Church Requel Blog - Writings of Mark Pierce

Memorial Day a Day to Remember My Mom

Memorial Day for me and my brother Todd and sister Kimberly is the day we remember Mom.  She died six years ago today.  My 47th birthday had occurred just a couple weeks earlier and she wrote this poem as her gift to me.  I'm pretty sure she knew her days were numbered when she wrote it.  I read this prayer every Memorial Day with a thankful heart.

l said a "Prayer" for you today
And knew God must have heard.
I felt the answer in my heart
   although He spoke no word.

I didn't ask for wealth or fame
I knew you wouldn't mind
I asked Him to send treasures
   of a far more lasting kind.

I asked that He'd be near you
   at the start of each new day
To grant you health and blessings
And friends to share the way.

I asked for happiness for you
   in all things great and small
But it was for His loving care
I prayed the most of all.

Mom, if you're listening, I believe your prayer is answered every day.  Thanks for your blessing!

Big Announcements This Weekend at Church Requel

Hi everyone.  I'm writing this late Friday evening after a very long (and very productive!) week.  I call these kinds of weeks "changeover" weeks because so much work goes into changing things over from one sermon series to the next.  You may ask, "Are we done with the COUNT IT ALL GARBAGE series already?  I thought we had one more week."  You would be correct.  This next Sunday is our last sermon in the series, with the topic being Selfishness.  We will study James 3:13-19 in great detail. 

However, I also want to promote the new Church Requel sermon series starting next week.  And to do that, I have to have everything ready to go: new artwork, new background slides and a new movie promo.  I so badly want to tell you all about it right here.  But I'd rather tell you in person.  So come Sunday night at 6PM!

Also... and I hate to do this to you... we have another REALLY BIG ANNOUNCEMENT to make about Church Requel Sunday night.  This one is a good one!  I'm busting at the seams, I'm so excited.  But I'm going to hold off so everyone can hear the good news all at the same time.  Trust me... you're going to love it!

On top of everything else, this is Memorial Day weekend.  We have several great things in store for you this weekend (besides the big announcements).  During our communion time we'll remember those who have sacrificed so much to give us the freedoms that we so take for granted. 

Nate Williams has done another great job of putting together a Praise Team for this weekend.  Joining Nate will be Dave and Ryan, and for the very first time ever Chad Berry will be playing for us.  Chad is another of Nate's students, and has agreed to not only play with the Church Requel Praise Team, but he will also be playing acoustic guitar during our communion time.  On top of everything else that's fantastic about this weekend, three of the four songs in our worship set are brand new to Church Requel.  (Can you figure out which ones?)  Here are the songs for the weekend:

• No One Like You by David Crowder Band
• All to You by Lincoln Brewster
• How Great Is Our God by Chris Tomlin
• Beautiful by Phil Wickham

You're going to love some of Nate's guitar interludes!  And "Beautiful" may be one of my new favorite worship songs.  I love listening to Nate and Trisha singing this together!  (I think I just gave away the answer above!)  It's pretty clear you love hearing them lead this song too!

Nancy Roop will be reading several different Scripture readings on the topic of Selfishness.  Mark Shaw will lead our prayer time.  And we'll have a good time learning how to be SELFLESS instead of SELFISH during the teaching time.  We'll have some help from "Let's Make a Deal" Monty Hall; we'll learn what Mark Twain had to say about Cincinnati; and we'll learn what WWJD really should stand for.

Sincerely... I'm not lying... no exaggeration... you DON'T want to miss this weekend at Church Requel.  We'll be meeting Sunday at 6PM at the Mid-Ohio Conference Center, 890 West 4th Street, across from Arlin Field.  See you there!  Pastor Mark

The Stool by One Time Blind

One of the best things about writing my own blog is to share really cool resources and ministries with those who follow me.  Today I came across the wonderful talents of One Time Blind, a touring drama ministry, who also produces mini-movies.  I have watched several of their movies - each one is outstanding.  You can count on the fact that we will be purchasing their resources for use at Church Requel! 

