Good Friday morning Church Requel!
So much is going on at CR this week - I almost don't know where to begin. Let's start with baptisms. This weekend will be super special because Don and Stephanie Angel along with Shelli Jackson will baptized this coming Sunday morning. Yay! They each want to testify to their new life with Christ. Don and Stephanie have created a very special and moving testimony video, which we will show right before their baptism. They have a great story to tell. You won't want to miss it! Let's warmly welcome the family and friends of the Don, Stephanie and Shelli, who will be at CR supporting their loved ones.
New Sermon Series on Miracles! I'm also really excited for this coming Sunday, because we are beginning our new sermon series, Signs and Wonders. Each weekend between now and Easter, we will consider one of Jesus' miracles from the Gospel of John. I've really enjoyed writing these sermons. My study time these past few weeks have been extra special and affirming. I can't wait to share with you some of the things I've learned. Our theme for these studies is: "Don't just believe in miracles. Depend on them!"
This Sunday morning our talk is titled, "Wedding Wine," and comes from John 2:1-11. This is the first miracle recorded in the Bible, when Jesus turned six 30-gallon jars of water into wine. Wow! What a wedding present! Have you ever considered how much wine that would be? If my math is correct, we're talking about 900 bottles of wine!
One of the things that grabbed my attention as I was studying this passage was Mary's confidence in Jesus. Can you imagine what it must have been like to be his mother and to watch him grow up? We'll learn from Mary how to develop a pattern of dependence upon The Miracle Maker!
Live Praise Band & New Singers! This will be a special Sunday also because we'll enjoy our live praise band. Tamira on the keys, Dan on the guitar, and Ian on the bass are becoming a regular group giving praise through their talents at CR. Although I bet you've never heard Dan make his guitar sound like a cello before! Amazing!
Joining the band on the singing side will be Jeff Barnes, Jan Calendine and Ron Bolesky. We love it when Jeff leads! This will be Jan and Ron's first time on the CR platform. Well... at least the first on the CR platform since they were married last fall.
Jan and I sang on a praise team at another church back in 1998, so it's personally exciting for me to see her back singing. Ron has been helping us out a lot in other areas at Church Requel - on the tech team as well as on the counting team. I love watching new people at church find their way into ministry.
Children Learn About Temptation! Last week in KidsMin, our topic was on temptation. Our children learned about Jesus being tempted in the desert and how he overcame temptation. I LOVE the creative flair that KidsMin Director Tamira Barnes brings to her lessons. Before the morning was over the children played "Temptation Tug of War!"
As Tamira explained it to me the kiddos were pulling back and forth by themselves at first, and one side usually won. But then she added a few adults to one side (they represented the additional power of Christ and God's Word) and then the other side was soundly defeated. Anyone else besides me wish they could be a kid in CR's KidsMin?
This Sunday our children will study the story of the Good Samaritan. Who knows what Tamira will come up with this week. Here's what I've heard... There will be some relays, bandages and a top-secret mission! Let's make sure we have every CR child in KidsMin this weekend!
New LIVE CR Webcast Starting Sunday! Have you ever not been able to come to Church Requel on a Sunday morning for one reason or another? Maybe you're traveling away from town. Maybe the weather has you socked in. Maybe you're too sick to get out. Starting this weekend we will begin a LIVE online video feed of our worship services. We've created a new page on our website. Here's the link.
We tested the feed out last night during our rehearsal. We had 31 viewers from multiple states and countries! And we didn't even try. So this gets us to thinking. Who do you know who might like to watch the church service you attend, but for one reason or another, cannot attend themselves. Perhaps you have friends or relatives, who live too far away to come to Mansfield. Give them this link and tell them to tune in Sunday morning. And make sure you remember yourself - you no longer have to miss Church Requel when you can't help but miss Church Requel!
Revelation Lecture. Next Thursday evening I'm planning on driving up to Ashland Theological Seminary to attend a free lecture by one of my favorite seminary professors, John Bryron, PhD. The title of the lecture is "The Mystery and Message of Revelation." You may click here to learn more about it. I'm thinking that a few of you might like to join me. Do you want to see the man responsible for infusing me with a love of Biblical Greek and first-century culture? This should be a fascinating lecture and will be guaranteed to get you to be thinking... maybe in a different direction than you've thought about this topic before! The lecture starts at 7pm. You can meet us up at ATS or meet me in the CR parking lot and drive up with us. We plan to leave CR promptly at 6pm. Let me know if you think this is something you'd like to do - especially if you want a ride up!
Church Requel Beautification Continues. I must say one more BIG thank you to the men who are working so hard to restore and improve our physical facilities at Church Requel. I took these photos of Paul Patton (far right) and Dave Repp (immediate right) this week, as they toiled away.
Paul is re-staining and repainting our sanctuary for us. So far all the wood paneling has been re-stained. Now Paul is working on the pews and the floors. The right third is finished. He has started on the back 6 pews in the center. I've invited Paul to attend Sunday morning. If you see him, please let him know how very much we appreciate his hard work. By the way, he tells me that his last name is not a fluke - he IS distantly related to the great general!
Dave Repp continues to work downstairs improving our office space. When this project is finished, we intend for our staff and volunteers to have a space where they can access computers, printer and copy machine for their ministry needs. For all of us who are now running out to print shops every week, we cry out, "Woo hoot!"
Please continue to be faithful with your financial giving. The only reason we can pay for the improvements we are making to our office is because of our savings from last year's giving. We appreciate your faithfulness. Here is a link for those who wish to check out our online giving options.
Kingdom Building One Person At A Time. As I wrap up this week's long letter, I want you to know that your efforts on behalf of Christ and Church Requel are not in vain. We are seeing God's kingdom growing, one person at a time. New people are finding their way into our doors. Last week I heard from a mother, who was thrilled to find a church home for herself and her family. I received another card from a first-time attender, who told me he committed his life to Christ last Sunday! Another gentlemen called me this morning, who has spent the last 3 days watching our sermons online. He told me he plans on attending for the first time this Sunday morning. Good things are happening. Let's remain faithful!
Blessings upon blessings to you! Pastor Mark
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