The AUGUST By Robin Korom

Transcription

1 Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I hope everyone is having an enjoyable summer! I am using this month s newsletter to provide you all with an updated version of our strategic plan. Although it adds to the size of this newsletter, council determined that it would be best to provide the document in its entirety. You will see five (5) primary areas, which we have chosen to focus on for the next few years. In addition, you will see many specific initiatives that are underway or planned to support those initiatives. Please feel free to contact me if you have any question about the areas of focus or any of the supporting initiatives. I want to thank all the various committee members and my fellow council members for all of the hard work they are doing to support all of these important initiatives. I ask for all of you to join us in continued prayer, for God to grant us the wisdom to move our church forward in accordance with His plans. That He give every member of our congregation a heart for service and show them a way to use their spiritual gifts to support the work of St. Mark. In His service Robin Korom Robin.korom@gmail.com SMLC STRATEGIC PLAN The VOICE OF ST. MARK LUTHERAN AUGUST 2018 President s Notes By Robin Korom Early in 2017 Council held a Council and Committee retreat, a subsequent meeting also followed. As a result of those meetings we reviewed and revised each committee s roles and responsibilities description. A new committee was formed, Congregational Life which reports directly to Council. The Finance Committee was revised to report up through Stewardship. The purpose of these meetings were to clarify roles and responsibilities and to work on creating a revised strategic plan. Continued on page 5 CHURCH EVENTS August 5th Holy Smokes 6:30PM - 8:30PM August 5th Rummage Sale Set-Up 11:30AM - 1:30PM August 9th, 10th & 11th Rummage Sale 9:00AM - 7:00PM August 12th CMP Laser Tag 1:30PM - 5:30PM August 18th Nursery Cleanup 12:00PM - 2:00PM August 19th Church Picnic 11:30AM - 3:00PM August 26th Intl. Mission Trip Meeting 9:30AM - 10:00AM August 26th Youth End of Summer Celebration 6:00PM - 9:00PM August 29th Confirmation Orientation 6:15PM - 8:00PM ARTICLE DEADLINE The deadline for September s The Voice is Wednesday, August 15. Please articles to stmarkcommunications@ gmail.com August 2018 Page 1

2 VICE PRESIDENT Gary Edwards ST. MARK COUNCIL PRESIDENT Robin Korom FINANCIAL TREASURER Brock Millsop BOARD OF ELDERS Brad Gundlach Chris Luetke Ed Rosquist BOARD OF TRUSTEES Gary Edwards Dale Kumpula Brock Millsop Gary Olson ST. MARK COMMITTEES FINANCE Overseen by Trustee: Gary Edwards Pam Preston Lynn Wetterberg Jill Winling PARISH EDUCATION Overseen by Elder: Ed Rosquist Karen Gerold Lori McKenzie Jane Milani STEWARDSHIP Overseen by Trustee: Gary Edwards Pete Bolender Laurie Kerns Carl Norlin EVANGELISM Overseen by Elder: Chris Luetke Lori Jenkins Walter Klein CONGREGATIONAL LIFE Overseen by Trustee: Gary Olson Mary Anderson Polly Eastberg Brooke Frusti Teri Selz Meg Hawgood WORSHIP & MUSIC Overseen by Elder: Brad Gundlach Charlie Burke Rebecca Gundlach Tabra Gomski PASTOR Terry Breum BOOKKEEPER/HR Sharon Schranz CONTEMPORARY MUSIC COORDINATOR Todd Stickney FINANCIAL SECRETARY Patrice Sutton YOUTH & FAMILY MINISTRIES COORDINATOR Josiah Frusti CHURCH ADMINISTRATOR Deb Zuchowski OFFICE ASSISTANT Rhonda Doran NURSERY COORDINATOR Deb Heide ORGANIST/TRADITIONAL MUSIC COORDINATOR Collin Crowl MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT Jim Schaufel Council Meeting: August 14th at 7:00PM in the Library. Committee Meeting: August 28th at 7:00PM in the Main Building. Please feel free to attend the Committee or Council Meetings! All meetings are open to the Congregation. August 2018 Page 2

