November 2024

Happy November!
Late one night, a man had gone to a party and had too many libations, so he decided it would be best to walk home. He found a shortcut through a poorly lit cemetery and, in the darkness, stumbled into an open grave. He tried to climb out but the walls were too slippery. Again and again, he fell back into the grave. Finally, in exhaustion, he settled in a corner to wait for sunlight.

A few minutes later, another man in the same condition was cutting through the cemetery and fell victim to the same grave. He, too, tried desperately to climb and claw his way out, and he was equally unsuccessful. As he was about to give up in hopeless resignation, he heard a voice from the darkness of his pit: "You may as well give up. You’ll never get out of here."
But he did!
Well… A little motivation goes a long way…and can get you out of a “whole” mess.

What mess is needed for our recovery?

In terms of the church, the mess we have created by our sinful practices has been forgiven by the suffering of Christ our Savior. The mess of death has been resurrected by the resurrection of Jesus the Light of the World. All of the Saints rejoice! at this blessed gift, and so do we.

What about the mess of finances? All of God’s disciples shoulder this responsibility. We will be voting on a spending plan for 2025 and electing council leaders to guide us with their devotion and wisdom. This past year, we received a windfall gift from the Cannon Foundation that has helped us with the upkeep of God’s house. Many members have come forward donating their time and talents to also care for the facility, but with an aging building, there is always more to do. Many more of us will need to also help with these financial needs of the congregation. But let us not simply focus on the expenses for upkeep of a building, let us also focus on the programs and ministries that enable us to do God’s work of sharing and giving to others. Last year such a focus on outreach led us into a new ministry of “Blessing Boxes.” What a joy to participate in such a ministry! What an answer to prayer for those who received the boxes.

Our life together is always defined by the outreach we perform in Jesus’ name. I pray that we stay focused in this way. Let us give thanks for the saints who have gone before us and continue to be a blessing to the community. Let us not lower our head and stumble into the pit. Let us be motivated together to rise up and greet the challenges of the end of our Pentecost Season and the hope of the Advent season which begins on November’s last Sunday. May we also plan to gather on the Sunday afternoon prior to Thanksgiving and worship with three other congregations, our China Grove neighbors. It will be a 4:00 service held at St. Marks. Let us all plan to attend and give thanks for the
many blessings of being CHURCH TOGETHER.

See you in Worship,
Pastor John Tucker


October 2024
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rest destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven. Where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”. (Mt. 6:19-20)

Welcome Fall, Welcome October! These are the months that churches consider their budgets for the coming year and participate in a campaign of stewardship. Did you know that most pastors don’t like to preach about money? Just as it is a sensitive issue today, so it was in Jesus’ time. That didn’t stop Jesus from talking about it though. Did you know that more than half of Jesus’ parables relate to stewardship? One pastor put it this way, “There are 2,350 passages in the Bible dealing with money and material possessions – more than on any other subject – but it’s the least talked about subject in the church.” One out of every six verses in Matthew, Mark, and Luke deals with money. I get the impression God wants us to talk about this issue as His faithful stewards.

The Old Testament described tithing as giving the very best of the first of everything in our lives – our thoughts, our hearts, our families, our possessions, our money – nothing is to be held back from God. The New Testament
scriptures refer to giving it all to God. Not just the first 10 percent, all of it. We have difficulty following such teachings, yet we are called by God to be faithful, cheerful givers.

Max Lucado, put it this way, “You don’t give for God’s sake. You give for your sake. The purpose of tithing is to teach you to always put God first in your lives. How does tithing teach? Consider the simple act of writing a check for
the offering. First you enter the date. Already you are reminded that you are a time bound creature.

Then you enter the name of the one to whom you are giving the money. If the bank would cash it, you’d write God. But they won’t so you write out Lutheran Chapel Church.

Next comes the amount. Ahh, the moment of truth. You’re more than a person with a checkbook. You’re David, placing a stone in the sling. You’re Peter, one foot on the boat, one foot on the lake. You’re a little boy in a big crowd. A
picnic lunch is all the Teacher needs, but it’s all you have. What will you do? Sling the stone, Take the step, Give the meal?

Careful now, don’t move too quickly. You aren’t just entering an amount…you are making a confession. A confession that God owns it all anyway. And then the line in the lower left-hand corner on which you write what the check is for. Hard to know what to put. It’s for the electric bill and study material. A little bit of outreach. A little bit of salary. Better yet, its partial payment for what the church has done to help you raise your family…keep your own priorities sorted out…tune you in to his ever-nearness.”

