St. Mark s Episcopal Church THE LION RECTOR S CORNER

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1 St. Mark s Episcopal Church THE LION RECTOR S CORNER July/August 2018 Volume 30, Issue 4 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Deacon s Corner... 2 Treasurer s Report... 3 Adult... 4 Outreach Spotlight... 6 Hunger Book Sale... 7 Children & Youth... 8 Friends in Christ, This summer has been a whirlwind at St. Mark s: Sundays of beautiful worship and music, a farmers market, weddings, Vacation Bible Camp, and the continuation of our 125th anniversary year. I ve heard several people comment to me on the vibrancy of our shared life and what a joy it is to be part of a community in which Christ is alive. Vibrancy is hard to measure. It s not exactly attendance, though that s part of it. It s not exactly the number of young families and children, though that s part of it. It s not exactly lively music and worship, though, of course, that s part of it, too. These are all signs of a vibrant church culture, and I think if they re all present, we can safely say that our parish is vibrant. Another marker of vibrancy is the increased sense of vocation among members of the parish. I ve seen people take on positions of leadership in the last year who never have lead around here before. I ve seen people pitching in in the kitchen, in the newcomers committee, and at The Gathering. It s beautiful to see. As people access their own sense of call in a vibrant parish, it makes sense that we d see people listening for a sense of call to Holy Orders. A call to serve the church as a priest or a deacon is not very different from a call to serve dinner at The Gathering. It s something that God puts in the heart so that we can go and serve God s people. Holy Orders, though, come with the responsibility to serve the church and to shepherd the people of faith going back all the way to the apostles. And because of this weighty responsibility, we listen to those exploring Holy Orders with a different urgency and deliberation than we do those exploring other vocations. I would expect a vibrant parish to have an uptick in people seeking Holy Orders. We have two such people (called aspirants) at the moment: Kirsten Guidero and Matt Phillips. Kirsten and Matt have both completed the first portion of their discernment with members of St. Mark s, and they have been recommended by their committees and the Vestry to continue forward in their desire to serve the church as priests. I don t know what is next for these two special people, but I know that God will bless them richly as they continue to listen to the Holy Spirit and Her will for them. And I know that their vocations have been well served by being lived out and listened to in a place as vibrant as St. Mark s. If you see them, give them your hearty congratulations and best wishes as they continue to listen to God s call. Fr. Burch (Ian+)

2 DEACON S CORNER Some of you may not know what the Outreach Committee does. You may not know its activities in service and fundraising. I hope that if you are unaware of this committee that you will take the time to become acquainted. The first area is service. There are opportunities to volunteer on a regular basis at The Gathering, an interfaith meal program that serves the homeless and hungry. We volunteer there as a group two Saturdays a year as well as three mornings during the summer. There are also leadership opportunities for those who want to be on cooking or coordinating teams. Talk to Harry Moseley or Michelle Mooney if you re interested. If you enjoy working with seniors, there are opportunities to help them in a variety of ways, such as driving them to appointments or raking leaves. See the Eastside Senior Services website for details (essmilw.org). Their office is housed right in our building on the second floor. We also help individuals and families by providing food to the Riverwest Food Pantry. You may have noticed the basket of donations being carried up at the time of the Eucharist. These donations all go to the Riverwest Food Pantry. You re invited to bring donations for the baskets. Items that the pantry is in need of especially are listed at the back of the Sunday bulletins. We also need volunteers to deliver what we collect to the pantry. Contact Harry Moseley if you can assist with deliveries. Every year the Outreach Committee gives money to projects on behalf of St. Mark s. They range from local to national and international projects that parishioners have been involved in directly or which they strongly support. If you have a favorite charity, give the name to Carolyn Davies. She will see that it gets considered. How, you may ask, do we have the ability to give around $12,000 to charities every year? Fundraising is done principally through the Pumpkin Sale, which is held every year during October. We also raise some dollars through the Corn Roast held yearly during the Downer Classic Bike Races. Both of these fundraising efforts require many hours of volunteer participation. Consider donating your time to one of these. If you have questions about the Outreach Committee and its operations, please contact Carolyn Davies or Michelle Mooney. ~Michelle COFFEE HOUR Coffee Hour at St. Mark s is the place to be! Week after week we need to set up more chairs to accommodate the overflowing crowds. Thanks to all of you who graciously give of your time and talent to host coffee hour. Your efforts are greatly appreciated by all who feast on the goodies provided. If your ministry group would like to take on a Sunday, feel free to sign up as a group. I m happy to help anyone who would like to give it a try. It s a good way to meet many of parishioners as they pass through the line. After all, that s what it s all about. Thanks again for your participation. ~Jamie Zingler 2

