The MAY Growth (Spiritual Maturity)

Transcription

1 The VOICE OF ST. MARK LUTHERAN CHURCH MAY 2016 Growth (Spiritual Maturity) Last month I wrote about our church's goals to support missions and share our faith. This month the subject will be growth and spiritual maturity. Why is it important to grow as Christians? It seems self-evident that we need to grow in our faith, but we sometimes tend to rest on the assurance of salvation and don't understand that sanctification is a non-ending and difficult process. Going to church, doing good deeds, and being a "good" person will not in itself accomplish the goal of spiritual maturity. If these "religious " activities are not the total answer, then how do we grow and become mature Christians? Also, how do we measure that growth? And finally, what is the role of the church in aiding members in gaining spiritual maturity? To begin with, before we can achieve our goal of spiritual growth, we need to know the rules. For that, we always need to consult the "rule book" - the Bible. In 2 Timothy 2:5 Paul tells Timothy to follow the Lord's rules for doing His work, just as an athlete either follows the rules or is disqualified. The Bible also says we need to keep running the race. Paul confessed in Philippians 3:12,13 that he had not achieved spiritual perfection, but he focused all his energies on finishing the race, forgetting the past, and looking to what lies ahead. We cannot take our eyes off the prize. If we think we can rest on the assurance of salvation, we are wrong. Paul warned us that to finish the race we must exercise ourselves spiritually (1 Timothy 4:8). We can't do this through works and legalism for fear of getting discouraged and losing the joy of our salvation, but through remaining in and relying on Christ and His word daily. How can we tell if we are in fact growing in Christ? 2 Corinthians 13:5 says we need to examine ourselves to see if our faith is genuine. If we are not seeking to grow closer to God, we are drawing farther from Him. Here are some ways we can test ourselves for spiritual maturity: Do we teach others rather than relying on others to teach us? Do we go beyond the basics and strive for deeper spiritual understanding? Do we self-evaluate rather than self-criticize? Do we seek unity among believers? Do we rely on careful study of the Word rather than opinions? Is our faith active? Do we have confidence rather than fear? None of us can say we are perfect (not even Paul claimed that for himself), but these are the things we can strive for in Christ. (Continued on Page 5) By Jeff McKenzie Close To God I can take my telescope and look millions and millions of miles into space. But I can lay it aside, go into my room, shut the door, get down on my knees in earnest prayer, and see more of heaven and get closer to God than I can assisted by all the telescopes and material agencies on earth. -Isaac Newton Special Dates May 5: Ascension of the Lord May 5: National Day of Prayer May 8: Mother s Day May 15: Pentecost May 21: Armed Forces Day May 22: Trinity Sunday May 23: Victoria Day (Canada) May 30: Memorial Day The VOICE of St. Mark May 2016 Page 1

2 ST MARK COUNCIL President Jeff McKenzie Vice President Robin Korom Congregation Secretary Lynn Wetterberg Financial Treasurer Jim O Neal Board of Elders Jerry Doran Roger Zuchowski Brad Gundlach Board of Trustees Robin Korom Steve Lary Gary Edwards Jim O Neal Council Meeting: May 10, :00pm in the Library Committee Meeting: May 24, :00pm in the main building Terry Breum Pastor Pastor@smlc.info Bill Shields Pastor & Youth Director bshields@smlc.info Amy Paxton Youth Assistant Amy@smlc.info Deb Zuchowski Church Administrator Deb@smlc.info Derek Caldwell Communications Director Derek@smlc.info Collin Crowl Organist / Traditional Music Coordinator Collin@smlc.info Todd Stickney Contemporary Music Coordinator StickTodd@gmail.com Financial Secretary Patrice Sutton PatriceS@comcast.net Sharon Schranz Bookkeeper/HR Sharon@smlc.info Deb Heide Nursery Supervisor deborahheide@att.net Steve Lary Maintenance Assistant Steve.Lary@yahoo.com Michael White Janitor ST MARK COMMITTEES Evangelism (overseen by Elder - Jerry Doran) Judy Dunfrund Kathy Nader Lori Jenkins Joyce Mol Lisa Shields Parish Education (overseen by Elder - Roger Zuchowski) Lori McKenzie Connie Saunders Rhonda Doran Worship & Music (overseen by Elder Brad Gundlach) Rebecca Gundlach Charlie Burke Cliff Ewert Finance (overseen by Trustee - Robin Korom) Jill Winling Gary Olson Lynn Wetterberg Pam Preston Property Management (overseen by Trustee - Steve Lary) Carl Dunfrund Jim Hallberg Stewardship (overseen by Trustee - Gary Edwards) Carl Norlin Pete Bolender Laurie Kerns Have something to say? Want to hear first-hand what YOUR council & committees are doing? Please feel free to attend the committee or council meetings! ALL meetings are open to the congregation! The VOICE of St. Mark May 2016 Page 2

