Pastor's Note

Results filtered by “Chris Abel”

July 12, 2020

I’m writing this pastors note in-between two funerals this weekend. Truth is, when I found out I’d be coming to our church last year, it was the funerals that intimidated me more than anything else. Not only did it seem depressing, but I was worried about making mistakes in the midst of a family’s grief. No one needs an amateur pastor when they’ve just lost a loved one! 
 
But to my surprise, I’ve actually come to cherish these moments. There’s something beautiful about sitting down with the family and friends of a person, of hearing stories of their life and how much of an impact they made, and helping capture their spirit for a simple service. Even in the face of a family’s grief and loss, it can be some of the most authentic and meaningful parts of being a pastor. 
 
These moments also make me see my own life through a different lens. The conflicts I have seem more trivial. The grudges, easier to let go of. The stresses I carry suddenly seem lighter, and my relationships more important. Solomon actually writes in the book of Ecclesiastes that it’s better to go to a funeral than a party… and I think this is why. Every time I experience these moments, I become more intentional with my own life. 
 
Which is also why our sermon series is so important. Assuming you don’t get to plan funerals on a regular basis, you probably don’t get the advantage of seeing the end of people’s lives often, and you also probably don’t get the constant reminder that the things we so often fight about… aren’t as important at the end of our lives. Now imagine if you could handle your current conflicts with that mindset. Your life would most likely look different than it currently does!
 
But good news, you don’t have to grow old or become a pastor to get that perspective! Join us this weekend as we dive into Jacob’s story and learn from his life about How to Fight. This week’s topic? The father-in-law… You might just be surprised at the family conflict Jacob gets himself into… again. 
 
Much love!
 
Chris
 
P.S. Have you had a chance to sign up for our Zoom Bible study? It’s just 3 weeks and begins Tuesday! Hope you’ll join us!
 
P.P.S. School might look different this year, but that’s not stopping us from collecting supplies for kids in need. Consider dropping off some school supplies tomorrow morning from 9am-12! (Details below)
Posted by Chris Abel

April 17, 2020

I share about Beth fairly often in my sermons, but one fact about her you may not know is that she played Division 1 basketball in college! That’s right, and for Fordham University in New York City! Can you imagine that 20 year old Kansas gal stepping onto the streets of the Bronx? It makes me laugh every time I think about it.
 
Well after two years of playing ball, she graduated and... threw her basketball shoes in the trash as she left the dorm. And it wasn’t just because of their losing season. She had been playing basketball since 4th grade, and the path had run out. There was no more basketball in front of her. And for someone who ate, breathed, and lived ball, that wasn’t just a pair of shoes lost... it was a whole new world: A world where she didn’t know what to do next. 
 
I share this because it feels like the perfect example of those moments in life where we have NO IDEA what comes next. 
 
* How do I live without them? 
* How do I find another job?
* What am I supposed to do with this diagnosis?
* How do I take care of a baby?
* When is this pandemic ending?
 
We all have experienced moments where the path just... ends. And we have no idea what comes next. 
 
But neither did the disciples. See, they thought Jesus was here to stay—even after the resurrection. They thought they knew what they had signed up for and what was coming next. But then Jesus LEFT. And with very few directions for them! 
 
Sometimes we think the disciples were ready to create the church. But the reality is... that was the last thing they wanted or expected. What came after the resurrection was a group of people who had to push through the reality of ambiguity, confusion, and fear. But none of those things kept them from partnering with God and changing the world. 
 
So join us this weekend as we learn from the first Christians about how to make a path when there ISN’T ONE. I can’t wait to share the predicaments they get themselves into...
 
 
Chris
 
P.S... Oh and I proposed to that Div 1 athlete! See the photos below :)
 
Posted by Chris Abel

Easter

Dear Church,
 
When I found out I’d be the lead pastor at a church last fall, I was simultaneously ecstatic and sick to my stomach. On one hand, I’d felt the call to pastor for over 10 years and sometimes it felt like I had been pushing it off, over and over. On the other hand, I knew I had little experience in the finances of the church, administrative responsibilities, funerals, and pastoring the sick. But not only that... there was a daunting responsibility that seemed to be the true test of a pastor: 
 
EASTER. 
 
That’s right, Easter, AKA… the Super Bowl of the church calendar. Was I ready for that responsibility? Well, rather than just cross my fingers and hope, for the past few months, our worship staff spent hours and hours planning and dreaming up a way to celebrate Christ with all the energy and creativity we could muster! If I'm honest, I was terrified that I'd somehow "drop the ball" on the most important Sunday of the year.
 
And then everything changed: Coronavirus. COVID-19. "The Rona."
 
Whatever your preferred lingo, it turns out my first real pastoral Easter test isn’t about whether or not we could pull of an amazing Easter service, but about what it means to celebrate the Resurrection… when we’re surrounded with change and isolation like we’ve rarely experienced. 
 
So I've had to do what a lot of us have done: I’ve been praying and reflecting and asking God a lot of questions (and retired pastor Steve Cox, too.) One of those many question is what it means for us to still have Easter as a community when we're not physically together. And here’s what I’ve walked away with: 
 
Easter isn’t about candy. 
Easter isn’t about a church service. 
Easter isn’t about the family potluck.
Easter isn’t about dressing up nice. 
 
Easter, friends, is about having HOPE. 
 
Hope that God is with us, and that chaos doesn’t win. Hope that the worst thing is never the last thing. Hope that good can come from bad. Hope that we’re never truly alone. Hope that our mistakes don’t define us. Hope that we’re worthy of love. Hope that our lives matter. Hope that the impossible can be possible. Hope that Jesus brings us a life fuller and better than we could ever imagine, no matter what is happening in the world.
 
And that makes the service seem a lot less daunting. Now, we’ve still planned an amazing Easter service for this weekend. But whether or not you watch online with us at 10am this Sunday, or dress up in your Easter best, or eat some of those amazing Reese’s eggs (where my dog got his namesake)… the truth of Easter is that Christ rose. And rises. And lived. And lives. And that it wasn’t just a stunt, but an invitation for us to be part of a kingdom of people who life our of that hope. 
 
And so while it might be my first Easter as a lead Pastor, I’m just grateful I get to be part of this beautiful movement of hope side-by-side with YOU. 
 
So my prayer for you is that this Easter isn't just a service or potluck or a day of candy-induced stomach ache (maybe that's just me), but a day that truly reminds you of the Hope we have in Christ.
 
 
Pastor Chris 
 
P.S. If you have kiddos in the house, not only are we live-streaming Easter this Sunday, but we’ve got a special 20-minute EASTER JAM we’ve made just for families! You can tune in for games, stories, and family discussion questions as soon as Easter goes live! (Check out the details below in this newsletter to get your supply list ready for the games!)
 
P.P.S. And for everyone, I hope you’ll join us tonight for our Maundy Thursday service at 7pm. This is a church service that remembers the last moments leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion. It’ll be powerful… and we’ve included a lot of faces from our church! You can watch at Bluespringsumc.org or tune into Facebook :) 
Posted by Chris Abel

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