Community Chaplain Services

The older I get, the more I appreciate the familiar verses in the Bible. Scriptures like Psalm 23, Proverbs 3:5-6, etc. I have been reading through the Gospel of John, and once again I read John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”

While I was reading John 17:3, as Jesus was praying to the Father for us, it says, “Now this is eternal life: that they may know You, the one true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You sent.”

I think most of us interpret “eternal life” as living forever in heaven. But according to John 17:3, it means knowing God. I don't know why that stood out to me this time reading it, but it did. So, in other words, because He is eternal and He is life, when we receive Him, we have His eternal life beginning here on earth and continuing forever in heaven.

I have found that to be true. As I meet so many of you, I am reminded how challenging life can be, seeing each of you with your own sort of issues, yet so alike with everyone else. I want to share with you this reminder: that God loved us enough to give Himself to us while we are going through all of our struggles, stress, and issues, so we may have life renewed through Him.

If you have not experienced Him, I wanted you to know that it is available.

Meanwhile, remember to thank the mothers (biological or not) in your life who have been there for you too!

Blessings, Pastor Dale

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Greetings from Pastor Dale,

I have been around the church in one form or another most of my life. It was late in my 19th year that I found Christ which radically changed my life. I have never been the same since.

During one Sunday's worship, I came across a song that shook my concept of God's love for me. Let me explain, I grew up with square dance music in my dad's house. He had a band, and he taught me how to play the guitar. He taught me to listen to Merle Haggard and southern gospel quartets but to have hymns and organ music in church. It took some time for me to accept praise bands at church and that most of the staff wore flip-flops with jeans even when preaching. I suppose the greatest surprise to me is how God ministered to me through music I thought I didn't like.

Once when the praise band played a song called "How He loves us", I heard God's love expressed in ways I never heard before. Listen to some of these lyrics...

He is jealous for me
Love's like a hurricane, I am a tree
Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy
When all of a sudden
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory
And I realize just how beautiful You are
And how great Your affections are for me

And oh, how He loves us,
Oh, how He loves us
How He loves us all

And we are His portion and He is our prize
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes
If His grace is an ocean, we're all sinking
And heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest
I don't have time to maintain these regrets
When I think about, the way...

He loves us...

John 3:16 says...For God so loved he world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.

Enjoy Your Valentine...Pastor Dale

Send a message to learn more

Greetings from Pastor Dale,

I have been around the church in one form or another most of my life. It was late in my 19th year that I found Christ which radically changed my life. I have never been the same since.

During one Sunday's worship, I came across a song that shook my concept of God's love for me. Let me explain, I grew up with square dance music in my dad's house. He had a band, and he taught me how to play the guitar. He taught me to listen to Merle Haggard and southern gospel quartets but to have hymns and organ music in church. It took some time for me to accept praise bands at church and that most of the staff wore flip-flops with jeans even when preaching. I suppose the greatest surprise to me is how God ministered to me through music I thought I didn't like.

Once when the praise band played a song called "How He loves us", I heard God's love expressed in ways I never heard before. Listen to some of these lyrics...

He is jealous for me
Love's like a hurricane, I am a tree
Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy
When all of a sudden
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory
And I realize just how beautiful You are
And how great Your affections are for me

And oh, how He loves us,
Oh, how He loves us
How He loves us all

And we are His portion and He is our prize
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes
If His grace is an ocean, we're all sinking
And heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest
I don't have time to maintain these regrets
When I think about, the way...

He loves us...

John 3:16 says...For God so loved he world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.

Enjoy Your Valentine...Pastor Dale

Send a message to learn more