3 by Pastor Shields And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Acts 2:17, ESV On Sunday, May 15th, we will celebrate the Day of Pentecost. Pentecost was originally a Jewish festival, which was celebrated fifty days after the Passover Sabbath (the word Pentecost means fiftieth ). The festival celebrated both the giving of the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai and the harvest of the first crops of the growing season (which is why it was also called the Firstfruits festival). But for Christians, the day came to have a new meaning. After the resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday, he stayed on the earth for forty days, appearing to the Disciples and other believers on at least ten occasions. Then, on the fortieth day, he ascended into Heaven, to reclaim his place at the right hand of the Father. Before he left, he told the Disciples to wait in Jerusalem for a special gift that he would send to them, the gift of the Holy Spirit. From this time forward, the Disciples of Jesus would be called the Apostles. A disciple is someone who learns from a teacher. An apostle is someone who is sent out into the world with a message. So it makes sense that, after Jesus the teacher was gone, the Disciples would now be the Apostles. After the ascension of Jesus, the Apostles waited in Jerusalem for ten more days before the Holy Spirit came to them on the Day of Pentecost. Acts 2 describes the event. The Holy Spirit came with the sound of a great wind and little flames of fire stood above the heads of the twelve Apostles (Judas, the betrayer, had been replaced by a man named Matthias). Just a side note here. The reason that we use the color red in the church on the Day of Pentecost is because of these flames. Red has come to be a symbol of the fire of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of all believing Christians. That s why we ask everyone to wear red when we celebrate the Day of Pentecost in the church. When the Apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, they immediately went out into the streets of Jerusalem and began to preach about Jesus. Then God did a great miracle. The Apostles were preaching in their own language (probably Aramaic), but the people in the streets, who were from all over the Roman Empire, were hearing the Apostles words in their own native tongues. In the midst of this incredible event, the Apostle Peter stood up and addressed the entire crowd. He began by quoting the words at the top of this article words of prophecy from the Old Testament book of Joel. He talked about how God would use all of his people, male and female, young and old, to take the Gospel message to the ends of the earth. Every one of us has a part in this mission. Those who are older are called to faithfully serve God in the places where he has planted them. Those who are younger are called to imagine the ways that God might use them in the future and to be open to the call of God to go wherever he might send them. I love the fact that the Day of Pentecost falls around the same time of the year as Confirmation and Graduation. I love to see the young people of our church reaching important milestones and moving on to new phases in their lives. I pray that every one of them will use the gifts that God has given them to serve him in some way in their lives. Some of them may become pastors or missionaries or other fulltime church workers. But most of them will serve God in a variety of jobs in the world. I pray that they will carry the Holy Spirit in their hearts wherever they go. I pray that they will find Bible-believing churches wherever they live and will be faithful members of those churches. And most of all, I pray that they will always be on fire for the Lord until the day that he calls them home to Heaven. May the Holy Spirit be strong at St. Mark on the Day of Pentecost and on every other day of the year. May our young people be on fire for the Lord as they seek his will and purpose for the rest of their lives. And may we all dream dreams and see visions of what God wants us to be doing, in order to bring the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ to a world that so desperately needs to hear it. Amen and Amen. Pastor Shields The VOICE of St. Mark May 2016 Page 3

