Covenant Presbyterian Church Articles https://cpcchatt.org Covenant Presbyterian Church articles Covenant Presbyterian Church articles Covenant Presbyterian Church no Covenant Presbyterian Church Articles admin@cpcchatt.org en-us ℗ & © 2026 Covenant Presbyterian Church Ekklesia 360 Thu, 23 Jul 2026 18:30:00 +0000 720 An "Edge-citing" Experience https://cpcchatt.org/resources/articles/an-edge-citing-experience Tue, 21 Jul 2026 18:26:52 +0000 I am so deeply honored and humbled to have witnessed such a week of laughter, joy, praise, and worship. Newsletter Articles Josh Willing Josh Willing The Edge Conference is a middle school youth conference, hosted at Covenant College, that the CPC Youth has attended for many years. It continues to be a meaningful part of our summer. This conference invites reformed churches (mostly from the Southeast region) to bring their middle school youth to “exciting activities, sports tournaments, church group times, worship, and gospel-centered teaching. All of the programming we do is an effort to stimulate and enhance the relationships between your leaders and students so that the Gospel might go forth in power out of those bonds. We believe that this is a critical life stage where big decisions are made, especially when it comes to their faith. We want to capitalize on this time by speaking at their level and challenging them where they are (The Edge Conference)."
 
The first day after we arrived at Covenant College, our 22 middle schoolers (some new, some returning) and six leaders unloaded our things into the dorms and settled in for the week. After dinner and leader meetings, we went to the first event that set the tone for the whole week - large group worship! It is a lot to take in at once and can be overwhelming, but the energy in the room influences all the students to participate in singing songs of praise to God and listening to the speaker talk about the Gospel. The rest of the week was filled with many chances to build new friendships and strengthen old ones through participation in tournaments, Mafia (murder mystery), ping pong, spike ball, a dance party, meals, and more!

The Edge, however, is not primarily about fun and games. Each night the speaker (Scottie Hill from Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church) walked us through a presentation of the Gospel. The theme for the large group times that week was "Who is Jesus?". Scottie talked about Jesus being the Living Water, the Truth, the Good Shepherd, and how He is our Savior. Whatever uneasy feelings we may struggle with, whether it be doubt, insecurity, aimlessness, hopelessness, or thirst for something ultimately fulfilling, we can look to Jesus and ask Him to restore us because of what He has done. Changing the lives of those He has encountered and raising those from the dead (Scottie went over Luke 17.30-40), Jesus has resurrected and overcome the world. Our faith in Him restores, cleanses, and changes us. Everlasting fulfillment is found only in Christ Jesus.
 
During our small group discussion times throughout the week, I was encouraged by our students' comments, insights, and questions. We discussed Scripture, the importance of devotional time (alone and with friends), and why it is comforting to know we can talk to the Father about anything - even though He knows everything about us!
 
On the third night of The Edge students are invited to respond to the Gospel message - either confirming they already love and trust Jesus, aren’t yet ready, or for the first time want to put their faith and trust in Jesus. Known as “Commitment Night,” it is a powerful experience. The leaders made the time beforehand to pray over each of our students by name. By God’s grace, the fruit of the Spirit is with them, and we prayed that the Father would keep them, strengthen them, encourage them, and comfort them in His Son Jesus during the holy moments of that night. 
 
To witness so many students from across the country both confirming their faith in Jesus or coming to faith for the first time is extraordinary, overwhelming, and powerful. As the week ended, our students (and leaders) were tired but so happy from experiencing a time of drawing closer to God and drawing closer to each other.
 
I was overwhelmed by the faithfulness of God across the years and was struck by a couple of things. The message during the last leaders’ meeting was about John 21.15-19. The speaker highlighted not only Jesus forgiving Peter, but Jesus telling him “Do you love me.... Feed my lambs…Tend my sheep…Feed my sheep.”  What a blessing it has been to serve in the CPC youth ministry - to pour back into a place that, by God’s grace, I get to call home. And not only that, but it is even more special serving with folks I grew up with: Justin Martin & Travis Hutchinson (my previous teachers), friends I met through the CPC Youth myself (Kallie Cook & Heather Morrison), and previous students (Seb Lewin & Sophie Wright)! Because of God’s grace and the love we have in Him and through His Son Jesus Christ, we leaders are blessed to pour into the next generation. They are not only “a part of the church body,” but younger siblings we get to learn from.  (1 Timothy 4.12 & 1 Timothy 5.1-2)
 
It will be a bittersweet departure this upcoming school year as I pursue another calling with RUF-I. The future of our youth and of Covenant Presbyterian Church is very bright! I am so deeply honored and humbled to have witnessed such a week of laughter, joy, praise, and worship. To God be the glory!
 
Joshua Willing, CPC member

]]> The Edge Conference is a middle school youth conference, hosted at Covenant College, that the CPC Youth has attended for many years. It continues to be a meaningful part of our summer. This conference invites reformed churches (mostly from the Southeast region) to bring their middle school youth to “exciting activities, sports tournaments, church group times, worship, and gospel-centered teaching. All of the programming we do is an effort to stimulate and enhance the relationships between your leaders and students so that the Gospel might go forth in power out of those bonds. We believe that this is a critical life stage where big decisions are made, especially when it comes to their faith. We want to capitalize on this time by speaking at their level and challenging them where they are (The Edge Conference)."
 
The first day after we arrived at Covenant College, our 22 middle schoolers (some new, some returning) and six leaders unloaded our things into the dorms and settled in for the week. After dinner and leader meetings, we went to the first event that set the tone for the whole week - large group worship! It is a lot to take in at once and can be overwhelming, but the energy in the room influences all the students to participate in singing songs of praise to God and listening to the speaker talk about the Gospel. The rest of the week was filled with many chances to build new friendships and strengthen old ones through participation in tournaments, Mafia (murder mystery), ping pong, spike ball, a dance party, meals, and more!

The Edge, however, is not primarily about fun and games. Each night the speaker (Scottie Hill from Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church) walked us through a presentation of the Gospel. The theme for the large group times that week was "Who is Jesus?". Scottie talked about Jesus being the Living Water, the Truth, the Good Shepherd, and how He is our Savior. Whatever uneasy feelings we may struggle with, whether it be doubt, insecurity, aimlessness, hopelessness, or thirst for something ultimately fulfilling, we can look to Jesus and ask Him to restore us because of what He has done. Changing the lives of those He has encountered and raising those from the dead (Scottie went over Luke 17.30-40), Jesus has resurrected and overcome the world. Our faith in Him restores, cleanses, and changes us. Everlasting fulfillment is found only in Christ Jesus.
 
During our small group discussion times throughout the week, I was encouraged by our students' comments, insights, and questions. We discussed Scripture, the importance of devotional time (alone and with friends), and why it is comforting to know we can talk to the Father about anything - even though He knows everything about us!
 
On the third night of The Edge students are invited to respond to the Gospel message - either confirming they already love and trust Jesus, aren’t yet ready, or for the first time want to put their faith and trust in Jesus. Known as “Commitment Night,” it is a powerful experience. The leaders made the time beforehand to pray over each of our students by name. By God’s grace, the fruit of the Spirit is with them, and we prayed that the Father would keep them, strengthen them, encourage them, and comfort them in His Son Jesus during the holy moments of that night. 
 
To witness so many students from across the country both confirming their faith in Jesus or coming to faith for the first time is extraordinary, overwhelming, and powerful. As the week ended, our students (and leaders) were tired but so happy from experiencing a time of drawing closer to God and drawing closer to each other.
 
I was overwhelmed by the faithfulness of God across the years and was struck by a couple of things. The message during the last leaders’ meeting was about John 21.15-19. The speaker highlighted not only Jesus forgiving Peter, but Jesus telling him “Do you love me.... Feed my lambs…Tend my sheep…Feed my sheep.”  What a blessing it has been to serve in the CPC youth ministry - to pour back into a place that, by God’s grace, I get to call home. And not only that, but it is even more special serving with folks I grew up with: Justin Martin & Travis Hutchinson (my previous teachers), friends I met through the CPC Youth myself (Kallie Cook & Heather Morrison), and previous students (Seb Lewin & Sophie Wright)! Because of God’s grace and the love we have in Him and through His Son Jesus Christ, we leaders are blessed to pour into the next generation. They are not only “a part of the church body,” but younger siblings we get to learn from.  (1 Timothy 4.12 & 1 Timothy 5.1-2)
 
It will be a bittersweet departure this upcoming school year as I pursue another calling with RUF-I. The future of our youth and of Covenant Presbyterian Church is very bright! I am so deeply honored and humbled to have witnessed such a week of laughter, joy, praise, and worship. To God be the glory!
 