In the meantime, here's a preview!  Since the fall of man, we've been in a power struggle with God over control. We surrender to God's will, but when His reality interferes with our daily lives, we jump right back in the drivers seat. I love the line: "Kathleen, I'm kind of one-cheeking it here!"

One Time Blind demos their videos on YouTube, Vimeo, and Tangle.  If you want to watch more One Time Blind goodness, check out More Coke and Red Balloon.

Video Sermon: Noise

Writing sermons has become my passion, my joy, my love!  I know that sounds corny, but it's true.  I love the process.  In fact I am much more enthralled with the work of developing the sermon than I am the delivery of it.  I love the dependency upon God to show me what He wants for the weekend.  This past weekend's talk on the topic of Noise was a great example.  The ideas flooded in both my conscious and subconscious mind Tuesday through Thursday with the final outline accomplished Friday and the final writing on Saturday morning.  But the rest of Saturday was spent practicing the truths of the sermon - solitude, rest, prayer.  It was one of the best days I've enjoyed in quite a while!

The noise in our life, whether it's the 500-channel cable or the Internet on the computer or smart phone on our hip, can keep us from hearing God. How can we "be S.T.I.L.L." and know God in our lives? Join me below for this video sermon from Mark 6:30-34 and Psalm 46:10.  I have made the following resources available for you:

• Download 100523 Program (Blanks - no answers) (PDF - 1 MB)
• Download 100523 Program with Answers Included (PDF - 3.5 MB)
• Download 100523 Planning Sheet for Entire Service (PDF - 32 KB)
• Download 100523 Noise Teaching Notes with Slide Instructions (PDF 3.2 MB)
• Download 100523 Noise Teaching Notes Alone (PDF - 156 KB)

Noise from Mark Pierce on Vimeo.

All of the Church Requel sermons are available either in the CR Video Library or the CR Audio Library or you can listen on the Church Requel Audio Blog.  Would you like to subscribe to the weekly audio podcast and receive the sermon each week?  Subscribe here for iTunes or here for all other mp3 devices.  You can also subscribe to the weekly video podcast!  Would you like to read my notes for this sermon? Just click on the "Continue reading" link below.

Adding to the Noise

Nate, Ryan and Seth did a terrific job of singing Switchfoot's, "Adding to the Noise."  I thought you might enjoy seeing it again!  Here it is.  Nice job Nate!  (Also available directly from YouTube.)

Videos from Last Night's "Noise" Service

Last evening's theme was noise.  Our theme verse was Psalm 46:10: "Be still and know that I am God."  Our videos really helped to set the mood last night.  Our opening 1:15 video was from Cleveland videographer Robert Kramer of Eternal Productions, "What Do You Worship?" and is available at SermonSpice.com.

Before Nate & Company sang "Adding To The Noise," we played this funny clip, "Sounds of Stress" [2:20] from FLC Productions.  It's also available at SermonSpice.com.  (I laughed out loud at the I.T.D.S. tag line - Inventions That Don't Stink!)  No embed is available, so you'll have to go to the Sermon Spice link to see it.  It's worth the trip.  It's funny!

We introduced the sermon with "Too Busy to Listen to God" [1:00] by Mirage Media, also available from Sermon Spice.  (Also no embed code available.  Sorry.)

Finally, during the sermon, we talked about the power of solitude to remind us of God's power in our lives.  Without rest and prayer, we often forget that God's power is working in and through us, and consequently are overwhelmed by everything around us.  It reminds me of "No Worries" Mick of Crocodile Dundee fame.  "That's not a knife... this is a knife!"  While we don't rely on a larger knife, we do rely upon God's strength, which is greater than anything we will ever face.