3 From the Desk of Pastor Breum Dear Friends, I am thrilled to be a part of a brand new ministry beginning in September. A new men s ministry will start and all the men of St Mark are invited to be part of it. We will meet once a month on a Saturday morning. Preparing breakfast, eating breakfast, doing a small study, and ending in prayer will be the format. We will do our best to keep this to 90 minutes so you can get home as soon as possible. We will also decide to involve ourselves in some sort of work project that will help a person or family in need. This will be a group decision, one we all agree upon. Jerry Doran has agreed to be in charge of this new venture. I know this can be a very positive and uplifting experience for all who attend. Please come. Part of what I do as a pastor is visit people in the hospitals, nursing homes, shut-ins in their homes, and other visitations that take me outside of my office and out into the community. If you wish to come and speak to me in my office my door is open. Having said that it is best to call first to set up an appointment in order to make sure I am in the office when you come. I want to make it as easy for you and as convenient as possible to have a conversation. Soon our fall season will be in full swing with all the busyness that it brings. May the peace of the Lord be upon us all as we live each day to love Jesus and love each other. I am relearning that God s grace is sufficient for everything that comes our way. God Bless You All, Pastor Terry Breum SAVE THE DATE!!! Please come join us on Saturday, September 15 th, from 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM to help spruce up the church property outdoors. We will be continuing the work that has been started but in greater detail. There will be weeding, hopefully mulch to spread, bushes and trees to trim, and trash/debris to be cleaned up along the lot line. Please wear your old clothes and bring your lawn tools and gloves. Stay and help as long as you are able. This is a great way for students to work alongside parents and other church members in service to the church. Any questions, please call the church office or speak with Jim Schaufel. August 2018 Page 3

4 MISSOURI MUSINGS BY BOB YARBROUGH Tricks of the Trade Did you have chores when you were a kid? We sure did. One of mine was mowing grass. I started when I was nine years old. It was an old Snapper mower. The handles were about the height of my eyeballs. I remember my back used to ache from pushing it. Self-propelled mowers were unknown at the time. Well, that s not quite true: we did have self-propelled mowers, in the sense that you propelled them yourself. What I mean is, mowers did not have belts, gears, or hydraulics to turn the wheels by the engine s power. You moved the mower with your own power, which wasn t much if you were just nine. One lesson I learned about lawn-mowing was this: you have to vary the pattern. If you mow the exact same way every week, the grass will start to look rutted from the wheels and blades passing over exactly the same grass in exactly the same direction. So you have to change things up. Mow diagonally. Mow across the lawn instead of along the length of it. There are lots of ways to vary mowing patterns to give a more professional look at the end. It s healthier for the grass, too. One of our chores as Christians is daily Bible reading and prayer. It is easy to get into a rut by following the same pattern year after year. Here are ways to change things up: 1) Use a different Bible translation. This can make words you have read over many times take on fresh meaning. 2) Use a Bible reading schedule. Ask the pastor or another Christian for their recommendation. I subscribe to a free service from Crossway Publishers: When I get up in the morning, all I have to do is clink the link to get my daily reading. Follow this schedule and you will read the whole Bible in just one year. For dozens of other reading plans, all free, go to: 3) Read Scripture with a purpose. The point is not to complete the task and check a box for heavenly credit. It is rather to see, really see, what is in God s word. And then to offer him the proper response: praise, thanks, repentance, communion, and perhaps a change in attitude or behavior. 4) Read Scripture with others. Many at St. Mark do this in one or more of the many Bible study classes that Pastor Breum encourages. Paul wrote to the Roman Christians that he was confident that they were filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another (Romans 15:14). We all have much to learn about God and his word by listening to how others read and apply it. 5) As you live out what you read in Scripture, share your thoughts about things you ve learned from God s Word with others. Why not? Other people talk (or text) to you about movies they see, websites they discover, You Tubes they watch, or music they hear. Why not highlight something fascinating or timely from the Bible? The point is not necessarily to convert others on the spot. It is to plant seeds and to promote respectful thought about God, who reigns over all, and about the Son he has sent. Sometimes the best witness is not to win an argument but just to make a person think. God will take it from there. So this summer I am stilling mowing grass, 55 years since I first began. I am still changing up the pattern to avoid ruts and to give the lawn a more groomed appearance. Continued on page 6 August 2018 Page 4