4 Missouri Musings: A St. Mark Toe-Print in Africa s GIANT Footprint by Bob Yarbrough World maps deceive you. They make some areas (like the US and western Europe) look pretty big. They make other areas (like Africa) look modest in size. But the fact is, Africa is so big, it could contain the land mass of the following countries and have room left over: the US, China, India, western Europe including the UK, eastern Europe, and Japan! Go to for details. Like little David confronting giant Goliath, St. Mark continues its gospel outreach to this vast continent where the church continues to grow and pastoral training is a great need. Pastor Shields and I were in Cape Town, South Africa, from Sunday-Wednesday, March Pastor Bill preached at a church called Window of Heaven Fellowship, a church that reaches out to many who are down-andout (drugs, drink, crime, poverty). He was delighted to see Bob and Nita Parmley there. They were visiting South Africa and were able to come to the church that day. The same morning, I preached at the Langa Christian Church ( Later in the day, Bill and I reunited at a retreat center in the town of Paarl. There we taught and led discussions for about four dozen Christian leaders from Sunday through Wednesday. Pastor Bill observed that the small group discussions seemed to be especially effective. People dealt with the material very diligently. Their reports back to the main conference were excellent. There were also a lot of great questions throughout the conference, both during the lectures and during the Q & A times. Pastor Bill fought allergies, or a cold, or both, the whole time. But thanks to St. Mark prayers, it was a fine conference. Bill taught on marriage and the family. I gave lessons on the Passion portion of John s Gospel, chapters It was a fitting passage just 10 days before Easter. We were able to give out free copies of a book co-authored by Doug Sweeney on Jonathan Edwards, donated by Moody Publishers (about a $1,000 value). In that sense Doug Sweeney was there too. We received numerous favorable comments on Jonathan Edwards, Lover of God. Our thanks to Doug, to his co-author Owen Strachan, and to Moody! Pastor Bill returned to the US on Thursday by way of Paris. Bob traveled on to Johannesburg for four intense days of teaching during the day and giving public lectures each evening. There were 300 present in the Wednesday night session entitled Is the Bible Reliable? Some non-christians were in attendance, invited there by friends. In Johannesburg Bob lectured alongside well-known Greek scholar William Mounce, whose textbooks are used in many North American seminaries and colleges. Our hosts in both Cape Town and Johannesburg have invited us back for another round of teaching and preaching sessions in October. St. Mark will continue its visionary outreach to the strategic land of South Africa in obedience to Jesus command to go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19). Your prayers and support continue to spread Christ s good news to hundreds, and through their witness to thousands. The VOICE of St. Mark May 2016 Page 4

5 To ALL who made the Easter Breakfast a success: We had plenty of everything...or y'all didn't eat enough! I am guessing we served about 180, and the free will offering grossed $290 which left $41.32 toward the Mission Trip. To those of you who decorated the halls and made them pretty, brought goodies, made eggs, served and schmoozed - THANK YOU! And to those angels who cleaned the hall in record time, washed the pots and pans, and put everything away - THANK YOU! And to those who came and socialized THANK YOU! What a great way to share the joy of Easter. Blessings! Gae Michal A very heartfelt thank you to St. Mark for your prayers, your loving thoughtful cards, and messages that have meant so much to me and my family. For being there for Larry and me when we needed an uplifting hug and smile, and a kind word. With a grateful Christian heart, thank you. Sharlene Hendrickson & Family Please help us at St. Mark become better stewards of our resources and better consumers of God s creation! How? By signing up for delivery of our monthly The VOICE newsletter! Please Derek@smlc.info to sign up today! Open Arms Mission Food Pantry A ministry of the Outreach Committee, St. Mark commits a staff of 9 volunteers on the third Wednesday of each month at the Open Arms Food Pantry in Antioch. Hours 4:00pm-6:30pm. If you are interested in volunteering, sign-up on the sheets provided on the Social Ministry Board in the fellowship Hall. To learn more, please contact Terri Selz. Upcoming Dates: May 18th June 15th (President s Notes, continued from Page 1) How can the church help its members in the struggle for spiritual maturity? The church has a responsibility to guide its members through an effective Bible study program. It needs to encourage parishioners to learn Christian principles (1 Timothy 4:11). Barnabus and Paul spent a whole year in Antioch teaching new believers before they moved on (Acts 11:26). We need support! This is not a journey we are meant to take on our own. We need the support of fellow Christians as well as being a support for others. That is why it is important for every member of St. Mark to be in a Bible study, and it is the church's responsibility to make sure an appropriate variety and number of Bible studies are available. The promotion of prayer partners and small groups is also important for support. Let us all finish the race and help others to do the same. Your Humble Servant, Jeff McKenzie In last month s VOICE we told you about how important clean water is around the world, and about how hard it is for certain parts of the world to get safe water. In some parts of the world, this is a life or death issue. In 2017, St. Mark has the opportunity to travel to Central America with Living Waters International to drill a well and evangelize the community. Baptized into the family of God at St Mark Ryan David McGill May the guiding presence of God be with Ryan, as he grows in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Are you interested in serving God in ways that help physical and spiritual needs? Do you want to spread the love of God globally? Then please contact Judy Dunfrund. Specific dates will be made available once there is a particular number of people willing to go on the mission trip on behalf of St. Mark. The VOICE of St. Mark May 2016 Page 5

