Happy Humpday, Mars Hill Family,

Some weeks feel like a blur, and before you know it, you’re looking at the weekend again.

In the middle of all the noise, I hope you’ve found a moment to breathe and remember that God is steady even when life isn’t.

I am looking forward to this weekend because Super Sunday is back!

What is Super Sunday?

It’s the one Sunday a month when we all gather in the room together. We stream online every week, but once a month, we pull up in person to worship, connect, and see each other face-to-face.

It’s a different energy when we’re in the building together.

Whether you’re in the Chicago area or watching online, I want you to be part of it.

🙌🏾 Welcome to “Super Sunday”

This weekend, Super Sunday returns, and you’re a crucial part, whether you join in person or online!

What Is Super Sunday?​
Super Sunday is our monthly in-person gathering where the whole Mars Hill Anywhere family comes together with one purpose: to worship, connect, and move forward together.

Why Only Once a Month?​
We’re not shrinking; we’re sharpening.
Meeting monthly lets us:

• Maximize our time and resources
• Deliver a powerful worship experience
• Reach hundreds weekly through digital discipleship
• Prevent burnout for our leaders and volunteers

What to Expect on Super Sunday

• A relevant, scripture-based message for real life
• Powerful worship for all, both in-person and online
• Real connection with people on the same journey
• Practical next steps for faith and growth

A Hybrid Experience by Design​
Whether you join in the room or online, you’re part of Mars Hill Anywhere. Every Super Sunday is live-streamed, so you never miss out.

Here’s How You Can Join

• 📍 Location: 7941 47th St, McCook, IL
• 🕥 Time: 10:30 AM CST
• 📆 Next Super Sunday: November 21, 2025

Can’t attend in-person? Join us from anywhere:

• ​Watch on MarsHillChicago.org​
• ​Watch on Facebook​
• ​Watch on YouTube​

In-Person Perks:

• Meet people
• Safe, welcoming space
• Find a life group, serve, and grow!

Online Community Features:

• Live chat during the service
• Share your prayer needs
• Real-time team support and encouragement

Missed Sunday’s Message?

If you’ve ever felt like you’re stuck in a season of waiting, waiting for the promotion, the breakthrough, or the next chapter, this message is for you.

Last Sunday, I preached a message titled “Don’t Die in the Waiting Room.”

We discussed the risk of tying your identity to your title.

If your purpose is tied to your position, then the moment the position shifts, your purpose dies.

But your calling is portable. It doesn’t need a specific chair, office, or title to be real.

In this message, we covered:

• The Waiting Room Trap: Why we think life is on pause just because we aren’t where we want to be yet.
• Portable Calling: How to take your purpose with you, no matter where you are planted.
• Separating Role from Goal: Why your job is just the station, not the definition of who you are.

I challenged us to stop asking “Where should I work?” and start asking “Who am I while I’m working?”

📲 Catch the Replay

I want you to hear this. It’s a word about finding peace right where you are, not just where you’re going.

​

Also Worth Noting:

✍🏽 Latest article on Substack: The Only Four People You Should Ever Trust With Your Future.

This one hit a nerve. If you’re always holding it together for everyone else, this is for you.

The Only Four People You Need…

🎥 Short on Time? I Got You

​Check out my new YouTube Shorts. These are quick, honest, and built for real life.

What I’m Currently Reading

Stop Reopening a Door Life Closed

5 Signs Something’s Ending Soon

📲 Have You Heard About Our App?

Everything you need to grow spiritually is right on your phone. We call it #ChurchInYourPocket.

Download The Mars Hill App

How to Support Mars Hill

Your generosity fuels everything we do, from in-person gatherings to digital discipleship. If you’ve been encouraged by this ministry, here are a few simple ways to give and get involved:

Give:

Support the mission securely at marshillchicago.org/giving, in our mobile app, or by texting MHGIVE to 33777. You can also mail checks to:

Mars Hill Baptist Church
PO Box 6159
River Forest, IL 60305

Serve:

Use your gifts to make a difference online or in person. Visit our site to see current serving opportunities.

