Sharing Christ’s Abundant Love
This Week at St. Mark’s
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 Pentecost 17—Season of Creation Rally Day
9:00a Worship 9:00a Sunday School No 10:30a Worship 11:00a Capital
Campaign Kickoff Event
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 9:30a Faith Circle—Annette Wood 7:00p Naomi
Circle—Adele Buss
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 10:00a Adult Bible Study 1:00p Staff
Meeting 6:30p Council Meeting 7:00p Glory Ringers: H.S. & Adult
Rehearsal
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 9:30a Bread Wrappers 1:00p Office
Volunteers 5:00p Roaring Ringers 3-5 5:30p FDL, gr. 1-5 & HS
5:30p Joyous Praise Bells 6-8 7:30p Vocal Worship Team 6-12
Rehearsal
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 5:30p Children’s Choir K-2 6:00p Youth
Choir 3-5 7:00p Lions Voice Choir Rehearsal
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 6:30p Al-Anon
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 Pentecost 18—Season of Creation 5:00p
Worship
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 Pentecost 18—Season of Creation 9:00a
Worship 9:00a Sunday School Blood Pressure Screening 10:30a
Worship
Volunteers Still Needed
Volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House
Let’s Communicate: Did You Receive Your St. Mark’s Email
Adult Fellowship—September Event
Lydia’s Piecemakers Annual Luncheon
Sanctuary Art & Banner Display—Season of Creation
Courtyard & Commemorative Paver Program
Children’s Choirs!
We celebrate God’s goodness and grace this weekend in and
through: FIRST WORSHIP SERVICE ANNIVERSARY held at the YMCA in
Aurora on September 11, 1960. See greetings from former
Pastors posted, as we remember all who have provided pastoral
and lay leadership over the years. RALLY DAY as we begin another
year of Christian Education. Butterfly release will follow the
morning worship. CAPITAL CAMPAIGN KICK-OFF AND PARISH FESTIVAL with
events and opportunities for all ages. LUNCH FOR ALL in
Sanctuary Hall, with musical accompaniment for your lunchtime
enjoyment. For children and youth: face painting, balloon art,
games, and a Bouncy House. For adults: Bingo and memory notes. For
all [families, children, youth and adults]: pie eating contest and
quilt square making. This is a celebration for all ages as we begin
SHARING OUR FAITH and SECURING OUR FUTURE!
Sanctuary Art and Banner Display—Season of Creation
This year, for Season of Creation (Ocean, Flora & Fauna,
Storm, Cosmos), the Sanctuary Art and Banner Team has created
something whimsical, and rather abstract, to help you get the feel
of the season. Our main focus is the Capital Fund Campaign, which
is represented by the large tree in the center of the wooded wall.
(Special thanks to students and teachers from VBS!) Their hands are
the leaves. We used material to represent the different aspects of
creation that we are focusing on this year. Blue, aqua, and
turquoise netting represents the Ocean, along with some seashells.
Greens, of course, represent Flora and Fauna, which lead your eye
to several plants. Dark blue, lavender, gray, and black represent
the Storm. These colors lead to a rain cloud, complete with a
lightning bolt. Finally, dark blue and purple represent Cosmos.
Look closely; stars peek out of the material. The large butterflies
provide whimsy and serve to remind us of our Annual Rally Day
Butterfly Launch. Many things will be going on in the Narthex this
month, some interactive, some “make and take”, so stay tuned and
stop by as the Capital Campaign kicks off!!
Volunteers Still Needed We need your HELP! Several of our
long-time Sunday School and FDL teachers have “retired” this year
and we are in need of more help! We have a few openings remaining
for volunteers to teach Sunday mornings at 9am, as well as
Wednesday nights from 5:30-7:30pm (only 45 minutes of teaching and
includes dinner!) across all grade levels.
We use Sparkhouse curriculum from Augsburg and all lesson plans
are completely written out for you to implement. It’s so rewarding
to interact with our children and watch them grow in their faith.
Please contact Kari Reiseck for more details.
