St. Mark MEMOS 9/27 & October Calendars

Professional Leaders Conference (PLC)

As I write this I have just returned from the Professional Leaders Conference. It was a three day conference that was held at Sinsinawa Mound Center in Sinsinawa, IL (near Galena, IL). We were fortunate enough to hear David Lose (http://www.davidlose.net) speak on “Communicating the Faith in the Digital Age”.

(I have had the privilege of hearing him a few times before at the “Festival of Homiletics”.)

A part of his message to all of us there was really a question: Why go to church?

Reminding us all that as our culture has moved over the years from an age of duty and obligation to an age of discretion. The result is that many of those that do not go to church have not gone because of all the demands that their lives hold. They are now discretionary about their time and for them church is low on the list of things that one must do. Many people are asking the question; is church important in this age of limited discretionary time?

He noted that we have moved from a time when identity was received to a time when identity is constructed. We have moved from a coherent sense of identity to a segmented sense of identity. We have moved from a culture that values tradition to a culture that values experience. And finally, that we have moved from being consumers of information to movers of information.

Keeping all this in mind then how is the church relevant to people?

It is a provocative question to be sure, but what does it mean to the church now and the future church?

In the end he suggested that we might re-frame or reconsider the questions that we have been asking as congregations about how we are connecting with those who find themselves outside of a church that they understand as irrelevant to their lives.

What are we doing as the church to be relevant not only to its members but also to a world that is thirsting for the message that we have?

Peace,

Pastor Scott

“Walter Brueggemann suggested that the primary challenge facing the Christian Church in North America in the 21st century is that for most of our people, God is no longer a primary actor in the story of their lives. Don’t get me (or Walter!) wrong: it’s not that our people don’t believe in God, it’s just that apart from church they don’t think about God all that much.” - David Lose quoting Walter Brueggemann.

Remember in Your Prayers:

When you submit names for the prayer list, please let us know the length of time you would like the individual to be listed.

Our St. Mark Members: Maggie Berkheimer-Anderson, Maria Taimisto, Shirley Whitehead, Bill Anderson, Sandy Olson, Sheri Anderson, Evelyn Franzen, Keith Haggestad.

Family and friends of St. Mark members: Jennifer Brady, Laurie Berkheimer, Kay Brickey Parisella, John Bauer, Abby Figi, Mark Netherland, Jeff Ahlstrom, Ray Bare, Liesel Landgraf, Margaret Johnsen, Marena Peterson.

Those serving in the military and their families: John Nelson, Dean Barron, David Albaugh, Brandon Ballenger, John Bullington, Kevin Cronin, Timothy Folkers, Kellen Hietpas, Ty Hosler, Philip Light, Sean Sullivan, Patrick Sullivan, Chad Swenson, Dan Waterton, Zach Hayes.

This Sunday, September 29:

Three year olds will be presented with SPARK Story Bibles on Sunday, at the 9:30 service. The Bibles are a gift from the Women’s Circles of St. Mark.
The Good News Bearers will perform at the 9:30 service.

Ladies - "Most Excellent Adventure":

LADIES we are planning a “Most Excellent Adventure” to the Fashion Outlets of Chicago. Join us Thursday, October 24, 8:45 A.M. we will leave by coach bus from St. Mark and return at 5:00 P.M. Sign up by October 13, the cost is just $25 (please make a check payable to St. Mark )and friends are welcome! Sign up in Fellowship Hall, e-mail Melinda Alekna melinda@stmarklc.com, call the church office.

We are collecting donations that day for “Becca’s Closet.” Dresses, shoes, jewelry, small purses, will be donated to a phenomenal ministry, right here in Rockford! Let’s spend the day together, meet some new friends from St. Mark, for fellowship, fashion, fun!

Alzheimers Caregiver's Group:

The group will meet the second Monday of the month on October 14 at 4:00 - 5:00 P.M. in Fellowship Hall. We will continue our discussion of, I'm Still Here: A New Philosophy of Alzheimer's Care, by John Zeisel, Ph.D. This is an opportunity to share with and support those who currently have or have had family and friends with Alzheimer's Disease.

New Member Orientation:

New member orientation will begin Sunday, October 6 and will continue each Sunday in October. Orientation will be held in the Adult Ministry room (across from the nursery) from 10:45-11:45 A.M. New members will be received on Sunday, November 3, at the 9:30 A.M. service. If you are interested in learning more about St. Mark or in becoming a member of St. Mark, please contact Karen Kammer at 815-398-3557 or karen@stmarklc.com.

