Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-7)

Dear Chapel Family,

This is a quick update about what’s happening at the Chapel.

1. We voluntarily and cheerfully followed the state government’s guidelines regarding the Coronavirus pandemic and closed our church building to public worship services. Nevertheless, for the past three months we have continued to worship and gather for fellowship online. I’m grateful to the staff of the Chapel for all the extra things they have had to do to teach and serve remotely. Thank you, dear Chapel Family, for your faithful prayers, participation, and sacrificial giving during these extraordinary times!

2. Now that Gov. Wolf has mandated that Adams and York County are in the green phase of reopening, the elders and staff have been meeting to develop a plan for reopening the Chapel for public worship. On Sunday, June 21 at 10:30 AM, we will begin holding in-person worship services with live preaching. Specific details regarding nursery care and Kids Church are still being worked out, but we will send you a special email bulletin by next Wednesday evening that will outline the procedures we will be following once we reopen.

3. Look for the reopening of the Chapel to take place gradually. Like other churches in our area, the Chapel is eager to begin worshipping and fellowshipping together in-person. We’re balancing that desire with valid concern for the safety and wellbeing of the whole church family. Childcare and modified Kids Church will restart hopefully by the middle of July.

4. VBS-to-Go (June 22-25) will provide you and your children with a wonderful creative outlet for learning that God can always be trusted, no matter how challenging the situation we find ourselves in. Check out the video announcement and see your bulletin for details. Be sure to sign up for the Chapel Luau/drive-in movie night coming up on Saturday, June 27 at 8:00 PM. It will be a lot of fun and an opportunity to reconnect with Chapel friends!

5. Mark your calendar: The Chapel will be hosting a church-wide picnic at the home of Mark and Lisa McKinney on Saturday, July 25 at 4:00 PM. The McKinneys live just up the street from the Chapel building. Besides fishing, swimming, and zip-lining, there will be many other wonderful activities for fun and fellowship. Details are coming soon.

6. Celebrate Recovery will resume their in-person gatherings on Friday, June 19 at 7:00 PM. I invite you to come and join me there if you’re wrestling with how to overcome a hurt, habit, or hang-up.

7. And one more time, please watch for an email from the church with instructions on how we will be reopening the church. It should arrive by next Wednesday evening.

God bless each of you!

Pastor Scott