Audio Sermon: Noise

We enjoyed a wonderful and thematic worship experience last night on the topic of Noise.  Nate, Ryan and Seth led our music and it was wonderful.  (Seth was a natural - it was the first time he had played the bass guitar and he played it beautifully! His parents, Mike and Sharon, should be so proud!)  I also enjoyed their special rendition of Switchfoot's "Adding to the Noise."  (I got it captured on video, but haven't heard the audio playback yet.  But if it's anywhere close to being as good as they were live, I'll post it up here later!)

We enjoyed several videos on the topic of Noise.  Most are available and I'll get them posted here later too.  I loved the one by I.T.D.S. - Inventions that Don't Stink.  Jonathan and Mark did a superb job of managing a particularly tech-heavy service last night without a hitch.  Man, do I ever appreciate them.

I also really had a good time writing and then delivering the sermon last night.  There are so many good illustrations of work and solitude, it was tough narrowing it down.  Our folks seemed to enjoy it when I stopped the sermon for 60 seconds in order to hear what silence sounds like.  (I had to edit out some of that time in the audio below for fear of losing the podcast audience!)  We also had illustrations from the Revolutionary War, Chinese pictographs, Alabama's "I'm in a Hurry" refrain, and a scene out of Crocodile Dundee: "No Worries, Mick!"

The noise in our life, whether it's the 500-channel cable or the Internet on the computer or the smart phone on our hip, can keep us from hearing God. How can we "be S.T.I.L.L." and know God in our lives? Join me for this audio sermon from Mark 6:30-34.

100523Noise

Subscribe to this audio podcast!  It's available every week on iTunes or for any other mp3 player.

Weekend Focus on Noise, Solitude and Rest

I've really enjoyed these past two days of creativity and study in preparation for this weekend's Church Requel service.  We have some pretty incredible things in store for this weekend!  First off, you should be prepared for an awesome worship experience.  Joining Nate and Ryan for the very first time at Church Requel will be Aaron Grosch.  This young man has really impressed me over the last couple of years and I'm looking forward to watching him lead along with Nate and Ryan.  As always, the songs Nate has picked out for us will really help us focus on Christ:

• Awesome is the Lord Most High by Jon Abel
• In Christ Alone by Newsboys
• For Who You Are by Hillsong

We will celebrate the communion feast together and support one another in prayer.  Also, Jana Edwards will be reading our Scripture for us from Psalm 46.

The theme of our evening will be Noise... or more importantly, how do we connect with God in the midst of the noise in our lives?  Is it possible to still be still and know that He is God?  We're going to find out Sunday night by studying Mark 6:30-34.  Supporting the theme of stillness in the midst of noise will be several great videos, including the very funny "Sounds of Stress" from I.T.D.S. - Inventions That Don't Stink.  We'll also be getting a visit from Crocodile Dundee.  And, in addition to all this, Nate and the Praise Team will be singing Adding to the Noise by Switchfoot.

It's going to be a great service this Sunday night at Church Requel.  Don't miss it!  Bring a friend with you!  We will be meeting at 6PM at the Mid-Ohio Conference Center, 890 4th Street, across from Arlin Field.  I hope to see you Sunday!  - Pastor Mark

How Will I Celebrate Birthday #53?

Yep, I'm a 1957 model.  I've already enjoyed breakfast with my dad down at V&M Restaurant in Bellville, Ohio.  He asked me how I was going to spend my day.  I was surprised by my answer.  I have the whole day.  I don't have a boss.  I could do almost anything today.  And I do want to get over to Starbucks sometime to get my free birthday beverage.  And I think Paul Revere's will give me a free lunch if I show up there... I eat so much there they've all become my friends.  And, of course, I hope to hear from all my kids and enjoy the company of my wife before the day is finished.

But this morning when my dad asked what I would do, I found myself saying that I really wanted to spend some time working on the weekend sermon.  "Isn't that work?" you might ask.  Well, yes.  However I am incredibly blessed that my work is now doing what I love the most.  I can't wait to get into God's Word and study for the topic this weekend.  As I read and think and research, I'll think of all the folks who will show up at Church Requel.  Along the way I'll pray for the needs of these friends and fellow sojourners.  And I'll get to be "in" on creating something that wasn't in existence a week ago.  There's something about the writing and the creating that, for me, is the best birthday present of all.

