Words from Pastor ANdrew
A Season of Change
When I was in my early 20s, I’m not sure I ever changed the air filter in my HVAC unit. It never even crossed my mind to pay attention to something like that…who knows what kind of damage I caused along the way.
When Sarah and I lived in Kansas City, we were in our house for about five years…I maybe changed it five times. Maybe.
Clearly, I am improving with age, but still…some things fall by the wayside.
When we lived in Dallas, our landlord told us to change the filter when we changed the clocks for daylight saving time. Okay; twice a year, I can probably handle that.
Then our second place in Dallas said four times a year. Four times a year? What do I look like, someone with endless time and money for air filters? I’ll admit…I didn’t always do it.
Fast forward to now. Many of you know we recently moved, and when family stayed with us a week or so ago, an outside observer noticed something important: the air filter needed to be changed.
My very kind father; retired, owner of a ladder, and lover of a good project took it upon himself to fix the situation.
I say all this to say: seasons change. Things need attention. Adjustments have to be made. And usually, we’re better off because of it. You may be hesitant, we may resist, it may alter our rhythms, but often times that change was really good and led to wonderful new things no one expected or anticipated.
As I read through the scriptures, I see over and over again, people invited into change. People invited into a life that is changed by God. To take on a new way, to transition into a new rhythm, to experience a new life and new opportunity. From God calling Abraham and Sarah to change what they know to follow after him, to Jesus calling for the disciples to take on this calling as his disciples, to Paul writing letters to early churches helping them to know what it means to experience something new.
Change is hard…I get it. But change can be really good…even if it is really sad.
Monday
Monday…
Today is Easter Monday. Which means tomorrow is Tuesday…and in case you stop reading this at this point, make sure you know, there is NO TUESDAY NOON PRAYER THIS WEEK but Bible Study is back on Wednesday.
But again…today is Monday.
Some of us woke up with chocolate bunnies and Peeps still flowing through our bloodstream…others woke up somewhere between inspiration and a full emotional-and-sugar hangover.
And maybe a few of us woke up wondering:
Okay…Easter was amazing…Now what?
Best Easter Ever
When we lived in Dallas, we had season passes to a local amusement park. It became our go-to on slow days; ride some rides, walk a ton, wear out two little boys, and a good-quality family time had by all.
If you’ve ever been on one of those rides, you’ve heard the operator on the mic explaining how to have a great experience…usually with all the enthusiasm of the adults in a Peanuts cartoon. It’s monotone, forgettable, easy to tune out. But here’s the thing, they’re actually telling you exactly how to have a great ride. We just miss it.
Holy Week is like that too.
Remember
Remember
There are two phrases that show up over and over again throughout Scripture. The first is “Do not fear.” Again and again, God reminds his people that with him, we do not have to live in fear. As it says in 1 John, perfect love casts out fear.
The second phrase is “Remember.”
The ancient Hebrew people were called to remember constantly. They built entire rhythms of life around it: holidays, altars, shared meals, songs, prayers, stones stacked beside rivers, so that they would never forget who God was, what God had done, and what it meant to live as the people of God.
And I actually think these two ideas belong together.
When we remember, we often find that we fear less.
But it depends on what we remember.
Uncharted
This Sunday we begin something new.
New things can be scary. Uncharted. Unknown.
In ancient maps, when cartographers illustrated what they knew, what had been discovered, they drew the land, the water, the topography, the geography.
But when they reached portions not yet explored, places unknown or seemingly dangerous, do you know what they would do?
They would draw lions and write in Latin:
Hic Sunt Leones.
Here be lions.
Race Weekend Update
Hello friends,
As you’ve probably heard by now, due to the incoming weather, Seaside made the call to cancel the half marathon this weekend. (You can read the official message they sent at the bottom of this email.)
I know. Deep breaths.
While we won’t be lining up at the starting line tomorrow, we will still be gathering for worship at 10 a.m. as usual. The roads should be open like normal, and the shuttles are still scheduled to run as planned.
Obviously, everyone would have loved to run tomorrow… well… most of you. But the priority is keeping people safe, and that’s something we can all get behind.
The silver lining? There is now hardly any excuse not to join us for worship. That said, if you were already planning to worship online, that option is still there for you and you should definitely still do that!
Race Weekend
About six years ago I was in Israel at the Jordan River on the day the Coptic Church (Egyptian Christians) celebrates the baptism of Jesus. When we pulled up, there were thousands of Egyptian followers of Jesus lining the river. Singing. Drums. Formal attire. Dancing into the water. It was loud, joyful, and absolutely beautiful. They were celebrating and remembering Jesus’ baptism while baptizing people from their own community into the family of God.
It was a party.
I had been to the Jordan River years before. That time, it was calm and quiet, peaceful, and serene. Peaceful. Serene.
Two very different experiences at the same place.
Highs and Lows
Our kids wrapped up their Christmas break today, so we spent part of the day reflecting on the highs.
