Hey everyone! Pastor Mark here with your weekly "What's Happening at Church Requel" blog post. This weekend we wrap up our "I KNOW" sermon series with our 15th and final talk on Romans 8. [Cue applause and confetti.] I'm really excited about this talk about God's love for us. The Apostle Paul takes us "where no man has gone before." I couldn't help myself. When I read just how exhaustively the Bible explains the extremes of God's love - I think of all the science fiction I've ever read or watched - and I realize that God loves us even beyond the boundaries of what we can imagine. I guess you'll just have to come Sunday night to find out what I'm talking about. I know you love me because you keep coming despite my funky sci-fi love and my endless references to football. (Yes, I've found a way to include the NFL QB swaps this past week in this same talk!) Want to get a head start on the talk? The YouVersion sermon notes link is here or just open your Bible app and search for "Church Requel."
Bowling With God. There will be lots more going on this Sunday evening than just the exciting conclusion to our Romans 8 sermon series. We'll enjoy singing some great songs about God's love for us - like "Majestic," "Because of Your Love," and "Amazed." We'll hear Jana read our Scripture. We'll hear Steve lead our prayer time. We'll enjoy the amazing fellowship greeting time together and a most meaningful communion time. AND - for our elementary children - I'm looking forward to inviting them all up with me to go "bowling with God!" I'm planning an object lesson that, I hope, will be long remembered by both our children and our adults. So if you have an elementary child in your vicinity, you'll want to make sure they come with you to Church Requel this weekend. After all, how often do they get to go... "bowling with God?"
Amazing Breakfast For Men and Their Children! My dad will celebrate his 81st birthday next Saturday, March 31st. He plans to enjoy himself by doing something special for all the men and their children: He will cook up a fabulous breakfast for us! If you've met my dad you know he never does anything small or half-hearted. This week on his own blog, Dad posted his menu. Can you read this and not have your mouth start watering? Orange Juice - Tomato Juice, Blue Berry French Toast with Home Made Blue Berry Syrup, Crusty Fried Potatoes with Onions, Browned Flour Sausage Gravy, Freshly Baked Biscuits, Sausage Patties, Scrambled Eggs with Chives and Cheese, Coffee and Milk. Yum! Yum! You definitely don't want to miss! Saturday at 9am!
Women's Bible Study Wednesday AT A NEW TIME! This next Wednesday evening, March 28th, the women will start their Bible study a half hour earlier - AT 6:30 PM. Apparently they are all just having too much fun gabbing with one another! (Aformentioned statement did not receive prior approval from Pastor Mark's wife, Mary Kay!) This particular Bible study includes a great video teaching from Beth Moore. Topics in this study include: joy, hardship, faith, reversal of fortunes for rich and poor, wisdom, gifts from above, single-mindedness, the dangers of the tongue, humility, and prayer. If you are a woman at Church Requel, you won't want to miss this chance to meet and know new friends and learn important, faith-building lessons from the epistle of James.
Easter Meal Donations. When you come to CR this Sunday night, don't forget to bring your groceries!!! We plan to provide meals to those families who are in need of a good Easter meal. Each Sunday we ask you to bring in cans of vegetables, stuffing mix, boxes of potatoes and dessert. Sheri and Jack will collect the food each week and will help coordinate the meal donations the week before Easter. If you know of a family who could use a meal, please email Steve Thoman. I am continuously amazed at what a kind and giving church family you all really are. Time is going fast. There's only two weekends left before Easter week! Let's make this the best meal donation yet!
Easter Worship Plans. Speaking of Easter, there are lots of great things going on. You'll want to mark your calendars! Next weekend is Palm Sunday. Brandi and Trish will be leading our worship next weekend! We'll also enjoy a special sermon examining the connection between Jesus' emotions and his mission. We'll learn some important lessons about the connection between our own emotions, our own reasoning, and our own wills - and how all that fits in with obeying Christ! On Good Friday we'll be combining our 7pm service with Ontario Christian Fellowship. This special worship service will include a short drama, worship choreography, and a message from yours truly. As a church I hope we all show up in a big way! Then on Easter Evening we'll celebrate our Lord's resurrection day with great music from Tim and Jillian Vincent, Christy Anne Pierce, and Dave Johnson. I'm really excited about all the great worship experiences we will enjoy together this year!
Prayer Requests. Keep praying for Lincoln Bohnke. He continues to make slow but steady progress. This past week the medical professionals at OSU changed his ventilator tube to the next larger size, which is a good thing. It shows he is growing. He weighed in this week at 2 pounds 2 ounces. Keep praying also for his mom and dad, Katie and Dan, and for grandma and grandpa, Sonnie and Fred. Making the trip down to Columbus on almost a daily basis is tough. Pray for their encouragement and faith. Stop by their Caring Bridge website and let them know you are thinking about them! Keep praying for Dick. He seems to be making progress with the pain from the shingles, but he still has nose surgery facing him to remove a cancerous growth. Two new requests include (1) Nancy Roop's daughter-in-law, Wendy, who was hospitalized with the flu on Thursday. Wendy is 15 weeks along in her pregnancy and naturally everyone is concerned that she keep her fluids up for the baby's sake. (2) Marci's mother-in-law and Lissa's grandmother, Marjorie, went to the ER Friday morning with heart problems. She will be needing a pacemaker ASAP.
If you made it this far through our weekly "what's happening" then congrats to you! You should receive our CR Fan of the Week prize... if only we had a Fan of the Week prize. Why don't you email me and tell me what our weekly prize should be! Do me one more favor. Don't keep Church Requel a secret. Tell a friend or family member about the great times we have together on Sunday evenings! They will thank you... and so will I. Have you noticed how many new guests we've had lately? Your invites are working! Hope to see you Sunday at 6pm. Pastor Mark Pierce