This message does not only apply to our financial resources. It applies to your joy, your reason for the hope that we have, our time, every single part of our lives. The first thoughts of the day belong to God. Talk to Him before your
feet ever hit the floor. Give Him your day from that very first minute and see if your day doesn’t go better. The first success of the day belongs to God. Thank Him for it. The first trial of the day belongs to God, ask Him for the help He
has already offered.

Remember we are not our own. We have been bought with a price and that our treasure is in our relationship with God’s Son. He has called each of us to be his children and trusted us to become stewards of His church. Let us pray about the ministries the church will offer to others and how we can financially support them. Let us plan for the future and live into the promise that our treasure is indeed, in heaven.

See you in church.
Pastor John


September 2024
Prayerful September is here at last! How is your prayer life today? Are you praying for the students who are settling into another school year? Are you praying for the candidates in our national election? Are you keeping an eye on the weather as September is the month when our country is impacted by hurricanes and tornados? What are you raising up to God for his care and attention in the month of September?

Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) has made an appeal to congregations with help regarding supplies for disaster clean up. They requested two things: kits containing cleaning supplies, or congregations that have space to allow storage of these supply kits for upcoming disasters. I contacted Reverend Ruth Ann Sipes, LDR Co-Director to learn more about the request.

In that Lutheran Chapel has many unused upstairs classrooms, we are able to allow LDR access to those rooms for storage of sealed buckets filled with cleaning supplies that will be given out at the next disaster. For example, tornados and situations of flooding will require immediate cleaning supplies for victims. These buckets will need to be dispensed quickly so they must be stored-on hand-at a variety of locations across the Synod.

This request was shared and discussed at the last meeting of the church council and it was decided to move ahead with the request and determine a plan to receive such donations that will be forthcoming in mid-September. Marvin and I have been discussing weekdays when one of us can be on hand to receive packaged cleaning supplies from other congregations. We have not nailed down the dates but we look to be cleaning out an old classroom to serve as our storage site.

When disasters happen, prayers for speedy assistance will be offered up and Lutheran Chapel can have a role in assisting with a response to such prayers.

Pray that September’s storms will be few and light, but rest assured that when they occur, Lutheran Chapel is ready to help our neighbor through the disaster.

See you in church!
Pastor John


August 2024
Happy eighth month in the year of our Lord! August has arrived. What shall we do now?

The fryers have been put away for a year, the freezer is void of apples, and the pots have been washed and stored away for safe keeping. Farmer’s Day apple pie activities are behind us…so what is next? I hear the Lord speak, “well
done, good and faithful servant” and I wonder what is next for us as a people of God?

When disciples put their heart and soul into a ministry as this community has, one takes time to rest. But then comes the day to adjust sails and set out again in ministry. When gathering for worship each Sunday in August, our lessons will help to answer the question of direction for disciples. We will be reading consecutively in two books-Ephesians and the Gospel of John. Reading through these books we will be reminded how members of God’s family are to
interact with others and God who serves us food that endures for eternal life.

God offers his people the kind of bread that satisfies all appetites. God call this serving: bread of life, living bread, and bread from heaven. Psalm 78 call this the “bread of Angels”, Moses calls it Mana. Proverbs 9 labels God’s feeding as “Wisdom” and Psalm 34 reminds us how the “Lord provides all things we need”. God is the chef, chief cook and bottle washer, which means we take a needed break from our efforts to fry pies and receive from God’s bounty.

By our monthly communion offerings each month we are aware of the “bread” provided by God. The bread we receive is baked by one of our members…yes, but even this bread becomes much more in the presence of God’s Word.
Earthly bread and wafers become a “Living Bread”. Luther says, in our eating and drinking the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ. We “Feast” on Him and He “lives” in us. We become energized, anointed, and sent out in His name so that we may act in ways of love, forgiveness, and righteousness…as His actions become manifest…in our actions.

No longer just bread offered to the hungry, but “LIVING BREAD” alive to change those we encounter. “BREAD OF LIFE” is a title Jesus gave himself to teach disciples that His presence was not meant to erase our hunger, but to renew and empower disciples to radiate His life. His renewing life energy now resides in His communed people.

As we leave the table, we are filled with new life and a motivation to speak with the “woman at the well”, the “lepper” in society, the forgotten ones in daily life. We offer not just a can of food or change from our pocket, but we give to others the Name of Jesus, the Risen Christ, the one whose aroma fills the world.

We know how the aroma of apple pies can fill a room. Imagine how the aroma of Christ was intended to fill the world so that it would reflect the Kingdom of God. See you in church!