5 President s Notes cont. SMLC STRATEGIC PLAN Cont. To further facilitate the planning process, Council conducted a congregational survey. We had a very significant response rate and collected additional data that allowed us to further understand the needs of our congregation. The results of that survey where shared and discussed with members of the congregation at 2 separate town hall style meetings open to all members of St. Mark. Based upon all of the input from our congregation and our committees the council has developed 5 areas of focus that will be the basis for our strategic plan beginning in Evangelism Focused Find a way to have evangelism play a role in everything we do. Proclaim and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ through preaching, teaching, and witnessing. Demonstrate at all times that we are a Mainline Church that still believes in the Bible. Strive to do more visible community outreach and service. Equip and nurture those who come in our doors to know God and encourage them to invite others to get to know Him or renew their relationship with Him. Strengthen Multi-Generational Congregational Life Grow all generations of our congregation and provide for their needs based upon their life cycle stage. Remember our Seniors (elderly) Increase retention of our high school age kids following confirmation. Enhance our youth and family programs and offerings Develop a plan to attract young families and s to our church Updating ministry book and planning Ministry Palooza Stewardship New men s ministry is being formed Pastor Breum with help from Jerry Doran Facilities Invest in ourselves to keep our facilities inviting and to ensure they meet the needs of the congregation and all our various church programs and services. Encourage outside groups to utilize our facilities when appropriate. Develop and maintain a fixed asset replacement program and build up building fund reserves to cover long term maintenance needs. Assess and monitor space needs as they relate to congregational growth. Coordinate a major clean out of all storage areas with all committees and staff represented Education Develop and strengthen our Youth and Family Ministries Program Continue to provide and enhance our distinctive combination of biblical preaching, teaching, and both traditional and contemporary worship services Provide our congregation with both biblical and practical education Encourage everyone to be in a Bible study Maintain commitment that every person who comes to Worship or attends a Bible Study or Sunday School hears the Gospel and is encourage to share it worldwide. Staffing Develop and empower the paid staff to manage the church in accordance with the strategic plan, under the guidance of the council, and with the support of specific initiatives by the various committees and volunteers. To strive to improve our benefits package to attract and retain top talent. Prayer Pals Needed Our staff and our committees are working on many projects/events that support the strategic initiatives. Currently those include: Evangelism Focus Thank You Jesus sign campaign Evangelism 30 Days of Prayer May 15 to June 14 Barb Ewert Women s Conference in April Joy Gajda Outdoor Summer Service Program Evangelism Parade participation, Lindenfest, Antioch 4 th of July Evangelism Ice Cream on Us event Evangelism Mission in Action program, planning in the works Evangelism Ministry Palooza Stewardship Mugs & Muffins Ministry Brooke Frusti Continued on page 6 Confirmation registration will be August 29 th. The future of St. Mark is the youth of this Church. Confirmation instruction begins the process of what it means to be a faithful Christian. So much of that is faith in the power of prayer. You can mentor and encourage that faith as a Prayer Pal. Please prayerfully consider volunteering to be a Prayer Pal. You will be assigned a 1 st year student. The commitment is for 2 years. The Prayer Pal form is available outside the Church Administrator s Office. If you have questions you can contact Marilyn Florip. August 2018 Page 5

