Sunday school is in need of several new teachers this fall.  Teachers teach twice a month and serve with a partner.  If you are willing to share your love of God with our children in this manner, please contact Karen Kammer at 815-398-3557 or karen@stmarklc.com.

The group will begin meeting the second Monday of the month on September 9 at 4:00 - 5:30 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.
 

 

Students 2nd - 6th grade are invited to become a Good News Bearer.  Good News Bearers is the elementary drama group that meets weekly on Wednesdays from 6:15-6:45 P.M.  Bearers perform monthly during the 9:30 A.M. service.  The first meeting will be Wednesday, September 11 in the sanctuary.  Please contact karen Kammer at 815-398-3557 or karen@stmarklc.com.

Clean the attic-clean the basement-bring your no longer used musical instruments to St. Mark.  Donate these for the middle school children in Rockford Public Schools who cannot afford to rent or buy a band instrument.  Instruments will be owned and repaired by the school district, so horns of any condition are welcome.  You will receive a tax receipt for your generousity.  

Contact Outreach members, Stella Schroeder, 815-282-5021 or Nancy Eckburg, 815-988-2211 for more information.
 

We are 34 strong attending "In the Mood".  It should be a great time listening to all the music from the swing era.  We will depart from the church promptly at 10:30 A.M. and car pool to the White Pines Theatre; those making other plans, please let me know.  Seating is at 11:45 A.M. This will give you plenty of time to look around a bit.  Payment has been made to secure our reservation, so those who have not made payment to Mary Ann Johnson, please do so ASAP.  Thank you.

White Birch Village is September 24-27, plans are underway for this trip, so please sign up if you are interested. Details to follow. 

Church Potluck:
Be sure to come to our last church potluck of the summer to welcome back Pastor Mark and Naomi from sabbatical on Wednesday, August 19 at 5:30 P.M.

Please bring a dish to pass, dessert and main dish will be provided along with table setting and beverages.

Are you tired of summer TV re-runs? Are you tired of the 5-6 PM TV news crime reports?  Would you like to become 'young at heart' again?  Then plan to come to the last summer church potluck on Wednesday, August 19 at 5:30 P.M. and meet and eat with the energetic, lively, great young people of this church.  We are so lucky to have these great kids for a few more years until they take off for college and new career paths.  Let's enjoy them while we may. Just bring a dish to pass and become a 'kid' again.  - Betty Lundvall

God's Work Our Hands Sunday:
 

(click the logo to visit the ELCA website) 

ELCA 25th Anniversary Celebration

The first project with God's Work Our Hands Sunday is each congregation is asked to collect an item for Carpenter's Place during the month of August. The goal is to fill church vans and trailers to deliver a fleet of ELCA vans full of supplies.  St. Mark is collecting Foam Cups.

The second part of God's Work, Our Hands Sunday is participating in service projects in the community. On September 8, the ELCA will celebrate “God’s Work. Our hands.” Sunday an opportunity for service work and making a difference, using our hands to do God’s work of restoring and reconciling communities in Jesus Christ’s name. Imagine 4 million people from nearly 10,000 congregation out in their communities serving meals, cleaning up neighborhoods, visiting with the homebound, collecting supplies for those experiencing homelessness, poverty or conflict. There will be service opportunities on both September 7 & 8th.