Pray:

Lift up our leaders, our church family, and the people we’re reaching. Prayer is a powerful form of participation.

Invite & Share:

Send this email to a friend, invite someone to service, or repost something that encouraged you. Every share matters.

You’re helping us reach people with hope, truth, and love, whether they’re across town or across the country.

With love and expectation,

Pastor Clarence E. Stowers, Jr.

P.S. Don’t forget Super Sunday is this weekend! I can’t wait to see you in the room or in the chat at 10:30 AM CST. Set your alarm now! ⏰

Happy Hump Day Reader,

It is hard to express the depths of my gratitude following the Pastoral Appreciation last week.

To see so many of you express your care through thoughtful cards, gifts, and your presence was a wonderful blessing.

Every single gesture reminded me of the kind and generous family we have here at Mars Hill Anywhere.

Thank you for making me feel so valued; your partnership in ministry means the world to me.

Finding Thankfulness in Every Season

As we move into Thanksgiving week, I have been especially focused on gratitude. I am profoundly thankful for your support and participation.

Your engagement does more than just help the church run; it affirms the very mission we share.

More importantly, as believers, our ability to be grateful is not dependent on perfect circumstances or receiving what we want.

The Scriptures remind us that thankfulness is an act of faith, a choice to recognize God’s constant presence and faithfulness, even when life feels challenging.

When Paul tells us to “give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18), he does not mean we should be thankful for the difficulties, but in the midst of them.

This week, I encourage you to pause and intentionally name three things you are grateful for, knowing that God is at work in every detail of your life.

Choosing gratitude anchors our hearts to hope, regardless of what tomorrow may bring.

Missed Sunday’s Message?

This past Sunday, I shared a powerful message titled “The Three Decisions That Change Your Life.”

I believe this sermon carries real weight for the season we are in, as I explored the critical role of courage in our faith. I walked through three biblical examples to help us navigate life’s most challenging choices:

• Courage to Stay: When it would be easier to walk away from a calling that still has purpose left in it.
• Courage to Leave: When it would be easier to remain in a familiar, comfortable, but completed season.
• Courage to Ask for Help: Recognizing that true strength comes not from self-sufficiency but from having the humility to seek support.

📲 Catch the Replay & Devotional

I strongly encourage you to spend time with this timely message this week! You can catch the full replay and continue studying this theme:

• Watch the Replay: The Three Decisions That Change Your Life​
• Study Deeper: We made a special 5-Day Devotional based on this message. It is available now on our church app, our website, and our YouTube channel.

▶️ Missed it? You can watch it here​

​

Also Worth Noting: ✍🏽 Latest article on Substack: This one hit a nerve. If you’re always holding it together for everyone else, this is for you. Accept People As They Are, Then Place Them Where They Belong 🎥 Short on Time? I Got You ​Check out my new YouTube Shorts. These are quick, honest, and built for real life. Leaders Are Readers: My Fall Reading List 5 Reasons Helping The Wrong People Is Bad For You Stop Reopening a Door Life Already Closed 📲 Have You Heard About Our App? Everything you need to grow spiritually is right on your phone. We call it #ChurchInYourPocket. Download The App Where Was God When It Happened? – 5-Day Devotional

​

🗓️ Announcements

• Thanksgiving Schedule: Remember that our regular weekday gatherings are canceled this Thursday and Friday so that everyone may enjoy time with family and friends. We look forward to seeing you back online for Sunday worship.
• Year-End Giving: As we close out the year, please remember that your consistent generosity allows us to continue reaching families around the world. You can give securely through our app, website, or text platform at any time.

