Chippewa Alliance Church

Today we worshiped at Chippewa Alliance Church, 3629 37^th Street Ext., Beaver Falls, PA 15010, 724.846.2070, www.chippewaalliance.org, Rev. Dan Muir, Lead Pastor.

Scripture – Matthew 20:1-16 NIV

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.

“About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went.

“He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’

“ ‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered.

“He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’

“When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’

“The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’

“But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didnʼt you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Donʼt I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’

“So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

Bob’s thoughts:

God redirected us easily this morning as the church where we planned to worship had closed recently.

Of course, I was happy to come into a church decorated for Christmas with an impressive wooden cross. We were welcomed and engaged by one member in particular.

I enjoyed the harmony of the two female leads and the blend of the three guitars.

I thought the pastor did well with a concept many struggle with, that the first shall be last, and the Scripture from Matthew about workers hired at various times throughout the work day. A great line from the message: “It’s not fair, it’s grace.”

When I think about the announcement of our Savior’s birth being given to shepherds, I realize He can use even someone like me, thanks be to God.

We enjoyed our conversation with the two pastors after the service and I met two Marines, assuring me this congregation is in good hands.

Jan’s thoughts:

We arrived quite early and wandered around some. We encountered only a handful of folks and everyone had a friendly greeting.

The worship space is a comfortable, gymnasium-type area, nicely decorated for the holidays.

We discovered a young man who lived near us prior to his marriage last year is playing bass with the praise band at this church and were pleased to have a chance to catch up some. The volume of the music was agreeable and the voices blended beautifully.

The greeting time, as it is usually referred to, was instead called Fellowship Time. This more adequately described this slightly longer-term greeting opportunity. Several people did greet us during this time as well as before and after the service.

The untitled message was presented by Associate Pastor Rev. David Hardie and emphasized how God often does the unexpected in our lives. He pointed out a few of the ways God proved His love for surprising His children, ways He guided over insurmountable odds and proved He was still in control. It was a great reminder that “things almost never go the way we expect.” He suggested that maybe our willingness has something to do with that. Perhaps we must be willing to obey and open to being surprised. He pointed out that we are all broken, and broken people can find it hard to wrap our minds around grace. But God still loves to surprise us.

I am grateful God led us here as this was exactly the message I needed to hear today.

We appreciated the time taken by both pastors for conversation after worship.

Our prayer for this church:

Lord, we thank You for directing us here to meet with You in worship and pray Your continued blessings on this, Your church. Amen.