3 125TH ANNIVERSARY UPDATE Mark your calendars for the last weekend in September! St. Mark s will continue our 125th anniversary celebration with a reunion picnic on our north lawn, on Sunday, September 30 (rain location is the Parish Hall). We will have a catered lunch, games, and activities for the whole family. The children of the church are working on a time capsule to be buried. The afternoon promises to be a great time to reconnect with old friends and meet new ones! ~Brooke Frizzell 125th Anniversary Committee WOMEN S BOOK GROUP The Women s Book Group will not be meeting in July but will have their next gathering on August 6, at 7 p.m., at the home of Kathy Katter. The book for discussion will be The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead. This book tells the story of Cora, a young slave, and her adventures as she makes a desperate bid for freedom in the antebellum South. It is a journey full of terror and pain. August book selection Please come join us for a lively discussion and fellowship. You may purchase the books at Boswell for a ten percent discount, or it is available at the public library. All women of the church are invited. Guests are also very welcome. If you need directions to Kathy s home, please Sara in the church office (sara@stmarksmilwaukee.org). ~Ellie Moseley SERVING BREAKFAST AT THE GATHERING July 19 August 2 August :30 a.m. St. Mark s will be serving breakfast at The Gathering s St. Ben s site on three dates this summer. With some of the regular servers and the college students away for the summer, additional volunteers are needed. Ten volunteers are needed for July 19, August 2, and August 16. This is a great opportunity for families with older school age children to become involved. There will be a sign-up sheet in the Parish Hall, or you may Carolyn Davies at thced@sbcglobal.net. If those dates don t work for you and you d still like to contribute, you may drop off coffee, milk or cookies to the church kitchen the day before any of those dates. St. Ben s is located at 924 W. State St. (parking adjacent to church). ~Carolyn Davies 3

4 ADULT EDUCATION THE ANATOMY OF RECONCILIATION Sundays at 11 a.m. The Trinity Institute, a ministry partner of Trinity Parish Wall Street, hosted a conference in 2006 entitled The Anatomy of Reconciliation. We re lucky enough to have several keynotes from that conference on DVD. Sister Helen Prejean, Bishop Michael Curry, and Miroslav Volf are just some of the presenters in the series. Come to the library for Adult, at 11 a.m., each Sunday in July to experience these religious luminaries speaking on the topic of societal reconciliation and the role of the church. Excellent conversation will follow! For more information, contact Fr. Burch (ian@stmarksmilwaukee.org). ON FAITH: THREE EVENINGS OF THEOLOGY You are invited to our engaging evenings of theology featuring some of the finest new writers and thinkers from Marquette University s Theology department. The first evening in the series was held in June; we have two more offerings for you: Tuesday, July 24 Jesus and Christian Peace-Making, with Christopher Gooding Tuesday, August 28 Christians and Muslims Together in Milwaukee, with Caroline Redick Our sessions will begin at 6:30 p.m., in Fr. Burch s office. Each evening will feature a thought-provoking presentation followed by group conversation over wine, cheese, and other festive beverages. RSVP to attend or to bring wine and cheese. Contact Sara Bitner (sara@stmarksmilwaukee). 4

