Church Requel Blog - Writings of Mark Pierce

#043: Starting With "The End" [Podcast]

What story are you telling with your life? We each have a story! We kick off the new sermon series, "My Story," by Starting With "The End." In this week's podcast we talk about what's happening at Church Requel, with the neighborhood meal this coming weekend, the continuing wiring of the old sanctuary with new tech, and Mark talks a little about the upcoming wedding plans for Jessica!

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Podcast: Subscribe in iTunes | Play or Download in new window.

Music for this week's podcast is "The End" by Matthew West.

Starting With "The End" [Sermon Notes]

This is the first talk in our new sermon series, My Story." Any good author knows that a good story begins with the end in sight. Every plot line, every twist and turn, ultimately leads to the exciting conclusion.  We are each telling a story with our lives. And there will come a day when our lives will be revealed and our stories told.

Every week I publish my sermon notes so that you may read them for yourselves.  For my parishioners, this could be a good review from the weekend before.  And it gives you a chance to see what I intended to say!  For other pastors and ministers, feel free to borrow and use any of this material.  I'd love for God to be glorified by you incorporating these notes into your own worship.

Starting With The End - 01.27.13 / Matthew 12:33-37

Introduction: This week we begin a brand new series which I’m calling “My Story.” We all love stories. I especially love good stories. Our books, our TV shows, our movies all attempt to entertain us with good stories. Down through the ages - even before modern technology - the world always valued a good story teller. Great preachers are good story tellers. Jesus himself was a master story teller.

Over the next 8 weeks I want to communicate to you one central truth:

We each are ___TELLING A STORY___ with our lives.

It’s not so much what you say - though that’s a part of it - it’s who you are. It’s the decisions you make. It’s the path you choose to follow. It’s what you believe, what you think. It’s how you see the world. It’s how you live out in the world. All that is a story.

We think of a story as words on a page, or a script. The words the story teller tells, the book the author writes are often separated from himself. There is the main character in the story and then there is the author - the two are separated.

But this is not true for you and me in the way we are leading our lives.  Our very lives are the stories we tell. Often, when we’ve had a bad scare, or come close to death, we say “My life passed before my eyes.” Almost like our very lives are like movies and we see ourselves, our words, our actions, our decisions, our choices all pass before our eyes.

#042: Choosing My Future [Podcast]

We are who we are today because of the choices we have made in the past. It follows then that we will have the future we will have tomorrow because of the choices we make today. We are quite literally "choosing our future." In this talk we learn 4 life-shaping choices from the life of Moses.

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Podcast: Subscribe in iTunes | Play or Download in new window.

Music for this week's podcast comes from "Forward To The Future" by O.C. Overtones.

Green Beans, Gravy and Butter

Hey everyone! Pastor Mark here with a special Saturday message. Yesterday when I sent out the weekly email to our congregation I mentioned "next Saturday" being our turn to feed the neighborhood. Since I sent the message on Friday, the "next Saturday" would be tonight. Sorry, that's not what I meant. Our turn comes up a week from today - Saturday, February 2nd. We'll need all hands on deck one week from tonight.

However, this does give me the opportunity to remind you all to bring food with you when you come to church in the morning. We have all levels of opportunity - so do whatever you can afford. There are three things you could bring with you in the morning that would help us serve a really great meal (at all different price points!)

1. Super large cans of cut green beans, like you see me holding above.
2. Butter - let's face it, everything tastes better with butter! Ha!
3. Brown gravy packets.

The church is paying for the meat. We are planning on serving salisbury steak! Yum! We also have a local business donating a huge quantity of potatoes. If you come early next Saturday, you know you'll be peeling potatoes! We're also asking our parishioners to bring a dessert next Saturday.

I practiced my own dessert making this week by baking a chocolate cake with creamy cream cheese frosting on Thursday night. Actually my sweet tooth kicked in and I just wanted to eat a piece of cake. But it sounds so much more "pious" to say I was practicing for the Saturday night "Feed the Neighbors!" Ha!

If anyone wants to come tonight and help serve, you're most welcome to do so. I showed up last Saturday night and just had a blast! It really does do the soul good. Volunteers show up no later than 4pm. The meal is served at 5pm. Everything is usually finished by 6:30pm.  Tonight another group is taking the lead. Our official CR night to serve and lead is next Saturday - February 2nd. 