Here’s What You Need to Know This Week:

What: Sunday Worship (Online Only)

When: Sunday, November 30, 2025, at 10:30 AM CST

Where: Online at MarsHillChicago.org
​Watch on Facebook: @MarsHillChicago​
Watch on YouTube: ClarenceStowersTV​

You’re Invited: In-Person Worship at Mars Hill Anywhere

Date: Sunday, December 21, 2025

Time: 10:30 AM Central

Location: 7941 47th St., McCook, IL

Online: Live on YouTube and Facebook

We’re gathering this Sunday, and you’ve got two ways to be part of it:

✅ Pull up and join us in person at our McCook campus

✅ Log on and worship with us live online from wherever you are

However you show up, don’t miss this moment. God is speaking and faith is being rebuilt.

Bring your family. Invite a friend. Get in the room or tap in online.

Let’s go after God together.

How to Support Mars Hill

Your generosity fuels everything we do, from in-person gatherings to digital discipleship. If you’ve been encouraged by this ministry, here are a few simple ways to give and get involved:

Give:

Support the mission securely at marshillchicago.org/giving, in our mobile app, or by texting MHGIVE to 33777. You can also mail checks to:

Mars Hill Baptist Church
PO Box 6159
River Forest, IL 60305

Serve:

Use your gifts to make a difference online or in person. Visit our site to see current serving opportunities.

Pray:

Lift up our leaders, our church family, and the people we’re reaching. Prayer is a powerful form of participation.

Invite & Share:

Send this email to a friend, invite someone to service, or repost something that encouraged you. Every share matters.

You’re helping us reach people with hope, truth, and love, whether they’re across town or across the country.

🔥 Your Move This Weekend

✔️ Watch the sermon

✔️ Download the devotional

✔️ Give to what God is doing at Mars Hill

✔️ Forward this to someone who feels like they don’t have enough

With love and expectation,

Pastor Clarence E. Stowers, Jr.

P.S. Don’t forget to “Log on” with us online this Sunday at 10:30 AM Central for our online service. Set your reminder now! ⏰

Happy Thursday, Mars Hill Family,

Some weeks just hit different, don’t they?

Life picks up speed right when we need it to slow down. In all that motion, it’s easy to forget: God is still here. Still working in the ordinary, overlooked moments of your day.

I wanted to remind you that you’re not doing this alone. Whatever this week holds, God is in it with you. In the conversations that matter, in the challenges that feel too big, even in those quiet moments when you’re catching your breath.

Faith grows in the small steps, not just the mountaintop moments. The decision to trust God on a random Thursday. The next step when you can’t see the full path.

That’s my prayer for you this week: renewed strength and a little more clarity. God has already gone ahead of you. You don’t have to have it all figured out. Just take the next faithful step.

You’ve got this. And more importantly, you’ve got Him.

🙌🏾 Welcome to “Super Sunday”

This weekend, Super Sunday returns, and you’re a crucial part, whether you join in person or online!

What Is Super Sunday?​
Super Sunday is our monthly in-person gathering where the whole Mars Hill Anywhere family comes together with one purpose: to worship, connect, and move forward together.

Why Only Once a Month?​
We’re not shrinking; we’re sharpening.
Meeting monthly lets us:

• Maximize our time and resources
• Deliver a powerful worship experience
• Reach hundreds weekly through digital discipleship
• Prevent burnout for our leaders and volunteers

What to Expect on Super Sunday

• A relevant, scripture-based message for real life
• Powerful worship for all, both in-person and online
• Real connection with people on the same journey
• Practical next steps for faith and growth

A Hybrid Experience by Design​
Whether you join in the room or online, you’re part of Mars Hill Anywhere. Every Super Sunday is live-streamed, so you never miss out.

Here’s How You Can Join

• 📍 Location: 7941 47th St, McCook, IL
• 🕥 Time: 10:30 AM CST
• 📆 Next Super Sunday: November 23, 2025

Can’t attend in-person? Join us from anywhere:

• ​Watch on MarsHillChicago.org​
• ​Watch on Facebook​
• ​Watch on YouTube​

In-Person Perks:

• Meet new friends
• Safe, welcoming space
• Find a life group, serve, and grow!

