St. Mark Lutheran Church CrossBeams A publication of St. Mark Lutheran Church, Mount Prospect, Illinois. FEBRUARY 2015 Volume 54 Issue 2 YOUTH QUAKE

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1 St. Mark Lutheran Church CrossBeams A publication of St. Mark Lutheran Church, Mount Prospect, Illinois FEBRUARY 2015 Volume 54 Issue 2 Tiffany Thompson, Speaker Lloyd Garrelts, Worship Leader YOUTH QUAKE January 23-25: Ten Middle School youth and four adult chaperones traveled to Oak Brook spending the weekend learning to be REdefined based on 1 Timothy 4: 12, with Tiffany Thompson, speaker, and Lloyd Garrelts, worship leader.

2 For a number of years, I ve been gathering a list of things that are better than they need to be; basically, it s a list of mostly unrelated things which have behind them somebody s extra, unexpected and very welcome effort. Let me give you an example. There s a busy stretch of LaGrange Road not far from my house that borders squat brick and frame buildings which house small businesses; the appearance of these mom-and-pop shops suggests that their owners are hanging onto solvency by a thread. The paint on their doors is peeling; their windows are dirty and the displays in them are shop-worn; their signage is no longer current. Though there may be lots behind these businesses, parking for the most part seems to be on-street. And that s where s it s-better-than-it-needs-to-be comes in: in the midst of this asphalt jungle, the owner of one property has erected concrete barriers along the curb and topped them with window boxes filled with marigolds and ivy. What a delightful break for the eyes from the bleak gray dinginess of her neighborhood! Necessary? No Unexpected? Yes, and definitely a very welcome sight! This may have been done to attract business, or to set this business apart from others, or to give folks a way of finding it. But does it matter? Not to me! I only know how much pleasure this bright pop of color gives me as I drive. Then there s my better-than-she-needs-to-be local librarian who sends me an when she sees that an author we both like has a new book out. And my better-than-he- needs-tobe husband who picks up an extra cup of coffee for me at the hospital cafeteria and stops by the house with it on his way to the office. And the better-than-she needs-to-be waitress at breakfast whose fast-paced morning doesn t keep her from smiling or remembering who gets high-octane and who gets decaf. Not one of those better-than-it needs-to-be happenings will change the world. But they have changed my world and I think they are changing me. Each reminds me how little it actually takes to put a smile on a face or lighten a heart or brighten a day. I ve begun to see that each one of these occurrences is a little valentine, a little often anonymous love pat of encouragement from one person to another. And each has made me ask about what I do and how I do it, Is it better than it needs to be? I can t guarantee the results, but why don t you give it a try, and let me know what happens. Ok? Pr. Linnea Wilson And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8

3 Thoughts from the Loft Lord Jesus, think on me, that, when the flood is past, I may the eternal brightness see and share your joy at last (ELW #599 vs. 4) If you haven t ever read through the text of this wonderful hymn, I d encourage you to do so. Even though Jesus ministered, he needed time to think, too. Isn t it a blessing to know someone is always there thinking about us? No matter how we express ourselves musically, we have a mediator there to help us along. May we share that joy with one another. In Christ, Tim Dear St. Mark Family: We want to thank you for all your prayers and support during Ken s illness and your continued support after his passing. Ken appreciated all the nice cards. There is no church like St. Mark. Phyllis and the Swedberg Family If you happen to drop by or call the church on any morning during the week, you will be greeted by one of our lovely Welcome Desk volunteers. These ladies help out by answering the phone and door, fold bulletins, do data entry, filing, organizing and other projects that we come up with. Thanks to Marge Brix, Milli Cady, Judy Fell, Marilyn Gosell, Patty Lane, Shirley Lund, Julie Moldenhauer, Cynthia Pershing, Alveyn Roberts, Nancy Snell, Dolores Uddenberg and Annette Woods. You Ladies Rock!!! The St. Mark Staff