6 President s Notes cont. Staffing Review and revise as needed the personnel handbook Find new medical insurance provider for Pastor/staff Find alternative retirement benefit provider Assess ability to expand benefit offerings to other FT staff Develop proficiency with Servant Keeper Software New part time office position created and filled May need to hire for web site/social media Facilities Decommission the tot lot playground Repair cracks in the concrete outside the north door Replace south exit door in fellowship hall Replace colored windows with clear glass (fellowship hall) Repaint over mural in Sunday School area Heat loss assessment in old fellowship area Education Center Cost Assessment Consider identifying St. Mark as an LCMC church in our signage, stationary and other print materials Replace stove in the kitchen Technology upgrades and move to cloud Annual Carpet cleaning Upgrades to memorial garden Analysis of Education Center Utilization/Cost Trustees HR Trustees Trustees Trustees Deb Trustees/Deb Trustees/Deb Jim Schaufel PM PM Josiah PM Robin/Trustees Suggested by SMLC member PM Deb Z and Chris Luetke Deb Z Property Management/Memorial Committee Other Items to note: Finance is working hard with all committees to prepare their 2019 budgets. Giving is down year to date about $10,000 per month. If that trend continues then the Trustees will be using the reduced income level for next year s budget. Education Strengthen Multi-generational Congregation New Members Class will be held in Oct. Pastor Breum Youth mission trip to Toronto this summer Josiah Frusti VBS program each June Parish Ed Youth and Family activities Josiah Frusti Confirmation Class Annually Parish Ed Work to improve Hearing Loop System Worship & Music New Sunday School Classes Annually Parish Ed Church Picnic (Family Event) Congregational Life Stephen Ministry Program Congregational Life Missouri Musings Cont. And I am still seeking ways to keep fresh my daily intake of God s word, my prayerful communion with him, and my sharing of his powerful truth with others. I end with these breathless words from Psalm 119: Consider how I love your precepts! Give me life according to your steadfast love. The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever. Here s to a fresh-looking lawn and a fresh look at the Lord! Mark your calendars! Community Fellowship Events Flyers available at smlc.info/events. These events are a fun, easy way to contribute to the mission of St. Mark! Just dine-in, carry out, or visit the drive through. A portion of your sale benefits our mission here and abroad. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the cards, texts, calls, and meals offered during my cancer fight. I am so blessed. At my recent visit to my surgeon I was told I could officially call myself a survivor! I just have a few tweaking procedures to go. I am most grateful to my Lord, and to my St. Mark family who carried me through these many months in prayer. The power of those prayers were strong and real. I felt it. Ask me sometime. I would love to tell you about it! Your sister in Christ, Glenda Niffenegger August 2018 Page 6

7 HELP WANTED! RUMMAGE SALE 2018 AUGUST 9 th, 10 th, and 11 th Rummage Sale collection is well under way and now we need everyone's help to get it all set up. We have a very dedicated crew who come out every year and put in many, many hours to make the sale a very successful fundraiser for the church. This crew is starting to show our age and so this year we are asking for some new younger blood. Most of us have been working together for over 20 years and have become a wonderful rummage family. We are inviting you to become a part of our family. Yes, you will work, but you will also have fun and make some new friends. Bring the whole family and see who can hang the most clothes or move the most boxes. Signup sheet is now up outside the Fellowship Hall so check to see where you can help. If you are willing to cashier please see Laurie, she has a separate sign up for cashiering. We need help in the following ways... Donations...Drop off donations during regular church hours or call Laurie for after hour drop off or to arrange pick up of larger items. We accept most items in saleable condition except we do not take...tvs, large appliances, mattresses, microwaves, pianos or organs, house paints or other chemicals, encyclopedias, computers or Christmas trees. If you can pack like items together it helps us and please, please when you drop off items DO NOT unpack your boxes. Pick up Help...If you are free to help with pickups call Laurie and tell her your availability. Strong younger muscles needed. July 30th...Set up of Ed Center begins. We will be working all week at the Ed Center to get all the clothes and toys set up and looking better than the finest department store. This takes a lot of time and people, so please join us for sorting and hanging clothes and setting up toy land. I bring my young grandkids with me so moms, feel free to bring younger ones with you. See signup sheet for times we will be there. August 5th...After 2nd Service we need many hands and muscles to help move all the donated treasures from the back room where they have been collected to their selling spots. This usually takes about 2 hours. August 6th...Set up of the Main Building begins and set up of the Ed Center continues. We now need everyone's help. In just 3 days we have to unpack, price and set out all the great treasures. This week we are basically at church all day and night so pick a time and join us. August 9th, 10th & 11th...The Sale Begins!!!! The sale is 9-7 each day. We need many people to help by greeting our customers, helping them carry items to their car, cashiering, bagging and keeping the sales floor picked up. If you are willing to cashier, please talk to Laurie. Cashiers work in 4 hour shifts. August 11th...At 7:00pm when the sale is over we need help packing up all the leftovers and loading them on the truck, breaking down boxes, sweeping floors and putting the church back in order for Sunday morning. If you know any groups that could use our leftovers let us know. We are happy to share. We welcome volunteers of all ages. We are an equal opportunity employer. Younger volunteers need to have an adult with them for safety reasons. Confirmation students can earn service hours. No experience needed, if you can unpack a box, hang clothes and put items on a table, you are hired. Work as little or as much as you want. Put in 3 hours and you can preshop before the sale opens. Other items needed are plastic store hangers-- think Kohl's--, plastic bags and computer paper boxes. We do not need paper bags or wire hangers. So mark your calendars, sign up on the sign up poster, and plan to join us for great fellowship, hard work and just plain fun. Questions call Laurie Kerns or Sue DeYoung. August 2018 Page 7

