Pat Sand
I admit, I am not a morning person. I don’t like to schedule anything before 10 a.m. I am an anomaly at Robson Ranch where most residents are up before dawn taking walks, going to fitness classes, or playing pickleball before I am even out of bed. I prefer to wake up, drink some coffee to wake up, and watch the Today show before committing to any activities, conversations, emails, etc.
So I struggled when the two churches here at the Ranch only offered early morning Sunday services. I tried to make it work, but it became a chore for me. That’s why I was ecstatic when Pastor Chet Kwiat from Arizona City’s Evangelical Methodist Church decided to bring a Christian worship service to Robson on Saturdays at 4 p.m.
Christian Fellowship Church started early in 2023, meeting on Saturdays at 4 p.m. in the Laredo Room. I attended from the onset and regularly with other Robson residents. The church started small with about seven to 10 people in attendance. Many of those people had been attending Sunday services at the Arizona City location. Now, Christian Fellowship has grown to a regular attendance of 24 to 30 residents.
Christian Fellowship, or “Chet’s Church” as I fondly call it, holds a simple worship service. It is informal and casual. We begin with a couple of praise songs, which Chet leads on his guitar. Then we have prayers for those among us who are struggling with illness or personal issues. We read a Bible passage and Chet follows that with a sermon. Pastor Chet’s sermons really bring the Bible readings to life and he often uses humor to get points across. His presentation is casual but provides meaningful stories that the congregation can relate to. Closing is a praise song and/or a blessing. Chet is very punctual with the beginning and ending of services. This allows us to plan activities post-church. It’s nice to walk down the hall and eat dinner at the Grill afterward.
Christian Fellowship Church fills a void here at Robson where there was not a Saturday service. Holding a service in the late afternoon allows for a full day of activities and still allots time for church service. Best of all, Robson residents make up the congregation creating a “church family” of neighbors. These are the same people we see at the sports center, golf course, pickleball, softball, pool, etc. How wonderful it is to be able to know by name, or at least recognize, the people who are in your church.
Look no more for a church if the kind of worship I’ve described meets your needs, and join us on Saturdays at 4 p.m. in the Laredo Room. Pastor Chet is happy to talk with you personally as well. You can email him at [email protected].