One way or the other I hope to see you all Sunday morning at CR. Let's pile the food up in the lobby and bless the socks off our neighbors next weekend!

Love you all much, Pastor Mark

This Weekend at CR: My Story Series Begins!

Good Friday everyone! Pastor Mark here with your weekly "What's Happening" post. This is a big weekend for us at Church Requel. We are starting a brand new sermon series on Sunday morning. I'm really excited about "My Story - Living The Story You Want To Tell."

We kick the series off this week with "The End." Now I know most people don't like to read the ending to a book before they read the beginning, but in this case I think you'll appreciate knowing where we're headed. If you know "The End" you want your story to tell, then making good choices now is so much better.  Before Sunday is finished, you should walk away with 4 ways to live out your story every day with the end in mind.

You'll each receive a really nice brochure outlining the 8-week sermon series. This should take us right up to Palm Sunday in March. I've printed lots of extra brochures so you can not only keep one for yourself, but give a few away to your family and friends. The 8 "chapters" of this series are:

1. January 27th - "Starting with The End"- What story are you telling?
2. February 3rd - "Ghost Writing"- Who is the author of my story?
3. February 10th - "Plot Lines" - What good plot drives your life?
4. February 17th - "Getting Published" - If you're a Christ-follower, you have connections!
5. February 24th - "Splits and Royalties"- Are you the owner or the caretaker of your story?
6. March 3rd - "A Thousand Words A Day"- Words without actions don't make for a very good story.
7. March 10th - "Character Driven"- Do you know the main character of your story well?
8. March 17th - "The Sequel"- Is your story being told in other lives as well as your own?

As you can see, I've gotten a pretty good start on this sermon series and I can't wait to share it with you. We have all new artwork and music to go along with the new sermon series. This would be a great time to invite a friend or co-worker to come to church with you. I'm hoping that these will be talks that everyone can benefit from!

Bring Food / Feed the Neighbors. Our first official opportunity to serve our neighbors a good, hearty meal will be this coming Saturday evening, February 2nd. Sheri Nichols has agreed to lead this team and be our head cook. Thanks Sheri! But this will be a BIG TEAM effort.

We’re asking you when you come to church on Sunday this week and bring in large, gallon-sized cans of green beans, brown gravy packets, and butter. On the night of the neighborhood meal, we need as many desserts as possible! Questions? Talk to Sheri!

Women's Bible Study. Our ladies have selected an OUTSTANDING Bible study for this first quarter: "Esther: It's Tough Being A Woman" by Beth Moore. This DVD study includes 9 weeks of personal, interactive study. Every other Wednesday at 6:30pm, starting this coming Wednesday (Jan. 30th), our ladies will come together at the Pierce household to hear Beth Moore teach this outstanding series. Ok... admission time! I ordered the books last week, but I mistakenly ordered all leader's guides! I've reordered the books and hopefully you will all have them by Wednesday. The good news is that this first lesson is all introduction by Beth Moore. You don't need to read anything before you come. 

Cleaning Team. Sheri Shick and the cleaning team will keep meeting every Tuesday morning at 11am. All are welcome to join in the cleaning fun! With all the work we're doing on the church, we might have to worship around some messes in the meantime. Just imagine how much worse it would be without the cleaning team!

Wiring Work Has Begun! Finally, we've begun the process of rewiring the sanctuary for all the permanent light fixtures, sound equipment, screen, and projector. Most of this will be behind the scenes (actually underneath the floors and above the rafters). We could use some more help from some of you guys in the church. Talk to Jonathan Pierce to learn about the opportunities available to help. The more help we get, the faster our work will go!

That will wrap up this week's e-newsletter to you. I am LOVING our Sunday mornings together. Have you noticed that we have new folks coming now every Sunday? We need all hands on deck every Sunday so we can meet and greet all of our new friends who are considering making Church Requel their church home.

With great affection, Pastor Mark

This Weekend at CR: Choosing My Future!

Good Friday everyone! Pastor Mark here with your weekly update about all the great things happening this weekend at Church Requel. I hope this chilly Friday finds you warm inside!

This weekend we will wrap up our New Years 2013 sermon series with the talk, "Choosing My Future." Did you know that to a very large extent you choose your own future? No, you can't determine the circumstances in your life, but you can choose how you will respond to them. Who you are right now is largely determined by the choices you have made in the past. Who you will be in the future is largely determined by the choices you will make today.  