Lydia’s Piecemakers Annual Luncheon On September 24th, the women
of St. Mark’s are ALL invited to attend our annual luncheon,
featuring German foods to honor Katherine Luther, Martin Luther’s
wife. Our own Dotty Johnson will transform into this very
interesting woman and give us insights on her life. Katherine was a
very successful
businesswoman, besides her roles as wife, mother, and coworker
with her husband. Lydia’s Piecemakers are planning a German
luncheon with Katherine to celebrate the quilt making this year.
Dedicated members of St. Mark’s have been busy all year making many
warm quilts, which will travel to
all parts of the world and to Life Spring, a woman’s Wayside
Cross Ministry in Aurora, to warm people and remind them that no
matter their circumstances, there are people who care.
Please remember, the Fall Luncheon is on September 24th,
beginning at 11:45am in Sanctuary Hall.
The cost is a $15.00 donation and reservations can be made using
the inserted form in this week’s Courier, or at the Welcome
Center.
Let’s Communicate: Have You Received Your St. Mark’s Email? The
Vision Process indicated a strong desire for more communication,
related to congregational activities, opportunities, needs, and
decisions. One way we do this is weekly email bullets about
upcoming events. You can help make this happen by sharing your
email address with us, if you have not already done so.
Even if you receive a paper Vineyard, give us your email, and we
will keep you in the loop! You may use the sign-in sheet in the
Welcome Notebooks, located on the pews. Thank you so much for your
part in staying connected!
Adult Fellowship - September Event We will be visiting the
Sanfilippo Estate in Barrington on September 27th, for a three-hour
guided tour of their music muse-um, "Place de la Musique". They
have the largest pipe organ created, a great display of restored
mechanical music machines, steam engines, and a very large restored
Carousel. The cost is $25 per person, and we will go to lunch prior
to our 1:30pm tour. There is a sign-up sheet for this event, as
well as for lunch, at the Welcome Center. Contact Clare Toynton
with any questions.
Children’s Choirs!
We are bringing back children’s choirs. They will have their own
day and time to learn not only how to sing, but to learn many of
the funda-mentals of music making for any instrument. Think of it
as a free mu-sic class, but its worth is priceless! Children’s
Choir, grades K-2 , will meet from 5:30-6:00pm on Thursdays, and
Youth Choir, grades 3-5, will meet on Thursdays from 6:00-6:30pm.
Our first Second Wednesday Worship, based on “Love” and led by the
high schoolers, will be held on September 21st at 7:30 pm. This is
a change from September 14th. The service will last for about 25
minutes. Please join us as we learn what the bible says about
love.
Volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House Are you looking for a
service opportunity that would make a difference in people’s lives?
The Ronald McDonald House in Winfield has opportunities for
families, youth groups, neighbors, women’s groups, or scouts to
offer support to families experiencing a health challenge. Please
visit the Ronald McDonald website and see what is available for you
and your group. http://rmhccni.org/volunteercdh/
There are multiple ways to assist the residents. You can plan a
meal—cookout, pasta night, brunch, soup night; the possibilities
are endless. Gather a group of friends and share a meal. You can
provide craft projects or game nights, or bake cookies with the
families. There are also opportunities to volunteer on a weekly
basis. Consider reaching out.
Courtyard & Commemorative Paver Program The courtyard looks
beautiful and the southern magnolia have almost finished blooming
for the season. Please take time to enjoy them! Now is also a good
time to order a memorial paver, as we'll be putting in our order
soon so that the pavers can be delivered and installed before the
cold weather returns. Paver order forms can be found at the Welcome
Center or by contacting John Themanson.
http://rmhccni.org/volunteercdh/
September 10th & 11th, 2016
Welcome!
We’ve been waiting for you! Our mission at St. Mark’s Lutheran
Church is to share Christ’s Abundant Love. We are called to reach
out to persons of all ages and life situations with Christ’s own
hospitality and acceptance, to invite you to be our companion on
the spiritual journey as we discover together the ways that Christ
is offering hope, healing, and a renewed sense of meaning for our
lives. If you are not a member, we would love to talk to you about
our ministry. We invite you to talk to one of our pastors or stop
at the Welcome Center near the church entrance. May your worship
experience here at St. Mark’s draw you closer to Christ and His
Abundant Love!