Joshua Willing, CPC member

]]> Summary and Reflections on General Assembly https://cpcchatt.org/resources/articles/summary-and-reflections-on-general-assembly Tue, 07 Jul 2026 18:29:59 +0000 ...rather than attempting a broad overview of everything that happened, I will share a few key takeaways and direct you to helpful summary links at the end. Newsletter Articles Chris Rimondi Chris Rimondi The 53rd Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) General Assembly (GA) was held in Louisville, Kentucky, during the week of June 22-26, 2026. If you are new to Presbyterianism or to our denomination, the PCA General Assembly is the annual national gathering and highest court of the Presbyterian Church in America, where elected Teaching Elder and Ruling Elder commissioners worship, deliberate, vote on church business, and govern the denomination. This year, 2,373 commissioners attended the Assembly: 1,573 Teaching Elders (TEs) and 800 Ruling Elders (REs). RE Mel Duncan of Second Presbyterian Church in Greenville, South Carolina, was elected moderator, succeeding last year’s moderator, Kevin DeYoung.

CPC sent four commissioners this year to represent our church: Pastor David Stephenson and REs Adam Sanders, Jason Coffey, and yours truly. Jonathan and Emily Calloway also represented CPC as volunteers, and we are deeply grateful for their many years of faithful service to the church through General Assembly. As I did in last year’s newsletter, rather than attempting a broad overview of everything that happened, I will share a few key takeaways and direct you to helpful summary links at the end.

This year, the Assembly elected TE Fred Greco as the PCA’s new Stated Clerk. The PCA Stated Clerk is the denomination’s chief constitutional and administrative officer, keeping General Assembly records, preparing its business, advising on procedure, and carrying out Assembly actions. TE Greco, a former ruling elder and attorney who later attended seminary and became an ordained minister, has been warmly described as “loud, Italian, and loves the church.” In his acceptance speech on Tuesday night, he said, “I am not your boss; I am your servant.” During a Tennessee Valley Presbytery (TVP) meeting last year, our Christian Education Committee invited TE Greco to preach in worship and teach a seminar on our Book of Church Order (BCO). He did a fantastic job, and we welcome his servant leadership as our new Stated Clerk.

Our own TVP also had a moment in the spotlight during this year’s Assembly. It is common for several overtures dealing with presbytery boundary changes to come before the Assembly, and most pass unanimously with little discussion. This one, however, received more attention. During the winter meeting, and again at the spring meeting, TVP voted to multiply our presbytery into two: TVP will remain centered around the Chattanooga area, while a new presbytery, Smoky Mountain Presbytery, will be formed around the Knoxville area. The vote was close but conclusive at both presbytery meetings, and after debate on the floor of General Assembly, the decision was reaffirmed one final time.

Questions related to sexuality, gender, and church office again appeared on this year’s docket, as they have for several years. The most consequential and direct was Overture 37, which sought to allow women to serve as ordained deacons. The Overtures Committee answered this overture in the negative by an overwhelming vote of 115-14-1, or 88%. I am grateful that our denomination took such a strong stance on a key issue. I am also grateful for TE Jeffrey Choi, a supporter of ordaining female deacons, who had the courage to write a clear and direct overture and then stand before the whole Assembly to defend it. If you want to understand what Presbyterian polity looks like when done well, I encourage you to read TE Choi’s comments after the Assembly.

In this writer’s opinion, the quality of speeches at this year’s Assembly was stronger than in previous years. On more than a few issues, I found myself persuaded back and forth by thoughtful speeches on both sides of a debate. I even changed my mind and voted against my original position on one overture. The most memorable speech of the entire Assembly came from cheeseburger-loving Taiwanese-American TE Jackson Lee, who spoke in support of an overture thanking God for the 250th anniversary of the United States of America.

One less inspiring, but certainly memorable, part of this year’s Assembly was the trouble with the electronic voting devices - quickly nicknamed “Clickergate.” At several points, commissioners experienced confusion or uncertainty about whether votes were being properly recorded, which led to delays, explanations from the platform, and understandable frustration during an already full docket. While the Assembly was able to continue its work, the problems were a reminder that even a well-ordered church court depends on ordinary practical details working as they should.

More broadly, General Assembly showed that our denomination is flourishing. We are planting churches, sending missionaries, and seeing record numbers of adult professions of faith. In a time when many denominations are shrinking or abandoning faithfulness to Scripture, the PCA is growing and standing firm on God’s Word.

Other References

]]> The 53rd Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) General Assembly (GA) was held in Louisville, Kentucky, during the week of June 22-26, 2026. If you are new to Presbyterianism or to our denomination, the PCA General Assembly is the annual national gathering and highest court of the Presbyterian Church in America, where elected Teaching Elder and Ruling Elder commissioners worship, deliberate, vote on church business, and govern the denomination. This year, 2,373 commissioners attended the Assembly: 1,573 Teaching Elders (TEs) and 800 Ruling Elders (REs). RE Mel Duncan of Second Presbyterian Church in Greenville, South Carolina, was elected moderator, succeeding last year’s moderator, Kevin DeYoung.

CPC sent four commissioners this year to represent our church: Pastor David Stephenson and REs Adam Sanders, Jason Coffey, and yours truly. Jonathan and Emily Calloway also represented CPC as volunteers, and we are deeply grateful for their many years of faithful service to the church through General Assembly. As I did in last year’s newsletter, rather than attempting a broad overview of everything that happened, I will share a few key takeaways and direct you to helpful summary links at the end.

This year, the Assembly elected TE Fred Greco as the PCA’s new Stated Clerk. The PCA Stated Clerk is the denomination’s chief constitutional and administrative officer, keeping General Assembly records, preparing its business, advising on procedure, and carrying out Assembly actions. TE Greco, a former ruling elder and attorney who later attended seminary and became an ordained minister, has been warmly described as “loud, Italian, and loves the church.” In his acceptance speech on Tuesday night, he said, “I am not your boss; I am your servant.” During a Tennessee Valley Presbytery (TVP) meeting last year, our Christian Education Committee invited TE Greco to preach in worship and teach a seminar on our Book of Church Order (BCO). He did a fantastic job, and we welcome his servant leadership as our new Stated Clerk.

Our own TVP also had a moment in the spotlight during this year’s Assembly. It is common for several overtures dealing with presbytery boundary changes to come before the Assembly, and most pass unanimously with little discussion. This one, however, received more attention. During the winter meeting, and again at the spring meeting, TVP voted to multiply our presbytery into two: TVP will remain centered around the Chattanooga area, while a new presbytery, Smoky Mountain Presbytery, will be formed around the Knoxville area. The vote was close but conclusive at both presbytery meetings, and after debate on the floor of General Assembly, the decision was reaffirmed one final time.

Questions related to sexuality, gender, and church office again appeared on this year’s docket, as they have for several years. The most consequential and direct was Overture 37, which sought to allow women to serve as ordained deacons. The Overtures Committee answered this overture in the negative by an overwhelming vote of 115-14-1, or 88%. I am grateful that our denomination took such a strong stance on a key issue. I am also grateful for TE Jeffrey Choi, a supporter of ordaining female deacons, who had the courage to write a clear and direct overture and then stand before the whole Assembly to defend it. If you want to understand what Presbyterian polity looks like when done well, I encourage you to read TE Choi’s comments after the Assembly.

In this writer’s opinion, the quality of speeches at this year’s Assembly was stronger than in previous years. On more than a few issues, I found myself persuaded back and forth by thoughtful speeches on both sides of a debate. I even changed my mind and voted against my original position on one overture. The most memorable speech of the entire Assembly came from cheeseburger-loving Taiwanese-American TE Jackson Lee, who spoke in support of an overture thanking God for the 250th anniversary of the United States of America.

One less inspiring, but certainly memorable, part of this year’s Assembly was the trouble with the electronic voting devices - quickly nicknamed “Clickergate.” At several points, commissioners experienced confusion or uncertainty about whether votes were being properly recorded, which led to delays, explanations from the platform, and understandable frustration during an already full docket. While the Assembly was able to continue its work, the problems were a reminder that even a well-ordered church court depends on ordinary practical details working as they should.

More broadly, General Assembly showed that our denomination is flourishing. We are planting churches, sending missionaries, and seeing record numbers of adult professions of faith. In a time when many denominations are shrinking or abandoning faithfulness to Scripture, the PCA is growing and standing firm on God’s Word.

Other References

]]> From Interim Youth Pastor Travis Hutchinson https://cpcchatt.org/resources/articles/from-interim-youth-pastor-travis-hutchinson Tue, 19 May 2026 19:06:38 +0000 My “record-setting” interim status has been due to the length of time of pastoral transition... Newsletter Articles Travis Hutchinson Travis Hutchinson Dear CPC Family,

It has been almost three years since Kimberly, Paul, Jon Michael, and I came to CPC as the Interim Youth Pastor. When Ken Henry recruited me, Heather Morrison was nervous about who they might call to the position. What she didn’t know was just about the only thing Ken asked me was: “Can you work well with Heather?” In God’s providence, Heather and I had worked together for years at CCS, both with the Surfing Club and as my student aide. In addition, I was close to the Morrison family and both of the girls had been in my Bible class and babysat our kids. Her mom, Christine, was my go-to substitute for school. John borrowed books from my personal library. Heather understands the need teens have for biblical truth, challenges to practical Christian living, deep healthy relationships, and adventure. She can organize and track detail with amazing productivity. Anything that runs well in our Youth Ministry is either largely or completely due to Heather.
 
