Struggling During The Holidays?

The holidays are such a happy time of year. Families and friends celebrate together. Everything is merry and bright. Some places even have that white fluffy stuff that falls from the sky.

But the reality is that for some it’s also a really tough season for some. Maybe you’ve experienced the loss of a loved one. Or maybe you’re still dealing with the tragedy of walking through a divorce. You or a family member might be dealing with a serious illness.

These, and other things, can lead to the holiday season being a very lonely and stressful time.

We’ve complied a few resources that might be helpful in this season:

For Those In Recovery

For Those With Cancer

For Those Dealing With Grief

For Those Dealing With Divorce

For Those Dealing With Altheimer’s

MaKensie's Story

Growing up, I was brought into the church every Sunday but never really paid attention or absorbed any of the information that was being taught. I just did the little activity sheets that they offered for kids and that was it. 

December 2011, my parents got a divorce and we just slowly stopped going to church. I'm not exactly sure why, but I think my mom got her hands full when she became a single mom. I went throughout middle school and high school with no belief in mind, and I honestly didn't even know if I believed God existed at all. 

When I started college June 2018, my mental health had declined to the point where I didn't even want to go through my simple day-to-day routine. I was about to move back home when one of my friends from the equestrian team invited me to a college ministry and introduced me to other college students in the Chets College LifeGroup. That is when I started going to church twice a week and hung out with those people outside of the LifeGroup as well. 

I wanted to believe in God but I didn't truly have a solid faith until last year when my stepdad was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. What we thought was a simple and successful surgery, turned life-threatening just days after the initial surgery. Complication after complication seemed to push us even further and further from hope. But turning to God and having countless prayers turned his way did more than we could've imagined. 

On the day we thought was going to be it, I wasn't supposed to be able to say goodbye. He wasn't supposed to make it through the night so the doctors just started trying to make him comfortable and started having him make up plans while he was still coherent. 2 hours turned into 4. 4 hours turned into the next morning. The next morning turned into the next week, which turned into the next month. The doctors didn't change their treatment plan, and we all got to witness the power of God at work. I got the pleasure to witness one of His miracles. That is what made me sit back and think, "Wow. He's real." 

That day is when I realized just how amazing He is and not only did He introduce me to some of the most amazing people here at Chets Creek, He also saved my stepdad's life and didn't just give us a few more hours, but hopefully a few more decades. I am eternally grateful for His miracles. 

I tried to get baptized last year, but things just kept getting in the way until Chris Litton went out of his way to make sure that I was getting baptized this year. I will forever be thankful for Chris for making sure that my biggest hope came true this year. October 2020 will be known for the rest of my life as the day that my life truly began. I thank God every day for all that He has brought into my life since I started attending Chets Creek. I can't wait to see what else He has in store for me.

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How We Are Responding to the Coronavirus

As you know, the news and reports about the coronavirus have caused many questions and concerns.  There are currently no confirmed cases in our area and although we are still considered to be at low risk for impact, the health and safety of our kids, students, and adults is always our top priority. To be proactive we wanted to share with you some of the things our ChetsKids and Chets Students teams are doing to help keep our Chets family and guests safe:

• Well-Child Policy - In light of developments related to the coronavirus and the current flu season we want to remind you of our well-child policy. Please keep children who show any visible sign of illness (fever, runny nose that is not clear, etc.) at home until they are symptom-free for at least 24 hours.

• ChetsKids - We are working with our volunteer leaders across all campuses to reinforce frequent hand washing and sanitizing. Every kids LifeGroup will have a supply of antiseptic wipes and sanitizer in their room to use as needed. Common surfaces (like tabletops, chairs, etc.) will be disinfected between classes on Sundays in addition to the cleaning we already do throughout the week. Additional hand sanitizing stations are being added to kids areas as well.  

• Chets Students - Student areas are adding additional hand sanitizing stations as well as making preparations to insure a healthy environment during THRIVE Weekend.

Again, the safety and security for kids and students at Chets is our number one priority. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact your campus ministry leader.