Pastor John

July 2024
Aloha July! Hello Summer and goodbye cool temperatures. Air conditioning season is here in full swing. This means indoor activities about in the heat of the day. It is a very good thing, at least in July, that our worship time is well before the heat of the day sets in upon us. Lets do what we can to stay cool.

July gospel readings are also heating up. We remain in Mark's Gospel, chapter 6 where Jesus is prevented from doing any ministry in his hometown. Like the July ground, the hearts of hometown folks are hardened and do not accept the seed of God's word. The Son of God must move on to a new community that will accept his teachings.

The second Sunday of the month reveals how the Romans believed in "resurrection" when Herod confesses to believe that Jesus-the miracle worker must be John the Baptist in resurrected life.

The third Sunday of the month reveals how Jesus and his disciples can never get away to a place of rest. They are constantly followed by crowds who demand that their illnesses be healed. They know that healing will occur if they can only touch the hem of his clothing. This is a witness to the crowds' faith that has grown and their desperate longing to be healed.

July closes with a switch to John's Gospel, chapter 6 where Jesus feeds the crowd and then walks on water to reach the boat of the disciples.

Such readings confront our daily faith journey and raises the question "Who is Jesus?" As a true man, he gets hot, tired, overworked, and frustrated...just like us...in the month of July. But, as God's Son, Jesus is able to stay positive, provide for the masses to and feed them in ways that we would never accomplish. Jesus is truly both...True God, and True Man. He is the Messiah sent by God to bring people back to him He is the salvation of their troubles, their poor health conditions, and the worthy recipient of our faith.

The risen Christ is not just a mirage one sees in the heat of the scorching sun...He truly can accomplish all things for each of us who believe in Him.

See you in church where we will continue our pet friendly worship service in the month of July.
Pastor John


June 2024
Welcome Summer, welcome month of June! What are you seeing around you in June? Will there be birthday parties, anniversary celebrations or memories of treasured anniversaries? What about: Juneteenth-June 13th, Flag Day recognition on June 14?

As for me? I was confirmed in June, graduated high school in 1978 in June. My Dad’s birthday was in June, and many of my summer jobs began in June. This month has been a time to look back and celebrate and a time to roll up my shirt sleeves and prepare to get to work. Should this month of June be any different?

In church, we have been looking back as we cleaned out rooms, held a yard sale and finished many renovations and upgrades to prepare for weddings. One wedding will occur at the end of June, one in October and one in November. Lutheran Chapel Church is setting a course to host many celebrations for
years to come. Our scripture readings for the month will help us hear again how the disciples picked up the pieces, prayed and began doing the work of the church. After being filled with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the disciples continued to preach and witness to the faith that Jesus had displayed to them.

In the business of “doing” the work of the church do the disciples fully come to terms with everything Jesus had taught. Because of their travels, preaching and witnessing the church grew by the hundreds and thousands. Likewise, when we are busy showing our faith to others, others will want to join us in ministry.
Our efforts need to be visible to others and inviting for visitors.

We will begin offering a “Pet Friendly” outdoor worship service at the stone altar each Sunday at 8:00 to help others reflect on their faith. I will offer time for prayer, reading and reflection on the daily Psalm, followed by Holy Communion. The goal is to reach out to everyone and particularly neighbors who might not have a priority to commit to a full worship service but feel a need to connect with God in a tangible way. And what better, than to worship alongside your beloved pet. The service will last only 20-25 minutes so folks can
get back to their morning routine.

Pray for this ministry and the neighbors who will pause long enough to worship here. Pray for God to reclaim their heart and renew the Spirit with them. Pray that they want more than a 25 minute visit and will come back for a full worship experience with the family of God. And if you want to see God at work…come one morning and bring a chair. You too can pause long enough to ponder God’s Psalmody and receive communion.

May June find us gathering to worship, celebrate and enjoy the unfolding of God’s Holy Spirit this month. See you in Church!
Pastor John


May 2024

Catching The Vision

According to secular standards when one thinks of “catching the vision” it usually implies the activity of seeing with our eyes. “Did you see that”, “I can’t believe my eyes”, “the new color looks beautiful and changes the mood in
the room.” Seeing things for ourselves such as spring tulips, daffodils, azaleas, and dog woods fills us with anticipation of new growth.

Reflecting upon the scriptural lessons for May, new visions abound for the disciples and the blooming church. Paul has visions of what to do. John has visions of abiding with Christ. Pentecost empowers our vision through the
Spirit of God which is here in our midst. Such a vision for the church is not experienced with our eyes but felt in our heart. A heart that is actively searching and listening for God in our three Sundays offering Holy Communion.