Also in God’s providence, I was Jake Bennett’s pastor when he was at Covenant College and we had reconnected during his time at CPC. Kimberly and I have long loved Jake and Rebekah. It was a joy to have a brief period of ministry with him. Jake was no longer the inexperienced young man; instead, we were able to work together as peers, and I was now at times the student. I learned from him, and he ministered to me in several very difficult situations. Truly God is good and His timing is perfect.
 
While I have known many people at CPC over the years - through Presbytery, Covenant College, extended families, etc. - I knew Pastors Render, Eric, Dan, and John (Herberich) quite well. Pastor Render especially made time for me as a young pastor and has constantly encouraged me as a husband and pastor. He was relieved that I am a much calmer man than I was 20 years ago! I am deeply grateful that Render took time for me at key moments to pour into my life and ministry.
 
When (former Executive Pastor) Jake left, I assumed oversight of the Children’s Ministry, working with Sara Southard which has been wonderful. Sara shares the qualities of every single member of the staff here at CPC: kind, thoughtful, diligent, having a passion for Christ and a warm affection for the rest of the staff, and a commitment to CPC. In so many ways, Sara and I have common ideas about children’s ministry. Her ministry, as well as the ministry of the nursery, was functioning well, with a deep commitment to discipling kids and keeping them safe. Sara understands that we need to meet kids where they are, and not all kids are in the same place. I pray that I can be an encouragement and support to her ministry.
 
When Bill Massey arrived, one week after I did, two things were very apparent. First, Bill and I have completely different ministry “styles.” Second, Bill was one of the kindest, wisest, and godliest pastors I have ever known. We weren’t at all alike, but wow, he was easy to work with. He has become a good friend and another person from whom I have learned much. I am so glad that the Session has called him to stay.
 
Our family came from First Presbyterian Chattanooga - a church where we have great friends. It is always difficult to make a transition to another church. What I can say for all of us is that coming to CPC has been very much like coming home. You feel like “our people.” My youngest (Jon Michael) loves the youth group and my middle (Paul) enjoys helping with the sound ministry. My wife has received the warmest of welcomes.
 
My “record-setting” interim status has been due to the length of time of pastoral transition and giving David and me time to get to know one another while making sure that we are on the same page with the mission of the church. I am glad he thinks we are; I certainly do. My only ambitions at this point in my life are loving my wife well (Ephesians 5.28), seeing my children raised to know Christ and seek His kingdom (Matthew 6.33), equip the saints for works of service (Ephesians 4.13), and make Christ known (Ephesians 3.8). I pray that CPC Youth know that Christ is more wonderful than we can imagine and that following Him is the greatest adventure upon which we can embark.

]]> Dear CPC Family,

It has been almost three years since Kimberly, Paul, Jon Michael, and I came to CPC as the Interim Youth Pastor. When Ken Henry recruited me, Heather Morrison was nervous about who they might call to the position. What she didn’t know was just about the only thing Ken asked me was: “Can you work well with Heather?” In God’s providence, Heather and I had worked together for years at CCS, both with the Surfing Club and as my student aide. In addition, I was close to the Morrison family and both of the girls had been in my Bible class and babysat our kids. Her mom, Christine, was my go-to substitute for school. John borrowed books from my personal library. Heather understands the need teens have for biblical truth, challenges to practical Christian living, deep healthy relationships, and adventure. She can organize and track detail with amazing productivity. Anything that runs well in our Youth Ministry is either largely or completely due to Heather.
 
Also in God’s providence, I was Jake Bennett’s pastor when he was at Covenant College and we had reconnected during his time at CPC. Kimberly and I have long loved Jake and Rebekah. It was a joy to have a brief period of ministry with him. Jake was no longer the inexperienced young man; instead, we were able to work together as peers, and I was now at times the student. I learned from him, and he ministered to me in several very difficult situations. Truly God is good and His timing is perfect.
 
While I have known many people at CPC over the years - through Presbytery, Covenant College, extended families, etc. - I knew Pastors Render, Eric, Dan, and John (Herberich) quite well. Pastor Render especially made time for me as a young pastor and has constantly encouraged me as a husband and pastor. He was relieved that I am a much calmer man than I was 20 years ago! I am deeply grateful that Render took time for me at key moments to pour into my life and ministry.
 
When (former Executive Pastor) Jake left, I assumed oversight of the Children’s Ministry, working with Sara Southard which has been wonderful. Sara shares the qualities of every single member of the staff here at CPC: kind, thoughtful, diligent, having a passion for Christ and a warm affection for the rest of the staff, and a commitment to CPC. In so many ways, Sara and I have common ideas about children’s ministry. Her ministry, as well as the ministry of the nursery, was functioning well, with a deep commitment to discipling kids and keeping them safe. Sara understands that we need to meet kids where they are, and not all kids are in the same place. I pray that I can be an encouragement and support to her ministry.
 
When Bill Massey arrived, one week after I did, two things were very apparent. First, Bill and I have completely different ministry “styles.” Second, Bill was one of the kindest, wisest, and godliest pastors I have ever known. We weren’t at all alike, but wow, he was easy to work with. He has become a good friend and another person from whom I have learned much. I am so glad that the Session has called him to stay.
 
Our family came from First Presbyterian Chattanooga - a church where we have great friends. It is always difficult to make a transition to another church. What I can say for all of us is that coming to CPC has been very much like coming home. You feel like “our people.” My youngest (Jon Michael) loves the youth group and my middle (Paul) enjoys helping with the sound ministry. My wife has received the warmest of welcomes.
 
My “record-setting” interim status has been due to the length of time of pastoral transition and giving David and me time to get to know one another while making sure that we are on the same page with the mission of the church. I am glad he thinks we are; I certainly do. My only ambitions at this point in my life are loving my wife well (Ephesians 5.28), seeing my children raised to know Christ and seek His kingdom (Matthew 6.33), equip the saints for works of service (Ephesians 4.13), and make Christ known (Ephesians 3.8). I pray that CPC Youth know that Christ is more wonderful than we can imagine and that following Him is the greatest adventure upon which we can embark.

]]> From Assistant Pastor Bill Massey https://cpcchatt.org/resources/articles/from-assistant-pastor-bill-massey Tue, 12 May 2026 19:09:56 +0000 Fulfilling my call will involve me in performing three basic roles. My first role is... Newsletter Articles Bill Massey Bill Massey Facing certain death in prison and burdened for the future of the church, Paul commands his beloved son in the faith, Timothy: “what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2.2). What an urgent necessity this is! Unless the church makes disciples of Jesus Christ it has no future. And so, the command to entrust the Gospel to the next generation has fostered discipleship training for two millennia.

What a sense of privilege I feel to have been recommended to CPC by its elders to serve as the Associate Pastor of Discipleship! In one sense, the responsibility of making disciples must rest on the entire ministry of the church in its worship, nurture, and witness. But just as in any army various captains accept specific responsibilities, so mine is “to make Christ known in all of life by equipping adult believers for joyful obedience and authentic caring relationships” (Job Description). My responsibility puts me squarely in the nurturing role of CPC’s overall ministry.

Fulfilling my call will involve me in performing three basic roles. My first role is equipping. I will chair the Equipping Committee in leading staff-driven and volunteer-driven equipping ministries such as adult Sunday School, Wednesday night programs, and Men’s and Women’s Ministries. This includes taking primary responsibility for recruiting and training teachers, choosing curriculum, and overseeing logistics.

The second role I am responsible for is caring. Under the leadership of our Senior Pastor and along with our Shepherding Committee (Elders Chris Rimondi and Jon Harris co-chair) and retired Congregational Care Pastor, Eric Mullinax, I will assist in shepherding, visitation, counseling, and wedding and funeral arrangements.

My third role involves the various preaching, teaching, and oversight responsibilities that go with serving as a full-time pastor on the congregational, presbytery, and General Assembly levels. Paul’s example in the New Testament speaks to me. His call from God involved him in performing a variety of ministry related roles - each suited to his unique season of life. As I look back now on many years of pastoral ministry, I see too that God has called me at different times to perform a variety of roles (staff pastor, church planter, and solo pastor/interim pastor).

God’s blessing on CPC is evident to my family and me. How deeply grateful we are that God has brought us to you. How grateful I am in my current season of life that the Session has recommended me to the position of Associate Pastor of Discipleship!

