What's Coming 10/27/13 with Dan Marler and Lisa Roule -- Audio Podcast

Dan Marler and Lisa Roule talk about people's opinion, discussing faith outside of church, Trunk or Treat and other fun topics.
...Oh yeah, and Lisa's new Ferrari.

                      Click here for podcast!

E-Flash From Dan, October 26, 2012

Dear E-Flash Friends;

Jesus takes 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish and he feeds a crowd of over 5,000 people.  (Oddly enough, many of the folks reported that it tasted like chicken.)

 

As we reflect upon that story (not the chicken part, I made that up) we are reminded that we serve a God for whom all things are possible.  Are you a little bit excited when you think about that reality?  Good!  You should be excited.

We’ll be looking at that miracle story this Sunday and thinking about some truths revealed in the story that apply to our lives.  You won’t want to miss it!

Speaking of “not missing it.”  Our annual Trunk or Treat event is coming up this Sunday, from 2pm to 5pm. That’s right.  You know how you’ve heard about all the fun of Trunk or Treat?  Well, that’s happening this weekend.  In fact, we got so excited thinking about Trunk or Treat that we recorded a podcast to tell you about it.  Why not click on the link and take a listen?  It’s fun!

What’s Coming 10/28/12? Trunk or Treat Edition – Dan Marler with Andrea Rodman

Link…  http://visitusonline.org/scmedia.php?type=mediaplayer&loc=visitusonline.org/media/media/mediaplayer.php&id=201210250610428E2A77

We’re trusting that it’s going to be a terrific day here on Sunday and I’m praying God will bless all that happens.

Hope to see you!

Love and blessings,

Dan

What's Coming This Sunday 10/28/12? Trunk or Treat Edition -- Audio Podcast

I talk with Andrea Rodman about the services this Sunday and about Trunk or Treat.

           Click here for podcast!

.

Why Is Trunk Or Treat So Much Fun? - Video

Click here for video!

.

Trunk Or Treat Is Coming

Click here for video!

The video states that Trunk or Treat goes from 1pm - 2:30pm. Actually, the children will collect candy from 1 till 2:30pm, however, the entire event will last from 1pm until 4pm.  So...this is awesome!  This means that there's even more fun to be had.  How cool!

.

How Does Rachel Prepare For Trunk Or Treat?

Since my story earlier this week—the one about Rachel’s Trunk or Treat costume—calls, letters, and e-mails have been pouring in from all over the country.  (President Obama sent a couple of text messages and Vladimir Putin called 4 times begging for photographs and further information!)

The question on everyone’s mind is this: “Dan, how does Rachel prepare for Trunk or Treat?”

It’s an excellent question—right up there with “What is the purpose of life?” or “Where’s Waldo?”  Well, fortunately, it’s actually a very simple process and I was able to document it, firsthand, as it unfolded last night.

Step 1, began with a trip, early in the evening, to Taco Bell.  I suppose this step almost goes without saying.  EVERYONE knows that a person needs to be properly nourished in order to participate in the fun and energy-burning excitement of Trunk or Treat.  And, the perfect place to nourish the body is Taco Bell.  The Bell is well known for its life-giving, high-octane health benefits.  (Going to Taco Bell is almost like going to a health food store.)

After Rachel’s nutritious Taco Bell supper, it was straight back to the Rachel International Headquarters where her mysterious team of Hollywood designers, simply known as “La Nadia”, stood waiting to begin the costuming process.

That leads to Step 2 in the Rachel Trunk or Treat preparations, putting on the clown clothing.  This is quick and easy.  Rachel’s designers had her dressed in a few moments.  Her clown outfit was specially designed by Vera Wang for Walmart.  (I know absolutely nothing about fashion—you can tell, right?—but I thought it would be fun to see “Vera Wang” and “Walmart” used in the same sentence.)

Step 3 is the bright red hairspray.  Unfortunately, this led to a slight snafu in the evening’s costuming prep.  We had 1 can of bright red hairspray.  That’s because we assumed that we only needed 1 can of bright red hairspray.  But as we applied the bright red hairspray it became apparent that 1 can would not be enough.  To make Rachel’s hair truly bright red it appeared that we needed about 3 cans of bright red hairspray. 

When the can of hair spray ran out, Rachel’s design team, “La Nadia”, determined that 1 can would have to be sufficient.

I said, “But, hold on, her hair isn’t really bright red!”

Rachel’s design team, “La Nadia”, said, “It’s good enough.  Besides she has a hat.”

And you know what?  That ended the discussion regarding the matter of the bright red hair.  So, Rachel’s clown hair ended up being brown with red highlights.

You say, “But Dan, clowns don’t have brown hair with red highlights!”

To that comment I respond: “It’s good enough.  Besides she has a hat.”  And I’m confident that’s the right answer because that’s what Rachel’s design team told me.

The final step in Rachel’s Trunk or Treat preparation involves the application of the clown make-up.  This is where the artistry comes in.  The way that a clown makes up her face is her trademark.  It creates the essence of the clown persona.  The design of the clown make-up is part of the magic the clown brings to her adoring audience.

But the Rachel design team had never applied clown make-up before.  How do you do this?  What’s the procedure?  What kind of clown persona should be created?  Where would the make-up artist even begin?

I posed these questions out loud and the room became silent.  Only the soft crunching of a few leftover nachos could be heard.  Now what?  What do we do?  I quickly moved to the computer to research the matter.  [That means searching on Google.]  While I did that, Rachel’s design team “La Nadia” just dove in and began putting white stuff on her face.  By the time I developed a comprehensive make-up plan based on sound geometric principles and rigorous research, the design team had already transformed Rachel into…Raquel Le Clowne!  (Clowns are always just a little bit scarier if they’re French.)