In May of 1926 a young seminarian named Dietrich Bonhoeffer was invited to speak to a gathering of clergy prior to World War two. He based his thoughts on Psalm 127 to redirect the vision of his hearers from a limited focus
on the tasks and thoughts of society to consider what God is doing in their midst. The Psalm reads, “unless the Lord builds…the builders labor in vain.”

Bonhoeffer’s thoughts ask us: “Why do we begin to rebuild what has been destroyed (in WW1) instead of waiting for God to build? Why do we continue to work to establish the church where once it belonged? Why do we struggle for the moral and religious education of our children, if all we do is in vain?
Certainly, all our doing is in vain if we do only what we want to do. Then we can hope for nothing. But when we are most careful to do what God wants and not what we want, the it is as though the Lord himself builds. For how can the Lord build except through us? It is only when we build other than in the spirit of the Lord that our very best work is in vain.”

We are beginning a new ministry together and our calling is to listen for God’s call and presence which guides us and His church into newness of life. New visions of our community life together are being shared so that our gatherings in worship and committees might better connect our hearts with the Holy Spirit. Not radical changes by any means, but a vision that opens doors for community members to utilize our facilities, more invitations for our
members to engage in the work of the Kingdom.

May is the month for visions. Let us lend our hearts for visioning the work of the Holy Spirit. We have renovated: worship space, bridal rooms, bathrooms, hallways, closets, fellowship hall improvements, and more. Let us take this vision from God’s house, His Holy Word, and the ministry we do together in His name. Here is to our catching God’s vision together. See you in Church!
Pastor John


April 2024

HAPPY EASTER! He Is Risen, Indeed! The Good News is that the tomb is empty! Jesus has gone on to Galilee, as he said he would. He has gone to prepare a place for each of his followers. He will come again to take us all to be with him…and with God, our heavenly creator.

Make no mistake, this proclamation has nothing to do with worldly things like: spring, or bunnies, or flowers, or bulbs, spring dresses, new shoes, new clothes…NO! This proclamation is the PROMISE of God, the HOPE of all believers, and the JOY that death is not the final word. God has spoken and demonstrated his Love for humanity by the RESURRECTION of Jesus.

God’s PROMISE was to send a Messiah who would save the world. Save the world from the oppressive, controlling Roman authorities? No, God intended more then this saving action. God promised to bring Salvation to the world for
all who would believe and have faith in God’s word (Scripture) and God’s living word (JESUS, The Christ). By our faith in Jesus declaring him to be My Savior, My Lord, My salvation and looking up to Him in all things…Faith gets connected with God’s word (written and lived in Christ) and we are made righteous by God, and embraceable once again.

Our HOPE is that God’s promise will always be honored by God to love us, forgive us, and redeem us by welcoming us into His heavenly kingdom. All of Holy Scripture points towards this hope by God’s followers, Israel, those who are Baptized by water and the Holy Spirit. Since we have been filled with and renewed by God’s Holy Spirit, we are God’s new creation and bound for greater things in both life and death.

Our JOY is that the darkness of Good Friday when God’s Son died on the cross, did not prove victorious. Death did not win the day. Death merely separated the disciples from their teacher for a brief period of time…three days…the blink of an eye, until God’s gift of RESURRECTION to new life happened. And HAPPEN, IT DID! Jesus rose from the tomb and appeared to his disciples for some 40 days. Forty days of walking with his community of believers to demonstrate the VICTORY that awaits God’s children.

In this way, the truth of EASTER is made real for each of us. It can not be explained, It can only be realized and lived through Faith in God’s Word, His living Word that we now call Jesus, the Risen Christ! May these few paragraphs inspire your faith and draw you closer to God’s eternal presence. A presence filled with new life, new aromas of Hope and Joy. Do not let the trials experienced on “Good Friday” dampen your dreams in life. Rather, look up to the empty cross, the Empty Tomb, so that you can cry out with all creation, Alleluia! Jesus Lives!

See you in worship,
Pastor John


February 2024

Welcome February, Welcome Season of Lent. This is the season when the church brings into focus our identity as baptized children of God and our unworthiness due to our preference to live in sin. For Martin Luther, this was his “journey into the dark night of the soul”. A time to listen humbly from the foot of the cross as God calls for repentance. God’s call to redirect our daily chores in which we have prioritized and turn our heart in the direction of
God.