]]> Facing certain death in prison and burdened for the future of the church, Paul commands his beloved son in the faith, Timothy: “what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2.2). What an urgent necessity this is! Unless the church makes disciples of Jesus Christ it has no future. And so, the command to entrust the Gospel to the next generation has fostered discipleship training for two millennia.

What a sense of privilege I feel to have been recommended to CPC by its elders to serve as the Associate Pastor of Discipleship! In one sense, the responsibility of making disciples must rest on the entire ministry of the church in its worship, nurture, and witness. But just as in any army various captains accept specific responsibilities, so mine is “to make Christ known in all of life by equipping adult believers for joyful obedience and authentic caring relationships” (Job Description). My responsibility puts me squarely in the nurturing role of CPC’s overall ministry.

Fulfilling my call will involve me in performing three basic roles. My first role is equipping. I will chair the Equipping Committee in leading staff-driven and volunteer-driven equipping ministries such as adult Sunday School, Wednesday night programs, and Men’s and Women’s Ministries. This includes taking primary responsibility for recruiting and training teachers, choosing curriculum, and overseeing logistics.

The second role I am responsible for is caring. Under the leadership of our Senior Pastor and along with our Shepherding Committee (Elders Chris Rimondi and Jon Harris co-chair) and retired Congregational Care Pastor, Eric Mullinax, I will assist in shepherding, visitation, counseling, and wedding and funeral arrangements.

My third role involves the various preaching, teaching, and oversight responsibilities that go with serving as a full-time pastor on the congregational, presbytery, and General Assembly levels. Paul’s example in the New Testament speaks to me. His call from God involved him in performing a variety of ministry related roles - each suited to his unique season of life. As I look back now on many years of pastoral ministry, I see too that God has called me at different times to perform a variety of roles (staff pastor, church planter, and solo pastor/interim pastor).

God’s blessing on CPC is evident to my family and me. How deeply grateful we are that God has brought us to you. How grateful I am in my current season of life that the Session has recommended me to the position of Associate Pastor of Discipleship!

]]> Youth Ministry Blessings https://cpcchatt.org/resources/articles/youth-ministry-blessings Tue, 13 Jan 2026 19:11:21 +0000 Travis and I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the past year (2025) and the goodness of Our God. We are continually thankful for the ways He has been at work in our youth ministry and in the lives of your students. Newsletter Articles Heather Morrison Heather Morrison Travis and I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the past year (2025) and the goodness of Our God. We are continually thankful for the ways He has been at work in our youth ministry and in the lives of your students.

Last May, we celebrated the graduation of 17 students from our youth group, and we are incredibly proud of each of them. We are excited to see where the Lord leads them in this next season of life. In August, we joyfully welcomed 16 new sixth-graders into the youth ministry. They have been such a gift, and we are so thankful to have them with us. We have also been blessed by several new families joining CPC, and we are grateful for the ways they have enriched our church family.

We have truly loved the time we’ve spent with your students this past year - from game nights and surf trips to camps, small groups, and everything in between. It has been an incredible honor and privilege for Travis, our youth leaders, and me to walk alongside your students as they grow in faith.

Last summer, our student ministry took part in four distinct camps, The Edge, Beach Retreat, Shine, and Forge, bringing together more than 170 students and leaders. Throughout each experience, we saw students grow in faith, community, and purpose. We witnessed God’s hand at work and experienced His Spirit moving in both powerful and deeply personal ways.

At our fall retreat, we took 48 students to Camp Vesper Point for a weekend of worship, teaching, and fellowship. Pastor Ron Brown, from First Pres, spoke on biblical wisdom and what it looks like to pursue wisdom in everyday life. It was an encouraging and meaningful weekend for our students.

Throughout the year, our students engaged in studies on Revelation, the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Shorter Catechism, apologetics, and Biblical worldview. We have been encouraged by their questions, their growth, and their desire to understand God’s Word more deeply.

One of our primary focuses was helping students form a strong biblical worldview so they can be a light to those around them. Our students are walking through different challenges and are constantly confronted with competing messages and circumstances that can feel heavy and overwhelming. That reality is a big reason we are committed to addressing various topics through the lens of Scripture. In seasons that feel dark, uncertain, or burdensome, we are often reminded that God’s light shines brightest in the darkness. His light is not dim or distant, it is near, and powerful to guide us. He invites us to seek Him and draws us close. Our prayer is that our students would see His light clearly and reflect it faithfully to others as they walk through their challenges.

Thank you for entrusting us with your children and for partnering with us in pointing them to Christ. We are so grateful for you and your families, and we are so excited to see what the Lord has in store for the year ahead.

Heather Morrison, Assistant Youth Director

]]> Travis and I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the past year (2025) and the goodness of Our God. We are continually thankful for the ways He has been at work in our youth ministry and in the lives of your students.

Last May, we celebrated the graduation of 17 students from our youth group, and we are incredibly proud of each of them. We are excited to see where the Lord leads them in this next season of life. In August, we joyfully welcomed 16 new sixth-graders into the youth ministry. They have been such a gift, and we are so thankful to have them with us. We have also been blessed by several new families joining CPC, and we are grateful for the ways they have enriched our church family.

We have truly loved the time we’ve spent with your students this past year - from game nights and surf trips to camps, small groups, and everything in between. It has been an incredible honor and privilege for Travis, our youth leaders, and me to walk alongside your students as they grow in faith.

Last summer, our student ministry took part in four distinct camps, The Edge, Beach Retreat, Shine, and Forge, bringing together more than 170 students and leaders. Throughout each experience, we saw students grow in faith, community, and purpose. We witnessed God’s hand at work and experienced His Spirit moving in both powerful and deeply personal ways.

At our fall retreat, we took 48 students to Camp Vesper Point for a weekend of worship, teaching, and fellowship. Pastor Ron Brown, from First Pres, spoke on biblical wisdom and what it looks like to pursue wisdom in everyday life. It was an encouraging and meaningful weekend for our students.

Throughout the year, our students engaged in studies on Revelation, the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Shorter Catechism, apologetics, and Biblical worldview. We have been encouraged by their questions, their growth, and their desire to understand God’s Word more deeply.

One of our primary focuses was helping students form a strong biblical worldview so they can be a light to those around them. Our students are walking through different challenges and are constantly confronted with competing messages and circumstances that can feel heavy and overwhelming. That reality is a big reason we are committed to addressing various topics through the lens of Scripture. In seasons that feel dark, uncertain, or burdensome, we are often reminded that God’s light shines brightest in the darkness. His light is not dim or distant, it is near, and powerful to guide us. He invites us to seek Him and draws us close. Our prayer is that our students would see His light clearly and reflect it faithfully to others as they walk through their challenges.

Thank you for entrusting us with your children and for partnering with us in pointing them to Christ. We are so grateful for you and your families, and we are so excited to see what the Lord has in store for the year ahead.

Heather Morrison, Assistant Youth Director

]]> An Old-Fashioned Christmas? https://cpcchatt.org/resources/articles/an-old-fashioned-christmas Tue, 16 Dec 2025 21:18:17 +0000 Christmas and Easter are celebrations of real events, and not just any events, but the two most significant events in Christianity, and even more, the world. Real events happen on a calendar... Newsletter Articles Travis Hutchinson Travis Hutchinson Many Christians have accepted uncritically the idea that Christian holidays, notably Christmas and Easter, were added into the calendar hundreds of years after the life and ministry of Christ and were lifted from pagan celebrations which fell on the same dates. This is a theory of “co-opting,” whereby something is taken over and invested with new meaning. The problem is that vestiges of the old always remain, so these celebrations cannot be fully Christian and might be more than a little pagan. Some Christian groups and Christian heresies have latched onto this. Jehovah's Witnesses prominently refuse to celebrate Christmas or Easter and use the celebration of these holidays by orthodox Christians as evidence they are more biblical (which has no little irony considering they had to produce their own Bible version to promote their false teachings).
 
Thankfully, we don't have to defend the pagan origins of Christmas and Easter, as they were demonstrably not taken from pagan holidays, but represented the actual practice of the Church from as far back as we can tell. The impetus for this is fairly plain. Christmas and Easter are celebrations of real events, and not just any events, but the two most significant events in Christianity, and even more, the world. Real events happen on a calendar. So just like the Israelites celebrated their calendar tied to actual events, Christians did the same. God never commanded his people to celebrate those two days, but it was natural for them and flowed from celebrating redemptive history in the Old Testament. They are joyful remembrances of biblical events.
 
But, if they represented ancient practice, why did the Puritans frown so much on Christmas? The fact is, Christmas had fallen on hard times. The celebration of Christmas in the 17th century was mostly isolated among Catholics and Anglicans. For most it was a night of drinking and debauchery. When Charles I was executed and the Puritan dictator Oliver Cromwell took over England, one of his first acts was banning the celebration of Christmas. English Christmas was riotous, but it was loved by many of the people. When the rule passed from Oliver to his son, Richard, people asked him to restore the celebration of Christmas, which he refused. Charles II promised to restore Christmas if the monarchy were restored. Christmas was at least one of the reasons Puritan rule in England was overthrown.
 