4 Notes from the Council The Church Council met on January 20, below is a summary of our meeting: The Nominating Committee is moving along with filling positions for However, we are still in need of a couple more council members. If you are interested in serving on council, please contact Pastor Linnea. David Webb is doing well in the Youth and Family position. He has assumed responsibility for WOW and Children s Church and is getting more involved with SHINE!. Mallory Brask and Adam Mockenhapt are working with David in planning events for SHINE!. Due to numerous unforeseen circumstances, there has been a delay in getting the pictorial directory out to the members of the congregation. Jill Galyon is working on this project and we are hoping it will be distributed to the congregation within the next couple months. In 2016 St. Mark will celebrate its 70 th Anniversary. The council has started dialogue on how we want to recognize this milestone. If you have suggests for celebratory activities, please contact Linda Olson. We will meet again on the third Tuesday in February at 7:00. These meetings are open to all members of the congregation. So, if you want to see your church council in action or have an issue you would like addressed by the council, feel free to attend. Faithfully submitted: Linda Olson, President

5 Mardi Gras Potluck Dinner Tuesday, February 17 5:45 pm In Fellowship Hall New Orleans comes to St. Mark Come and celebrate! Please bring a dish to share. To provide a wide variety of dishes, we have divided the alphabet. Last name begins with: A-M Bring a pasta or meat dish N-Z Bring either a salad or dessert Beverages will be provided. A short service of burning the palms for Ash Wednesday will conclude the evening. Bring your appetite and enjoy some Fun & Fellowship! Friday, February pm in Fellowship Hall Craft with friends! Bring a personal craft to work on.

6 What s Happening in Youth & Family Ministry? We Have Been Called: A Report From Youth Central By David Webb Our calling from God begins in the waters of Baptism and is lived out in a wide array of settings and relationships. Freed through the Gospel, we are to serve others through arenas of responsibility such as family, work, and community life. --ELCA Social Statement on Economic Life The ELCA Social Statement on Economic Life may not seem like a natural place to start a report on what s happening in our youth and family ministry at St. Mark, but this month it is at the very heart of what has been happening and much of our ministry that is on the horizon. Youth Quake Last weekend our FaithWalk students spent the weekend at the Oak Brook Marriot for the annual YouthQuake. The theme of this year s event was: REdefine. Our middle school members were called to redefine their lives according to God s Grace and Love for them. Many of the conversations that happened over the weekend related to how much God loves us and the ways that that shapes how we see ourselves. My conversations with the young ladies from St. Mark centered on the themes of the quote above. I told them that inherent in God s love for us are gifts and talents that are unique to each of us. Gifts and talents that are essential to the ministry of our community at St. Mark. Gifts that can be developed and trained, but gifts inherent in each of them that are invaluable to our life together. Gifts that we need in our community now, not after they are confirmed, not after they graduate high school, not once they start reading their Bible more, not once they grow up a little more, and certainly not once they have learned all the correct theological language we speak at church. We need them now! What is also implied in the quote from the social statement is that each of us from the day we were baptized came into relationship with God, and through faith, we began the process of being remade, redefined, into a new creation that is at the heart of the church. Through our whole lives each of us is being remade by the transformative love of God that Jesus displayed so strikingly on the cross. Also inherent in the quote is the idea that God s love is always outpouring. Whether we realize it or not, we cannot contain that love. We cannot store it up in our hearts for a rainy day. We cannot create a room in the church where we keep it. God s love is always outpouring to us and from us. There are no walls that can contain it! We are merely the

7 instruments through which God chooses to express His love in the world. 30 Hour Famine This week at the annual St. Mark 30 Hour Famine, SHINE! students will explore this theme of being loved by God and sharing that love with a hungry world as they learn about issues of hunger, poverty, and justice in Mount Prospect and the wider world. SHINE! students have heard the call of God s love. They have repeatedly asked Mrs. G and I when the 30 Hour Famine will be, because it has been such a perennially striking event for them. Students will eat a small meal for lunch at school on Friday afternoon and then abstain from eating until 6PM on Saturday evening. During that time we will reflect on God s awesome abundance and love in our lives. We will take stock of the ways the Holy Spirit is working in the lives of our community and learn about the many food and justice ministries that happen at St. Mark and in the Church throughout the world. This time will be rich for all of us as we experience in small part the huge impact hunger can make in the lives of God s children. I am faithful that our time together will bear great fruit as we begin to plan for service ministries that will happen in the coming year. What s Coming Up? In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us Song of Zechariah ELW As we look to the horizon, the future of our ministry together at St. Mark with our youngest members will focus on sharing God s outpouring love in many ways. We are planning future events that share in the ministry of Feed My Starving Children and Concordia Place. It is my hope that we will find ways to share in the PADs ministry already happening at St. Mark. We also begin looking toward this summer and our annual Teen Serve trip that is happening June 6 th -13 th in Clearbrook, MN, the ELCA Youth Gathering in Detroit, MI July 15 th -19 th, and Leadership Lab July 27 th - August 1 st at Augustana College, Rock Island, IL. I join you in giving thanks that God has called each one of us to share our beautiful and unique gifts with the world in ways that manifest God s love and bring about all of our continued growth in love.