5 ENCOUNTERS WITH GOD: TOOLS FOR FAITH Are you looking for a next step for your faith journey? Join a summer reading and discussion group focused on learning practices for a deeper faith experience. On several Thursdays in July, Kyle Potter, a graduate student in Theology at Marquette University, will lead a discussion on Mary, the Holy Spirit, and Justice. The group will meet at Kyle s home, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., each meeting and discuss a page reading. Readers are welcome to come to any meeting or all of them. Contact Kyle (kyle.potter@gmail.com) for more details, including the readings. July 12 Mary: Model Disciple and Mother of the Church July 19 Holy Spirit: The Flame of Divine Desire July 26 Justice: Action and Contemplation JULY BIRTHDAYS 7/3 Michael Williams 7/5 Sophie Parker 7/7 Jamie Zingler 7/9 Bruce Jacobs 7/18 Marie Arndorfer 7/21 Elizabeth Jacobs 7/21 Marj Bjornstad JULY ANNIVERSARIES 7/17 Mary Ross & Bill Davies 7/25 David & Joan Kuehl Don t see your birthday or anniversary listed? Send Sara an with the details! sara@stmarkmilwaukee.org AUGUST BIRTHDAYS 8/8 Marilyn McKnight 8/9 Alex Cain 8/13 Jackie Adams 8/18 Andrew Martin 8/18 Meg Edwards 8/19 Skrauss 8/23 Kathy Katter 8/23 Susanna Mortara 8/27 Steve Martinie 8/29 Owen O Hear 8/31 Daniel O Hear AUGUST ANNIVERSARIES 8/4 Randy Miller & Jana Troutman-Miller 8/18 Steve & Joan Martinie 8/20 Jennifer & Michael O Hear 5

6 OUTREACH COMMITTEE SPOTLIGHT RIVERWEST FOOD PANTRY When you put groceries in the basket at the back of the church, you are helping people right in our neighborhood. Unfortunately, the struggle against hunger is not going away, and the Riverwest Food Pantry is in the fight for the long haul. The pantry was established in the late 1970s and distributes food from two locations. Every Saturday, from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., the pantry is open at Our Lady of Divine Providence Parish, St. Casimir s site, on East Clarke Street. Guests are also served from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., Tuesdays from Gaenslen School, 1250 E. Burleigh Street. Hundreds of families are served each week. The pantry has also ventured into providing fresh produce, something not always readily available in many inner city neighborhoods, from partnering with local businesses to growing its own. The pantry has partnered with Maglio Tomato and Groundworks MKE to grow vegetables at 4287 N. Port Washington Road. To volunteer to help at either site or with cultivating the vegetables, call the pantry at Items Needed This Month Low sodium canned tuna and chicken Low sodium hearty soups Low sodium canned vegetables Shampoo, soap, and body wash Olive and coconut oil Thanks as always for your generosity to our pantry community! ~Steve Butcher 6

7 How to donate items for the sale: THE 37TH ANNUAL GREAT HUNGER BOOK SALE Needed: books, dvds (no magazines, ex-library or textbooks over five years old please) Drop off items: Monday Thursday, 9 a.m. 1 p.m. at back door of All Saints Cathedral, 818 E. Juneau Ave. or call for a pickup now until July 25 Sale details: Location: All Saints Cathedral, 818 E. Juneau Ave. Preview Night: Thursday, August 3, 6 9 p.m., $5 donation Sale: August 3 7, 11 a.m. 6 p.m. daily (free admission) Coupons for $5 off a $25 minimum purchase on Friday and Saturday will appear in the Shepherd Express and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Prices: half-price starting Sunday, August 5; further reductions each day, with bag and box rate late Tuesday, August 7 Books include: fiction, non-fiction, children s and young adult, religion/ philosophy, art, plays, foreign language, cookbooks, poetry, music/sheet music, sets, reference, dvds and cds Rare/collectors books $30 and up All proceeds to local, national and world hunger funds Please contact me with any questions (jallynyoung@sbcglobal.net or ). ~Judy Young The courtyard is looking lovely thanks to the Garden Guild! 7

8 CHILDREN AND YOUTH MINISTRY Respond St. Mark s Youth Group Summer Movie Night The next meeting of St. Mark s new youth group, Respond, will be our Summer Movie Night date yet to be determined by popular request! To ensure as many people can attend as possible, please take a moment and fill out our poll to select which dates work best for you: doodle.com/poll/zmfb3ubsb48g248m Respond is open to all youth going into grades 7 12 for the school year. For any questions about our group or upcoming movie night, please Matt Phillips (matt@stmarksmilwaukee.org). Kids Working to Succeed We have once again volunteered to make lunches for Kids Working to Succeed on four Mondays in July. Kids Working to Succeed (KWTS) is a program directed by All Peoples Church, Milwaukee, a community deeply committed to social justice, which serves the Harambee Neighborhood. KWTS is funded by a grant from the Siebert Foundation and other donations. The money is used to fund program expenses and provide the workers with their gifts. Each student receives a money gift for each day worked ($15 per morning workday or per two afternoon workdays). Students follow the rule: save 80%, tithe 10% and spend 10%. The generosity of those who donate bag lunches for the students allows KWTS to provide healthy lunches at the end of their morning workdays. KWTS has between 30 and 35 workers each morning workday during the summer. Extra lunches are never wasted; they are shared with neighborhood children who are hungry. St. Mark s has volunteered to make sack lunches on July 2, 9, 23, and 30. We will gather in the church kitchen at 9 a.m. to make sandwiches and assemble the lunches on those days. Please contact Matt Phillips if you are able to help out (matt@stmarksmilwuakee.org). 8

