Inside this issue: Pastor s Corner. God s Work, Our 3 Hands Service Day Recap & Craft Connection. What s happening 4 in Youth & Family

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St. Mark Lutheran Church 200 South Wille Street

Mark Lutheran Church CrossBeams October 2016 A

Mark Lutheran Church, Mount Prospect, Illinois

Office Administrator Youth & Family Ministry

Christie Webb Timothy Spelbring Nancy Hundley

8 am cwebb@stmarkmp.org tspelbring@stmarkmp.

Wednesday Youth Christian Education (Sept.

Education Bible Study 11:00 am Office Hours

Mark: To nourish God s people in Body, Mind and

2 God s Work, Our 3 Hands Service Day Recap &

Family This is a Special Place 5 Thoughts from

1 St. Mark Lutheran Church 200 South Wille Street Mount Prospect, Illinois St. Mark Lutheran Church CrossBeams October 2016 A publication of St. Mark Lutheran Church, Mount Prospect, Illinois Inside this issue: Pastor s Corner St. Mark Lutheran Church 847/ Fax: 847/ stmarkmp@stmarkmp.org Web: stmarkmp.org Pastor Music Director Parish Administrator Office Administrator Youth & Family Ministry Staff Rev. Christie Webb Timothy Spelbring Nancy Hundley Jill Galyon Deacon David Webb Chapel Service ~ 8 am cwebb@stmarkmp.org tspelbring@stmarkmp.org nhundley@stmarkmp.org jgalyon@stmarkmp.org dwebb@stmarkmp.org Sunday Worship Worship Service ~ 10 am Wednesday Youth Christian Education (Sept. May) WOW (3 yrs through 5th grade) FaithWalk (Confirmation 6-8th grade) 4:30-6:00 pm 6:30-8:00 pm Wednesday Adult Christian Education Bible Study 11:00 am Office Hours Monday Thursday 8:30 am 4:30 pm Friday 8:30 am 12 pm noon St. Mark Preschool & Enrichment Center 847/ Web: stmarkpreschoolcares.org Preschool Director Barb Zediker bzediker@stmarkmp.org The mission statement of the people of St. Mark: To nourish God s people in Body, Mind and Spirit. 2 God s Work, Our 3 Hands Service Day Recap & Craft Connection What s happening 4 in Youth & Family This is a Special Place 5 Thoughts from the Loft & More 6 Women of the ELCA 7 Stewardship 8 Water to Wine Tasting & Holy Family Ministries 9 Pet Blessing & More 10 Calendar of Events 11 October, 2016 God s Work, Our Hands Sunday 9/11/16 On the 15th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on America, St. Mark made and delivered goodies to our local first responders police officers, firefighters and emergency room staff.

Page 2 Page 11 2016 I spent some time with playdough recently. The fruits of my efforts are pictured above. It is an odd activity, I suppose for someone well out of their early childhood years.

Throughout scripture, we find this image of God the Potter, fashioning us, forming us, reforming us.

In Isaiah 64:8 we read Yet, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.

If you ve ever thrown pottery on the wheel, you know the moment you ve pressed too hard, used too much water, and whatever you are making slumps over and you have to begin again.

(Jeremiah 18:6) We are clay in the hands of the Master Potter. We were formed, fashioned and created long ago. But the work of being formed is ongoing.