Additionally we’d like to share two resources with you that we’ve found helpful:

• We believe this video gives a clear and factual explanation of coronavirus and what you can do about it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drMw2evwMFA

• This is an article that offers some helpful thoughts on a Christian response to the Coronavirus: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/how-should-christians-talk-about-the-covid-19-potential-pandemic/

Thank you Chets family. Stay healthy and continue to pray for those who are being impacted by the coronavirus.

Our New Southside Campus Pastor

We are excited to introduce Jody Ray as our new Southside Campus Pastor. As Campus Pastor, Jody will be the primary teaching pastor at the Southside Campus and will lead the campus staff and volunteers. He and his family have been a part of the Chets family for the last 12 years, and we’re looking forward to what God will do through them in this new role.

Jody is a graduate of Gardner-Webb University, where he received a Bachelor's degree in Religious Studies. He served for six years in the Air Force then spent over a decade working in the corporate world. Jody's last corporate job was as a Vice President with CitiBank before Jody, along with his wife Rebecca and three sons (Isaac, Josiah, and Caleb) felt God leading them to international missions.

The Ray family served for two and a half years in the Philippines and three years in Pakistan. In Pakistan Jody worked as CEO of Shikarpur Christian Hospital and Director of Indus Christian Fellowship while ministering to and sharing the Gospel with those in the community.

Since returning from Pakistan, Jody has been serving as our Missions Associate. We believe that because of his heart for and experience working with internationals Jody is uniquely equipped to minister to those in the area surrounding the Southside campus.

Two Minute Talk with Jackie Hatcher

This summer we’re studying one of Jesus’ most famous sermons, the Sermon on the Mount. In this blog, Jackie Hatcher shares how her own understanding of the scriptures pointing to the character of Jesus has grown her faith and can do the same for you.

Discovery may be the ultimate obsession when purposed for growing in our faith and understanding the things of God.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. - John 14:6

I’ve discovered through this sermon series, Jesus prepared the path, placed lights along the way, and set left and right limits. Understanding John 14:6 allows for much more productivity in our worship, serving, and growing while navigating through this life.

Our ultimate search for righteousness culminates with the understanding that Jesus is the righteous one. Here is my understanding of His profile:

• Righteous one: Jesus The Christ

• Relationship status: Triune with Father and Holy Spirit

• Hometown: Heaven

• Education: Supernatural Doctorate of Divinity

• Ultimate sacrifice: Death on the cross for me

Evidence of His Righteous profile reveals an exact match with the life He lived. He remained obedient to the Father, loved those cast out by culture, and completed His assignment. In retrospect the question remains, has my desire for understanding connected my profile with the life I live?

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Matthew 5:6

Strong desire to know and understand the God I serve brings total fulfillment and change. 

Through this fascinating search, I have come to realize I need and desire more of Him. Searching for more pushes me toward His throne of Grace where I find true love. While the journey through this series has been short, the list of self-righteous ideas was long. But now, they are placed at the feet of Jesus.  

And after He had dismissed the crowds, He went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, - Matthew 14:23 

Great discovery happens when we are alone in prayer.

Two Minute Talk with Bob Bumgarner

This summer we’re studying one of Jesus’ most famous sermons, the Sermon on the Mount. In this video Bob Bumgarner, our Executive Pastor, talks about building our lives on the only foundation that will last forever.

Two Minute Talk with Kristen Pepe

This summer we’re studying one of Jesus’ most famous sermons, the Sermon on the Mount. In this blog, Kristen Pepe talks about how our motives matter.

I love serving others. There’s something about helping someone else that I find deeply rewarding. But sometimes I get caught up in the me aspect of loving others. How great I feel when I do it or how amazing I am for helping them. 

I know God calls me to love others as He has loved me (John 15:12) but far too often in loving others and serving others my focus is more on me and what I’ll get out of it. Instead of seeking to please the Father, I find myself seeking recognition for myself. I brag to friends hoping they’ll congratulate me for being such a great servant of God.

