Good Friday morning Church Requel!
I'm NOT EVEN looking out my window right now. I'm NOT EVEN going to comment on the snow falling. Come on already! It's Spring already! Right?
What I do know for sure and what I want to write about for sure is the warmth springing up inside my soul after 21 days straight of worshiping and praying every evening. I don't know what I thought the outcome would be exactly. I knew we were praying for the community. What I don't think I expected (but totally should have expected) was the revival in my own experience of God's Holy Spirit! Wow!
I'm also so very happy for so many of you, who I know is experiencing this same phenomenon. For all of you Church Requelers who have made it out to at least one (and some of you many) nights of this March of Prayer - thank you and blessings!
I don't know of another church who has been better represented as much as we have been. I've said it before but I'll repeat again - I am so lucky to be your pastor!!!
I have some excellent news. The March of Prayer will continue all the way through Easter! So yes... there will be March 32nd, and March 33rd... all the way to March 52nd! Isn't that grand? 52 different evenings. 52 different local churches. One Lord! I plan to have a new schedule for you at church this Sunday morning.
Remember - no guilt or pressure here. Come when you can. Leave when you must. Just don't miss out. I believe God is doing something really special here. For His own good reasons, He's starting this in Mansfield, Ohio. No one's ever seen or heard of this happening before. You'll want to be a part of it. You'll want to tell you grandchildren's children about it someday!
March of Prayer at Church Requel - Next Thursday! We are now down to less than one week until we host the event ourselves at Church Requel. I am confident that more than 100 will come. Our church pews will be overflowing.
Brandi and I have done as much as we can do. The evening will have some great surprises, but in many respects it will be a worship service just like what you've come to expect at Church Requel.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE - don't just come. Come EARLY! If at all possible plan to arrive at 5pm or as soon as you can after work. We need help setting up two snack areas - the normal one in the back and another one in the front of the sanctuary. We need help with coffee. We need help with cleaning and setting up. We need help with greeting. We need help with parking. We need help cleaning up afterwards. Do you see a theme here? We need help!!! All hands on deck kind of help. Just show up, roll up your sleeves and look for a way to help out!
Be an ambassador that night. You don't have to be on the greeting team to greet. If you see a face you don't know, introduce yourself. Tell them you're glad they came. Let's make sure that everyone who comes says, "Wow - those people at Church Requel were SOOO FRIENDLY!"
One more important detail. The weather report says 60 degrees next Thursday. Add to that 100-150 people in our sanctuary and you have a hot mess! I've asked Chris Thoman to get a team together this week to replace the storm windows with screens so we can have some Spring air circulating around us. If you can help Chris, let him know!
One last request. Tell your family and friends about this important event. Let them see your home church in a positive light! They will be glad you told them. You'll be glad you told them. You don't want to leave that night saying to yourself, 'That was so good. I wish I would have invited...'
What's Happening This Sunday At Church Requel. With everything I've just told you about next Thursday, you might think that Sunday is taking a back seat in our thoughts and planning. NOT SO!
The Jam Band will be playing and singing and leading you in worship. I've added a banjo ukulele just for the occasion! We will be singing "Build Your Kingdom Here" by Rend Collective. That song just begs for a banjo! I'm planning to play it for the first time in public Sunday morning!
We also will be singing together: "You Never Let Go" by Matt Redman; "Revelation Song" by Kari Jobe and Jennie Lee Riddle; and "Greater Things" by Mack Brock.
Our sermon Sunday morning will be from the next section of Acts and I've named it: "Ministry Strategy." You might think that this isn't something you need to know about since you're not a minister. WRONG! Everyone in our church is a minister, right? Want a head start? Click here: http://bible.com/events/587217
Lots of participation of ministers Sunday morning too! Chris and Tamara will run our tech. Don, Dan, Dave and Brian will play their instruments and sing. Ken and Karen will be bringing the communion bread. Mary Kay will set up. Juanita will bring our snacks. Roger and Juanita will be our greeters. Cindy, Karen and Mary Kay will teach our students. Chris will make sure everyone is accounted for.
These are really good times for our church! We are seeing good results everywhere we look. Keep praying. And thank you - so many of you - who have told me you're praying for me! I really do need God's strength now more than ever. Hope to see most you real soon! Love you much, Pastor Mark
