Over 1600 years ago there was a young boy of 14 years, trafficked as a slave from Scotland to land of Druids and pagans. As a slave for over 6 years tending sheep he learned the local language and culture. Finally, he escaped his captors and was reunited with his family.
In an act of redemption, God called this freed slave back to his captors. Once captive, now free, he brought the Good News of Jesus - Hope, Salvation, LOVE to transform this dark, rough land... Ireland. St. Patrick himself was a victim of human trafficking. He turned around and fought it head on by returning to the very people who captured him and showed them love and compassion like they'd never seen!
How are we fighting this horrific crime today? As you celebrate this day of green, in whatever way you may be, remember those who are in slavery and those who hold them captive. St. Patrick helped transform a nation. So can you! Read more on the story of St. Patrick here.
Love Chapel Hill celebrated its first baptism as a church in the cold waters of Morgan Creek in Chapel Hill, NC. Witness this amazing day with us in the video below. This baptism is special for Jeanine and I as it is our brother, brother-in-law, and friend Stephen "Tony" Walker who gave his heart to Jesus just a few weeks back. We are proud of you Tony! The old has gone and the new has come!
The picture is not so great, but I had to share it. I'll capture a better one in the light of morning. This Sunday, October 4, our new church plant will make it's LANDING into the community of Chapel Hill. Where are we landing? The center of it all, one of Chapel Hill's greatest landmarks: The Varsity Theater. To be clear, we're not owners of the building, or operators really. We are a church meeting at The Varsity on Sunday mornings at 11. Our hope is to see The Varsity remain a central business in the heart of Chapel Hill, inviting and inspiring a creative community. We love this place! Just a little while ago, I got to write our web address...Letter...by...Letter across the marquee. Surreal is the only word to describe it. I really still can't believe it's actually up there! We want people to know what's happening, but we also want them to know that this is a church for them... This is a church for me and for you; for us all types of people, and maybe even those who don't really like church. You're totally invited to come see what is a bout to happen at 11am on October 4. Varsity Theater, Chapel Hill, NC. www.lovechapelhill.com
As you may know, I've got a birthday coming up. My good friend and co-pastor, Matt, also has a birthday coming up. We are September babies, and well, September is here. Check out this video ->
If you want to learn more or would like to give, visit http://mycharitywater.org/mattandjustin Instead of gifts or presents for us, we would love for you to help save lives by giving to this AWESOME organization. 100% of all financial giving to charity : water goes to building wells. They even cover their administrative costs from other funding. Rest assured everything you give will be bringing clean water to those who need it most!
As we worshipped together last night with a time of singing and preaching out at the old well it occurred to me that we are not fairweather followers of Jesus. Literally - check out this picture from Worship at the Well:
Yesterday was a full range of weather from beautiful golden sunbeams to torrentional downpours and thunderstorms...with a little dash of rainbow at the tail end. It was an awesome day of Loving Chapel Hill together. The impending radar picture and occasional rain shower couldn't keep us from a time of worship. Join us for the next Worship at the Well on September 12 at 6pm.
There's a guy here with us in Chapel Hill for the summer. His name is Nick Coronado...we affectionately refer to him as "The Intern"... but that doesn't even come close to describing him... A student at Oklahoma Wesleyan University, he comes to us as much a minister to this town as me, Jeanine, Matt, and Sarah. He's a spiritually mature man of God just living out his faith. He recently started a blog and I want to encourage you to check it out. It's neat for me to see his perspectives on thing as he gets into this mission of Loving Chapel Hill. Alright, enough talk, take a look:
Over the past few weeks our journey, our story, has had unexpected twists and turns. The experiences Jeanine and I have walked through together will continue to shape our lives, probably for the rest of our years. As our hearts and lives have gone through cycles of brokenness and healing, we've been reminded that pain is a universal experience. There's not one person immune from feeling the pain of loss, disappointment, or struggle. But, neither is there anyone who cannot receive healing.
As we've heard so many life stories over the past few weeks with pain as a consistent theme, we're reminded of a choice we have to make. In our places of feeling and being broken, we can try to control our lives and drive them our own way, seeking out what we think is a better way (definitely our natural inclination). Or, from our places of brokenness we can discover ourselves as part of a larger story, one where pain is exchanged for gladness, and sadness for joy. Each of us has a story that matters: it's the one of where we've come from. At this point, now, each of us gets to decide how the rest of our story will go. Fighting and struggling to make our own way, or loosening our grip to something, to someone beyond ourselves.
We choose the bigger story, the one bigger than us, the one with hope and mystery, the one whose founder is Love himself. It's the story that brought a random group of people around a common table last night to journey together for the next 15 weeks. It's the story of Jesus - God, showing His grace is available to every person, extending the invitation to be a part of the greatest love story on the planet. That's the story, check it out.