I’m pretty sure you won’t be surprised to hear that that’s not at all how Jesus calls us to live. In Matthew 6:1 he addresses this very issue saying,

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.”

Jesus is very clear that when I make it about me, I’ve got it all wrong. Our motives matter.

But when we find that our motives are not pure, what can we do to fix it? We focus less on us and more on Christ.

Jesus gives instructions for how we should serve others,

“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.” - Matthew 6:2

When we focus less on us and more on Christ, being charitable is something we do out of the overflow of God’s love. It’s not about telling everyone on social media about how we served others.

“But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that you’re giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” - Matthew 6:3-4 

When we focus less on us and more on Christ, it’s enough that only He knows.

He also addresses the importance of having the right motives in our spiritual disciplines.

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.” - Matthew 6:5

“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.” - Matthew 6:7

Our prayer life shouldn’t be about sounding super spiritual or praying just for other to hear our words. He tells us instead,

“But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” - Matthew 6:6

When we focus less on us and more on Christ, our prayer life changes. We become sensitive to the needs of others and are in tune with the promptings of the Holy Spirit. When we focus less on us and more on Christ, our prayer life brings God glory.

Maybe you can relate. Maybe you’ve gotten caught up in the praise of others, the desire to please others, or you’ve spent more time focusing on yourself in your spiritual walk instead of Jesus.

Check your motives. When we allow our selfishness to get in the way, we’re missing out on the true reward God has for us. But when I concentrate my efforts on pleasing Him alone and bringing Him glory, He notices and there is eternal reward.

Two Minute Talk with Jeff Tapp

This summer we’re studying one of Jesus’ most famous sermons, the Sermon on the Mount. In this video Jeff Tapp, our Minister to Students, talks about Jesus as our reward worth pursuing.

Two Minute Talk with Daron Johnson

This summer we’re studying one of Jesus’ most famous sermons, the Sermon on the Mount. In this blog Pastor Daron talks about what it actually means to be “blessed.”

SORT OF HAPPY OR SO HAPPY?

The Beatitudes, part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, are about being “blessed.” The word “blessed” describes a person who is so happy at being in God’s favor. In fact, the meaning of the word “blessed” describes such a high degree of happiness at being in God’s favor that others want to be “blessed” like that too.

A problem we can experience as followers of Jesus is that we sometimes miss being so happy and settle for being sort of happy. There is a huge difference. So happy is a much fuller experience than sort of happy. Jesus Himself told us He came so that we could experience life to the full (John 10:10). Yes, this fullness certainly includes trusting in Jesus as the One who rescues us from sin, but it also includes trusting Jesus with each day as our Lord (the One who leads us into a greater fullness, even throughout our life on earth).

This experience of being so happy in the favor of God and moving toward the fullness that Jesus describes requires some key steps. 

1. First, we must better understand who Jesus is and what He is teaching us. As we intentionally invest time each day in God’s Word, we get a much better sense of Jesus and His teaching.

2. Second, it is important to realize that only learning about Jesus is to stop short of truly understanding Him. We must also commit to run with Him and obey His incredible teaching that leads to full life.

3. Third, when we understand Jesus and run with Him, we will find ourselves witnessing the amazing things of eternity. At this point we can’t help but tell others about it. This is simply the idea of helping others understand who Jesus is and what He is teaching. 

The question that leaves us with is: How do we take steps away from being sort of happy toward being so happy? Where do I start to move more toward the full life Jesus is telling us about? 

As we study the Beatitudes in LifeGroups and learn about the Sermon on the Mount in the worship service, let’s take the 28-day challenge at home. There are 28 chapters in the book of Matthew. Commit for 28 days to read one chapter a day, and ask these three questions as you are reading:

1. What is God telling me to believe?

2. What is God telling me to do?

3. How can I put this into practice this week? 

Seriously taken, this 28-day walk through Matthew with these three questions, will make a real difference for us as individuals, as families, and as a church. As we move toward the full life Jesus leads us to understand and live, let’s declare what it means to live so happy in the favor of God.