6 Registration Information Online Registration is open until June 1 st at smlc.info. (Please register online if possible!) Cost is $18.00/child and $8.00/ T-shirt Volunteer Information Our volunteers are the heart of our program and make this week extraordinary. We are honored to serve with you! Sign up or at T_Knull@Hotmail.com Crew Leaders: For those entering 7 th grade and up. Be a light with others and help guide the way through a day at VBS. (You will have plenty of training!!!) Station Leaders/Assistants: Another chance to be like the light of Jesus! Pick a station to help with or run. (You will receive a book that has the activities for every day, and help from a great group of directors!) Please see the Very Important Dates section for other ways to volunteer Donation Information One of the reasons VBS at St. Mark is such a wonderful program is the donations and support from our members. Thank you for helping continue the tradition of excellence!!! Gratefully accepting monetary donations in the envelopes located in the pews! Supply donation sheets will be located by the Welcome Center. (Please take a sheet and return it along with the item by June 5 th.) Very Important Dates June 5 th and 12 th : Crew, Station Leader/Assistant Leader training between services in the sanctuary. Crew and Leader t-shirt pick up at both trainings ($8.00/t-shirt) June 12th: Taco Nite: 4:00 pm in the Fellowship Hall. This is a chance for station leaders and assistants to see and set up their areas. June 6th-19th: Decorating Days. Beth Miller will be here on these days and would love help. Those of you who have asked, What can I do? this is it! Come on in and join the fun! June 17th-19th: Organizing Days. This is another chance to help us set out everything the students need for each day of VBS! (Volunteer days will count toward confirmation service hours.) Wow, what a lot of information! If you have questions, please contact Kristi Knull (T_Knull@Hotmail.com) The VOICE of St. Mark May 2016 Page 6

7 We are in the process of putting together a combined updated phone directory and ministry book. The goal is to have this done and ready for distribution by September. Every family will receive one of these directories. To accomplish this task we need everyone's help! The last directory was done in 2014 and since then many of you have moved, dropped your landline phone, changed your phone number, or had a baby. We are asking everyone to please fill out the form below even if you have no changes. We are also asking for address for our records. If you do not want your cell phone number or included in the directory simply mark the box do not publish. If you are a member, active visitor, or planning on joining St. Mark in the future, please fill out this form and turn in to the church (in person, by mail, by phone, or by ing Derek@smlc.info). Thank you for your help. Any questions ask Laurie Kerns or Derek Caldwell at Name Address Do Not Publish Home Phone Number Do Not Publish Cell Phone Number(s) Do Not Publish Address(es) Do Not Publish Children s Names This Month is Christian History: MAY May 10, 1886: Karl Barth is born. A polarizing figure, Barth would become arguably the most influential theologian of the 20th century. He was the intellectual leader of the German Confessing Church, Protestants who resisted the Third Reich. May 24, 1738: John Wesley is finally converted when he attended a society meeting on Aldersgate Street in London. A man read Luther s preface to Romans, which describes the heart change that results from faith in Christ. Wesley felt his heart strangely warmed. May 11, 1816: The American Bible Society is formed. The society was an umbrella organization over smaller societies trying to get Bibles in the hands of unchurched immigrants in America. They now have a large global presence, as well. May 26, 735: The Venerable Bede dies. Bede was an English monk known for Scriptural interpretation and historical work, most notably his The Ecclesiastical History of the English People. He died chanting Glory be to the Father, and to the Son. The VOICE of St. Mark May 2016 Page 7