Thanks to all of you for the many birthday wishes I've received via text messages, emails and Facebook.  I love birthdays in this new communications era.  It's wonderful to know I'm loved.  Know I love all of you too!

Video Sermon: Spending

This past weekend we at Church Requel returned to the sermon series, Count It All Garbage.  In particular we looked at the garbage area of Spending.  Our spending habits can get in the way of our relationship with God. What are 5 lies we believe about spending?  Jesus told us that we cannot serve both God and Money.  What are 4 ways of knowing that our spending habits demonstrate devotion to God?  Below you will find the video of this weekend's talk.  I've also provided resources from this weekend:

• Download 100516Program
• Download 100516ProgramAnswers
• Download 100516 GARBAGE p5 Spending NOTES SLIDES

Spending from Mark Pierce on Vimeo.

All of the Church Requel sermons are available either in the CR Video Library or the CR Audio Library or you can listen on the Church Requel Audio Blog.  Would you like to subscribe to the weekly audio podcast and receive the sermon each week?  Subscribe here for iTunes or here for all other mp3 devices.  You can also subscribe to the weekly video podcast!  Would you like to read my notes for this sermon? Just click on the "Continue reading" link below.

Audio Sermon Database Now Available

For the last couple of weeks I've been busy working on the audio sermon database. This has taken a great deal of detail type of work, but I think it will be helpful to both our own parishioners as well as those checking out our church.  The database is available over on the Church Requel church website.  With the new Clover software, we now have the ability to provide a historical database with all the following information available for each sermon:

• The ability to listen to any sermon all from one location
• Downloadable mp3 file for each sermon
• Downloadable pdf program file for each sermon
• Title of each sermon
• Date of each sermon
• Name of the series each sermon comes from
• Main Scripture passage of each sermon.

One can directly access this database here or go to the Audio Sermon page and click "Launch Sermon Player."  We plan to update this database each week with our most recent sermon.

This will provide the ability for you to sort through our sermons to a particular topic or Scripture.  Also, for those who wish to automatically listen each week, these audio sermons are also available as a podcast.  You may subscribe to these audio sermons through the iTunes Music Store or through any other RSS feed.  I hope this work is a blessing to you!

Audio Sermon: Spending

After a busy week at my nephew's wedding in Boston and then my daughter's shower this past Saturday, I managed to put together our 5th installment of the Count It All Garbage sermon series.  This week we talked about the garbage area of spending.

Our spending habits can get in the way of our relationship with God. What are 5 lies we believe about spending?  Jesus told us that we cannot serve both God and Money.  What are 4 ways of knowing that our spending habits demonstrate devotion to God?  I hope this audio sermon is helpful to you.

100516Spending

Video: Moms of Church Requel

One week ago I sent an email out to everyone at Church Requel.  I asked them to send me a picture.  Moms could send me a picture of themselves with their children.  And everyone could send me a picture of themselves with their own mom.  Immediately I began receiving photos.  All together I received 36 pictures.  Something unexpected happened in the process.  We received pictures back from people who are in our email database, who are financial supporters from afar but cannot attend the church regularly.  This told me that they really identify with us as a Church and showed me the value of keeping everyone up to date with the blog and email letters.  Oh, one other thing... if you watch closely you will find a much younger Mark with my own mom, now gone on to our Lord these past six years. (Hint - unless you have a really fast connection, let it download a little before you start watching so it won't stutter on you.) Enjoy!

Moms of Church Requel from Mark Pierce on Vimeo.

Video Sermon: M.O.M.

Last night's first-ever Mother's Day service at Church Requel was really special.  We took a break from our current sermon series with a special talk for moms.  You can watch it below.  What makes for a great mom (or dad or mentor?)  Moms who MODEL, moms who OBSERVE, and moms who MOTIVATE.  I have included several resources to assist you with this sermon.