Two Minute Talk with Sarah Willis

This summer we’re studying one of Jesus’ most famous sermons, the Sermon on the Mount. In this video Sarah Willis shares about how Jesus takes one of the Ten Commandments to the next level and what that means for us.

Two Minute Talk with Glenn Reese

This summer we’re studying one of Jesus’ most famous sermons, the Sermon on the Mount. Pastor Glenn shares two principles of Jesus’ ministry that stand out to him while reading through the Sermon on the Mount.

TWO PRINCIPLES OF JESUS’ MINISTRY THAT STAND OUT:

1. LESS IS MORE 
   At the end of the sermon, we find these words: The crowds were astonished at His teaching for He was teaching them as one who had authority and not as their scribes (Matthew 7:28-29). It’s the principle of LESS IS MORE. When I’m preparing to teach or preach, I often tell myself be precise, simplify, clarify, this is too much. It’s as if each word spoken by Jesus is weighed for impact and planted for precision. Something too wordy crowds out a Holy Spirit interjection, and I need Holy Spirit promptings to allow what I’m reading to read me.

2. GOING FOR THE HEART 
   The Scribes and Pharisees were masters of minutia – you took too many steps on the Sabbath, you failed to observe the feast of Passover with unleavened bread, you put a comma when there should be a semicolon. In contrast, Jesus focuses on the heart – So, how are you at loving your enemy? Is worry dominating your life? Are you trying to serve two masters? How’s that working for you? When Jesus says multiple times, “you have heard that it was said, but I say unto you . . .” He is looking directly at my motives, the intentions of my heart. GOING FOR THE HEART requires that I check not only what I said or did, but why. When I toy with temptation or yield to it, the question I ask myself is Why did you go there? This takes me to the heart issue before the act.

Two Minute Talk with Eddie Hastings

This summer we’re studying one of Jesus’ most famous sermons, the Sermon on the Mount. In this video, Pastor Eddie shares about the Beatitudes (the first few verses from the Sermon on the Mount) and challenges us to do something with what we’ve heard!

Connecting With God

“I stopped going to church because I didn’t feel connected to God, but when I went to Chets things began to change.”

Juan Rios said he grew up hearing about God, but it never really made sense. “I didn’t know who God was or what he was trying to get through to me.” So, for the past few years he just stopped going at all.

Juan is in the Marine Corps and was on deployment in Afghanistan last year. While there, he walked through difficult experiences and saw some shocking things. When he came back to the states, Juan recognized he needed something to change. So, when a friend invited him to Chets Creek in January, he decided to give it a try.

“I didn’t know how I’d feel about it,” said Juan but for the first time in his life, what he heard made sense. Juan vividly recalled the sermon from that first Sunday titled, “Are You Ready?” based on scripture from Isaiah. As Pastor Chris taught, Juan described an emotional connection to the scripture he’d never experienced before.

That day Juan filled out a connection card saying he wanted to find his way to God and commit his life to Jesus. One of our discipleship pastors, Daron Johnson, followed up with Juan to talk about his desire to commit his life to Christ.

“He shared with me about God and how it’s not about just going to church but actually having a relationship with Him,” said Juan. He understood what Daron was saying and knew it was time to go from knowing about God to actually knowing God.

“I began a relationship with Jesus. I feel happy because I know I can talk to Him and He’s there all the time,” said Juan.

Juan’s troubles didn’t disappear when he accepted Christ. He is still dealing with the challenges of adjusting back to life as a civilian, experiencing hurt in relationships, and trying to figure out what he’s called to do. But he keeps going back to something Chris said that very first Sunday, “It’s ok to be uncomfortable, comfortable isn’t in God’s vocabulary.” Juan knows that even when it’s uncomfortable he can trust in and rely on Jesus.

“Honestly, He’s the person I can go to about anything. If there’s ever a time where something good or bad is happening, I can bring it to Him and feel good knowing He’ll be there to get me through.”