8 Important Prayer Opportunity for Our Muslim Neighbors A mighty spiritual battle has and is continuing to rage between Christians and Muslims for hearts, minds and souls worldwide. Jesus is calling for prayer warriors of all ages to pray for the lost in the Muslim world. Are you Listening? How will you respond? Praying with other Christian Churches! Join other Christians worldwide for the twentieth year in a focused 30 Days of Prayer for our Muslim neighbors. St. Mark Church will provide "30 Days of Prayer" prayer booklets with 1) prayer points, 2) a focus on specific Muslim culture groups from Africa, the Middle East to South East Asia and 3) facts about the unprecedented historical spiritual transformation of Muslims to followers of Christ. What difference can my prayers make? Prayer is one of two offensive weapons, the other being the Word of God (Ephesians 6:18). "The single most significant thing Christians have done to stimulate the current wave of Muslim movements to Christ is to prayerfully and obediently engage them with the love and gospel of Christ. This remains the most significant step each of us can take today." - David Garrison, Wind in the House of Islam. When Do I Pray? June 6 to July 5, 2016 during Ramadan, the Muslim season of fasting and praying. As they fast and devote themselves to Islamic rituals, you re invited to join other Christians in prayer that many Muslims will be drawn into a relationship with Jesus Christ. And if the Holy Spirit prompts you, beyond the season of Ramadan. Materials: A limited supply of adult and children 30 Days of Prayer booklets has been ordered and will be available beginning the weekend of May 21/22, 2016 until supplies run out. A free will offering will help offset the cost of the booklets. We will order more, if requested. Jesus instructed us to "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Matt. 22:39) Pray for them with Faith, Hope and Love! Contact Barb Ewert, b1182ray@aol.com or Pastor Shields for any questions. National Day of Prayer for America and Praying for Her in the Days Ahead God is listening for all Americans to pray for our nation. Thursday, May 5th is the National Day of Prayer. The theme this year is "Wake Up America!" The National Day of Prayer Task Force s mission is to mobilize prayer in America and to encourage personal repentance and righteousness in the culture. Why do we pray for America? "Through prayer, we are able to tap into His wisdom, strength, protection and peace. He stands ready to respond to our needs when we humbly ask for divine intervention in the affairs of men." President George Washington in 1789 wrote, "It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God." President Ronald Reagan said, " If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under." God is the one who gave the promise in 2 Chronicles 7:14, "if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land." Please take time and check out this link for times during the American Revolution that our Founding Fathers called for days of fasting and prayer as they met the overwhelming challenges during their fight for American independence. Note this call is not just for one day, but for every day to remember your country, your local and national representatives and leaders in your daily devotions and prayers. Look for "Wake Up America" prayer guides in the narthex and updates in the weekly bulletin and Facebook. No one is too old or young for God to listen to their heartfelt prayers. Questions? Call or Barb Ewert at b1182ray@aol.com. The VOICE of St. Mark May 2016 Page 8

9 MAY YOUTH GROUP MEETINGS for High School Students May 8 - Youth Group 6:30-8:30pm May 15 - End of Year Cook-Out 6:30-8:30pm May 19 - Wendy s Lindenhurst Hang-Out 5:30pm May 22 - Graduate Recognition at all services We praise God and rejoice with the Confirmation Class of 2016! WELCOME to EPIC (Everything Possible In Christ) High School Youth Ministry! Summer Olympics & Ice Cream Social Sunday, June 5 6:30-8:30pm Bring a side dish or dessert. Burgers, brats, soda, and fire provided! Family and Friends invited. For those of you graduating this day - if you have time to stop by we d love to see you! Would you be interested in being on a prayer team - praying for the Youth Ministry? Amy@smlc.info! Planning your Summer Calendar? Make room for a ballgame with all of your St. Mark friends! Chicago Cubs vs. Los Angeles Angels Wednesday, August 10-7:05 PM start time. The bus will leave from the Church at 4:00 PM. More details to come! IDEA BOX Texting Ministry to Your Child If you have small children, start a tradition of putting a short note with a scripture on it in their lunchbox or book bag to remind them who they are when they are in the world! If your teenagers have cell phones, you have easy access into their brains. Send your youth a text regularly with a short scripture verse in it to remind them that God loves them and you do, too. I would love to text your teens, as well text me (Amy) their numbers and I ll join you in this ministry! The VOICE of St. Mark May 2016 Page 9