We will continue our study of Hebrews, this time looking at chapter 11. We'll learn four choices that Moses made that turned him into the greatest hero of the Old Testament. These same four choices are ones that you and I can make today. I'm really excited about this talk and can't wait to share it with you. I hope you'll join me and all your Church Requel friends Sunday morning at 11... "down at the Point of Grace!"

Children's Program. I received word today from Lisa about the children's program Sunday morning. Lisa will be leading our children's church with a focus on Psalm 118:24. We can rejoice in whatever day God gives us. To help learn this lesson really well, the kiddos will be playing a brand new game. I don't want to spoil the surprise, but let's just say the game involves a whiffle ball, a bucket of water and... a child laying on the floor! 

Women's Bible Study. Our ladies met together this past Wednesday and have selected an OUTSTANDING Bible study for this first quarter: "Esther: It's Tough Being A Woman" by Beth Moore. This DVD study includes 9 weeks of personal, interactive study. Every other Wednesday at 6:30pm, starting on January 30th, our ladies will come together at the Pierce household to hear Beth Moore teach this outstanding series.

Feed the Neighbors. Our first official opportunity to serve our neighbors a good, hearty meal will be Saturday evening, February 2nd. Sheri Nichols has agreed to lead this team and be our head cook. Thanks Sheri! But this will be a BIG TEAM effort.  Between now and February 2nd, you could help us with food. We’re asking you when you come to church on Sunday this week and next to bring in large, gallon-sized cans of green beans, brown gravy packets, and butter. On the night of the neighborhood meal, we need as many desserts as possible! Questions? Talk to Sheri!

Some of us are planning on showing up tomorrow evening to help out this weekend's team. While it's not our turn - we thought we could come and lend a hand... and learn more about this exciting new ministry. If you want to come and help out too, just show up.  I'll be there around 4pm. 

Cleaning Team. The sanctuary looks B-E-A-U-T-F-U-L. We have another Sheri to thank for that. Sheri Shick and the cleaning team will keep meeting every Tuesday morning at 11am. All are welcome to join in the cleaning fun! With all the work we're doing on the church, we might have to worship around some messes in the meantime. Just imagine how much worse it would be without the cleaning team!

Sanctuary Work Has Begun! Finally, we've begun the process of rewiring the sanctuary for all the permanent light fixtures, sound equipment, screen, and projector. Most of this will be behind the scenes (actually underneath the floors and above the rafters), so you may not see the changes right away. It will probably take a few weeks before everything is done. All the parts except for the screen were delivered this week. We will begin installation Monday morning.

Podcast Every Week. Each week I also put out an audio podcast about the things going on here at Church Requel. We also include the past weekend's sermon. This past weekend's talk, "Keeping My Confidence" is included. You can listen online or download the podcast to your smartphone or mp3 player. It's a great way to stay connected while you're driving or exercising. Here's a link to this past week's edition.

It's turned out to be a pretty day today. I hope you have some great plans to enjoy it. And I hope you have a great weekend. Can't wait to see everyone Sunday morning at Church Requel! Invite a friend to come with you!

With great affection, Pastor Mark

#041: Every Little Thing [Podcast]

Every little thing we do can bring glory to our Lord. This week at Church Requel has seen a whole lot of little things accomplished that has moved us closer to where we want our church to be. I talk about those little things plus I share last weekend's sermon: "Keeping My Confidence."

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Podcast: Subscribe in iTunes | Play or Download in new window.

Music for this week's podcast is from  "Do Everything" by Steven Curtis Chapman.

Keeping My Confidence [Sermon Notes]

Having condidence sometimes makes all the difference in the world to what you are trying to accomplish. Did you know that the Bible has a lot to say about confidence? In this sermon we learn the 3 things you need to be confident - in any area of life - but especially in your faith.

Every week I publish my sermon notes so that you may read them for yourselves.  For my parishioners, this could be a good review from the weekend before.  And it gives you a chance to see what I intended to say!  For other pastors and ministers, feel free to borrow and use any of this material.  I'd love for God to be glorified by you incorporating these notes into your own worship.