Restoring a Relationship

For thirty-three years there was no contact between a father and son. It was a complete cutting of ties. “I erased my father from my life for the things he did and the things I hated him for” explained Lee Jordan. But the rift that began in 1986 ended last week, and the only explanation for why, is God’s grace.

Lee pointed to a very distinct moment four years ago that it became clear he needed to fix the brokenness. It was the conversation in the car with his friend riding to and from a Chets Mens Retreat that began softening his heart toward his father. Until that moment, “even the thought of being around him was too toxic to consider,” said Lee.

As time went on, things would be said in sermons, or during discussions in LifeGroup, and as he studied scripture on his own that pointed toward a need for reconciliation. “In my devotion time, I would have this nagging” he recalled. He knew something had to change, but still he resisted.

Lee and his wife Beth make it a priority to pray together each morning and the relationship had made its way to their prayer list. That’s when Beth heard Eddie Hatcher’s story. During a women’s Bible study on prayer, Eddie shared of his estrangement from his father and the power of prayer in his own life. When Beth shared Eddie’s story with Lee, he knew it was time to take steps toward healing the relationship with his own father. 

Lee said he met up with Eddie who talked with him, pointed to God’s word, and asked, “Are you willing to reach out?” Lee knew that the ongoing debate between him and God about why he should or shouldn’t reach out to his father was over. He found his father on LinkedIn and sent an email asking if they could meet up and his dad agreed.

Last week, Lee drove to meet up with his father. In the car ride over, Lee said God revealed something to him. “As loud and clear as I’ve ever heard Him in my life, I heard God say, ‘Why are you doing this begrudgingly? I asked you to give up the one thing on your altar that you said no to, and now you’re closer to me than you’ve ever been.”

In his brokenness, Lee had to rely on God to help Him to what he never thought he could. “I experienced the idea of extending the grace and love that’s been extended to me,” said Lee.

When Lee and his father reunited, they spent hours talking and even hugged at the end of their time together. “There is nothing that surprises those who know me more than me reconciling with my father,” said Lee. He’s been able to have conversations with friends about what it means to surrender everything to Jesus.  

“We need to be willing to share brokenness, it’s the most attractive thing that draws others to Jesus. Brokenness is what unites us.” And Jesus Christ is the only one who can heal us from that brokenness.

Parks and Rec

There’s something freeing about being at the park. The sun on your skin, the breeze in the air. Go to any park in the Nocatee community and you’ll likely find a group of moms enjoying the outdoors with their preschoolers.

It’s part of the culture of the community. Beth Chin said it only made sense to start a ministry to reach out to those moms.

Parks and Rec began as a way to give moms an opportunity to talk about relevant topics relating to raising their preschoolers at a place where they were already hanging out each week… the parks. It quickly became a tool for forming lasting friendships and encouraging one other.

Each week moms would get together to discuss topics like childhood development, discipline, and healthy relationships. They shared their struggles and their successes with each other.

At the park they found community. Not because they were all moms at a park who lived in the same area but because they were investing in each other’s lives. And because Jesus was at the center of it all.

While the moms met and talked, the kids played. They bounced balloons, chased bubbles, read books, hung out on the slide, and were cared for by adult volunteers. The moms were able to relax and have real conversations knowing their kids were being taken care of. “It was really nice to talk with other women and know that the kids were having fun too,” said Lauren Gonzalez.

Although Parks and Rec officially ended last week, the moms decided they’re going to continue meeting all summer. Those lasting friendships made over just a few weeks made an impact on them and they want others to experience the same joy they did.

Beth Chin said, “the biggest win is that they’re continuing to meet up.” And that’s the biggest win for anything we do in ministry that it continues to happen even when the minister walks away.

Desiree's Story

“My world was chaotic and confusing and constantly in transition. I came from a broken home. I was trying to figure out who I was as a person and what my life would look like down the road.”

At the Florida Baptist Children’s Home Desiree found stability and able to thrive. Here’s her story…

You can help children like Desiree and meet their needs when you give to our Mother’s Day Offering. You can give at church this week or online at chetscreek.com/give.