9 Bible Story Time While Sunday School is on hiatus for the summer, we have a special Bible Story Time for our St. Mark s children during the sermon. Come to the Chapel to hear a story from the Bible, pray together, and (beginning in July) work on our Children s Banner to include in our 125th Anniversary Time Capsule. We ll return to worship at the sharing of the Peace. Bible Story Time Leaders Needed We need volunteer Story Leaders! The stories are already written and just need an engaging storyteller and leader. To volunteer or for any questions, Matt Phillips (matt@stmarksmilwaukee.org) or sign up after worship in the Parish Hall. VACATION BIBLE CAMP PICTURES 9

10 JULY 2018 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday AM KWTS Lunches 3 8:15 AM Breakfast Hollander 4 Office Closed 5 Office Closed 6 Office Closed Rector s Day Off Office Closed 9 AM KWTS Lunches Finance Committee 10 Office Closed Rector s Day Off :15 AM Breakfast Hollander 1 PM Spirituality and Aging 6:30 PM Vestry AM Serve Breakfast at The Gathering 20 Rector s Day Off 21 9 AM Men s Fellowship Breakfast Quilting Circle AM KWTS Lunches PM 6 PM Mass on the 6:30 PM On Faith Series Office Closed Rector s Day Off 28 8 AM 12 PM Pop-Up Farmers Market Office Closed 9 AM KWTS Lunches 31 Office Closed 10

11 AUGUST 2018 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday For the most current update, please view our calendar on our website: 1 Office Closed 2 Office Closed 7 AM Serve Breakfast at The Gathering 3 Office Closed Rector s Day Off PM Women s Book Group 7 8:15 AM Breakfast Hollander 7 PM Shepherds Committee Rector s Day Off Elections All Day AM Serve Breakfast at The Gathering 17 Rector s Day Off 18 Quilting Circle :15 AM Breakfast Hollander 1 PM Spirituality and Aging 6:30 PM Vestry Rector s Day Off 25 8 AM 12 PM Pop-Up Farmers Market :30 PM On Faith Series Rector s Day Off 11

12 ST. MARK S EPISCOPAL CHURCH St. Mark s is a growing, welcoming parish on Milwaukee s Eastside. We are a vibrant community of sojourners and seekers. We are young and old, families, singles and couples, gay and straight, from a variety of backgrounds. Together we represent a diverse array of perspectives and life experiences. We believe that the Holy Spirit is at work in our lives and in the world and that we are called, both as individuals and as a community, to share Christ s love with our neighbors. We hope that the community at St. Mark s will help you to grow deeper in your faith and that you will find yourself enlivened by service to God and to God s world. The Rt. Rev. Steven A. Miller, Bishop of Milwaukee The Rev. Ian C. Burch, Rector ian@stmarksmilwaukee.org The Rev. John Hickey, Priest Associate The Rev. Michelle P. Mooney, Deacon Stephen Wolff, Director of Music Matt Phillips, Director of Campus and Youth Ministries matt@stmarksmilwaukee.org Virginia Chappell, Senior Warden Randy Miller, Junior Warden Bruce Jacobs, Treasurer Sara Bitner, Parish Administrator sara@stmarksmilwaukee.org Bill Davies, Bookkeeper Jyoti Bratz, Housekeeper Skrauss, Sexton Vestry Members Bill Hunt Tom Lacy Ellie Mixter-Keller Brooke Frizzell Cheryl Johnson Michael O Hear Georgia Cain David Miyama Ginny Schrag St. Mark s Episcopal Church 2618 N. Hackett Ave. Milwaukee, WI stmarksmilwaukee.org Sunday Eucharist 9:30 a.m. Childcare is provided from 9:00 11:00 a.m. Wednesday Eucharist 6:00 p.m. Office Hours Tuesday and Wednesday 9:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m.; Friday 9:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Eastside Senior Services