Online Community Features:

• Live chat during the service
• Share your prayer needs
• Real-time team support and encouragement

This Sunday means a lot to me, and I wanted to personally invite you.

Shauntai and I would be honored to have you with us as Mars Hill Anywhere celebrates our pastoral appreciation.

Your presence has always been a gift to us, and sharing this moment with you would make it even more meaningful.

Join us on Sunday, November 23, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. We’ll gather at 7941 47th Street in McCook, Illinois, for a morning of worship, connection, and gratitude for all God has done through our church family.

It would mean the world to us to celebrate with you there.

When Life Stretches You Thin

If you’ve felt stretched thin or pulled in too many directions lately, this message is for you.

I preached about those moments when life tests your resolve and how God uses pressure to shape who you’re becoming. It’s a word about standing strong when everything feels unsteady and finding strength you didn’t know you had.

There’s clarity here. Comfort. And a steady reminder that God is working even when you feel worn down.

I really want you to hear this for yourself.

​

Also Worth Noting:

✍🏽 Latest article on Substack: W​hen You Are The One Trying​

This one hit a nerve. If you’re always holding it together for everyone else, this is for you.

When You Are the Only One Trying

🎥 Short on Time? I Got You

​Check out my new YouTube Shorts. These are quick, honest, and built for real life.

When The System Isn’t Working

America Is Not a Country, It’s a Business

5 Reasons The Wrong “YES” Might Destroy You

📲 Have You Heard About Our App?

Everything you need to grow spiritually is right on your phone. We call it #ChurchInYourPocket.

Download The Mars Hill App

How to Support Mars Hill

Your generosity fuels everything we do, from in-person gatherings to digital discipleship. If you’ve been encouraged by this ministry, here are a few simple ways to give and get involved:

Give:

Support the mission securely at marshillchicago.org/giving, in our mobile app, or by texting MHGIVE to 33777. You can also mail checks to:

Mars Hill Baptist Church
PO Box 6159
River Forest, IL 60305

Serve:

Use your gifts to make a difference online or in person. Visit our site to see current serving opportunities.

Pray:

Lift up our leaders, our church family, and the people we’re reaching. Prayer is a powerful form of participation.

Invite & Share:

Send this email to a friend, invite someone to service, or repost something that encouraged you. Every share matters.

You’re helping us reach people with hope, truth, and love, whether they’re across town or across the country.

With love and expectation,

Pastor Clarence E. Stowers, Jr.

P.S. Don’t forget to “Pull up” or “Log on” with us online this Sunday at 10:30 AM Central for our online service. Set your reminder now! ⏰

Happy Hump Day Reader,

Let’s be honest.

You prayed. You believed. You did everything you knew to do.

And it still happened. The breakup. The loss. The silence.

That quiet question you’ve been carrying?

“Where was God when it all went wrong?

This week at Mars Hill Anywhere, we didn’t avoid it. We faced it head-on.

Not with polished answers, but with real faith that holds when everything else falls apart.

If you missed the message, this is your moment to catch the replay and start the 5-day devotional that walks with you through the hard questions.

You’re not alone. And God is not absent.

Sermon Overview

Title: Where Was God When It Happened?

Scripture Focus: Hebrews 12:26–28, Matthew 7:24–27, Romans 8:28, Haggai 2:6–7, John 15:2

This week, I preached a message for anyone who has ever looked at the mess around them and asked, “God, where were You?”

The betrayal. The loss. The silence. The prayer you prayed didn’t seem to work.

We do not always say it out loud, but we carry the weight of that question. If God is good, why didn’t He stop it?

Here’s what God showed me. He does not always stop the shaking, not because He is absent, but because He is doing something deeper. He is not breaking you. He is breaking what has been holding you back.