Leading Kids to Changed Lives

“When God can give you a little glimpse into what’s going on in a kid’s heart, it’s amazing!” Seeing those glimpses is one of the things Dawn Parker enjoys the most about leading her LifeGroup.

Dawn has been leading ChetsKids LifeGroups for 15 years. She started as an assistant leader and the next year took over leading first graders. She’s been doing it ever since. “I’ve found my niche and I haven’t felt any reason to give that up,” said Dawn about her commitment to teaching kids year after year.

First grade was the beginning of the elementary ministry. Dawn said she enjoyed getting to help parents and kids transition into the elementary ministry and helping them understand the truth we want them to learn.

This past month in ChetsKids they’ve been learning about hope… believing something good can come out of something bad. They spent some time talking about how Jesus came back to Jerusalem knowing he would die, because he loves us. 

Dawn says she tries to make it personal when sharing with the kids. “It’s my sin that hurt Jesus. He took on that pain because he loves me.”

As she was talking about how she feels when she thinks about how she hurt Jesus, she noticed one of the kids in her LifeGroup getting teary eyed. “He was feeling what I feel when I think of what Jesus went through for me” said Dawn.

That day Dawn texted the kid’s mom to tell her how he’d responded to what they were talking about in LifeGroups. His mom told her he’d accepted Jesus just the other day.

Dawn said “it was obvious the Holy Spirit had worked on him and his heart was truly repentant.” When the parents are involved, Dawn says it shows.

This past Sunday the kid from her LifeGroup as well as two other children from her LifeGroup were baptized. Dawn said, “they come from amazing families whose parents are spiritual leaders in their households.”

Over the years Dawn has seen children give their life to Christ during LifeGroup, at VBS, and in other settings at Chets. She’s led them in gospel conversations and walked with families as they lead their kids to Jesus.

Over the years Dawn has also experienced the difficulties of being a LifeGroup leader. She’s walked with families through medical struggles, emotional struggles, and family challenges. But she loves that she has the opportunity to minister to the whole family.

“I want them to know that somebody loves them just because!” Over the years she’s learned that just showing up is a big deal. To Dawn that means showing up prepared to lead LifeGroup and love on kids. It means showing up consistently week after week so the kids know they can count on you. And it means showing up randomly in kids’ lives, like bringing a popsicle to a kid after they’ve had their tonsils out. Dawn says showing up is how you connect. It’s how you establish relationships and show them they’re loved.

“If a kid can see that someone besides their parents loves them, then maybe they’ll get a tiny drop of the love God has for them.” Dawn says that’s what it’s all about.

Easter at Chets 2019

We had an amazing week celebrating our risen Savior together. It started with our global night of worship. All four campuses came together to worship God and take the Lord’s supper.

We ended the night praising God with voices only our voices singing out these words…

“Then on the third at break of dawn,

The Son of heaven rose again.

O trampled death where is your sting?

The angels roar for Christ the King

O praise the name of the Lord our God

O praise His name forever more

For endless days we will sing Your praise”

The Easter fun continued on Saturday as we spent the day loving and serving our communities during our annual Easter Eggstravaganza.

This year we had over 6,600 volunteers and guests across our four campuses. We had fun with egg hunts, bounce houses, face painting, crafts, carnival games, and food. We had some great conversations and a whole lot of fun!

Sunday we celebrated the hope we have in Jesus Christ together and welcomed new guests as well as familiar friends.

This Easter we had 13 services across four campuses. We had our largest attendance ever with over 5,000 people attending Easter services at Chets!

Remembering Jesus

By Glenn Reese

What is the Lord’s supper? It’s a symbolic act of obedience where Christians remember the death of Jesus Christ and anticipate His second coming. The bread is a symbol of His body and the juice represents His blood.

For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.” For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again.