10 LYDIA CIRCLE May 12 - Ed Center 9am Fellowship 9:30-10:30 Bible study Psalm 119 overflows with images from a man who has learned to hope in God s Word. It is the longest Psalm. Read Psalm 119: What would you say is your comfort? Read Psalm 119: How do you think the psalmist mixed prayer with his meditation in the Word? What could you learn from this in your own devotional life? All women are welcome. Led by Amy Paxton. C.O.O.L. Food Pantry Items for May: Canned Fruit If you are going through a difficult time and need a fellow Christian to talk and pray with, the Stephen Ministers in our church can help. We are not professional counselors but we have gone through several months of intense formal training just for this. To date we have had numerous people go through this program in a time of need. We are not there to solve problems, we pray for God to do that, but sometimes having another person go through the hard times with you can be comforting. If you would like to find a match with a Stephen Minister, please call one of the Coordinators: John Florip or Judy Dunfrund. Or contact the Church office To be connected to one of the Stephen Ministers in our Congregation. Everything is kept in strict confidence. COOL gladly accepts donations of shelf-stable food items that have not reached their expiration or best by date. Also, items not packaged individually inside a box must be in an unopened container. Thank you. The annual Church picnic will be held on August 28th! More details in the coming weeks and months. St. Mark Saints Here to give a helping hand If you have an immediate need for our help and support, please contact John or Gloria Brda at Gloria@GloriaBrda.com. You can also contact Nancy Ericksen, Jeff and Lori McKenzie or the church office for more information. We offer rides to doctor visits, quick shopping errands that you can t manage yourself (picking up a prescription, a ride to the post office, etc.) Not sure if we can help? Give one of us a call and we ll talk about it! The deadline for June-July s Voice is May 15. articles to Derek@smlc.info The VOICE of St. Mark May 2016 Page 10

11 2016 St. Mark Church Community Nights WHERE: Wendy s 370 S US Highway 45 - Lindenhurst, IL (Rt. 45 & Sand Lake Rd) TIME: 5pm to 8pm DATES: May 19 June 16 Dine in or Carry Out! We receive 15% of Wendy s sales during these Community Nights! We received $ in March! Thrivent Financial for Lutherans is a Fortune 500 not-for-profit membership organization of Christians. Our purpose is to serve our members which today total nearly 2.4 million by guiding them to be wise with money, live generously and change lives. We succeed when our members, their families and their communities thrive. We value our relationships, so we will be trustworthy in character and competence, act like owners and treat our members as owners, and strive to live balanced and generous lives. The Funnest Sale Ever Are We Having Fun Yet?! I am not sure when you will receive this VOICE so I do not want to spoil the surprise. The weekend of April 30/May 1, you will be/did receive the first fun incentive to start cleaning out all that clutter and packing it up for our 2016 Funnest Sale Ever. Thrivent Choice Dollars can provide St Mark Lutheran Church with monthly electronic grants from Thrivent as our members direct Choice Dollars to your organization. Members need to direct their Thrivent Choice Dollars annually by visiting St Mark members have been participating in Thrivent Choice dollars since January 2011 and to date (through 4/2016) $22, has been donated to St Mark. Collection at church will start July 11. July 11 is not that far away, so don't wait until the last minute, getting stuck with all that clutter until next year. We are also asking you to save plastic store hangers (especially kid sizes), plastic bags, and computer paper boxes. We do not need wire hangers or paper bags. We start setting up the beginning of August and will need many hands to get the job done. More info and set up times in the next VOICE. We have many fun things planned during the sale this year so mark your calendars and join us for the Funnest Sale Ever! Questions? Call Laurie Kerns or Sue DeYoung. The VOICE of St. Mark May 2016 Page 11