This was not the Christmas we know now, but was largely a night of carousing by men, often of the working classes, hitting the streets and demanding food and drink from wealthier folk. The song, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” might not be as old as the 17th century, but surely represents the sentiment with the demand for “figgy pudding” and an implied threat of “we won't leave until we get some.” Ace Collins writes, “in many areas of London, Christmas was a day when women and children feared to venture into the streets.”
 
Christmas, at least in the English-speaking world, was not a time of faith and family for about two hundred years. Starting with the Continental Congress in 1789, Congress met on Christmas Day for 67 years. When laws against the celebration of Christmas began to be ignored in American cities, Christmas again became a time of drunkenness and rioting. In 1828 the City Council of New York had a special session and formed a Christmas police force to deal with the disturbances.
 
In Germany, however, Christmas had evolved into a religious holiday where families celebrated the birth of Christ. Homes were decorated. Special treats were made. It became a day precious to children. In 1840, Queen Victoria married the German Prince Albert and Germany's traditions entered British culture. Albert transformed the way the royal family celebrated Christmas, which quickly worked its way through English society. This changed the form of Christmas, but what changed the heart of how the English viewed Christmas came three years later.
 
Charles Dickens was a 19th English author who wrote prodigiously and had a heart for the poor and orphans. He latched on quickly to the transformation of Christmas from a dangerously drunken night to a time of faith and charity. He was a Christian, and though his theology was pretty lacking, his compassion was heartfelt. In 1843 he published his short novel, A Christmas Carol, which could be described a bit as a moralistic Gothic horror tale. Many people miss the point of his novel today and assume that “Scrooge” was a cheating, dishonest businessman who became rich by extorting others and taking advantage of his employee. This is a completely mistaken understanding. Scrooge is scrupulously honest and hardworking. He is just as miserly in his own life as in the lives of his employees. He works exactly the same long hours as his employee. In the background of his life, he has forgotten the importance of relationships and become consumed with work.
 
His ghostly visitors allow him to see the things he has forgotten and the barrenness of his life in the present. His employee, Cratchett, has loving relationships and talks well of his boss, even when it isn't particularly deserved. The final blow comes when the Ghost of Christmas Future shows Scrooge the grave of Little Timmy, and stunningly pins Timmy's death on Scrooge. Scrooge didn't do anything to cause or hasten Timmy's death, he simply neglected, somehow, to prevent it. Scrooge is not guilty of defrauding anyone; he's guilty of a lack of compassion and generosity. And his miserliness has made him miserable as well. Certainly, Christ's words on this were known to Dickens. Paul, when talking to the Ephesian elders, whom he would never see again, said, “I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive'” (Acts 20:35). The story struck home, hard. Christmas was quickly and radically transformed. It could have been accidental - just Dickens jumping on the cultural bandwagon at the right time - but I suspect some intentionality was at work.
 
In 1850, Dickens published a short story titled, “A Christmas Tree.” The story is set as the reminiscing of an old man about Christmases past. The old man glories in the decorations, the treats, and the toys that he enjoyed as a child with the Christmas tree at the center of the room and the experience. Page after page he goes on with vivid descriptions of the ornaments on the tree, decorations in the home, and food they enjoyed. The Christmas Tree itself speaks at the end of the tale, “This, in commemoration of the law of love and kindness, mercy and compassion. This in remembrance of Me!”
 
The curious thing about this “tale,” is that it is completely fiction. Dickens himself didn't grow up with a Christmas like that. No one in England had a Christmas like that if they grew up in his day. He was creating an idea of Christmas by pitching it as something older and developed, but it was rather new. The celebration of Christmas itself is as old as the Church, but giving a clear way to anchor the celebration of Christ's birth with kindness towards children and compassion for the poor inoculated the festival from many of its worst features. Ironically, many of the practices that we bemoan at times, such as gift-giving, are not actually a departure from a “true Christmas celebration,” but were part of drawing it back more towards Christ (not that we don't tend to devolve into worldliness!). And it seems, that for Dickens, that was the point.
           
- Yours in Christ Our Savior,
Travis Hutchinson, Interim Pastor of Youth & Families
(A popular history of Christmas as a celebration can be found in Ace Collins's book The Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas. Collins is occasionally not terribly careful with his historiography, but he gets the main story right.)

]]> Many Christians have accepted uncritically the idea that Christian holidays, notably Christmas and Easter, were added into the calendar hundreds of years after the life and ministry of Christ and were lifted from pagan celebrations which fell on the same dates. This is a theory of “co-opting,” whereby something is taken over and invested with new meaning. The problem is that vestiges of the old always remain, so these celebrations cannot be fully Christian and might be more than a little pagan. Some Christian groups and Christian heresies have latched onto this. Jehovah's Witnesses prominently refuse to celebrate Christmas or Easter and use the celebration of these holidays by orthodox Christians as evidence they are more biblical (which has no little irony considering they had to produce their own Bible version to promote their false teachings).
 
Thankfully, we don't have to defend the pagan origins of Christmas and Easter, as they were demonstrably not taken from pagan holidays, but represented the actual practice of the Church from as far back as we can tell. The impetus for this is fairly plain. Christmas and Easter are celebrations of real events, and not just any events, but the two most significant events in Christianity, and even more, the world. Real events happen on a calendar. So just like the Israelites celebrated their calendar tied to actual events, Christians did the same. God never commanded his people to celebrate those two days, but it was natural for them and flowed from celebrating redemptive history in the Old Testament. They are joyful remembrances of biblical events.
 
But, if they represented ancient practice, why did the Puritans frown so much on Christmas? The fact is, Christmas had fallen on hard times. The celebration of Christmas in the 17th century was mostly isolated among Catholics and Anglicans. For most it was a night of drinking and debauchery. When Charles I was executed and the Puritan dictator Oliver Cromwell took over England, one of his first acts was banning the celebration of Christmas. English Christmas was riotous, but it was loved by many of the people. When the rule passed from Oliver to his son, Richard, people asked him to restore the celebration of Christmas, which he refused. Charles II promised to restore Christmas if the monarchy were restored. Christmas was at least one of the reasons Puritan rule in England was overthrown.
 
This was not the Christmas we know now, but was largely a night of carousing by men, often of the working classes, hitting the streets and demanding food and drink from wealthier folk. The song, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” might not be as old as the 17th century, but surely represents the sentiment with the demand for “figgy pudding” and an implied threat of “we won't leave until we get some.” Ace Collins writes, “in many areas of London, Christmas was a day when women and children feared to venture into the streets.”
 
Christmas, at least in the English-speaking world, was not a time of faith and family for about two hundred years. Starting with the Continental Congress in 1789, Congress met on Christmas Day for 67 years. When laws against the celebration of Christmas began to be ignored in American cities, Christmas again became a time of drunkenness and rioting. In 1828 the City Council of New York had a special session and formed a Christmas police force to deal with the disturbances.
 
In Germany, however, Christmas had evolved into a religious holiday where families celebrated the birth of Christ. Homes were decorated. Special treats were made. It became a day precious to children. In 1840, Queen Victoria married the German Prince Albert and Germany's traditions entered British culture. Albert transformed the way the royal family celebrated Christmas, which quickly worked its way through English society. This changed the form of Christmas, but what changed the heart of how the English viewed Christmas came three years later.
 
Charles Dickens was a 19th English author who wrote prodigiously and had a heart for the poor and orphans. He latched on quickly to the transformation of Christmas from a dangerously drunken night to a time of faith and charity. He was a Christian, and though his theology was pretty lacking, his compassion was heartfelt. In 1843 he published his short novel, A Christmas Carol, which could be described a bit as a moralistic Gothic horror tale. Many people miss the point of his novel today and assume that “Scrooge” was a cheating, dishonest businessman who became rich by extorting others and taking advantage of his employee. This is a completely mistaken understanding. Scrooge is scrupulously honest and hardworking. He is just as miserly in his own life as in the lives of his employees. He works exactly the same long hours as his employee. In the background of his life, he has forgotten the importance of relationships and become consumed with work.
 
His ghostly visitors allow him to see the things he has forgotten and the barrenness of his life in the present. His employee, Cratchett, has loving relationships and talks well of his boss, even when it isn't particularly deserved. The final blow comes when the Ghost of Christmas Future shows Scrooge the grave of Little Timmy, and stunningly pins Timmy's death on Scrooge. Scrooge didn't do anything to cause or hasten Timmy's death, he simply neglected, somehow, to prevent it. Scrooge is not guilty of defrauding anyone; he's guilty of a lack of compassion and generosity. And his miserliness has made him miserable as well. Certainly, Christ's words on this were known to Dickens. Paul, when talking to the Ephesian elders, whom he would never see again, said, “I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive'” (Acts 20:35). The story struck home, hard. Christmas was quickly and radically transformed. It could have been accidental - just Dickens jumping on the cultural bandwagon at the right time - but I suspect some intentionality was at work.
 