- 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

There it was. Every time I sat in church as a child – always near the front – I read the words “Do this in remembrance of me.” which were inscribed on a table that sat front and center. We called it the Communion Table. The table where the men in suits placed the juice and crackers. The words inscribed come directly from Jesus as recorded in Luke’s Gospel:

And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

-  Luke 22:19

When Jesus spoke those words to the disciples, there was a history of over a thousand years of Passover celebrations. Years of remembering God’s deliverance of the Israelites out of the slavery of Egypt. I doubt they fully realized they were eating the Passover meal with the Passover Lamb.

Now we are over two thousand years removed from the death and resurrection of Jesus. How desperately I need to remember.

The word remember is found 171 times in the Bible.   Remember the Sabbath… remember my covenant… remember Lot’s wife … remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead…

How about this use of remember:  One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!”  But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?  And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

- Luke 23:39-43

I wonder if this criminal might have thought after Jesus’ death, “I hope He (Jesus) remembers me”? That criminal, along with the rest of us criminals, is eternally grateful that Jesus remembers us and remembers our sin no more.

Way too often when I take communion, I struggle to remember Jesus. Just Jesus.

• I remember sin – He chooses not to

• I remember shame – He extends grace

• I remember failure – He redeems the past

• I remember rebellion – He extends loving kindness

Is it possible for me to come to His table with child-like wonder again?

Can I remove the distractions and focus on Jesus? Just Jesus.

Can I seek His face more than Facebook?  Can I take delight in the Text more than texting?

Yes, I can. As I allow His Word to settle my restless heart; as I allow His Spirit to fill me; as I gather with my family in Christ, take a cracker and a cup of juice, look to the cross, and remember Jesus. Just Jesus.

Living Hope: New Land

Mzamomhle is a township on the outskirts of Gonubie, part of the Eastern Cape of South Africa. There are approximately 45,000 people who live in the township of Mzamomhle. Last year nearly one fourth of those people (just under 10,000) were touched by the programs offered through Living Hope.

Our partnership with Living Hope in 2011 after a few Chets members visited Living Hope in Cape Town and met the founder of Living Hope, John Thomas. We saw God was doing incredible things through Living Hope and knew we wanted to be a part of how God was working to bring hope and break the despair of poverty and disease. What resulted was a Living Hope branch in the Mzamomhle township.

In 2013 the Chin family (Don, Beth, Alex, and Taylor) moved to East London to begin the Mzamomhle branch of Living Hope through the support of Chets Creek. A year and a half later, the Chins returned to Jacksonville, FL and Pumla Madliwa, who was working with Living Hope in the Eastern Cape, took over as project coordinator of Living Hope Eastern Cape. Since then our ministry partnership continues through prayer, short-term mission teams, and generous giving.

One of the team members from last year’s trip, Pat Rascoe, said one of the coolest things about going on the trip was seeing how the money Chets gives is being used. “Seeing a Living Hope person who has a job that Chets helps fund, that’s where it goes. Watching a child put a bite of food in their mouth at 4:30 in the afternoon and that’s the first thing they’ve eaten all day, that’s where it goes. Taking food to a house or some clothes to someone in need and watching their face light up as they say, ‘God is good,’ that’s where it goes.”

Even with our generous giving, over the years, we have seen the needs for ministry grow. One of the things preventing Living Hope from offering the same services in Mzamomhle that they do in Cape Town was a lack of facilities and space to do so.

Your giving enabled Living Hope to purchase a piece of property to support the on-going ministry in the Mzamomhle township. The land is a farm neighboring the township. Living Hope has already set up their Mzamomhle office in the house on the land. We’re excited for all the other ways God will use this property to help bring hope and healing to the township.

There will be a land dedication this Sunday April 7. Our mission team will get to celebrate along with community and political leaders of Mzamomhle, Living Hope stakeholders and partners, and some of the Living Hope clients. 

“We are SO grateful to all of you and your amazing Church family for the generous financial support, enthusiastic prayer support and consistent dedication and commitment to the community of Mzamomhle,” said Avril Thomas (John’s wife). God is providing in incredible ways in Mzamomhle because of your generosity. Thank you Chets family!