NickName(s)
Mapel, Markos, and MarQ

Top 3-5 Responsibilities
I write and edit content for print and digital platforms, proofread content for grammar, punctuation, and spelling, and assist the Creative Director and Communications Team in developing and maintaining the language and brand of The Village Church.

When and how did the Lord save you?
At the age of 8, I began asking why I was different from my siblings, who had all become Christians. One day, after watching the movie Ghost, I was freaked out and wondered if ghosts were real. My dad explained to me the Trinity, the Holy Ghost, and what Christ had done for me. That afternoon, I went to my room and asked God to save me from my sins. This serves as proof to me that God can use anything to call His people into the light. Thank you, Patrick Swayze.

When did you come to TVC and what brought you here?
I first attended The Village Church Denton in the fall of 2007 as I began my undergrad at UNT. I started on staff here in April of 2022.

Book/Movie/TV Show Recommendation and Why
Nine Horses by Billy Collins. This was my introduction to a type of poetry that was doing something so new for me. Collins has a way to immediately eliminate any distance between the poet and reader. I was brought in, invited to sit, and have never left his table since.

TED Talk Subject & Why
"Against the Grain" – The loneliness of going your own way, the impossibility of doing the thing no one else is doing, but how you might just do it...and do it beautifully. Maybe!

Childhood Dream Job
Astronaut or Garbage Collector.

Fictional Character Friend & Why
Probably Schmidt from New Girl because he knows how to maximize every scenario, seizes every day, and wears every emotion on his face.

Favorite Hobby
Writing stories, acquiring minimalist tech, and learning how to forage wild mussels in Great Britain on YouTube.