8 COME ABOARD! Cruise on by and embark on a fun picnic journey. Sail away on the sea-worthy Friendship Schooner for a cruise to a surprise tropical oasis. No boarding pass, passport, or Dramamine required. Bring your family and friends for a fun day in the sun. Wear tropical attire and bring a comfy beach chair if you like. PORT OF CALL BOARDING EMBARK Friendship Schooner (a.k.a. St. Mark Lutheran Church) Sunday, August 19, hundred 30 hours (10:30 AM) Our Captain will officiate a worship service under the sun on the port side of the Friendship Schooner and we ll make waves with one of St. Mark s own contemporary worship bands. PORT OF CALL BOARDING DISEMBARK Shipwreck Shack Approximately 11 hundred 30 hours (11:30 AM), immediately following worship Cruise on over to the luau-style feast at the islands finest dining location where the Captain s Buffet will be served. It s a fine meal if you bring a dish to pass. Hamburgers, hot dogs, condiments, buns, drinks and table setting provided. Sorry, no poi will be served. PORT OF CALL DISEMBARK ACTIVITIES St. Mark Adventure Island Any time following worship. We ll have a treasure chest of games for all ages! How about a coconut roll, beach ball bash, bubble blowing, hula-hooping, bouncy house, limbo and so much more? Anyone up for a hula? Bring a camera and snap a picture of your crew in a life preserver! All picnic cruisers will be honored with a lei around the neck. Leis are a symbol of love and appreciation. So bring your family, your friends, and let them know how much you care. It will be a great Lu-WOW! Contact the Congregational Life team if you have any tropical or nautical piece we could use for our picnic cruise (i.e., shells, palms, birds, flowers, etc.) or if you have any ideas for a tiki hut. Watch for volunteer sign-up sheets coming soon! August 2018 Page 8

9 Growing In Christ As we enjoy the gentle summer breeze, we see on the distant horizon the cool fall gusts coming all too soon. So I wanted to share with you information about the St. Mark Church class, Growing in Christ, which is for young adults, parents, grandparents and seniors. Growing in Christ class objectives are: 1) Glorifying God through class discussion and shared experiences; 2) Nurturing each person s relationship with Christ; 3) Practicing apologetics with a Biblical worldview. We grow in Christ through being a Christian by practicing, sharing, and teaching our Christian faith. In these classes we learn: How to be a Biblical Christian vs. being a cultural/nominal Christian; How to seek God by stepping out to practice our faith daily by loving and aiding our neighbor(s); How to grow by witnessing and defending our faith in today's culture through our personal stories. We look at a variety of genres (Bible, history, biographies, DVD series, movies, documentaries, faith based books, etc.) and sometimes go on field trips! In , we discussed Os Guinness s book, The Call, Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life. In our second session we viewed and discussed a unique video series, For the Life of the World: Letters to the Exiles that focused on the question, What is your Salvation for? Participants choose meeting times and dates. Cost varies between $10-$15 per session. Look for the upcoming sessions in the Voice, Sunday Bulletin, web page and social media. Contact Barb Ewert, b1182ray@aol.com for updates and questions. Ministry to Every Man September 22nd 7:30 9:00am Breakfast (Bacon / Coffee / other stuff), Road Map and Tools, Prayer. Don t do ministry alone bring a friend. Men only this time, we ll add our sons/boys later. Let me know if you won t be there! Call or questions to Jerry Doran or Doran.Jerry@gmail.com August 2018 Page 9