You say, “Wow, Dan!  Did all that effort pay off?”

Well, a person has to be philosophical about such a question.  When we speak of the effort expended and the pay off received it’s important to carefully consider all the variables, being sure to enter this factor into the equation:  “Chocolate”.

We made a pretty good haul of chocolate last night.  So, does that make it worth the effort?  Oh yes.  In fact, I’m chuckling at the question, even as I type these words.

“Does chocolate make it worth it?”  Ba ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!

Of course it does!  After all…it’s chocolate!  Chocolate definitely makes it worth the effort.

Now, excuse me, Raquel Le Clowne has a sack containing a few Snickers bars. 

Au Revoir!

[*NOTE:  That’s “good bye” in French.]

*We're still not sure who these people
are.  They frightened us and, yet, we
felt strangely comforted by them at
at the same time.  Hmm, strange.
.

E-Flash From Dan, October 14, 2010

Dear E-Flash Friends;

“Yodel-lay-hee-hoo!”

I’m practicing my yodeling because most of us typically do a good bit of yodeling at an Oktoberfest, right? 

[ I’ll take your quiet indifference to be a hearty “yes”! ]

We’re doing something crazy, and wacky, and out there!  Our church doesn’t normally do 2 big events on back-to-back weekends.  After all, some of us need a series of long daily naps after just one big event.  But we’re indomitable, we’re fired up, and we’re going for broke!

That’s right, we are going to do 2 big events in a row!  First, this weekend, Sunday, October 17^th, we’re going to be having our annual, all-church Oktoberfest.  It will be a lot of fun.  Food, games, music, braided hair…it will all be happening, this Sunday, immediately following the 11 o’clock service.

You say, “Dan, what does “braided hair” have to do with it?”

I have no idea.  I just threw that in to see if you were paying attention.

I cordially invite you to come to the 9 or 11 am service and then to the Oktoberfest, this Sunday.

And then, the very next weekend, as if we were a gigantic mega-church that could pull off huge events as easily as rolling out of bed, we will be having our world famous TRUNK OR TREAT.  Trunk or Treat is one of the biggest outreach events our church does each year.  We’re expecting somewhere close to *10,000 kids to attend this year’s Trunk or Treat!

[*Again, just seeing if you’re paying attention.]

At Trunk or Treat, we fill the trunk of our cars with candy and then we park the cars in the church parking lot and we turn the kids loose!  Then the kids “trick or treat” from trunk-to-trunk…thus the name: Trunk or Treat!  (The copyright on that name is still pending but we’re pretty sure it was invented at our church.)

Throughout the night there are also games for kids and the youth maze and other fun things, too.  Trunk or Treat happens Friday, October 29^th, at 7p.m.

You say, “Dan, how can we do all this?!?  It’s incredible!”

It’s because we pray.

…A LOT!!!

Oh, you know what?  I should mention this, too, since we’re chatting.  We’re starting a brand new series this Sunday (10/17) titled:  To Defeat A Lie, We Lift Him High!  This is a series based on the New Testament book of Colossians.  I believe you will be blessed, if you come.  I’m really excited about the first message in the series, it’s going to be powerful.  Maybe you could even invite someone.

And check out that series title, again.  Did you notice?  Yeah, I’ve finally come up with a series title that rhymes!  So, for that reason alone you should make an effort to be here.

I’m doing some push-ups, squats, and deep breathing exercises right now, to get myself ready for the next two weeks.  It’s going to be fun.  I invite you, once again, to be a part of these terrific times of fellowship.

Hope you’re having a great week.

Love and blessings,

Dan

*NOTE:  If you would like to have the E-Flash From Dan sent directly to your e-mail, send an e-mail message to: cog111st@aol.com; and write, “Please send me the E-Flash” in the “subject” field.

Getting Excited About "Trunk Or Treat"

Think about Trunk or Treat with me…

Children get to dress up in costumes—everyone knows that kids love to dress up in costumes.

Adults can even dress up in costumes—everyone knows that it’s funny to see adults dressed up in costumes.  (Remember the year that several newcomers pointed to me and laughed at my hilarious “Hobo” costume only to find out that I was dressed normally, it wasn’t a costume after all?  Ahh, memories…)

And then children get lots of candy, FAST.  They “trick or treat” from car-trunk to car-trunk in the church parking lot.  This is a method for getting lots of candy very quickly.  Then after some games and other festivities we send the kids home loaded down with tons of candy that they can stash all around their room and eat and eat and eat for weeks to come.  (Did I mention that the area Dentists’ Association has helped to sponsor this year’s event?)

“Trunk or Treat” is one of the most effective outreach programs we do all year.  Many people who do not regularly attend our church come to “Trunk or Treat” for their kids to have a good time and then they discover that this is a nice place with fun, friendly people.  (“Hey, some of these Christians are pretty nice folks,” they say.  They go on, “In fact, that ‘Hobo’ guy seems okay.”)

And Trunk or Treat is one of the few events that we do where grandparents, parents and kids all participate and have a good time TOGETHER.  In fact, the grandparents are going to have to settle down, last year’s incident in which the fire department had to come and get Grandma Smythington off of the roof was NOT funny!

And then, finally, at the end of the night when I give my 45 minute Old Testament Bible teaching before anyone is allowed to leave, you can just tell that people are enthralled and deeply touched.

So, I hope Trunk or Treat is on your calendar.  It’s happening this Friday, Oct. 30^th, 7pm.  NOTE: For those who are bringing candy, we will start parking cars in the lot at 6pm, as a safety measure.

(Okay, there’s no 45 minute Bible teaching time at Trunk or Treat but a guy can dream, can’t he?)

See you on Friday!