Such a turning looks different for each of us. We are all traveling at different speeds, in various directions, seeking worldly gains. Repentance is the calling by Jesus to stop the vehicle, turn down the distractions so that we can listen and respond to God’s voice.

God’s voice is calling us to move in new directions during Lent that will bring us closer to him and closer to each other. We come together on Wednesday evenings for meals and time to hear God’s word. Through conversation and
reflection, the opportunity to grow closer in our walk with the Lord and our understanding of the new ways God is making his presence known in our midst. Wednesday meals are hosted in the Fellowship Hall.

Sundays we gather for worship in the recently refurbished sanctuary. We also have newly refurbished rooms and bathrooms that will accommodate and attract both young and old to experience the newness of God’s house. We
feel called to invite others in our community to “come and see” what God is doing to renew and restore his people. As we grow closer in our walk with the risen Christ, we are compelled to invite and share our faith with others. “Come
and see” and become a part of God’s transforming presence during Lent.

Tuesday, February 13th we gather for a “Mardi Grais” themed Shrove Tuesday Pancake supper. Bring your smiling humor along with your appetite and help us celebrate the joy of being together. We conclude with a fire filled
event setting the tone and mood for a more somber Lenten journey on February 14th . Ash Wednesday does not include a supper meal, but the next six Wednesdays offer dinner at 6 and program at 6:45.

February is here and we move forward in faith embracing God’s blessings along with our discipleship.

See you in church,
Pastor John



January 2024

Happy New Year!!!
Who Knew? Who knew that we would be together in the year 2024? Yet, here we are. A new year together as God’s family in China Grove, North Carolina. We come together to worship, pray, praise God and support one another along life’s path. For three years and counting we have indeed been gathering together in the name of ministry and celebration. So, Let us step out together into 2024 with a resolution to continue serving God and neighbor to the best of our ability.

Our worship themes in January kick off with Epiphany on the 6th (the 12th day of Christmas) as we remember the witness of the 3 wise men who came seeking the King of the Jews. They were the first to proclaim the advent of His birth. Now it is our turn to have an Aha moment! (an Epiphany) and recognize Jesus as our king. Can you imagine these wise men bumping into King Herod and asking the location of the King of the Jews? The wise men passed over king Herod to continue their journey seeking The King. Herod was disrespected…and must have been furious. After all, the came offering gifts…but none for Herod.

Themes for Sunday begin to follow the important events in the life of Jesus. First, Jesus was baptized …at age 30 mind you. Then we hear about the call he made to his 12 disciples. We focus on the calling to 2 different sets of brothers and how they left everything in their lives to follow the teacher. And the month concludes with Jesus healing on the Sabbath day. An action that upset the religious leaders, but pay attention to the statement the demon makes on January 28. He exclaims, “I know who you are…Jesus of Nazareth…” The Demon knew right away. The disciples are just beginning their education about the identity of Jesus. They do not know for sure until after his death, resurrection and appearance to them.

So again I ask and ponder the question…who knew? Do you know who Jesus is? Do you and your family know? Do we as God’s Church know who Jesus really is? Do we know that He longs to greet us in His heavenly Kingdom? Do we offer ministry in His Name in all that we do? Remember, the demon knew right away. But for you and I…and his disciples it will take a lifelong journey of faith to make a confident proclamation.

The statement “I know who you are…” made all the difference to a demon. I wish it made the same difference to worshipers in China Grove. It’s been my experience as a pastor to sit with members at their bedside when the end times approach and remind them of our hope in Jesus. I remind them of the promise of God’s Word to “…Go and prepare a place for you so that I may take you to be with me…” I remind them because they have forgotten…or never fully accepted… or simply doubt the identity of Jesus.

Remember the words of the Wise Men… “We seek the King of the Jews”

Remember the words of the Angels… “…For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior who is Christ the Lord!...”

Remember the words of disciple Peter… “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God!”

Remember… “His Body…broken for you, His blood, shed for YOU!”

Remember his simple call to… “follow me and I will make you fishers of men.”

“My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” You, each of you has been baptized in His name and adopted as His child. You are family. You know the truth about God’s greatest gift to humankind. Now, let us tell about this to the community. Let us show them by our actions and our LOVE, how
Christmas was intended to change the hearts and lives of mankind. When we tell the story we help others look forward to a new year with Christ.

Who knew?
You know.
In 2024 Let us all become as Luther said, “…be little Christs to the world.”

Happy New Year! Wait…aren’t we suppose to tell it on
the mountain? Which mountain? Can it be found on google?

See you in church.
Pastor John