrows and acquainted with bitterest grief....despised and we didn't care....yet it was our sorrows that weighed Him down....He was lashed and we were healed....He was buried like a criminal...". But the record goes on to say "when He sees all that is accomplished by the anguish of His soul, He shall be satisfied". What has He seen accomplished in your life that has brought satisfaction to His?

In our Sunday morning service we are considering some of the more familiar verses of the Bible in sequential form, and how they provide the steps necessary for us to personally satisfy the Savior.

First, we looked at II Corinthians 5:17 that tells us "if any man be in Christ he is a new creature; old things pass away and BEHOLD (take notice of this 'arresting' word) all things have become new." That speaks to us of SALVATION - the first step that must be taken to satisfy our Savior. Then we looked at I Peter 3:15 that exhorts us to "sanctify the Lord God in your hearts". That simply means to place our Savior over every aspect of our affections and...to make Him Lord of our lives. This speaks to us of SANCTIFICATION - the second step that must be taken to satisfy our Savior. This Sunday we will be looking at Romans 12:2. It says "be not conformed to this world...". This speaks to us of SEPARATION - the third step that needs to be taken to satisfy our Savior.

Years ago the subject of separation was a major part of messages preached by fundamental preachers throughout the country. Now however, it is seldom mentioned, even though it is still in God's Word - and God is still seeking lives that are separated from the world unto Him. There is an old hymn entitled "Stepping in the Light". As we comply with His desire for our lives, we are doing exactly that!

Our lives are to be lived to the end that we might "glorify God and enjoy Him forever". When our Savior sees all this being accomplished in our lives "because of the anguish of His soul HE SHALL BE SATISFIED"!

Christmas in July!

Your eyes aren't deceiving you - that's a picture from our May "Chapel Book Tea," which featured best-selling author Jan Karon's three Christmas books ("Shepherds Abiding," "Esther's Gift," and "Mitford Snowmen").

The pictures are all up on the Chapel on the Hill website! Go to Chapelonthehill.org and click on "What We Do" (recognize where the home page picture was taken?). Then click on "Chapel Book Teas" - and you'll see our complete Photo Gallery of all eight teas. The links to the Christmas Tea are the first three.

Enjoy! - and Merry Christmas :-)