8 February 18 Ash Wednesday 11 am & 7 pm Children s Worship at 6 pm Wednedays Lenten Worship 11 am & 7 pm (Feb 25-Mar 25) Lenten Lunch 11:45 am Soup Supper 5:45 6:45 pm In Search of a Lenten Challenge? Discover Yourself in a Station of the Cross For a few years St. Mark and St. Raymond have been sharing in a Lenten devotion called Stations of the Cross. Members of the Ecumenical Committee have written and shared short reflections, containing our individual thoughts and insights on a particular station, as we walked together with Jesus on the road to the cross. This year we are inviting members from each congregation to participate by writing and sharing a reflection of their own. We will be gathering to share them on Friday, March 13, at 7 pm at St. Raymond Church. Their 15 stations are: 1. Jesus is Condemned to Death 8. Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem* 2. Jesus Takes Up His Cross 9. Jesus Falls for the Third Time* 3. Jesus Falls for the First Time* 10. Jesus is Stripped of His Garments 4. Jesus Meets His Mother 11. Jesus is Nailed to the Cross 5. Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus Carry His Cross 12. Jesus Dies on the Cross 6. Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus* 13. Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross 7. Jesus Falls a Second Time* 14. Jesus is Laid in the Tomb 15. The Resurrection While the idea of writing and sharing a reflection may seem a bit overwhelming, it is definitely a very rewarding experience. For example For #3, think about a time when you fell while carrying your cross. For #8, consider when you met your friends along the way during a difficult time in your life. We also have examples of our personal reflections we can share. If you are interested in taking on a new challenge this Lenten season by participating in this spiritual exercise, or if you have a question, please contact Pat Lenius, patlenius@yahoo.com, or Gail Radtke, *Some Stations on the journey of Jesus to the cross on calvary are rooted in Scripture. Others are rooted in Roman Catholic tradition. Those marked (*) are traditional.

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10 CALENDAR Tues., Feb. 17, 5:45pm Mardi Gras Potluck Fellowship Hall Sunday, February 22 Bold Women s Day Wed. & Tues., Feb. 18 & 24, 9am Quilting Upstairs education wing Wed. April 1, 4:00-8:00pm Lenten Evening of Prayer for Women Sanctuary and Great Room Bold Women s Day Sunday, February 22 The mission of Women of the ELCA is mobilizing women to act boldly on their faith is Jesus Christ. Each woman will act boldly in a way that is unique to her, so we talk about finding our bold. Boldness can be quiet and firm or bright and loud. Some are bold in unceasing prayer, or in service to others, or in advocacy or hospitality. We want to help each other find that bold, live it out and celebrate it. So on the fourth Sunday of each February we celebrate all Lutheran women, past and present, who have acted, or are acting, boldly on their faith in Jesus Christ. Be bold, take risks on account of the gospel, but believe more boldly still in Jesus Christ. Martin Luther Quilting Days Wednesday, Feb. 18 & Tuesday, Feb. 24 Join the ladies who gather upstairs in the Education wing at 9am to make quilts for Lutheran World Relief. Contact Mary Ann Anderson ( ) for information. Lenten Evening of Prayer for Women Set aside some special devotional time on Wednesday, April 1 between 4:00 8:00 pm (open house style). More details in March FUTURE DATES TO LOOK FORWARD TO: Ladies Night Out at the Movies Fri., April 17 Rachel s Day Sunday, May 3