2 Page 2 Page I spent some time with playdough recently. The fruits of my efforts are pictured above. It is an odd activity, I suppose for someone well out of their early childhood years. But I felt drawn to the dough because I ve been thinking recently about the ways God forms and reforms us. Throughout scripture, we find this image of God the Potter, fashioning us, forming us, reforming us. In Genesis God scoops up the earth and forms and fashions it into the first human, and breathes into that creature the breath of life. In Isaiah 64:8 we read Yet, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. And in Jeremiah 18:1-6 we have the rich image of the potter, who as he makes a vessel, finds it to be spoiled and so reworks it into something else. If you ve ever thrown pottery on the wheel, you know the moment you ve pressed too hard, used too much water, and whatever you are making slumps over and you have to begin again. As Jeremiah watches this forming and reforming, God speaks to him and says Just like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. (Jeremiah 18:6) We are clay in the hands of the Master Potter. We were formed, fashioned and created long ago. But the work of being formed is ongoing. As disciples of Christ, God is at work in our lives over and over and over again reforming us, renewing us, redirecting us. At the end of October we will celebrate Reformation Sunday, the day we commemorate the work of Martin Luther and the other Reformers in doing just that, reforming and renewing the church, or more accurately, opening the church up to the reforming and renewing and redirecting of God. This work of reformation began with questions. Martin Luther wanted to know, among other things, why the words of liturgy and the Bible were not in the native language of the people, but in Latin, and why paying to be pardoned for sins was a church practice if it wasn t in the Bible, and why priests could not be married. The Reformation began with questions. This seems to be how reforming often begins. Questions bubble up within us and, as we pursue the answers, God is at work in the journey reforming us into something new. What questions are you pursuing in your life of faith and how is God at work through those questions? For example, in my life I ve been considering these two questions: What is pastoral excellence for me and how does that shape my days of ministry? What life am I called to live, in work and play and rest, and how am I pursuing living that vision? I suspect your questions will be different, but I do not doubt you have them. God is the Potter and we are the clay. God is always at work in our lives and in the life of the church, forming and reforming, renewing and redirecting. In Christ, Pastor Christie Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday pm Bunco for Breast Cancer (Doors open at Noon) 9 11:30 am Pet Blessing 4 pm Corn Maze 16 23/30 9 am Congregational Care Meeting Reformation Day 9 am Bible Bash 7 pm Youth & Family 1 pm Book Club /31 11 am Private Event 7 pm Church Council 9 am Quilting am Quilting 7 pm Foundation 6 pm Basketball pm Sr. Lunch Bunch pm Basketball 21 7 pm Craft Connection 7 pm Basketball 28 5:30 pm Basketball 7 pm Basketball am Visitation & Memorial Service for Beverly Zapfel 10 am St Mark

Page 10 Pet Blessing Bring your pet for a blessing Sunday, October 9 at 11:30 am We will meet in the grass outside the sanctuary Congregational Care Meeting Sunday, October 23 9 am in the Library All

Mark and wanting to know more? Been around awhile and wanting to deepen your understanding? All are welcomed to St Mark 101, a time of learning who we are, what we do here and why we do it.

For those interested in becoming members, we will celebrate new members at the 10 am worship service on Sunday, October 30. Interested? Contact Pastor Christie, cwebb@stmarkmp.org, 847-253-0631.

Some hands measured ingredients and made cookie dough beforehand. Others put that dough onto the cookie trays and then into the oven.

Some hands colored signs and cards for our first responders. Many hands delivered our care packages to the ER, to all 3 Mt. Propsect Fire Houses, as well as the Police Department.

Turns out in the ER they designated enough for each shift that day and all enjoyed.