10 Ahoy St. Mark! After a week of being shipwrecked with about 110 kids and all Volunteers we were finally rescued! During this week the kids learned about God s unconditional love for us and that no matter what we are going through, he will always rescue us. Through rain and shine, heat and cold, the children always had smiles on their faces participating in every station. Through the incredible generosity of the congregation giving donations of money, food, materials, and time we were once again able to put on an amazing Vacation Bible School. This year the donations that we were collecting will go to a cancer organization called Phil s Friends. This organization puts together care packages for patients facing treatment. They also give them cards throughout their journey to give them hope and know that people are praying for them. This year the children raised $740.49! God is GREAT! I want to thank everyone who helped bring this Vacation Bible School together, donated, and/or brought their children, grandchildren, or friends. Without all of you we wouldn t be able to put together this wonderful event. Thank you, God Bless, and I can t wait to see the amazing turn out next year! -Kayla Weidner What s on the Shelf? St. Mark Library Book Corner Our church library has acquired several new Veggie Tales DVDs. These entertaining videos teach Bible truths in a way that kids of all ages can understand and enjoy. The new titles are: Sweetpea Beauty, Dave and the Giant Pickle, Silly Little Thing Called Love, The League of Incredible Vegetables, The Penniless Princess, Lettuce Love One Another, Sing Alongs: I Can Be Your Friend, and Sheerluck Holmes and the Golden Rule. Come on in and check out a few! You can find them under call number J DVD VEG. International Mission Trip Are you interested in a life changing experience? Have you considered stepping out in faith to serve others and share the Good News about our Lord and Savior? There is an opportunity to do all of that and more! If you are over 18 years of age (or 16+ with a parent) and open to an adventure, please contact Lynn Wetterberg for details and mark your calendar for an informational meeting to be held on Sunday, August 26th at 9:30 AM in the Library. August 2018 Page 10

11 St. Mark Youth August 2018 August 5th: August Calendar See what s coming up! Holy Smokes 6:30-8:30 pm August 12th : CMP Laser Tag 1:30-5:30 pm August 19th: Church Picnic beginning at 11:30 am August 26th End of the Summer Celebration 6:00-9:00 pm Starting This Fall! 56ers is a new youth program for 5th and 6th graders! We will be meeting a few times a month to engage in games, snacks, activities and Bible lessons. This program helps prepare you for Confirmation and gives a you a taste of our High School Youth Group! Toronto Youth Mission Trip Recap God worked in many spectacular ways as we served the people of Toronto this past June. The students provided meals for and made beds for the homeless, spent time with the elderly in a long-term care facility, built relationships with adults with disabilities at a day camp and so much more! They truly got to see God work through them and serve through them. We had plenty of fun stops along the way, Lake Erie, Niagara Falls, downtown Toronto. Now what? Well, as our theme verse says: being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Phil. 1:6 We will continue to carry on God s work and serve in our own community. August 2018 Page 11

12 BAPTIZED INTO THE FAMILY OF GOD AT ST. MARK IN JUNE & JULY Rowan Alexander Brown Child of Ryan & Lindsey Brown James Patrick Koniecki Child of Greg & Jaime Koniecki Anthony James Ignoffo Child of Michael & Dana Ignoffo Ashley Brady Child of Michael Brady & Laura Davis May the guiding presence of God be with these individual as they grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ! St. Mark to Support Open Arms Food Pantry Donation item for August is Tuna At the end of July, COOL Pantry at Trinity Lutheran Church closed. Supporting this community need is seen as very important, therefore St. Mark will continue this mission work to provide food donations using the Open Arms Food Pantry located in Antioch. Open Arms Food Pantry is located at 1548 Main Street (Hwy 83), Antioch, IL and is open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 4:30-6:30 PM. Terri Selz, our St. Mark coordinator, will help manage Open Arms needs (food donations, volunteers, etc.). Beginning in August, St. Mark will be collecting different food items every month for delivery to Open Arms. Item for the month will be listed in the bulletin as well as the Voice. If you would like to donate items, please drop them in the yellow barrel located near the Welcome Center. The food collection for Open Arms is a new part of this ministry. St Mark has been sending volunteers to Open Arms for over 8 years. If you would like to volunteer, our night is always the 3 rd Wednesday of every month from 4:15-6:30pm and we send 6-8 volunteers. Please sign up if you would like to come and volunteer, our sign-up sheet is on the bulletin board in the Fellowship Hall. If you would like to find out more about it, contact Terri Selz Special Thanks go to John Hemauer and Bernie Tatro for delivering food donations to the COOL Pantry at Trinity Church. Thank you all for your silent help to provide to those in need. For questions, please contact Terri Selz at August 2018 Page 12