Keeping My Confidence - 01.13.13

Hebrews 10:32-36 / Colossians 3:12-17

Video: "Charles Blondine - Tightrope Walker"

Introduction: There’s a difference between the man in the wheelbarrow and the crowd. And what’s that difference? Confidence. Confidence is what makes the man leave the safety of the shore and get into the wheel barrow that will go across the tightrope over Niagara Falls. This is not the confidence we usually think of - “self” confidence, but confidence in someone else. You know how important confidence is, right? When you’re confident you feel like you can be bold and that you can accomplish anything. When you lack confidence, you’re afraid to even try. Did you know that the Bible has a lot to say about this topic of confidence?

TODAY’S BIG IDEA: 

If I’m not careful, I could ___THROW AWAY___ my confidence.

“Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.”  Hebrews 10:35 ESV

We find that confidence is incredibly important to living the Christian life. According to the Hebrews writer, confidence is something that we can either keep... or something that we can toss aside. There’s no question that it’s something we desperately need to live the life that God has in mind for us. I’m not saying that your confidence is something that is optional - a take it or leave it kind of thing. What I’m saying is that your confidence is not “automatic.” It does not come and stay as part of your faith decision.  Let’s talk about what we mean by “confidence”:

This Weekend at CR: Keeping My Confidence!

Happy Friday everyone!  Pastor Mark here with your weekly update of all the cool things going on at Church Requel. What a CRAZY week it's been! We asked God for opportunities in 2013, and WOW! Has He ever been providing them! I can fill you in a little bit here, but if you want all the details, click in to listen to this week's podcast: Taking Care of Business. It's a lot of fun this week.

This weekend - Keeping My Confidence. You know what it's like when you feel confident, right? More importantly you probably know all too well what it feels like when you've lost your confidence. Major bummer. Sometimes you just feel like a feather would knock you over.  Did you know that the Bible has a lot to say about your confidence? About losing your confidence? And what you should do to keep your confidence? We're going to study all of that in Hebrews 10 this coming Sunday. You can be confident you will walk away Sunday more confident than ever before!!!

We'll sing some songs we love, including "Oh Praise Him" and "Bless Your Name." We'll have a really fun children's sermon called "Incredible Strength," where we will see how a piece of paper in one way completely wilts with a styrofoam cup, and in another - which just a few folds - can hold up the cup filled with liquid! The kiddos will be sure to want to try this one at home, so parents - pay attention! Grayden and Anna... and Jana will read our Scriptures. We'll pray together and share communion together. Nancy will bring our announcements. Here's some of the things she'll talk about...

Women's Bible Study. Ladies, you will meet for the first time in 2013 this coming Wednesday night at 6:30 at the Pierce’s home. Come for fun and fellowship - and maybe even some dessert and coffee! We’re going to pick our Bible study this week, so be thinking about what you would be interested in studying. If you’ve never come before, this would be a great opportunity to start!

Feed the Neighbors. Our first opportunity to serve our neighbors a good, hearty meal will be Saturday evening, February 2nd. Sheri Nichols has agreed to lead this team and be our head cook. Thanks Sheri! But this will be a BIG TEAM effort. Here’s how we can help Sheri. She will need at least 2 adult volunteers to show up with her at 2:30 Saturday afternoon to begin food preparation.  Everyone else who wants to help should show up by 4:30. There’s a sign-up sheet in the back lobby. The meal will start at 5pm and end at 6:30pm. We anticipate another hour for cleanup afterward. Between now and February 2nd, you could help us with food. We’re asking you to bring in large, gallon-sized cans of green beans, brown gravy packets, and butter. On the night of the neighborhood meal, we need as many desserts as possible! Questions? Talk to Sheri!

Cleaning Team. The sanctuary looks B-E-A-U-T-F-U-L. We have another Sheri to thank for that. Sheri Shick led a team of a half-dozen people this past Tuesday morning. They swept and cleaned every single pew cushion. They dusted and polished all the woodwork! All of you who helped Sheri - Janet, Cindy, Diana, Steve - thanks so much! The cleaning team will keep meeting every Tuesday morning at 11am. All are welcome to join in the cleaning fun!

Sanctuary Work Has Begun! Finally, we've begun the process of rewiring the sanctuary for all the permanent light fixtures, sound equipment, screen, and projector. Most of this will be behind the scenes (actually underneath the floors and above the rafters), so you may not see the changes right away. It will probably take a few weeks before everything is done. All the parts were ordered this week. We met with several volunteers this week who will help us pull cables and wires - Thanks Jon, Brian, Randy, and Larry!

