New Worship Leader at Restoration Church

Mark Wise had a dream—to be a worship leader in the city of Clearwater. Why Clearwater? Only God knows. Seven years ago Mark and his wife Marie came to Clearwater on their honeymoon. In less than a week the couple knew they were exactly where God wanted them.

“We drove all around the area, but every time we drove into the city of Clearwater it felt like we were coming home.” says Mark.

They had to return to Findlay, Ohio when the honeymoon was over, but Clearwater never left their hearts. Mark went to work renovating their house while recording and touring as the bass player for the Christian band Right Side Cast. When the renovations were completed the couple put the house up for sale, never dreaming it would take seven years to sell.

Mark continued to use his music experience and degree in Religious Studies serving on church worship teams, eventually taking a position as the Worship Leader at Stonebridge Church in Findlay.

Mark explains, “After seven years we had all but given up on moving. I found a new purpose when I was called to lead worship at my church, but our hearts were still in Clearwater and we prayed constantly for the city, even while trying to accept that maybe God didn’t want us to leave Ohio. And then suddenly our house sold and things began to happen very quickly.”

The couple sold or gave away much of their possessions, even their car. Everything else, including a very discontent cat named Eowyn, was packed into a moving truck and driven to Clearwater in December 2017.

“In less than two months we were Floridians,” Mark says. “We rented the first place we could find, a condo that turned out to a blessing in itself—we have the best neighbors anyone could ask for! Although we were shocked that the move had finally happened, it felt like home almost right away.”

It didn’t take long for Mark, who has a serious passion for coffee, to find Restoration Café—the coffeehouse in downtown Clearwater owned by Blake Ferrell, Lead Minister of Restoration Church.

Mark has been leading worship a couple times a month since March. As of October 1 he has joined the church staff with the title of Lead Worshipper. Mark’s dream of being a worship leader in Clearwater has come true —with the added benefit of all the awesome coffee he can drink.

Restoration Church meets every Sunday at 10:30 am in the Restoration Cafe, 38 N. Fort Harrison Ave. downtown Clearwater. Restoration Cafe is open from 7 am to noon Monday thru Friday.