In this sermon, I taught what it looks like to build a faith that holds when everything around you is falling apart. I shared how Jesus told us to build on rock, not emotions. What survives the shaking is what was built on Him.

I also spoke directly to the frustration that comes when you ask God to fix it, and it still falls apart.

This message was not about church clichés. It was about real faith in a real God who is still present, even when He feels silent.

If you’ve ever wrestled with doubt, disappointment, or silence, this message is for you. You are not forgotten. You are being fortified.

Let’s stop trying to hold together what God is trying to shake loose. Let’s build on what cannot be moved.

▶️ Missed it? You can watch it here​

​

Also Worth Noting: ✍🏽 Latest article on Substack: This one hit a nerve. If you’re always holding it together for everyone else, this is for you. The Four Faces of Fear (And Why You Keep Falling For Them) 🎥 Short on Time? I Got You ​Check out my new YouTube Shorts. These are quick, honest, and built for real life. Leaders Are Readers: My Fall Reading List 5 Reasons Helping The Wrong People Is Bad For You Stop Reopening a Door Life Already Closed 📲 Have You Heard About Our App? Everything you need to grow spiritually is right on your phone. We call it #ChurchInYourPocket. Download The App Where Was God When It Happened? – 5-Day Devotional

​

Here’s What You Need to Know This Week:

What: Sunday Worship (Online Only)

When: Sunday, November 16, 2025, at 10:30 AM CST

Where: Online at MarsHillChicago.org
​Watch on Facebook: @MarsHillChicago​
Watch on YouTube: ClarenceStowersTV​

You’re Invited: In-Person Worship at Mars Hill Anywhere

Date: Sunday, November 23, 2025

Time: 10:30 AM Central

Location: 7941 47th St., McCook, IL

Online: Live on YouTube and Facebook

We’re gathering this Sunday, and you’ve got two ways to be part of it:

✅ Pull up and join us in person at our McCook campus

✅ Log on and worship with us live online from wherever you are

However you show up, don’t miss this moment. God is speaking and faith is being rebuilt.

Bring your family. Invite a friend. Get in the room or tap in online.

Let’s go after God together.

Community Resource Guide

We also released something practical to meet real needs in this moment.

​The Community Resource Guide is now available. It’s filled with help for:

• Food and grocery support
• Mental health resources
• Housing and shelter information
• Emergency assistance for bills and utilities
• Hotlines and local support programs

This guide is free and easy to share. Download it. Use it. Send it to someone who needs it today.

📥 Download the Guide​

Together, we’re not just surviving. We’re standing strong and looking out for one another.

How to Support Mars Hill

Your generosity fuels everything we do, from in-person gatherings to digital discipleship. If you’ve been encouraged by this ministry, here are a few simple ways to give and get involved:

Give:

Support the mission securely at marshillchicago.org/giving, in our mobile app, or by texting MHGIVE to 33777. You can also mail checks to:

Mars Hill Baptist Church
PO Box 6159
River Forest, IL 60305

Serve:

Use your gifts to make a difference online or in person. Visit our site to see current serving opportunities.

Pray:

Lift up our leaders, our church family, and the people we’re reaching. Prayer is a powerful form of participation.

Invite & Share:

Send this email to a friend, invite someone to service, or repost something that encouraged you. Every share matters.

You’re helping us reach people with hope, truth, and love, whether they’re across town or across the country.

🔥 Your Move This Weekend

✔️ Watch the sermon

✔️ Download the devotional

✔️ Give to what God is doing at Mars Hill

✔️ Forward this to someone who feels like they don’t have enough

With love and expectation,

Pastor Clarence E. Stowers, Jr.

P.S. Don’t forget to “Log on” with us online this Sunday at 10:30 AM Central for our online service. Set your reminder now! ⏰

Happy Hump Day Reader,

If it feels like the pressure is trying to break you, good.