Cooks Needed:

Wanted: Cooks to form teams to provide meals for Rock House Kids. We serve meals there four times a year and we have some resources to pay for the food. There is a signup sheet on the Outreach table in Fellowship Hall. If you like to cook and you have a soft spot for the kids who go to Rock House Kids twice a week for food and Christian fellowship, grab your friends and form a team!

Crop Walk:

This year’s CROP Hunger Walk will be Sunday, October 20. It begins at 711 N. Main St, the Discovery Center’s Riverfront Museum Park. The Rockford area raised $53,000 for local and world hunger needs last year. $13,000 was donated to the Greater Rockford Pantry Coalition.

Outreach has sign up information at the table in Fellowship Hall. The number of hungry and homeless here and worldwide is even greater this year. Pick up a packet, ask people to sponsor you, and join the walkers on Sunday, October 20.

Send us addresses please:

Parents of college students and those in the military are encouraged to send in there young person's address.

Please have the addresses sent in no later that October 1. We will be sending CARE packages out to them, the end of October. Parents please consider including $10(check or cash to St. Mark) to help with the postage. melinda@stmarklc.com

CARE Package supplies will be collected until October 15.(see basket in Fellowship Hall) Each year we send approximately twenty college/military CARE packages...please consider a donation of individual bags of microwave popcorn, pretzels, granola bars, Halloween candy or a monetary donation. Our confirmation youth will write notes and help to assemble the CARE packages.

St. Mark Marksmen:

Any men from age 16-100+ are invited to join in singing with the Marksmen. There are no mid-week rehearsals. We meet for rehearsal at 7:00 A.M. on each scheduled Sunday and sing for worship at the 8:00 and 9:30 services. The scheduled dates for the first half of this season are: Sept. 29, Nov. 27 and Dec. 22. We have new music that will be sure to appeal to everyone. Please join us for singing fun and fellowship. If you are interested in singing with the Marksmen, you can pick up a printed fall schedule on the table outside of the music room.
Voices of St. Mark (VSM):
If you like to sing in a choir, please join the Voices of St. Mark for a fantastic fall season. We especially are hoping to add sopranos and altos; but tenors and basses are welcome too. Rehearsals are Wednesday nights 7:00 - 8:30 P.M. We usually sing in worship twice each month. We hope any would be choir singers will consider joining us. The music is new and exciting.- Margaret Dean

Outreach News:

Outreach will sponsor a tennis shoe drive for the kids served by Rock House Kids. There is a great need for new tennis shoes, sizes 5 through 12, either boys or girls. Bring in shoes anytime up until October 6, 2013. The center requests that the shoes not be “too fancy”.

Primetimers News:

Oct. 3, Thursday 8:30 A.M. breakfast meeting at Stockholm Restaurant.
Oct. 17, Thursday 1:00 P.M. Home-made Apple Pie Contest and Auction in Fellowship Hall. Please have your favorite recipe to accompany entry. Make a double recipe to have an extra pie for the Auction. We will have coffee and vanilla ice cream for the ala mode.

Sunday School News:

We have almost completed our Sunday school teacher roster. We welcome Laura Papuga as a 5th and 6th grade teacher. We are in need of two more teachers to teach on an every other week basis. If you are willing to share your love of Jesus with our children, please contact Karen Kammer at karen@stmarklc.com or 815-398-3557.

Sunday school meets weekly at 9:30 A.M. in the lower level. All students must be signed-in to Sunday school by their parent or responsible adult as part of our Safety Policy. Sunday school is available for students 3 years old through 6th grade. Please contact Karen Kammer if you would like to register your child for Sunday school.

The First Tuesday Book Club:

We will meet at the home of Judy Penticoff, at 7:00 P.M. on Oct. 1. Judy's address is 4779 Treeview Terrace. We will be reviewing Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks. All are welcome at book club meetings however do indicate your intention to attend by contacting Judy at 815-985-3427 or teachem4@comcmast.net.

November 5 - Killing Kennedy by Bill O'Reily
December 3 - Birdsong by Sebastian Faulk

On a daily basis we are blessed at St. Mark with incredibly kind and giving volunteers! Thank you to all our St. Mark volunteers who bless our church and our community with your time and talents!

Parking Lot Update:

Don’t put those “ugly” shoes away, the parking lot is still undergoing changes. Due to substantial water being trapped under the ground, a French Drain System has been ordered and will be installed which will properly drain the water away. Rock and gravel will be put down before the asphalt will be laid. Please be patient as we continue our improvements. The end result will certainly be well-worth it!

25th Anniversary Worship: