I love Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Not only because Carroll and I studied the same degree at the same school, but because I think Alice’s story is a parable for the world in which we now find ourselves. Over the past 50 years, perhaps even over the past 15 years, it feels like […]
Discover deeper love
This past week, something occurred that will only happen three times this century: Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day fell on the same day. Ash Wednesday is the start of Lent, a 40-day season of prayer, fasting, and generosity that ends at sundown on Maundy Thursday. Valentine’s Day is, of course, that made-up holiday intended to […]
What makes a Mexico trip life-changing?
When facing a new experience, are you more likely to dive in or dip your toe? “Dive in!” is the theme for our high school global outreach team leaving for Mexico one week from today. We were inspired by God’s promise to Isaiah: Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do […]
Congregational Meeting Nominees
These are the nominees for Elders and Deacons to be approved at the Chapel Hill congregational meeting February 11, 2024. Elders David Derr My wife Martha, and our family have been members of Chapel Hill since 1998. We have been blessed to raise our six children (including two who were adopted in 2007 from Zambia) […]
Expressing our hearts to the Lord
“Corporate worship is a weekly event that God uses to shape our people’s souls over the course of decades.” This quote is why our worship together as a church family, week after week, is so valuable to me! Our services…the songs we sing, the prayers we offer, the Word preached…are not only an opportunity to […]
Created for wonder: how to recapture wonder in your life
Sunday’s Coming! “Judas.” The name is synonymous with betrayal. Brutus, Fawkes, Arnold, Quisling…all world-class traitors in their own right, must bow before the height of treachery perpetrated by a disciple whom Jesus called “friend.” We are told “Satan entered Judas.” Did that mean he was possessed? Did he have any choice? How could one who spent three years […]
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The end is near! (Or is it?)
Eschatology. It’s a very fancy theological word that means “the study of end times.” It’s based on a Greek word eschatos which means “last things.” In our EPC world (Evangelical Presbyterian Church…our denomination), eschatology is considered a non-essential. In other words, we affirm that faithful, Bible-believing Christians can disagree on these doctrines and not have […]
Revelation Series
There Is No “S” in Revelation Pastor Mark Toone Sep 12, 1999 Passage: Revelation 1:1-1:3 NotesListen You’ve Got Mail Pastor Mark Toone Sep 19, 1999 Passage: Revelation 1:1-1:20 NotesListen You’ve Got Mail: Overcoming the Blahs Pastor Mark Toone Sept 23, 1999 Passage: Revelation 2:1-7 NotesListen You’ve Got Mail: Overcoming Adversity Pastor Mark Toone Oct 03, 1999 Passage: Revelation 2:8-2:11 […]
New beginnings at Alpha
Every person’s journey in faith started when another person was bold enough to share theirs. Who was it that helped YOU to discover faith? The Alpha team are such an encouragement to me because every individual is aware of their testimony…being invited to explore faith, invited to participate in Alpha, and invited into becoming a […]
Wise men still seek him
When I was aged about 7 or 8, I used to love performing magic tricks on my friends and family. I remember one birthday or Christmas receiving a magic set, with which I practiced, before setting up my own magic show in the living room to perform to my parents. Even today, when I get […]