by Andrew Beard | Jan 7, 2026 | Words from Pastor Andrew
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?!
by Andrew Beard | Dec 31, 2025 | Words from Pastor Andrew
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.
by Andrew Beard | Nov 10, 2025 | Words from Pastor Andrew
When I was a kid, I was super into David Copperfield. In case you don’t know who he is, he was the illusionist of the 80s and early 90s. My family would gather around the TV to watch him make the Statue of Liberty disappear, levitate over the Grand Canyon, escape Alcatraz, all with dramatic music and flowy 80s shirts.
He’s the reason my brothers and I got into magic when we were kids. We’d buy magic kits, learn card tricks, and even take illusion classes at the community college. But here’s what I discovered: once you pull back the curtain and see how the trick works, you realize it’s not actually “magic”, it’s just a series of thoughtful steps to achieve an outcome. Knowing how it works doesn’t ruin the wonder; it just deepens your appreciation.
That’s kind of how studying Scripture works.
by Andrew Beard | Oct 31, 2025 | Words from Pastor Andrew
When I was a kid, I remember putting on a pair of khaki pants and a green button-up, looking in the mirror, and thinking, I look like Jack Colton from Romancing the Stone.
Now, if you don’t remember that 1984 Rom-Com adventure classic with Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner… that’s okay. You’ll be just fine.
I loved that movie, and others like it, Indiana Jones and The Goonies. Over the years, that love for adventure films has carried through to National Treasure, Uncharted, and Fountain of Youth.
There’s just something about the idea that ordinary people can get swept up into something extraordinary. One minute they’re doing normal life; the next, they’re exploring ancient mysteries, uncovering hidden truths. Don’t we all want to be swept up in something exciting? And by “swept up in something exciting,” of course I mean watching other people be swept up while we’re comfortably at home.
by Andrew Beard | Oct 22, 2025 | The Tower
Explore this Tower to celebrate baptisms and dedications, engage in scripture, get excited about youth group, gear up for Christmas, learn about Affiliation membership, find out how you can participate in our Advent Guide and find out more about outreach partners!