In 1850, Dickens published a short story titled, “A Christmas Tree.” The story is set as the reminiscing of an old man about Christmases past. The old man glories in the decorations, the treats, and the toys that he enjoyed as a child with the Christmas tree at the center of the room and the experience. Page after page he goes on with vivid descriptions of the ornaments on the tree, decorations in the home, and food they enjoyed. The Christmas Tree itself speaks at the end of the tale, “This, in commemoration of the law of love and kindness, mercy and compassion. This in remembrance of Me!”
 
The curious thing about this “tale,” is that it is completely fiction. Dickens himself didn't grow up with a Christmas like that. No one in England had a Christmas like that if they grew up in his day. He was creating an idea of Christmas by pitching it as something older and developed, but it was rather new. The celebration of Christmas itself is as old as the Church, but giving a clear way to anchor the celebration of Christ's birth with kindness towards children and compassion for the poor inoculated the festival from many of its worst features. Ironically, many of the practices that we bemoan at times, such as gift-giving, are not actually a departure from a “true Christmas celebration,” but were part of drawing it back more towards Christ (not that we don't tend to devolve into worldliness!). And it seems, that for Dickens, that was the point.
           
- Yours in Christ Our Savior,
Travis Hutchinson, Interim Pastor of Youth & Families
(A popular history of Christmas as a celebration can be found in Ace Collins's book The Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas. Collins is occasionally not terribly careful with his historiography, but he gets the main story right.)

]]> Jesus, The Light of Life https://cpcchatt.org/resources/articles/jesus-the-light-of-life Tue, 09 Dec 2025 20:27:45 +0000 Unless we understand that Jesus, the Son of God, became man to bring us to God, it is as if an essential chapter of our lives is missing! But if we receive this good news, we live in the light. We do not stumble about in the darkness. Life makes sense... Newsletter Articles Bill Massey Bill Massey I knew a man who worked at the NASA facility in Huntsville, Alabama in the 1960s when America was rushing to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade. Things were busy. Deadlines were tight. But with bothersome regularity the NASA men in Houston, Texas unexpectedly requested this man’s work division to write reports on various subjects. It all seemed pointless and a waste of precious time! The man in Huntsville wondered if the men in Houston were even reading all the time-consuming reports they prepared!
 
So, working on a hunch, my friend sent a lengthy report to Houston having several pages at the beginning and several at the end but with nothing in the middle. Most of the report was simply blank sheets of white paper. It was a puzzle that did not make any sense. Sure enough, Houston never complained! Huntsville’s reports were not being read. But if the men in Houston had recognized that precious words were missing and had sought them, the report would have made sense. The report actually would have yielded precious insights!
 
The incarnation of Jesus Christ is like those missing words - like a precious missing chapter. It is the missing chapter in human history. It is the missing chapter in our personal life history. The incarnation enables life to make sense. It enables us to know lasting satisfaction with God in a world that is otherwise dark and troubled. Unless we understand that Jesus, the Son of God, became man to bring us to God, it is as if an essential chapter of our lives is missing! But if we receive this good news, we live in the light. We do not stumble about in the darkness. Life makes sense because we taste the glory of the world to come - the glory God created us to know but which was lost through our sin.
 
In the opening verses of his gospel, the apostle John defines the incarnation in this way. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1.14). In Jesus Christ, God really became man. And this was necessary, John says, so that we might know glory - life in its richest and most satisfying form. Jesus is the divine Word who became man so that we might know God in the deepest most satisfying way possible.
Here are three truths we must take to heart this Advent season:
 
Jesus is the divine Word who reveals God’s beauty. That is the first benefit of the incarnation. In verses 1 and 3 of John chapter 1, John says that before becoming man, the divine Word was present when everything was created. John also says that everything that exists was created by Him. When you wonder at the beauty and splendor of the sun rise in the morning or the starry host at night and you realize that the divine Word made it all, then you realize that He is a God of immense wisdom, power, and beauty. Knowing such a Creator is a matter of immense privilege! Knowing Him makes life worth living!
 
Jesus is the divine Word who reveals God’s light. In John 1 verse 4, the apostle says. “In him (the divine Word) was life and the life was the light of men.” Light is a universal religious symbol. We immediately understand the connection John is making. Light is essential for life. On day one of the creation, God said, “Let there be light and there was light” (Gen. 1.3). God created light as a matter of first importance. Without light there is no life, only darkness.
           
God created us not because He needed us, but so that we might share in the joy and life of knowing Him. Knowing God is the purpose of life (John 17.3). It is the light of life. Apart from knowing God, we dwell in the darkness of the sin, evil, and death humankind brought into this world, because “people loved the darkness rather than the light” (John 3.19). But wonderfully, that is why God became man in Jesus - to deliver us from darkness into light. In becoming man, Jesus did not simply enter the world of darkness which our defiance of God created; He also entered the darkness of God’s wrath and judgement for our sin - the sin, darkness, and indifference toward God that we have until God shines light into our souls. He came to overthrow the darkness!
           
As our representative on the cross, Jesus’s soul entered the utter darkness of being forsaken by God in our place. He received what we deserve. That’s why He cried out on the cross, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?” Jesus entered the deepest darkness of God’s judgment for our sin to bring us into the light and life of God’s presence, love, and joy. Have we received -have we accepted - the free light and life of knowing God through Jesus, the Word who became flesh and died for our sin?
           
Jesus is the divine Word who reveals God’s glory. John wrote, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father…” (John 1.14). Those words would have dumbfounded John’s first century Jewish readers (because we have so sentimentalized Christmas). For the Jewish person in John’s day, God’s glory was the most potent, fearful, and dangerous reality in the universe! When God met with His people on top of Mount Sinai, He turned it into a raging, thundering inferno (Exodus 19 and 20). He warned, “Don’t get too close because if you do my glory might break through and destroy you.” But here is the irony. When Moses met with God on the mount, he prayed, “I want to see your glory,” but he could not lest he be consumed.
           
Why did Moses say, “I’m afraid of you but show me your glory?” Because seeing God’s glory is the missing chapter of our lives! To know God in Jesus is the privilege of living in the light. It’s the light our first parents knew when they were created but forsook through sin. God created us to taste His glory. We naturally settle for lesser glories and lesser joys that do not satisfy. Jesus came to deliver us from our emptiness into the fullness of knowing God. When we receive Jesus, we enjoy foretastes of knowing God. When we finally enter glory through death, we know God face-to-face in Jesus, the Word. We know Him as the friend and lover of our soul. All will be joy and satisfaction because God’s blessing will flow to us without interruption. This world is only a shadow, but the world of glory to come is the weighty and lasting reality. Praise the Lord!
 
Bill Massey, Assistant Pastor

]]> I knew a man who worked at the NASA facility in Huntsville, Alabama in the 1960s when America was rushing to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade. Things were busy. Deadlines were tight. But with bothersome regularity the NASA men in Houston, Texas unexpectedly requested this man’s work division to write reports on various subjects. It all seemed pointless and a waste of precious time! The man in Huntsville wondered if the men in Houston were even reading all the time-consuming reports they prepared!
 
So, working on a hunch, my friend sent a lengthy report to Houston having several pages at the beginning and several at the end but with nothing in the middle. Most of the report was simply blank sheets of white paper. It was a puzzle that did not make any sense. Sure enough, Houston never complained! Huntsville’s reports were not being read. But if the men in Houston had recognized that precious words were missing and had sought them, the report would have made sense. The report actually would have yielded precious insights!
 
The incarnation of Jesus Christ is like those missing words - like a precious missing chapter. It is the missing chapter in human history. It is the missing chapter in our personal life history. The incarnation enables life to make sense. It enables us to know lasting satisfaction with God in a world that is otherwise dark and troubled. Unless we understand that Jesus, the Son of God, became man to bring us to God, it is as if an essential chapter of our lives is missing! But if we receive this good news, we live in the light. We do not stumble about in the darkness. Life makes sense because we taste the glory of the world to come - the glory God created us to know but which was lost through our sin.
 
In the opening verses of his gospel, the apostle John defines the incarnation in this way. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1.14). In Jesus Christ, God really became man. And this was necessary, John says, so that we might know glory - life in its richest and most satisfying form. Jesus is the divine Word who became man so that we might know God in the deepest most satisfying way possible.
Here are three truths we must take to heart this Advent season:
 
Jesus is the divine Word who reveals God’s beauty. That is the first benefit of the incarnation. In verses 1 and 3 of John chapter 1, John says that before becoming man, the divine Word was present when everything was created. John also says that everything that exists was created by Him. When you wonder at the beauty and splendor of the sun rise in the morning or the starry host at night and you realize that the divine Word made it all, then you realize that He is a God of immense wisdom, power, and beauty. Knowing such a Creator is a matter of immense privilege! Knowing Him makes life worth living!
 
