Chestnut Level Presbyterian Church

Chestnut Level Presbyterian Church Planted in Christ,
Growing in Faith,
Feeding the World

05/24/2026

Weekly worship, Chestnut Level Presbyterian Church

Devotional from Pastor John Hartman, Friday, May 22, 2026.“A New Community of Faith”Acts 2 focuses on the Day of Penteco...
05/22/2026

Devotional from Pastor John Hartman, Friday, May 22, 2026.

“A New Community of Faith”

Acts 2 focuses on the Day of Pentecost, the birth of the Church, as a vibrant community of faith. It is God who created this new community of faith. God is the One who gets the ball rolling. Prior to Pentecost, it was just a ragtag band of disjointed men and women trying to figure things out about what was supposed to happened next. Imagine, they witnessed Jesus die on the cross. They were awestruck by his bodily resurrection. They were dumbfounded by his ascension. But still don’t know how to really make sense of it all. In other words, they have no plan as to what to do now. Then, the Holy Spirit comes upon them, and they are infused with a new power and a new purpose. Suddenly, they are sharing Jesus’ story to everyone around them!

The very first thing the Holy Spirit did at Pentecost was to empower the disciples to proclaim the gospel. And the first thing they do is start telling the story of Jesus. Now, this new community of faith begins to take shape. Guess what? The world has never been the same since!

Friends, Jesus Christ is the center around which the Holy Spirit also builds our own community of faith. You may be someone who has been in church your whole life. Maybe you are someone for whom this whole community of faith is a relatively new idea for you. Just remember, God alone is the One who created the Church, and gives it life! Our purpose at Chestnut Level is very simple. We glorify God, by building one another up, and sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with others.

This Sunday, May 24, I continue my sermon series on the Top 40 Stories of the Bible. As it is Pentecost Sunday, I will be preaching on the beginning of the Church. Please remember to wear RED and join us in the sanctuary at either 8:00 am or 10:30 am. We will also broadcast the 10:30 am service on Zoom, Facebook Live, and YouTube.

Pastor John

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05/17/2026

Weekly Worship CLPC

Devotional from Pastor John Hartman for Friday, April 24, 2026.“The True Center”Do you remember when some of us were you...
04/24/2026

Devotional from Pastor John Hartman for Friday, April 24, 2026.

“The True Center”

Do you remember when some of us were younger, and we had 45 rpm records? They had that big hole in the middle. Did you ever try to play a “45” without putting that plastic disk in the hole? If you happened to center it perfectly over the spindle, the music sounded fine. But if the record was even the slightest bit off center, the music would be distorted. In the same way, if we keep Jesus Christ at the center of our lives, our lives are filled with harmony, because he is the True Center.

Sometimes we forget that the one who came for us, lived for us, died for us, was raised for us (which we just celebrated earlier this month on Easter), and who someday will take us home, was more than just a prophet, more than just a king, and more than just a great moral teacher. Jesus Christ is also our True Center in life.

Gordon College’s student and alumni magazine is called “StillPoint.” It is named after a T.S. Eliot poem where he refers to Jesus Christ as the “stillpoint in an ever-turning universe.” In other words, there is one unchanging, universal, absolute, pivotal true center for every person in the whole world, and he is Jesus Christ.

That certainly runs counter to the many things that change in life, doesn’t it? Relationships change. Our health changes. The economy changes. The weather changes, hopefully for the better, and hopefully soon! Everything in life seems to be moving, changing, in flux, and in transition.

However, there is one who remains the same, even when everything else is changing around us. He is the one sure and certain hope we have when everything else is so unsure and uncertain in this world. The Bible says in Hebrews 13:8, that Jesus Christ is “the same yesterday and today and forever.” He is the True Center, and the one absolute upon which we can depend, amidst all the uncertainties in life.

This Sunday, April 26, I continue my sermon series on the Top 40 Stories of the Bible. Once again, this Sunday is not a bible story, as we are going to take a look at Psalm 121. Please join us in the sanctuary at either 8:00 am or 10:30 am. We will also broadcast the 10:30 am service on Zoom, Facebook Live, and YouTube.

Pastor John

Join Zoom Meeting
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Meeting ID: 879 9458 4164Passcode: 886997

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Devotional Friday, April 10 from Pastor John Hartman.“Focused on Jesus Christ”Have you noticed that great people have th...
04/10/2026

Devotional Friday, April 10 from Pastor John Hartman.