And there were a lot of highs.
Slow mornings and fun-filled evenings.
Time with friends and loved ones.
Sunsets on the beach and really great movie nights.
Meaningful family Christmas traditions and a few new ones.
An unbelievable Christmas Eve service with more than 3,000 of our closest friends.
A simple, beautiful Christmas morning.
Great food, an amazing trip with family, jumping into crystal-clear waters, swimming in natural pools, and hiking in the forest.
It was a great break.
But there were also lows.
Honestly, ours really was great, but as followers of Jesus in this body of Christ, we rejoice with those who rejoice and we also mourn with those who mourn. We don’t do life or faith alone.
People who call The Chapel home said goodbye to family and loved ones far too soon.
Too many people are sick and struggling.
Too many people are hurting.
Too many people I know and love are feeling lost and alone.
Too many trips to the doctor and the pharmacy.
And personally speaking…we had sickness that made us miss our first Sunday of the new year. As a fun bonus, one of our kids got both an inner and outer ear infection. He’s really an overachiever.
Awesome, right?!
A New Year
Happy New Year from The Chapel!
As we wrap up celebrating Christmas and turn the page to a new year, there are probably lots of hopes and dreams you’re carrying into 2026. The reality is…some of those things will pan out. And lots won’t.
I hope to run the Seaside Half Marathon.
Right now, that’s already looking a bit iffy.
I hope to see some new National Parks.
Currently, there are zero trips planned.
I hope to read more.
But my reading has decreased over the past few weeks, which makes it hard to believe I’m suddenly going to flip a switch tonight.
Yesterday I was talking with one of my sons and he said, “I’m gonna give up smoking for the New Year!”
One of us responded, “I’m proud of you buddy, that’s really hard to do.”
He’s in middle school.
Glint of Light
The other day, my teen and preteen boys got into a scuffle… you know… like brothers often do. And one of them hit the other in the face.
The one who got hit winced and said,
“Ah! You hit me in the eye. I saw a glint of light.”
Now, obviously, I’m against violence. I hate when my kids scuffle. I do not think attacking one another is a helpful solution, whether in words or actions.
But do you know what I was proud of in that moment?
My son used the phrase “glint of light.”
When is the last time you used the word glint? Probably not recently… and definitely not as your first response to an injury.
But do you know why he said that word?
Because it’s one of his vocab words right now. He’s been studying it, so much so that it’s steeped into his life and flowed out of him naturally.
A Season of Change
When I was in my early 20s, I’m not sure I ever changed the air filter in my HVAC unit. It never even crossed my mind to pay attention to something like that…who knows what kind of damage I caused along the way.
When Sarah and I lived in Kansas City, we were in our house for about five years…I maybe changed it five times. Maybe.
Clearly, I am improving with age, but still…some things fall by the wayside.
When we lived in Dallas, our landlord told us to change the filter when we changed the clocks for daylight saving time. Okay; twice a year, I can probably handle that.
Then our second place in Dallas said four times a year. Four times a year? What do I look like, someone with endless time and money for air filters? I’ll admit…I didn’t always do it.
Fast forward to now. Many of you know we recently moved, and when family stayed with us a week or so ago, an outside observer noticed something important: the air filter needed to be changed.
My very kind father; retired, owner of a ladder, and lover of a good project took it upon himself to fix the situation.
I say all this to say: seasons change. Things need attention. Adjustments have to be made. And usually, we’re better off because of it. You may be hesitant, we may resist, it may alter our rhythms, but often times that change was really good and led to wonderful new things no one expected or anticipated.
As I read through the scriptures, I see over and over again, people invited into change. People invited into a life that is changed by God. To take on a new way, to transition into a new rhythm, to experience a new life and new opportunity. From God calling Abraham and Sarah to change what they know to follow after him, to Jesus calling for the disciples to take on this calling as his disciples, to Paul writing letters to early churches helping them to know what it means to experience something new.
Change is hard…I get it. But change can be really good…even if it is really sad.
Monday
Monday…
Today is Easter Monday. Which means tomorrow is Tuesday…and in case you stop reading this at this point, make sure you know, there is NO TUESDAY NOON PRAYER THIS WEEK but Bible Study is back on Wednesday.
But again…today is Monday.
Some of us woke up with chocolate bunnies and Peeps still flowing through our bloodstream…others woke up somewhere between inspiration and a full emotional-and-sugar hangover.
And maybe a few of us woke up wondering:
Okay…Easter was amazing…Now what?
Best Easter Ever
When we lived in Dallas, we had season passes to a local amusement park. It became our go-to on slow days; ride some rides, walk a ton, wear out two little boys, and a good-quality family time had by all.
If you’ve ever been on one of those rides, you’ve heard the operator on the mic explaining how to have a great experience…usually with all the enthusiasm of the adults in a Peanuts cartoon. It’s monotone, forgettable, easy to tune out. But here’s the thing, they’re actually telling you exactly how to have a great ride. We just miss it.