11 SENIOR LUNCH BUNCH Winter/Spring 2015 Schedule February 19 St. Mark Preschool Family Pasta Dinner Night 5:00 pm in Fellowship Hall Reserved Seating for Senior Lunch Bunch Dinner includes: Pasta, salad, bread, dessert and Lemonade. Wine, beer and pop available. Advance tickets: $6.00 Reservations and money to Marilyn by February 16 th March 19 House of Szechwan 22 E. Northwest Hwy., Des Plaines, IL Meet at restaurant at 1:00 pm RSVP to David Webb by March 16 th April 16 Circa West Campbell St., Arlington Heights Meet at restaurant at 1:00 pm RSVP to Marilyn by April 13 th May 21 To Be Announced

12 Guest Column You are invited to submit an article for the next issue! [we may have to edit for space and/or content] Love and Marriage Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love, does not know God, for God is love John 4: 7-8 Love and marriage. Love and marriage go together like a horse and carriage. This I tell you brother, you can t have one without the other so begins the song introduced by Frank Sinatra in Love and marriage is an important part of our culture. In my opinion, it is the best way we have found, thus far, to raise children; but separation and divorce complicates approximately fifty percent of marriages in the United States today. So what does it take to have an enduring Love and Marriage? There are many aspects to a healthy marriage. Without a deep understanding of the meaning of love, a marriage may be doomed to failure. Romantic love, often called puppy love or infatuation, brings two people together passionately; but since it is largely based on neurochemical and hormonal responses, it is quite variable throughout a couple s lifetime. Sadly, modern culture seems to overemphasize this kind of love, and if there are no deeper kinds of love to sustain them through the unpredictabilities of romantic love, the marriage may not endure. When couples fall out of romantic love, they think that they are no longer in love. Then, the individuals often look elsewhere and keep seeking the return of those romantic, loving, hormonal feelings only to find, as is quite often the case, that this kind of loving feeling does not endure. Committed couples who wish to be there for one another in sickness and in health need to embrace other aspects of Love and Marriage. Many of us have no idea what love really means. In the English language, we abuse the word so that it has lost much of its sacredness. We say that we love pizza, coffee, good weather, sunsets, pets, friends, children, and spouses! No wonder we are confused! The Ancient Greeks used at least three words for love just to express relationships between human beings: Eros love refers to intimate, romantic, sexual relationships; Philia love is experienced by family and friends; and Agape love is pure, unconditional, unlimited, and altruistic finding God in the other. Erotic love attracts and takes couples to great heights of pleasure; but because of its unpredictable nature, it can be the source of great pain. There has to be something more to keep couples together through the good times and the bad! Philia love explains why many arranged marriages endure. When families come together for the new couple, they can help celebrate the good times and uphold them during the rough times. Philia love is also expressed when anniversary announcements say this is the day that I celebrate having married my best friend. That definitely has tones of endurance! When agape love is added to the mix, the human relationship is transformed into a sacred Love and Marriage. As we continue our journey, let us encourage those who are married and those who seek to be married to embrace a fuller understanding of love; one which will sustain them, with God s help, to enjoy a blessed and enduring Love and Marriage. In God s Love, Lanny Wilson

13 St. Mark Lutheran Church Cash Flow Statement Summary General Fund/Preschool** December 31, 2014 MTD Actual YTD Actual Annual Budget INCOME Offerings/Bequests $65, $420, $417, Administrative $0.00 $1, $1, Facility Usage $ $7, $8, Facility Usage-Booster Cl $0.00 $2, $3, Preschool Fac Usage $1, $17, $7, Facility Usage Parsonage $1, $15, $15, Ministries $38.00 $1, $3, *Preschool/Daycare Fund Income $0.00 $75, $69, Total $69, $542, $525, EXPENSES Administrative $5, $53, $55, Compensation $22, $256, $312, Property $11, $86, $75, Ministries $3, $10, $13, *Preschool Daycare Expense $0.00 $77, $84, Total $42, $484, $540, Net Income (Loss) includes preschool $26, $58, ($15,052.25) * = These totals are taken from the Preschool/Daycare Fund Detail Cash Flow Statement **= Preschool is included Jan-May 2014