3 Page 10 Pet Blessing Bring your pet for a blessing Sunday, October 9 at 11:30 am We will meet in the grass outside the sanctuary Congregational Care Meeting Sunday, October 23 9 am in the Library All those who visit members or would like to will gather to check in, see how things are going, be supported in this ministry, and hear plans for the year St Mark 101 New to St. Mark and wanting to know more? Been around awhile and wanting to deepen your understanding? All are welcomed to St Mark 101, a time of learning who we are, what we do here and why we do it. Join us on Saturday, October 29 from 10 am to noon. Light brunch refreshments provided. Families are welcome (activities for children will be available). For those interested in becoming members, we will celebrate new members at the 10 am worship service on Sunday, October 30. Interested? Contact Pastor Christie, cwebb@stmarkmp.org, GOD S WORK, OUR HANDS SERVICE DAY Page 3 Over 60 sets of hands from ages 7mos to over 80 were put to God s work at our September 11 service day. Some hands measured ingredients and made cookie dough beforehand. Others put that dough onto the cookie trays and then into the oven. Others scooped up trail mix and chex mix into containers for delivery. Still others assembled the supplies for health kits and school kits for Lutheran World Relief. Some hands colored signs and cards for our first responders. Many hands delivered our care packages to the ER, to all 3 Mt. Propsect Fire Houses, as well as the Police Department. Together we expressed our thanks and gratitude for our first responders and sent good things out into the world in God s name. Reports of thanks have come in. Turns out in the ER they designated enough for each shift that day and all enjoyed. And for one of the fire houses it was a busy day- our food was taken on the road and helped them have energy in the midst of their work. Thank you for using your hands for God s work! Tree of Life Banner 1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. Rev. 22:1-2 These words from Revelation call us to hope in the life to come and God s redeeming work of the world. In the midst of a long season of many deaths, these words and images are a balm for our souls. Through the generous memorial gift for Ralph Hauslein and with the talented hands of Kim Perlich, we will be making a banner depicting this Tree of Life. You are invited to contribute a leave for this tree by bringing in a 6x6 inch square of green fabric in memory of a loved one. Please attach the name of the person you are remembering to the fabric with a pin. Fabric will be collected as part of our All Saints Day worship on November 6. Thank you for your collaboration in making this beautiful tree. Questions? Contact Pastor Christie or Kim Perlich. Friday, October 21 7 pm in the Great Room Christmas Card Buffet Jeanne Kueter will be showing us how to stamp Christmas Cards. Cost = $2 per card with a maximum of 5 cards per person. RSVP to the church office by Monday, Oct. 17 with your name & number of cards you would like to make. (stmarkmp@stmarkmp.org) Come join the fun! (Recommended for 6th grade through adult) SAVE THE DATE FOR UPCOMING CRAFT NIGHTS: Friday, November 18: Basket Weaving Friday, December 16: Cookie Exchange & Christmas Craft

Page 4 Page 9 What s Happening in Youth & Family Ministry? By: Deacon David Webb CORN MAZE Sunday, October 9 at 4 pm Cost = $20 FaithWalk & SHINE! youth: We will meet in St.

No worries about being out late on a Sunday night, the next day is Columbus Day holiday and NO SCHOOL! Friends are welcome and Adult drivers are needed. RSVP to Deacon Dave or Mrs. G. by Wed. Oct. 5.

Save The Date What: Water Into Wine Tasting When: Friday, November 18 Where: St Mark Lutheran Church Theme: Which wines to serve with your holiday/ turkey dinner Join us for our third annual wine

Get Involved in Youth and Family Ministry Youth and Family ministry at St. Mark is all about connecting young people to the love of Christ during this first part of their life of faith.

leadership development, and faith conversations. Young Adult and Adult mentors are here to support the vibrant and important ministry of our youngest members.

4 Page 4 Page 9 What s Happening in Youth & Family Ministry? By: Deacon David Webb CORN MAZE Sunday, October 9 at 4 pm Cost = $20 FaithWalk & SHINE! youth: We will meet in St. Mark Parking lot and caravan to Richardson Farms in Spring Grove, IL. Join us for hotdogs, s mores and more. No worries about being out late on a Sunday night, the next day is Columbus Day holiday and NO SCHOOL! Friends are welcome and Adult drivers are needed. RSVP to Deacon Dave or Mrs. G. by Wed. Oct. 5. Signed Permission forms needed day of the event. Save The Date What: Water Into Wine Tasting When: Friday, November 18 Where: St Mark Lutheran Church Theme: Which wines to serve with your holiday/ turkey dinner Join us for our third annual wine tasting event. This year we will explore the best options for complimenting your Thanksgiving and Christmas menus. Sign-ups and more information coming soon. Get Involved in Youth and Family Ministry Youth and Family ministry at St. Mark is all about connecting young people to the love of Christ during this first part of their life of faith. It is the ideal place to deepen your own faith in a fun, relationshipdriven ministry that engages the community in worship, travel (pilgrimage), studying the Bible, prayer, stewardship, service, leadership development, and faith conversations. Young Adult and Adult mentors are here to support the vibrant and important ministry of our youngest members. Here are some of the ways volunteers are currently involved: WOW Game Leader: Plays board games from 4:15-4:45 pm on Wednesdays WOW Snack Getter: Drops off snack (fruit, veggies, pretzels, granola bars, candy, juice, etc) prior to 4:30 pm on Wednesdays WOW Workshop Leader (2 hrs weekly): Cooking, crafts, storyteller, etc. WOW Song Leader (1/2 hrs weekly) WOW Offering Project Coordinator: (4-6 hrs yearly) FaithWalk Prayer Station Guide (1 hr weekly) FaithWalk Classroom Guide (1 hr weekly) FaithWalk Workshop Leader (1 hr weekly) Trip Chaperones (5-7 days yearly): For FaithWalk &/or SHINE! Youth and Family Committee Member (1-3hrs monthly) Childrens Church Teachers and Assistants (1 hr weekly) Nursery Assistant (1-2 hrs weekly) Holy Family Ministries Annual Benefit Saturday, November 12, 2016 Stonegate Banquet Center Hoffman Estates For more information, please contact events@hfm.org or x8