• Download Program without Answers
• Download Program with Answers
• Download my personal teaching notes with slides

M.O.M. from Mark Pierce on Vimeo.

Also you can listen to the audio version either on the Church Requel Audio Blog or take it with you by subscribing to the Church Requel Audio Podcast.  Would you like to read my notes for this sermon? Just click on the "Continue reading" link below.

Audio Sermon: M.O.M.

We had a wonderful, first-ever Mother's Day service last evening.  I really enjoyed writing this talk.  I had a chance to honor my own mother and my Grandma Pierce.  I even got a chance to tell the story of "when the bear was on the top and my dad was on the bottom."  Along the way we talk about moms who MODEL, moms who OBSERVE, and moms who MOTIVATE.  Here's the audio version.  I hope to have a video up later today.  Enjoy!

100509MOM

Plans for Mother's Day at Church Requel

We have some fun plans for Mothers Day this Sunday night.  We have several videos that will celebrate the dedication of the many moms at Church Requel.  Our opening video will celebrate the many different kinds of mothers: moms who stay at home with young children, the single mom who never planned on doing this alone, the mother who balances work outside the home with her work inside the home, the mom with grown adult children, and even the mom with no biological children of her own, but who mentors another.  (Boy, that was one long sentence!)  You'll want to get to Church Requel on time to see this opening video.  You'll be blessed by it!

We have two other enjoyable videos planned for Sunday night.  We have one new, funny, and creative video by The Skit Guys on why we should always tell our mommy we love her.  And, at the close of the service, we have a homemade video celebrating all the moms in our own congregation. (Thanks everyone for sending your pictures in this week!)

Nate, Jesse, Dave, Trisha and Stephen have a great praise set put together for our worship time, including a brand new song Nate plans to teach us; the song is named, "Beautiful."  In case you'd like to listen to these songs yourself to prepare your own heart for worship on Sunday, here they are:

• Mighty to Save by Hillsong United
• Everlasting God by Chris Tomlin
• Beautiful by Phil Wickham
• Holy Spirit Have Your Way by Leeland

Finally I have written a brand new talk this week that will help us to understand our role as parents a little better.  It's interesting that we learn so much about how to be a good mom or dad from God our Father.  Specifically, we'll talk about moms who model, moms who observe, and moms who motivate. 

It should be a great worship experience - our first public Mother's Day service!  So pack up all the kids, pick up your own mom and come to Church Requel this Sunday night at 6PM.  We meet at the Mid-Ohio Conference Center, 890 4th Street, Mansfield.  See you then!  Pastor Mark

Unabashedly Celebrating Mother's Day... And Pink

I've been reading around the web this week and have found that not everyone agrees with the idea of dedicating a church service to Mother's Day on Mother's Day.  The reasons vary but can be categorized into two areas.  First, it is argued, the focus of the church worship should be to honor and celebrate Christ and not mothers - who after all, are still people and not God.  Second, while the intent to honor mothers may be good, many women may actually be hurt by a focus on moms on Mother's Day because a) they can't have children themselves, b) might have lost children in one way or the other, or c) might have had a bad experience with their own mother.  So, some advise, mention Mother's Day in church but don't focus on Mother's Day in church.

Fair warning to anyone coming to Church Requel Sunday evening... we're planning on celebrating mothers on Mother's Day!  What about the reasons given above?  As to the first, our worship will be of our Lord and not of moms.  The truth is that any relevant church service will take contemporary, cultural occasions to point to our relationship with God.  This coming Sunday will be no exception.  The great things we learn about great moms - moms who model, observe, and motivate - are also things we discover about our relationship with God our Father.

As to the second, we certainly must be sensitive to those who are hurting within our congregation.  Attitude (and words... and actions) are all important.  But at the same time we must never be paralyzed by the possibility that someone may be hurt by a sermon topic.  In fact many times God will use a good sermon to provide healing to the hurting.

