Good Friday morning Church Requel!
Pastor Mark here with your "what's happening" weekly email. For many of you (35 at last count) what's happening TONIGHT is our outing to the Cleveland Indians baseball game. Woohoo! While it's true that the Indians haven't exactly been on a winning streak lately, we will have a blast tonight no matter what! It's $1 dog night... no, that doesn't mean you can bring your pet dog for a buck. It means that hot dogs only cost a dollar tonight at the game! Also there will be an amazing fireworks display after the game tonight. I'm looking forward to seeing so many of you there. We will have a great time together!
Mark Of The Christian. Sunday morning we will continue our study from 1 John, this time from chapter 3, verses 11 through 18. The Apostle John tells us not to be like Cain, so we'll also take a side trip to Genesis 4 to learn what we're not supposed to be like. I have the sermon notes up for you already. You can view them online in your web browser or open up your Bible app and click "LIVE."
I'm also looking forward to being on the praise team with Brian Betts and Cindy Thoman. We'll be singing a few songs you all know really well like "Only A God Like You," "Let The People Praise Him," "Day By Day," and "You Are The Way." It always seems like a worship party when we sing these particular songs!
Tamira and Fred will be teaching together down in KidsMin. I love Fred's willingness to serve with our children. He always seems to enjoy sharing God's Word with them and seeing how they grow in Christ.
New Junior High Ministry. Speaking of our children, I'm excited to announce a new ministry that will begin here at Church Requel in two weeks on August 23rd. We will be launching a new ministry for our Junior High School age group . They will meet every Sunday morning, except for the first Sunday of each month. When the kiddos are dismissed for KidsMin, our older children from 5th through 8th grade will also be dismissed.
They will be meeting in the "Chome" part of the church behind the sanctuary. Yes, this is Paul Lintern's home area and he has given us permission to use it for our teenagers! Woo hoo! Thank you Paul. Our kiddos think this is the coolest part of the church!
Cindy Thoman will be our key leader of this group. She told our leadership team at the beginning of this summer that she felt God telling her to teach this particular age group. At the same time our leadership team had been praying for about a month for God to provide direction for us for this key group of our children.
It's hard for many of us to believe, but our kiddos who started off with us in 1st grade are now up to 5th and 6th grade and need some deeper, more age-appropriate teaching. At the same time, we have many of our children "graduating" from our toddler nursery up into KidsMin and will need some age-appropriate lessons there too.
Our Junior High ministry will be named something other than Junior High ministry. We thought it would be a good idea to allow our 5th - 8th graders to come up with a name for themselves! Can't wait to see what they come up with!
We are hoping that this ministry will be something more than just a Sunday morning meeting. We look forward to members of this group meeting for social and serving times outside of the church too. Speaking very personally, I'm also hoping to have some direct interaction with them at many of these outside events. Nothing would make my heart rejoice more than if I could have some major influence on these great kids, while they are making some crucial life choices.
Maybe this would be something you would like to be involved with too? If so, talk to Cindy, Tamira or myself. We would love to include you as much as you would like to be involved! At the very least, please pray for us and for our parents as we launch. We want to take the maximum opportunity to reach these young lives for Christ. We plan to set aside a special prayer time for our teachers and children on Sunday, August 23rd, so plan on coming especially on that morning.
We have another opportunity to be Jesus' hands & feet next weekend...
Lincoln Highway Rummage Sale. This is one of those cool opportunities that have fallen into our lap because of our amazing location. Did you realize that we are right on the Lincoln Highway that extends all the way across the State of Ohio? Each year the Ohio Historic Lincoln Highway website promotes a sale that extends all the way across Ohio! People literally make a day of traveling from one yard sale to another garage sale to another rummage sale. And we are located right in the heart of it all.
Here's how you can help. First, start gathering up those items that could be valuable to someone else. Clean out those attics and basements! Bring your goodies to church with you. The second way you can help is to volunteer to serve by helping us set up the sale, serving during the sale, or to help us tear down the sale at the end. The sale will extend over two days, August 14th and 15th. There is a signup sheet in the church lobby. Many thanks to Sheri and Stephenie for organizing this for us. All proceeds will be used to help those with needs within our church and community.
I don't know about you, but when I read all the good things happening here at Church Requel this summer, I just sit back and have to say, "Thank you Lord!" Our growth hasn't been sudden or fancy. But it has been solid and I am so thankful. We have such great opportunities. Let's make the most of them! Love you all much, Pastor Mark
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