Jesus is the divine Word who reveals God’s light. In John 1 verse 4, the apostle says. “In him (the divine Word) was life and the life was the light of men.” Light is a universal religious symbol. We immediately understand the connection John is making. Light is essential for life. On day one of the creation, God said, “Let there be light and there was light” (Gen. 1.3). God created light as a matter of first importance. Without light there is no life, only darkness.
           
God created us not because He needed us, but so that we might share in the joy and life of knowing Him. Knowing God is the purpose of life (John 17.3). It is the light of life. Apart from knowing God, we dwell in the darkness of the sin, evil, and death humankind brought into this world, because “people loved the darkness rather than the light” (John 3.19). But wonderfully, that is why God became man in Jesus - to deliver us from darkness into light. In becoming man, Jesus did not simply enter the world of darkness which our defiance of God created; He also entered the darkness of God’s wrath and judgement for our sin - the sin, darkness, and indifference toward God that we have until God shines light into our souls. He came to overthrow the darkness!
           
As our representative on the cross, Jesus’s soul entered the utter darkness of being forsaken by God in our place. He received what we deserve. That’s why He cried out on the cross, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?” Jesus entered the deepest darkness of God’s judgment for our sin to bring us into the light and life of God’s presence, love, and joy. Have we received -have we accepted - the free light and life of knowing God through Jesus, the Word who became flesh and died for our sin?
           
Jesus is the divine Word who reveals God’s glory. John wrote, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father…” (John 1.14). Those words would have dumbfounded John’s first century Jewish readers (because we have so sentimentalized Christmas). For the Jewish person in John’s day, God’s glory was the most potent, fearful, and dangerous reality in the universe! When God met with His people on top of Mount Sinai, He turned it into a raging, thundering inferno (Exodus 19 and 20). He warned, “Don’t get too close because if you do my glory might break through and destroy you.” But here is the irony. When Moses met with God on the mount, he prayed, “I want to see your glory,” but he could not lest he be consumed.
           
Why did Moses say, “I’m afraid of you but show me your glory?” Because seeing God’s glory is the missing chapter of our lives! To know God in Jesus is the privilege of living in the light. It’s the light our first parents knew when they were created but forsook through sin. God created us to taste His glory. We naturally settle for lesser glories and lesser joys that do not satisfy. Jesus came to deliver us from our emptiness into the fullness of knowing God. When we receive Jesus, we enjoy foretastes of knowing God. When we finally enter glory through death, we know God face-to-face in Jesus, the Word. We know Him as the friend and lover of our soul. All will be joy and satisfaction because God’s blessing will flow to us without interruption. This world is only a shadow, but the world of glory to come is the weighty and lasting reality. Praise the Lord!
 
Bill Massey, Assistant Pastor

]]> ANTICIPATION https://cpcchatt.org/resources/articles/anticipation Tue, 02 Dec 2025 20:25:52 +0000 This is why Advent is so precious to me - it is a season of anticipation. We anticipate real things like gifts and time with loved ones, but even more... Newsletter Articles David Stephenson David Stephenson I am looking forward to celebrating Advent and Christmas at CPC. It is such a special time of year when the air turns crisp, lights fill the night, and our hearts are full of anticipation. For some, that anticipation is the excitement of opening a long hoped for gift. (When I was a kid, the only thing I wanted for Christmas was a BB gun. It was not the famous Red Ryder one from the movie, but I still hoped for it with everything in me.) For others, it is the anticipation of being reunited with family: a son or daughter coming home, a sibling you have not seen in far too long, or a parent whose presence matters more than any present under a tree. And for many of our students, it is simply the joy of a break from school.

But we also know that this time of year can be painful. For some, it is a season when grief is heavy and the empty chair is impossible to ignore. For others, financial burdens make it difficult to buy the gifts they long to give to their children. For many, the darkness of sadness, loneliness, uncertainty, or anxiety feels sharper against the brightness of Christmas lights.

This is why Advent is so precious to me - it is a season of anticipation. We anticipate real things like gifts and time with loved ones, but even more, we anticipate the return of Jesus who will make all things new. He is the One who will wipe away every tear, heal every wound, end every form of suffering, and restore peace to all creation. Our hearts ache for a world without cancer, without addiction, and without death. Jesus has promised to bring that world.

We have real confidence in this promise because we remember His first coming. God took on flesh and lived among us. Jesus bound up the brokenhearted, healed the sick, fulfilled the law perfectly, lived a sinless life, and then died on the cross for us so that we might receive His righteousness. And He rose from the dead in victory. Because we can trust His first coming, we can confidently trust His second.

So, as we celebrate Advent at CPC, let us fix our eyes on Jesus. Let us look back with gratitude to His first coming and look forward with hope to His return. Throughout this season we will light the Advent wreath candles, hear sermons that help us behold our God who took on flesh, enjoy special concerts and gatherings, and sing songs that celebrate His coming while crying out, “Come, Lord Jesus.”

Advent is also a wonderful opportunity to invite friends, coworkers, neighbors, and family to join us. Many are spiritually open in this season in ways they may not be at any other time of the year. Let’s pray about whom we might invite and how we might welcome others with warmth, hospitality, and the love of Christ.

May the Lord richly bless us as we celebrate Advent together. And may He deepen in us the longing of the Church through the ages: Come quickly, Lord Jesus.

David Stephenson, Senior Pastor

]]> I am looking forward to celebrating Advent and Christmas at CPC. It is such a special time of year when the air turns crisp, lights fill the night, and our hearts are full of anticipation. For some, that anticipation is the excitement of opening a long hoped for gift. (When I was a kid, the only thing I wanted for Christmas was a BB gun. It was not the famous Red Ryder one from the movie, but I still hoped for it with everything in me.) For others, it is the anticipation of being reunited with family: a son or daughter coming home, a sibling you have not seen in far too long, or a parent whose presence matters more than any present under a tree. And for many of our students, it is simply the joy of a break from school.

But we also know that this time of year can be painful. For some, it is a season when grief is heavy and the empty chair is impossible to ignore. For others, financial burdens make it difficult to buy the gifts they long to give to their children. For many, the darkness of sadness, loneliness, uncertainty, or anxiety feels sharper against the brightness of Christmas lights.

This is why Advent is so precious to me - it is a season of anticipation. We anticipate real things like gifts and time with loved ones, but even more, we anticipate the return of Jesus who will make all things new. He is the One who will wipe away every tear, heal every wound, end every form of suffering, and restore peace to all creation. Our hearts ache for a world without cancer, without addiction, and without death. Jesus has promised to bring that world.

We have real confidence in this promise because we remember His first coming. God took on flesh and lived among us. Jesus bound up the brokenhearted, healed the sick, fulfilled the law perfectly, lived a sinless life, and then died on the cross for us so that we might receive His righteousness. And He rose from the dead in victory. Because we can trust His first coming, we can confidently trust His second.

So, as we celebrate Advent at CPC, let us fix our eyes on Jesus. Let us look back with gratitude to His first coming and look forward with hope to His return. Throughout this season we will light the Advent wreath candles, hear sermons that help us behold our God who took on flesh, enjoy special concerts and gatherings, and sing songs that celebrate His coming while crying out, “Come, Lord Jesus.”

Advent is also a wonderful opportunity to invite friends, coworkers, neighbors, and family to join us. Many are spiritually open in this season in ways they may not be at any other time of the year. Let’s pray about whom we might invite and how we might welcome others with warmth, hospitality, and the love of Christ.

May the Lord richly bless us as we celebrate Advent together. And may He deepen in us the longing of the Church through the ages: Come quickly, Lord Jesus.

David Stephenson, Senior Pastor

]]> Mercy https://cpcchatt.org/resources/articles/mercy Tue, 07 Oct 2025 20:20:07 +0000 When a member or non-member has needs that are brought to the committee’s attention, we prayerfully think through what is needed, confer with each other, come up with a financial plan, and then... Newsletter Articles Eric Mantel Eric Mantel Calvin was in dire straits. Last month, he received an eviction notice because his family was unable to make ends meet, and they were overdue on their rent payment. Somehow, they had to come up with enough funds to pay before the end of September, or they would be thrown out of their home.