That means it still hasn’t won.

Because pressure doesn’t just crush.

It exposes what cannot be shaken. And if you’re reading this, it means you’re still standing.

This week, I want to give you something for the weight you’ve been carrying.

Not just encouragement. Real help. Real direction. A resource you can use today.

Sermon Overview

Title: Everything’s Breaking… But You’re Still Standing

Scripture Focus: John 16:33, Psalm 46:1, Genesis 41, Matthew 7:24–25

This week, I preached a message for anybody who feels like life has been hitting from every direction. The headlines are heavy. Prices are climbing. Trust in leadership feels shaky. And the pressure keeps building.

But here’s what God showed me. When everything is breaking around you, it doesn’t mean your purpose is gone. It means your foundation is being revealed.

In this sermon, I walked through the story of Joseph and reminded us that preparation is not fear. It’s faith in action. I shared how Jesus taught us to build our lives on solid ground, so when the rain falls and the pressure hits, we don’t collapse.

I also got real about what our communities are facing and why we can’t afford to wait for perfect conditions to take action. This is the time to stand wisely, serve boldly, and stay spiritually grounded.

If you’ve been carrying the weight of uncertainty, this message is for you. You’re not just surviving. You’re still standing. And that means your story is not over.

Let’s move from pressure to purpose. Together.

▶️ Missed it? You can watch it here​

​

Also Worth Noting: ✍🏽 Latest article on Substack: This one hit a nerve. If you’re always holding it together for everyone else, this is for you. Time Doesn’t Heal Everything 🎥 Short on Time? I Got You ​Check out my new YouTube Shorts. These are quick, honest, and built for real life. Leaders Are Readers: My Fall Reading List 5 Reasons Helping The Wrong People Is Bad For You Stop Reopening a Door Life Already Closed 📲 Have You Heard About Our App? Everything you need to grow spiritually is right on your phone. We call it #ChurchInYourPocket. Download The App

​

Here’s What You Need to Know This Week:

What: Sunday Worship (Online Only)

When: Sunday, November 9, 2025, at 10:30 AM CST

Where: Online at MarsHillChicago.org
​Watch on Facebook: @MarsHillChicago​
Watch on YouTube: ClarenceStowersTV​

Community Resource Guide

We also released something practical to meet real needs in this moment.

​The Community Resource Guide is now available. It’s filled with help for:

• Food and grocery support
• Mental health resources
• Housing and shelter information
• Emergency assistance for bills and utilities
• Hotlines and local support programs

This guide is free and easy to share. Download it. Use it. Send it to someone who needs it today.

📥 Download the Guide​

Together, we’re not just surviving. We’re standing strong and looking out for one another.

How to Support Mars Hill

Your generosity fuels everything we do, from in-person gatherings to digital discipleship. If you’ve been encouraged by this ministry, here are a few simple ways to give and get involved:

Give:

Support the mission securely at marshillchicago.org/giving, in our mobile app, or by texting MHGIVE to 33777. You can also mail checks to:

Mars Hill Baptist Church
PO Box 6159
River Forest, IL 60305

Serve:

Use your gifts to make a difference online or in person. Visit our site to see current serving opportunities.

Pray:

Lift up our leaders, our church family, and the people we’re reaching. Prayer is a powerful form of participation.

Invite & Share:

Send this email to a friend, invite someone to service, or repost something that encouraged you. Every share matters.

You’re helping us reach people with hope, truth, and love, whether they’re across town or across the country.

🔥 Your Move This Weekend

✔️ Watch the sermon

✔️ Download the devotional

✔️ Give to what God is doing at Mars Hill

✔️ Forward this to someone who feels like they don’t have enough

With love and expectation,

Pastor Clarence E. Stowers, Jr.

P.S. Don’t forget to “Log on” with us online this Sunday at 10:30 AM Central for our online service. Set your reminder now! ⏰