Page 8 The Abundant Life Living Generously In our Monday through Saturday world, we talk a lot about money.

We pride ourselves on getting a good deal or being able to afford the good things of life.

And most of us like to imagine what we would do if we won the lottery, or received a promotion, or got a nice inheritance.

(John 10:10 The Message) Yet the very thing we wish we had more of so we could be happy and content was the thing he warned us about. Take care! Protect yourself against the least bit of greed.

5 Page 8 The Abundant Life Living Generously In our Monday through Saturday world, we talk a lot about money. How much various things - such as cars, vacations, clothing, restaurant meals, houses and rent, movies or plays cost. We pride ourselves on getting a good deal or being able to afford the good things of life. We assess the value of a college education or an advanced professional degree in terms of the financial return we get from it. And most of us like to imagine what we would do if we won the lottery, or received a promotion, or got a nice inheritance. How we re doing financially is seen as a major component of being happy and content. Jesus said, I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of. (John 10:10 The Message) Yet the very thing we wish we had more of so we could be happy and content was the thing he warned us about. Take care! Protect yourself against the least bit of greed. Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot. (Luke 12:15 The Message) How do we take care so as to avoid the corruption of spirit caused by greed and love of money? Our stewardship theme this year of God s Work, Our Hands is a reminder that joyful contentment is to be found in what we do, not in what we have. The abundant eternal life promised by Jesus is linked to freedom to use the things in our possession for making the world a better place to be. Stewardship is best understood as a life characterized by generosity the freedom to be gracious and kind to others. All of us have something to give others, regardless of how much or little money we have. This year we will emphasize all the gifts we have as the core element in living as faithful stewards. One of these gifts is time. Another is being helpful and kind. We live in a culture so full of hostility, partisanship, blaming and victimization. We can't change that easily in our society, but we can practice being kind and helpful to others. One of my sons practiced this in a retail grocery store that prepared and sold meals either to take home or eat on premises. One of the young men serving him was very helpful and efficient in his service. He told him how much he appreciated his work, and decided to write an to the department manager praising this employee. The employee was so happy he started to cry, and said no one had ever done that before. It literally made his day! So that was an offering to God, an offering of gratitude, and one that makes the world a kinder nicer place. Are we as quick to praise as we are to criticize? To support and help rather than complain? A friend told me of his experience making calls on church members who had become inactive. He was met with a frosty, So how much money do you want now? He said, I m not here to ask for money, I m here to ask how you are, and is there anything we can do for you. That man s heart was warmed, and he became reactivated in his faith life, finding great joy in being involved in the ministry of that faith community. (And he became generous with his money as well!) We want to make our offering time an integral part of our worship life by linking it to our faith experiences. It can be an excellent time to reflect on Where did I encounter God this week? When was I privileged to give something to someone that helped them feel better? God doesn t need our money; he wants our hearts. When our hearts are focused on God s gracious love for us, we will be generous with all that we have to give, our money and time, but most of all ourselves. Through October and November, we will present during the offering time a few of the many ministry opportunities we have in our congregation, and then wrap up our annual emphasis with a light luncheon and sharing of faith experiences following our commitment Sunday service on November 20. May we all enjoy the abundant generous life of discipleship! Pr. Carl Anderson for the Stewardship Team. This is a Special Place By Deacon David Webb Another year of Wow, FaithWalk, and SHINE! are off and running at St. Mark! Rally Day marks the beginning of another year. Ministry didn t stop during the summer. It didn t really even slow down, but every year we mark the beginning of a new year, not to start over, but to commit again and deepen our commitment to the ministry of experiencing and sharing God s love. We started our programming this year with the phrase: This is a special place. The children and I went on to talk about how: The church is a special place where we can be with God. A place where we have all the time we need. A place where we can talk to God and hear stories about God. Our young theologians are always ready to remind me that, God is everywhere! My response is, Isn t that wonderful! And isn t it also wonderful that in church God is with us in a special way. At the beginning of this year we are excited and expectant as we begin anew and deeper in our ministries this year looking forward to this year of joy, learning, and community we have in front of us. By God s grace and design this is a special place where we have all we need and by this time next year we will have grown in innumerable ways! Youth & Family Tastefully Simple Fundraiser The fundraiser has officially started! Thanks to all who came by the tasting party on Rally Day to make it a great kickoff. The next tasting party will be on November 6. In the meantime, check out the products online and place your order there. Page 5 Be sure to PASS THIS INFO ON TO FRIENDS & FAMILY! The more who shop, the more funds raised for the Youth. This fundraiser will continue each month throughout the year. To Order: Go to Click on Shop & choose your items Choose St Marks Fundraiser at check out as your HOST Your order will be shipped DIRECTLY TO YOUR HOME within 7-10 business days. You may also have items sent to alternate addresses if you d like to send an order as a gift! **Come to a Tasting Party in the Narthex on November 6 & December 4 between worship services** THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING ST MARK YOUTH!