So come to Church Requel this coming Sunday night (at Mid-Ohio Conference Center at 6PM) and expect a great Mother's Day service.  Oh... one other warning... expect a lot of pink!

Email Me a Picture for Mother's Day

I'm having so much fun this week!  Some weeks I must work hard to put the sermon and the service together.  This weekend it's only Wednesday morning and yet so much of my work is already finished!  What joy!

The picture to the left is the front page of our Church Requel website.  Click on it to see the new "pink" look.  I promise it will only be this way for a week, so go there right away if you want to know what a pink CR would look like!

We have several very special things happening this coming weekend.  So if you have a mom living anywhere in the area... you should bring her with you!  We'll open the service with a cool video that talks about all the different kinds of moms in our church.  Then Nate and his praise team will lead us in a real upbeat worshipful music experience.  After our communion and prayer time, we'll have a humorous visit from our favorite Skit Guys, who think Mother's Day should really be "Sorry Mom Day."  During our sermon we'll learn that M.O.M. really stands for Model, Observe, and Motivate - something any mom could have told you a long time ago!

At the end of the service, we'll watch a really neat photo gallery video of all our moms.  The pictures are still coming in.  If you're a mom, send me a picture with you and your kids.  If you have a mom, send me a picture with you and your mom.  (I'm pretty sure I just covered everyone!)  Send your pic to [email protected].  We're going to have fun this weekend.  Already, I can't wait!

Video Sermon: Lust

Lust - our own evil desires - is a garbage area that isolates us from God and from one another.  In this talk we learn 6 first facts about lust, 3 reasons why lust is so dangerous, as well as practical advice for how to handle lust.  Here are some resources that might be of help to you:

• Download 100502Program
• Download 100502ProgramAnswers
• Download 100502 GARBAGE p4 Lust TEACHING NOTES

Also you can listen to the audio version either on the Church Requel Audio Blog or take it with you by subscribing to the Church Requel Audio Podcast.  Would you like to read my notes for this sermon? Just click on the "Continue reading" link below.

Audio Sermon: Lust

During the teaching time last night I experienced this overwhelming realization that I have fallen in love with the Church Requel congregation.  We are a small, but dedicated group of people that have come together over these past six months in a way that none of us could have foreseen a year ago.  This morning, as I read some of the feedback info cards, I know that others have come to this same realization.  Here are a few of the comments:

• "Thank you for all you do to make Church Requel possible.  My time each Sunday and the relationships I have gained, both with those attending and with God, have become an important part of my life.  Thank you.  Love you."
• "I am doing well ... my reconnection with the Lord is better, but it is a continued progress.  Thanks for your prayers."
• "I pray for you every day that God would bless you and draw you closer and nearer to Him... so be encouraged and keep doing what you're doing.  I believe you're in God's will.  You're very special to me and my kids.  Thanks for being faithful."

I love watching people each week as they come and greet one another.  There are so many hugs and smiles.  The place is thick with love and care and conversation. 

Nate, Trisha, Dave and Ryan again did a truly amazing job of leading us in worship.  They just get better (and more comfortable) in leading worship each and every week.  We also had another "first" last night.  We opened up a second classroom for elementary age children, who remained in the worship service with the adults for the first half of the service and then followed Stacie to their own room.  Thanks Stacie for being willing to teach our young ones.  They were enthusiastic about having their own lesson!  Also helping us out for the first time was Tim Vincent, running our computer graphics.  And the father-daughter combo of Bryan and Haleigh also did a great job with lights and audio.  (Check out their picture to the left!)

We also moved to part four in our "Count It All Garbage" sermon series with our talk on Lust.  Lust - our own evil desires - is a garbage area that isolates us from God and from one another.  In this talk we learn 6 first facts about lust, 3 reasons why lust is so dangerous, as well as some practical advice for how to handle lust.  If you'd like to check out some of the resources we mention in the sermon, go here.  Enjoy the audio.  Hope to have the video up sometime tomorrow.

100502Lust