“Focused on Jesus Christ”

Have you noticed that great people have the ability to focus intensely on a single objective or pursuit? Most of us live complex lives, zigzagging this way and that way, like the over-energetic cowboy who jumped on his horse and rode off in all directions. Great people tend to live lives of breathtaking simplicity. They draw a bead on the one thing in life that matters most to them and say, “This one thing I do.” Michelangelo would work so ferociously on his projects that he would sometimes go for weeks without changing his clothes. Handel practiced such long hours that he would literally wear out the keys of his harpsichord, rounding them down into the shape of hollowed out spoons. And so, the Paul wrote in Philippians, “This one thing I do, forgetting all other things.”

When Albert Einstein lived in Princeton, New Jersey in the 1960’s, he would often walk the streets in Princeton because he didn’t drive. He used to get so caught up in working out complex mathematical equations in his brilliant mind, he would sometimes forget how to get back home. He would have to call his wife to come pick him up. The only problem was Albert Einstein couldn’t remember his own phone number. People said they would see Albert Einstein standing at a phone booth in downtown Princeton flipping through the telephone book looking for his phone number so that he could call his wife and have her come pick him up, because he didn’t know how to get home. The Apostle Paul said that is how we are to be as Christians, -- so focused on Jesus Christ, that we are forgetful of other things.

Many of the people around Jesus were notoriously forgetful. There was that Samaritan woman who came to a well to draw water, and after her encounter with Jesus Christ, she ran off and forgot her water pot. One day 5,000 people became so enthralled with the words of Jesus that they forgot they were hungry, until Jesus fed them. Mary sat at Jesus’ feet and became so engrossed that she forgot to help her sister in the kitchen. May you possess the “the surpassing greatness of knowing Jesus Christ.” And may you have that same kind of focus and attention to the one who never, ever forgets about us.

This Sunday, April 12, as I am away in North Carolina to officiate a wedding, and also in South Carolina to visit with family, Rev. Charlie Gross, a longtime friend of the church, will be back to preach and lead worship again with us. Please join us in the sanctuary at either 8:00 am or 10:30 am. We will also broadcast the 10:30 am service on Zoom, Facebook Live, and YouTube.

Pastor John

Join Zoom Meeting
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Meeting ID: 879 9458 4164Passcode: 886997

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Friday, April 3, Devotional from Pastor John Hartman.“Mongo Faith”In his book, “If You Want to Walk On Water, You’ve Got...
04/03/2026

Friday, April 3, Devotional from Pastor John Hartman.

“Mongo Faith”

In his book, “If You Want to Walk On Water, You’ve Got To Get Out Of The Boat,” John Ortberg shares a wonderful story about walking past a bar in Newport Beach, California, and witnessing a fighting that had spilled out onto the street. Three men were beating up one lone opponent, who was bleeding quite profusely. John Ortberg felt like he had to do something, so he went over to break it up. Unfortunately, as a pastor, he did not have much experience in that sort of thing. There were no seminary classes ever offered in how to break up barroom brawls.

Surprisingly, the thugs looked at him with fear in their eyes and started to slink away. And just when John Ortberg thought he was “all that,” he looked back. Behind him was one of the biggest guys he had ever seen in his life. He was apparently employed as a bouncer at the bar. The man stood about 6-foot-7 and weighed 250 pounds or so. John Ortberg says, “If Hercules had married Xena the warrior princess, this could have been their child.” Instead, he called him “Mongo,” although not to his face.

“Mongo” did not say a word. He just stood there with his muscles bulging. He looked as if he hoped those three thugs would try to take him on. Breaking up fights was his “spiritual gift.”

In that moment John Ortberg’s attitude was transformed. He was a different person because he had a great big “Mongo.” Now, he was filled with boldness and confidence. Now, he was released from anxiety and fear. Now, he was ready to serve somebody who needed help. And now, he knew he was not alone.

Friends, we have One who is greater than “Mongo” with us at all times. The same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead on Easter morning, is with us, and his presence and faithfulness will carry us through all of the challenges in life.

This Sunday, April 5, is Easter Sunday! I continue my 2026 sermon series on “The Top 40 Stories of the Bible.” This week, as you expect, I will be preaching on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Come early and join us in the cemetery for our Sunrise Service at 6:30 AM. Or please join us in the sanctuary at either 8:00 AM or 10:30 AM. We will also broadcast the 10:30 AM service on Zoom, Facebook Live, and YouTube.

Pastor John

Join Zoom Meeting
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Meeting ID: 879 9458 4164Passcode: 886997

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Address

1068 Chestnut Level Road
Quarryville, PA
17566

Telephone

+17175482763

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