13 Wednesday Night Women s Bible Study is Back! Fall Session begins September 12 th at 6:30pm with God of Creation: A study of Genesis 1-11 By Jen Wilkin In its first eleven chapters, the book of Genesis addresses our deepest questions, declaring to us a transcendent God and shaping our understanding of the Bible as a whole. This ten session study includes daily personal time with God through home study, group discussion, DVD teaching and prayer time. Please sign up on the Women s Ministry board in the hallway or contact Glenda Niffenegger by Sunday, September, 2 nd. There is a $15 fee for the workbook payable at our first session. Bible Study Fellowship Men s Class Thursdays 7pm, starting September 13 th This year s study is based on the PEOPLE OF THE PROMISED LAND, which covers the united kingdom of Israel, from Joshua to Solomon. We will study the books of Joshua, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 Kings 1-11 and overviews of Psalms and Proverbs. Our Four-Fold Approach: Question, Discuss, Listen and Learn. We use a four-fold approach to study the Holy Scripture. Only by knowing God and applying His truth can we be fully alive, fully human and fully relational. Appropriate for any Bible student from beginner to advanced. Around the world, BSF offers ageappropriate classes for every age. We believe it's important for everyone to love and savor the Word of God. Our Men s class (men 18 years and older) come together to study the Bible, learn from one another and be challenged and encouraged to live for something larger than themselves. Learn More: Hosted by Village Church of Gurnee, located at 1319 N Hunt Club Rd, Gurnee St Mark Church Contact for this Bible Study: Doran.Jerry@gmail.com August 2018 Page 13

14 Confirmation Committee Announcement Hello confirmation families! The next confirmation year will be starting soon and we hope to see all of you at the upcoming registration and orientation night on August 29, 2018 starting at 6:15 pm. The program begins for children entering 7 th grade during the school year and is a 2-year commitment. This meeting is for families of 7 th and 8 th grade students or older. We will be accepting completed registration packets during that time as well as payment for the confirmation retreat (all) and robe fees (8 th graders only). Students will be able to sign up to complete requirements for acolyte dates and ministry opportunities. More information soon! Please watch for confirmation packets to be available outside of the church office August 15! Ministry leaders, we need your help in advertising and providing ministry opportunities for confirmation! Please contact the confirmation committee to let us know if you will have a booth at registration. Any questions? Please send us an at smlc.confirmationcom.lindenhurst@gmail.com See you in August! Nursery Cleanup Day Saturday, August 18, 12-2 PM. Please consider helping clean up the nursery to ensure the safety of the environment for our children. A light lunch will follow. Contact Deb Heide MUGS & MUFFINS Mugs & Muffins will be returning Saturday, September 8th, 2018 at 9:00 AM. Join us for coffee, muffins and fellowship! If you are interested in helping or want to share your story, please contact Brooke Frusti at mugsandmuffins.smlc@gmail.com August 2018 Page 14

15 Get involved in music groups at St Mark! With the end of summer and the beginning of the new school year, St Mark Choir and Bell Choir will be starting again. Consider joining one of these fun and inviting groups! Bells of Joy performs during worship services September through May. The hand bell choir is open to anyone high school age and up who loves to make music! We invite you to join our group whether you are a seasoned bell ringer, or have never rung before. We need regular ringers and substitutes. Meets Wednesdays 6:30-7:30pm South Church Balcony. Contact Karen Gerold kgerold@ww.rr.com The St. Mark Choir is comprised of people who love the Lord and love to sing. This group is for people ages high school and older. No musical experience necessary! Please come and fellowship with the choir! Meets Thursdays 7:30-8:30pm in the Sanctuary. Contact Wendy Weidner What is Your Favorite Hymn? Is it the melody? The harmonies? The words? Do you remember a certain event or time in your life when you sing it? We would like to know. What hymns do people at St. Mark like to sing? Tell us on the attached tear off and put it in the mailbox of one of the members of the Worship and Music Committee: Rebecca Gundlach, Charlie Burke, Tabra Gomski. Title of Hymn: Number in Green or Blue Hymnals: Reason why this hymn is meaningful to me: College and Military Care Packages starting again September 2018 St. Mark likes to keep in touch with our college students and servicemen. Last school year we were able to reach out 3 times to 11 students and 1 serviceman with small gifts and gift cards along with a message from Josiah. We are now accepting names for the school season. If you have a family member or friend who would enjoy these good wishes, or a student from last year that would like to continue receiving a care package this school year, please submit their mailing information on the form below. Please return completed form to the Congregational Life Committee mail box. If you have any questions, please contact Terri Selz tselz@yahoo.com. *************************************************************************** Name Address City/State/Zip Code August 2018 Page 15