Hope you have a great weekend. Can't wait to see everyone Sunday morning at Church Requel! Pastor Mark

#040: Taking Care of Business [Podcast]

In this edition of the Church Requel Audio Podcast, I talk about the business of transitioning to a new location, while keeping a positive attitude. I review Michael Cheshire's new book: How To Knock Over a 7-Eleven and Other Ministry Training. The back half of the podcast is the sermon from last weekend, "CR in 2013: Up, In and Out."

Click to Listen!

Podcast: Subscribe in iTunes | Play or Download in new window.

This week's music is "Taking Care of Business" by Bachman Turner Overdrive.

Church Requel in 2013 - Up, In and Out [Sermon Notes]

The Church Requel mission is to be a community loving God and loving people. Short. Simple. But not as easy as it sounds. In this past weekend's talk, I talk about the 3 aspects of "Up," "In," and "Out" that we want to be and do this year.

Every week I publish my sermon notes so that you may read them for yourselves.  For my parishioners, this could be a good review from the weekend before.  And it gives you a chance to see what I intended to say!  For other pastors and ministers, feel free to borrow and use any of this material.  I'd love for God to be glorified by you incorporating these notes into your own worship.

"CR in 2013: Up, In and Out" 01.06.13

Video: “Clear” by Journey Box Media

Introduction: This past weekend I traveled to Celina for the Hawk family Christmas. Others were showing photos of their kids and grandkids. I was showing pictures of our new church building. LOL. Examples. We are all happy about God’s provision of St. Luke’s Point of Grace. We have a feeling of legitimacy and purpose. I share that. OTOH, we must remember what “church” is supposed to be. We must not forget our mission: WHO and WHOSE we are supposed to be.

 ILLUSTRATION: Andy Stanley’s book, Deep and Wide, give history of word, “church” in NT. Ekklesia - gathering, assembly. Or “basilica” (Latin), “kirika” (Gothic), “kirche” (German), “church” (English.) “The word church is not a translation from the Greek. It is a substitution for the Greek... A kirche is a location. An ekklesia is a purposeful gathering of people. You can lock the doors of a kirche. Not so with the ekklesia of Jesus.”

Let’s remember our mission - 

This Weekend at CR: Up, In & Out in 2013

Hi Everyone! Pastor Mark here with your weekly update about everything going on at Church Requel. Have you finished with your holiday cheer yet? Back to the real world of 2013? I admit that your pastor's family has one more holiday party to attend. Mary Kay is already in Celina. I shall be departing soon to join the Hawk family for their Christmas gathering. We got snowed out last week.

This Sunday morning Church Requel shall meet again at 11 AM at our new church home at 2 Marion Avenue. We had a great time last weekend and I expect it to be even better this coming Sunday. Brandi will be leading our worship singing experience. She has selected one new song for us: "Good To Be Alive" by Jason Gray. When I see that title, I think to myself: 'My sentiments exactly!'

Randy Craig will be reading our scripture.  Nancy Roop will be leading our announcement time. We'll pray together and share communion together too. The elementary children will have a special teaching time downstairs with Brandi.  I've decided to talk a little bit about our mission statement and how we plan to live it out in 2013. Can you remember those nine little words that make up our mission? "To be a community loving God and loving people." Simple. Clear. And for this next year... exciting!

Cleaning Team Tuesday at 11AM. If you would like to be a part of the cleaning team, be sure to show up at the church this coming Tuesday morning at 11am. Thank you Sheri for your leadership!

Women's Bible Studay. The ladies will meet for the first time in 2013 on Wednesday evening, January 16th at 6:30pm. This first week you will meet at Mary Kay Pierce's home. This meeting will be mostly a social time where you will pick a new study for this next year. Don't miss this opportunity to be a part of the women's Bible study!

Holiday Podcast.  I haven't produced a podcast in a couple weeks. This week I took the best sections of my talks for Christmas and New Years and rolled them into one podcast that is just over one hour of listening. Here is your chance to be a true Church Requel insider. Click here to listen.

That wraps up our weekly newsletter. I look forward to seeing everyone Sunday morning at 11! 

Affectionately yours, Pastor Mark

#039: Holiday Edition [Podcast]

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Podcast: Subscribe in iTunes | Play or Download in new window.

This week's podcast is the Holiday Edition. I've taken the best parts of the Christmas and New Year's talks and put them together in this special edition. Catch up with me as I tell you some of the great stories from the last two weeks.

Music for this week's podcast is "Lucy and Linus."