Tiffany from RTTN, a local church, called the CPC Mercy Line. She told me that Calvin and his wife and three kids are very involved in the church and have been faithfully attending it for three years. Tiffany is currently working on getting their church outreach ministry off the ground - helping folks with clothing for now and hoping to expand from there. They do not currently have the funds to help with larger things like rent payment. Tiffany told me that Calvin had never requested assistance before, but had some unforeseen circumstances come up. She took it upon herself to pursue help for them by calling the United Way and many churches in our area. However, most places are very hesitant to help with rent because it is easy to scam churches and charities this way. (It is much safer to directly pay someone's electricity bill than to send a check to an individual who may not be an actual landlord.)
 
Let me pause this story to tell you about myself and why I know about Calvin. When I joined the diaconate last year, I wasn't sure what all would be involved. The officer training that we went through along with the elders was intense and enlightening. We came away from it with a better understanding of what God desires from us to be servant leaders in the church. We had a month’s long in-depth study of the Westminster Confessions of Faith. We studied other things as well, including the Book of Church Order. The BCO is basically the constitution of the PCA, where we learn about church government, church discipline, and instructions for worship. Pastors Jake (Bennett) and Bill did an excellent job heading up our training.
 
Once we were installed as officers, we got to do the actual “deaconing.” Most of what the congregation knows of deacons is their passing of the offering plates on a Sunday morning, but there is much more happening behind the scenes. Every deacon is assigned at least one widow to help care for. We also join one of six committees: Mercy, Budget and Finance, Facilities, Singles and Widows, Security, or Worship. We have meetings about every two months where we go over what the individual committees have been doing and discuss other business that always seems to crop up. Our chairman, Mike Mason - who also goes to all the session meetings so that the two branches have a better idea of what each is doing - keeps everything running smoothly.
 
I am on the Mercy committee. There are six of us on it, headed up by Geff Adams. When a member or non-member has needs that are brought to the committee’s attention, we prayerfully think through what is needed, confer with each other, come up with a financial plan, and then vote on it. Often, people in need just walk into our church during the week requesting help. CPC also has a Mercy Line, which anyone can call. For the last couple of months, I have had the honor of fielding these phone calls. It's often single mothers who need to pay their electric bill before EPB shuts off their service. Other times, people need help with rent, car repair, or all kinds of unforeseen financial burdens. By God's grace, and a supportive, generous congregation, we often have the funds and ability to help people who have no other recourse. For Calvin and his family (from the beginning of this article), we were able to keep them from being evicted.

In Christ,
Eric Mantel, Deacon
Soli Deo Gloria

(If any CPC member has financial or other needs, or knows someone who does, you can call our Mercy Line at 423-521-0002.)

]]> Calvin was in dire straits. Last month, he received an eviction notice because his family was unable to make ends meet, and they were overdue on their rent payment. Somehow, they had to come up with enough funds to pay before the end of September, or they would be thrown out of their home.

Tiffany from RTTN, a local church, called the CPC Mercy Line. She told me that Calvin and his wife and three kids are very involved in the church and have been faithfully attending it for three years. Tiffany is currently working on getting their church outreach ministry off the ground - helping folks with clothing for now and hoping to expand from there. They do not currently have the funds to help with larger things like rent payment. Tiffany told me that Calvin had never requested assistance before, but had some unforeseen circumstances come up. She took it upon herself to pursue help for them by calling the United Way and many churches in our area. However, most places are very hesitant to help with rent because it is easy to scam churches and charities this way. (It is much safer to directly pay someone's electricity bill than to send a check to an individual who may not be an actual landlord.)
 
Let me pause this story to tell you about myself and why I know about Calvin. When I joined the diaconate last year, I wasn't sure what all would be involved. The officer training that we went through along with the elders was intense and enlightening. We came away from it with a better understanding of what God desires from us to be servant leaders in the church. We had a month’s long in-depth study of the Westminster Confessions of Faith. We studied other things as well, including the Book of Church Order. The BCO is basically the constitution of the PCA, where we learn about church government, church discipline, and instructions for worship. Pastors Jake (Bennett) and Bill did an excellent job heading up our training.
 
Once we were installed as officers, we got to do the actual “deaconing.” Most of what the congregation knows of deacons is their passing of the offering plates on a Sunday morning, but there is much more happening behind the scenes. Every deacon is assigned at least one widow to help care for. We also join one of six committees: Mercy, Budget and Finance, Facilities, Singles and Widows, Security, or Worship. We have meetings about every two months where we go over what the individual committees have been doing and discuss other business that always seems to crop up. Our chairman, Mike Mason - who also goes to all the session meetings so that the two branches have a better idea of what each is doing - keeps everything running smoothly.
 
I am on the Mercy committee. There are six of us on it, headed up by Geff Adams. When a member or non-member has needs that are brought to the committee’s attention, we prayerfully think through what is needed, confer with each other, come up with a financial plan, and then vote on it. Often, people in need just walk into our church during the week requesting help. CPC also has a Mercy Line, which anyone can call. For the last couple of months, I have had the honor of fielding these phone calls. It's often single mothers who need to pay their electric bill before EPB shuts off their service. Other times, people need help with rent, car repair, or all kinds of unforeseen financial burdens. By God's grace, and a supportive, generous congregation, we often have the funds and ability to help people who have no other recourse. For Calvin and his family (from the beginning of this article), we were able to keep them from being evicted.

In Christ,
Eric Mantel, Deacon
Soli Deo Gloria

(If any CPC member has financial or other needs, or knows someone who does, you can call our Mercy Line at 423-521-0002.)

]]> Praising with Hymns and Songs https://cpcchatt.org/resources/articles/praising-with-hymns-and-songs Tue, 23 Sep 2025 21:11:32 +0000 As a church, our singing is shaped by both our history and our present. We sing hymns and songs that have been treasured by the Church... Newsletter Articles David Stephenson David Stephenson As a church, our singing is shaped by both our history and our present. We sing hymns and songs that have been treasured by the Church for generations, connecting us to the historic people of God across time and place. At the same time, we also embrace new hymns and songs that the Lord is graciously raising up today through gifted writers in His church. Some of these may be less familiar to us at first, but they serve to deepen and broaden our worship.

Recently, our choir sang “Behold Our God,” a modern hymn rooted in Isaiah 40. This passage calls us to behold the Lord’s infinite power and glory and then respond in humble adoration and praise. It’s a song rich with biblical truth and beautifully suited for corporate worship. This Sunday, we will have the privilege of singing it together as a congregation.

Over the years, we’ve introduced new songs to our congregation in various ways - through Sunday evening services, the choir anthem, or other settings. Our desire is to build a “library” of songs at CPC: hymns and songs that resonate deeply with who we are as a church family and that we sing with joy and unity in our specific context here in Chattanooga.

To help us learn and love these songs well, we want to be intentional in how we introduce them. Moving forward, you’ll notice several ways we will share new songs with you:

  • Our choir will often sing them first as a way of introducing the melody and words.
  • They may be played during the Prelude on Sunday mornings.
  • Links to these songs will be included in our Friday “Intentionally Preparing” email.

When you have a few moments during the week, we encourage you to listen to these songs, if you are able, on Spotify or Apple Music to become familiar with them. Over time, we hope to create a growing playlist of hymns and songs regularly used in our worship.

Our aim is simple - to equip you to fully participate in the joyful, reverent singing of God’s praise. As we lift our voices together, may we glorify the Lord with one heart and one voice, joining in the song of the Church throughout all ages.
 

Pastor David

]]> As a church, our singing is shaped by both our history and our present. We sing hymns and songs that have been treasured by the Church for generations, connecting us to the historic people of God across time and place. At the same time, we also embrace new hymns and songs that the Lord is graciously raising up today through gifted writers in His church. Some of these may be less familiar to us at first, but they serve to deepen and broaden our worship.

Recently, our choir sang “Behold Our God,” a modern hymn rooted in Isaiah 40. This passage calls us to behold the Lord’s infinite power and glory and then respond in humble adoration and praise. It’s a song rich with biblical truth and beautifully suited for corporate worship. This Sunday, we will have the privilege of singing it together as a congregation.

Over the years, we’ve introduced new songs to our congregation in various ways - through Sunday evening services, the choir anthem, or other settings. Our desire is to build a “library” of songs at CPC: hymns and songs that resonate deeply with who we are as a church family and that we sing with joy and unity in our specific context here in Chattanooga.

To help us learn and love these songs well, we want to be intentional in how we introduce them. Moving forward, you’ll notice several ways we will share new songs with you:

  • Our choir will often sing them first as a way of introducing the melody and words.
  • They may be played during the Prelude on Sunday mornings.
  • Links to these songs will be included in our Friday “Intentionally Preparing” email.

When you have a few moments during the week, we encourage you to listen to these songs, if you are able, on Spotify or Apple Music to become familiar with them. Over time, we hope to create a growing playlist of hymns and songs regularly used in our worship.

Our aim is simple - to equip you to fully participate in the joyful, reverent singing of God’s praise. As we lift our voices together, may we glorify the Lord with one heart and one voice, joining in the song of the Church throughout all ages.
 

Pastor David

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