Holy Week is like that too.
Remember
Remember
There are two phrases that show up over and over again throughout Scripture. The first is “Do not fear.” Again and again, God reminds his people that with him, we do not have to live in fear. As it says in 1 John, perfect love casts out fear.
The second phrase is “Remember.”
The ancient Hebrew people were called to remember constantly. They built entire rhythms of life around it: holidays, altars, shared meals, songs, prayers, stones stacked beside rivers, so that they would never forget who God was, what God had done, and what it meant to live as the people of God.
And I actually think these two ideas belong together.
When we remember, we often find that we fear less.
But it depends on what we remember.
Uncharted
This Sunday we begin something new.
New things can be scary. Uncharted. Unknown.
In ancient maps, when cartographers illustrated what they knew, what had been discovered, they drew the land, the water, the topography, the geography.
But when they reached portions not yet explored, places unknown or seemingly dangerous, do you know what they would do?
They would draw lions and write in Latin:
Hic Sunt Leones.
Here be lions.
Race Weekend Update
Hello friends,
As you’ve probably heard by now, due to the incoming weather, Seaside made the call to cancel the half marathon this weekend. (You can read the official message they sent at the bottom of this email.)
I know. Deep breaths.
While we won’t be lining up at the starting line tomorrow, we will still be gathering for worship at 10 a.m. as usual. The roads should be open like normal, and the shuttles are still scheduled to run as planned.
Obviously, everyone would have loved to run tomorrow… well… most of you. But the priority is keeping people safe, and that’s something we can all get behind.
The silver lining? There is now hardly any excuse not to join us for worship. That said, if you were already planning to worship online, that option is still there for you and you should definitely still do that!
Race Weekend
About six years ago I was in Israel at the Jordan River on the day the Coptic Church (Egyptian Christians) celebrates the baptism of Jesus. When we pulled up, there were thousands of Egyptian followers of Jesus lining the river. Singing. Drums. Formal attire. Dancing into the water. It was loud, joyful, and absolutely beautiful. They were celebrating and remembering Jesus’ baptism while baptizing people from their own community into the family of God.
It was a party.
I had been to the Jordan River years before. That time, it was calm and quiet, peaceful, and serene. Peaceful. Serene.
Two very different experiences at the same place.
Highs and Lows
Our kids wrapped up their Christmas break today, so we spent part of the day reflecting on the highs.
And there were a lot of highs.
Slow mornings and fun-filled evenings.
Time with friends and loved ones.
Sunsets on the beach and really great movie nights.
Meaningful family Christmas traditions and a few new ones.
An unbelievable Christmas Eve service with more than 3,000 of our closest friends.
A simple, beautiful Christmas morning.
Great food, an amazing trip with family, jumping into crystal-clear waters, swimming in natural pools, and hiking in the forest.
It was a great break.
But there were also lows.
Honestly, ours really was great, but as followers of Jesus in this body of Christ, we rejoice with those who rejoice and we also mourn with those who mourn. We don’t do life or faith alone.
People who call The Chapel home said goodbye to family and loved ones far too soon.
Too many people are sick and struggling.
Too many people are hurting.
Too many people I know and love are feeling lost and alone.
Too many trips to the doctor and the pharmacy.
And personally speaking…we had sickness that made us miss our first Sunday of the new year. As a fun bonus, one of our kids got both an inner and outer ear infection. He’s really an overachiever.
Awesome, right?!
A New Year
Happy New Year from The Chapel!
As we wrap up celebrating Christmas and turn the page to a new year, there are probably lots of hopes and dreams you’re carrying into 2026. The reality is…some of those things will pan out. And lots won’t.
I hope to run the Seaside Half Marathon.
Right now, that’s already looking a bit iffy.
I hope to see some new National Parks.
Currently, there are zero trips planned.
I hope to read more.
But my reading has decreased over the past few weeks, which makes it hard to believe I’m suddenly going to flip a switch tonight.
Yesterday I was talking with one of my sons and he said, “I’m gonna give up smoking for the New Year!”
One of us responded, “I’m proud of you buddy, that’s really hard to do.”
He’s in middle school.
Glint of Light
The other day, my teen and preteen boys got into a scuffle… you know… like brothers often do. And one of them hit the other in the face.
The one who got hit winced and said,
“Ah! You hit me in the eye. I saw a glint of light.”
Now, obviously, I’m against violence. I hate when my kids scuffle. I do not think attacking one another is a helpful solution, whether in words or actions.
But do you know what I was proud of in that moment?
My son used the phrase “glint of light.”
When is the last time you used the word glint? Probably not recently… and definitely not as your first response to an injury.
But do you know why he said that word?
Because it’s one of his vocab words right now. He’s been studying it, so much so that it’s steeped into his life and flowed out of him naturally.