“Challenges and Opportunities”

At the Thursday, October 27 Session meeting, we had a discussion about the current state of our Sunday morning worship and Christian Education times as it is currently constructed. As a result of that meeting, the Session approved a motion “to create a committee to look at exploring Sunday Mornings at Chestnut Level.”

The plan is to assemble a group of people who will examine, study, and evaluate our Sunday morning worship and Sunday School model. We will also be seeking your input at different points during the process.

So, as we embark on a journey that only God knows where it will lead, my simple recommendation for now is to be excited, -- and encouraged. Let’s not have the unknown become our source of fear and disappointment. God is with us. In fact, God is the one who goes before us.

As I read materials, listen to the experts, and talk to friends who are pastors in other churches, the conclusion I have come to is that post-pandemic, a business-as-usual mindset of the church is simply not going to cut it. Instead, I see this as an opportunity to take positive steps to move Chestnut Level forward into the future. This will be in a variety of areas including worship and music, how we manage and use our facilities, connecting more intimately with our Solanco community, to jumping into the fray of social media and the digital world. The desired outcome is for us to be a vibrant, healthy, joyful, Spirit-filled family of God.

Post-pandemic, many churches have adopted a doom and gloom mentality, but I believe we are entering into what could be an amazing season in the life of our church. And no, that doesn’t mean it will always be easy, and that we will always see everything the same way all the time, but the point is, the days ahead will be a great opportunity for us. And like I talked about with Abraham last week, let’s enter this new and unfamiliar land with hope, promise, and enthusiasm.

This Sunday, November 6, we are privileged to have back with us, the Reverend Doctor Michael Wilson, former pastor of Chestnut Level, who faithfully served the church for 15 years. He will also be tapping into my sermon series on the book of Genesis. I am away for the weekend in Huntington, West Virginia, running a half marathon on Sunday morning, and then preaching at my good friend, John Minihan’s church, Christ Presbyterian. Please pray for me! Come join us in the sanctuary for worship at Chestnut Level at either 8:00 am or 10:30 am. We will also broadcast the 10:30 service on Zoom, Facebook Live, and YouTube. 5 AM

Blessings,

Pastor John Hartman

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