14 St. Mark Lutheran Church Income & Expense-Benevolence Fund December 31, 2014 MTD Actual YTD Actual Annual Budget INCOME Benevolence Offerings $4, $46, $46, Other Income $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 Total Income $4, $46, $46, EXPENSE Total Expenses $3, $46, $46, Net Income (Loss) $ $ $0.00 St. Mark Lutheran Church Income & Expense-Capital Fund December 31, 2014 MTD Actual YTD Actual Annual Budget INCOME Capital Offerings $4, $27, $24, Other Income $0.00 $ $1, Total Income $4, $28, $25, EXPENSE Total Expenses* $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 Net Income (Loss) 4,241 28,526 25,000

15 2015 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 Souper Bowl of Caring 8 am Worship 10 am Worship 6:30 pm PADS 7 pm Youth & Family 2 4 pm Basketball 5:30 pm Basketball 3 9 am Volleyball 11 am Bible Study 5 pm Basketball 6 pm Children s Choir 6 pm Basketball 6:30 pm FaithWalk 4 4 pm Basketball 5 pm Basketball 6:30 pm Bell Choir 7:30 pm Adult Vocal Choir 5 5:45 pm Basketball 7:30 pm Basketball 9:00 pm Basketball 6 7 am Basketball 8 am Basketball 12 pm Basketball 7 8 am Worship 10 am Worship 8 1:00 pm Book Club 6:30 pm PADS 7:00 pm Mary Circle :30 pm Deborah Circle 4:00 pm Basketball 5:30 pm Basketball 9 am Volleyball 11 am Bible Study 4:30 pm WOW 5 pm Basketball 6 pm Children s Choir 6 pm Basketball 7:00 pm FaithWalk 11 3:30 pm Basketball 4 pm Basketball 5 pm Basketball 6:30 pm Bell Choir 7:30 pm Adult Vocal Choir 12 5:45 pm Basketball 7:30 pm Basketball 9:00 pm Basketball 13 7 am Basketball 8 am Basketball 12 pm Basketball 14 8 am Worship 10 am Worship 15 6:30 pm PADS pm Basketball 5:30 pm Basketball 5:45 pm Mardi Gras Potluck 7:00 pm Church Council 18 ASH WEDNESDAY 9 am Volleyball 9 am Quilting 11 am Worship 4:30 pm WOW 5 pm Basketball 6 pm Basketball 6 pm Children s Worship 6:30 pm FaithWalk 7 pm Worship 4 pm Basketball 5 pm Basketball 5 pm Preschool Spaghetti Dinner Night 5 pm Senior Lunch Bunch 6:30 pm Bell Choir 7:30 pm Adult Vocal Choir :45 pm Basketball 7 pm Craft Connection 7:30 pm Basketball 9 pm Basketball 7 am Basketball 8 am Basketball 12 pm Basketball am Worship 10 am Worship 11 am Annual Meeting 12:30 pm Bridge Club 6:30 pm PADS 23 9 am Quilting 4 pm Basketball 5:30 pm Basketball am Volleyball 11 am Lenten Worship 11:45 am Lenten Lunch 12:30 pm Bible Study 4:30 pm WOW 5:45 pm Soup Supper 6 pm Basketball 6 pm Children s Choir 6:30 pm FaithWalk 7 pm Lenten Worship 6:30 pm Bell Choir 7:30 pm Adult Vocal Choir 26 5:45 pm Basketball 7:30 pm Basketball 9 pm Basketball 27 7 am Basketball 8 am Basketball 28

16 St. Mark Lutheran Church 200 South Wille Street Mount Prospect, Illinois FEBRUARY 2015 St. Mark Lutheran Church 847/ Fax 847/ Staff Pastor Linnea Wilson Music Director Timothy Spelbring Parish Administrator Nancy Hundley Office Administrator Jill Galyon Interim Youth & Family Ministry Director David Webb Preschool Director Barb Zediker Sunday Worship Chapel Service ~ 8 am Worship Service ~ 10 am Fellowship Hour 9 am Wednesday Youth Christian Education WOW (4 yrs through 5 th grade) FaithWalk (Confirmation 6-8 th grade) 4:30-6:00 pm 6:30-8:00 pm Office Hours Monday Thursday 8:30 am 4:30 pm Friday 8:30 am 12 pm noon The mission statement of the people of St. Mark: To nourish God s people in body, mind and Spirit.