Pastor Chuck’s Corner: February 2026
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far
outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.
For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:17-18
NIV) 18
As hard as it may be to believe, as you read this Ash Wednesday and Lent are just
around the corner! Ash Wednesday is February 18th. St. Mark’s will have a 7 pm
service that day to receive ashes and celebrate the Lord’s Supper.
Blessedly, St. Mark’s will continue our Lenten tradition: Each Wednesday during Lent
we will host a simple soup and bread meal at 6 pm followed by the beautiful Holden
Evening Prayer service a 7.
I invite you all to read the Scripture verses at the top. These are the verses I will base
my messages on during our Wednesday services. I’ll present them each week from a
different translation of the Bible in hopes of giving us all some encouragement and
insight into them.
I would also encourage all of us to read and think about these verses during our
Lenten season. Because the scriptures are “living and active,” they can and will
activate your spirit; but you do need to do your part. May I suggest reading (maybe
even memorizing!) these two verses daily. As you do, allow the Spirit to lead you into a
new or deeper understanding of what you read.
Let me share a few thoughts on this that you may find helpful. First, recognize that the
first verse acknowledges we do in fact have troubles. In no way am I or the bible trying
to downplay or minimize what you might be going through. The encouragement is this:
no matter what it might be, there is aways hope to be found.
As you ponder that, then try to do what the second verse suggests: Look for the
eternal, harder to see with our eyes things that God is doing around you. This takes
some practice, so don’t be discouraged. The point is to maintain an attitude that God
is at work around you. As you continue to look, I believe you will be given insight into
the “eternal glory that outweighs them all.”
As always my dear friends, should you have questions about any of this, please feel
free to ask. I cherish the opportunity to work through these things with you.
Be blessed and be a blessing,
Pastor Chuck