Jesse’s story includes renewing his baptismal vows. […]
Guess who’s coming to worship!
First off, well done! I encouraged you to set your clocks 30 minutes early last Sunday so that you would not miss the opening set of Bluegrass, and the sanctuary was full at the start of the hour! Both services! Well done! So, now that you are developing a new habit of being a little early […]
Bluegrass and Surveys
Father’s Day is one of my favorite Sundays at Chapel Hill, because this is our traditional bluegrass celebration. This will be one of those mornings when we have a little more music and a little less talking… including from your preacher. Combine great music, the opportunity to wear jeans, boots and flannel shirts, and a […]
Being a Pastor Again
I love leading a large church with all the challenges and complexity that it brings. But sometimes, the management demands of such a ministry can make it hard to remember why I went into this profession in the first place. There is the call of God, of course. I sensed clearly that God was calling […]
my story: tiersa c
Tiersa’s dreams have been to teach preschool and work with orphans. […]
Sharing Our Fun with the Community
Pastor Mark has rightly deemed Chapel Hill the “Sweetheart Church” because you care for one another and your pastors well. I want to add that we are a fun church! I would even say that one of our main cultural values as a congregation is playfulness. Allow me to make my case:• The Shy Boys […]
I‚Äôm glad I never had to, but I‚Äôm grateful someone did…
Kids today have no memory of the draft. I do. I missed being eligible for Vietnam by two years, but I had friends whose older brothers served there… and brought back horror stories. When we pulled out of Vietnam I must admit that, as a teenage boy, I remember thinking, “I am really glad that […]
Read More… from I‚Äôm glad I never had to, but I‚Äôm grateful someone did…
Christmas Carols in May?
When you come to church Sunday, you will wonder if you’ve skipped about seven months. You will see candles, hear Christmas carols… and likely be confused. What’s going on? This Sunday is Pentecost, the celebration of the coming of the Holy Spirit as recounted in Acts chapter 2. Jesus told his disciples to wait in […]
What’s Your Story?
For 25 years of ministry, I have mostly depended upon my work, my research, my reading, my stories to craft my weekly sermons. For our just-completed Encounters series, however, I invited you to share your stories with me… and with your whole church family. Stories of loss, fear, doubt, and last week—remarkably–even your stories of […]
Swaziland, Dubai and Home
4 – 6 May I left Swaziland on Saturday and landed in Johannesburg where David Derr, a friend from church, picked me up and took me to the Apartheid Museum. The museum chronicles the history of European settlers in South Africa, the socioeconomic factors leading to Apartheid (segregation), the Apartheid system, the struggle against the end […]