Page 6 Page 7 Thoughts from the Loft Do you ever notice when I play in church that things don t always sound as pretty as other times?

Dissonance almost always resolves to consonance, a very pleasing sound to the ear. Music can express many things, especially in church. May it always be an expression of joy!

Mark family for their love, support, sympathy and assistance in the days surrounding, and since, my husband Walter's recent illness and passing.

6 Page 6 Page 7 Thoughts from the Loft Do you ever notice when I play in church that things don t always sound as pretty as other times? This is called dissonance, when tones are combined together in a way that is maybe less pleasing to the ear. Dissonance almost always resolves to consonance, a very pleasing sound to the ear. Music can express many things, especially in church. May it always be an expression of joy! Peace, Tim Dear St. Mark, "Thank you" is barely enough to express my heartfelt gratitude to my St. Mark family for their love, support, sympathy and assistance in the days surrounding, and since, my husband Walter's recent illness and passing. Special thanks to my sisters in Mary Circle and to Pastor Christie and Pastor Carl for all of their efforts. CALENDAR Sunday, October 2 Bunco for Breast Cancer Center Wed. & Tues., October 19 & 25 Quilting Upstairs, Education wing 1:00 pm 9:00 am Saturday, October 29 8:30 am Metro Chicago Synodical Women s Convention Take heart, get up, he is calling you. Mark 10:49b Bethany Lutheran Church, Batavia Gail Radtke and family SENIOR LUNCH BUNCH (or anyone else who would like to join us) Thursday, October 20, 1:00 pm Come and join us for OKTOBERFEST KUHN s Delicatessen 749 W. Golf Road, Des Plaines, IL $15 per person Lunch includes main dish (one of four choices), beverage and apple strudel for dessert RSVP to Marilyn by Monday, October

CrossBeams. Outdoor Worship and Community BBQ September 17. St. Mark Lutheran Church

CrossBeams. Outdoor Worship and Community BBQ September 17. St. Mark Lutheran Church Inside this issue: St. Mark Lutheran Church CrossBeams A publication of St. Mark Lutheran Church, Mount Prospect, Illinois Volume 56, Issue 10 October, 2017 Pastor s Corner 2 Reformation 3 Youth & Family,