Today’s WORSHIP FOCUS We continue in the Wisdom Series of the
Season of Creation as we move from the depths of the Ocean to the
Fauna and Flora…plants and animals. Our readings in Job and in Luke
continue… Job, who has suffered substantial losses, challenges
God’s wisdom with—Why? Why? Why? Dear Job, there is much that you
do not understand! Like mountain goats and soaring hawks. There is
a wider wisdom far beyond your imagination. Trust in this Wisdom.
In Luke, Jesus speaks to human anxiety – worry and fear. Will we
have enough?! Ah! Check out the birds - even ravens- they know what
they’re doing and fly! They eat and live! Look at the lovely
flowers. Do you think they work for their brilliant beauty and
lovely scent? No Way! Dear human…trust! Trust that you are part of
a Circle of Life that is powered by Wisdom. This Wisdom keeps the
Circle moving! Be part of this movement, of mystery and beauty. Be
part of the Realm of Creative Love. The kingdom of God!
Next Week’s WORSHIP FOCUS We all feel and experience the storms
of life. We read and hear about the storms every day - violence in
our communities and in homes, senseless slaughter of innocents,
terrible language from leaders who should speak and act better,
realities of illness that comes without warning and robs us or our
loved ones of a vibrant, whole, and healthy life. The list could go
on and on. It’s almost as if we echo the words of the disciples in
the Gospel Reading from Luke 8:22-25: Master, Master we are
perishing! It feels like that often in our life. We feel we are
going down on the ship of life. And let's not forget the church;
it's not exempt from storms and chaos, either. We all too often
experience those storms when the church struggles, because of
uncommitted members, when Christians are distracted from worship,
reading God's Word and prayer by all kinds of trivial things, when
Christians prefer holding grudges rather than seeking
reconciliation, when the disciples of Jesus today are burdened with
guilt, uncertainty, and doubt. Master, Master we are perishing!
Often, the church is described as a boat and all the believers are
sailing in this boat, sometimes in calm waters, but more often than
not sailing through a storm. God isn't responsible for the chaos in
our lives, but he is there to help us overcome the chaos that Satan
wreaks in our lives. God is not out there somewhere, but right here
in the boat with us as the chaos and storms rage around us. God is
in the midst of our difficulties and the scary moments of our lives
but not subject to them.
Staff Contact Information Please call the appropriate St. Mark’s
staff member or email them if you have questions about the
following areas of ministry. You may also visit our website for
more information about St. Mark’s.
Pastoral Staff
Pastor Patricia Geiseman Ext. 15 [email protected]
Pastor Paul Olson Ext. 13 [email protected]
Ministry Staff
Kristin Young Ext. 16 [email protected] Director of
Worship & the Arts Sue Hilderbrand Ext. 24
[email protected] Director of Bell Choirs Kari Reiseck
Ext. 22 [email protected] Director of Children’s
Ministries
Support Staff
Deb Arcilla Ext. 10 [email protected] Office Manager
John Themanson Ext. 19 [email protected] Finance
Administrator Gregg Kobliska Ext. 12 [email protected]
Facility Manager Cathy Hanson Ext. 27 [email protected]
Communications Coordinator Terese Ruppel 630-466-1036
[email protected] Nursery Coordinator
Faith Community Nurse
Jean Clementz, R.N. Ext. 23 [email protected]
Financial Secretary
Jim Erickson 630-897-0291 [email protected]
St. Mark’s Child Development Center
Colette Patterson 630-897-6063 [email protected] Interim
Director
Council Members
Don Friend (President), Preston Runyan (Treasurer), Rick Jansen
(Property), Jeanne Flynn, Julie Simpson, Lindsay Meyer, Heather
Rehg
Prayers
5:00pm Grant Allen, Kris Ballard, Kathy Johnson, Ryan Johnson,
Ron Kaemarick, Mary Kenner, Christopher Knight, Sue Norris, Jason
Skow, Courtney Voda 9:00am Kevin Acuff, Lorraine Angell, Barb
Barrett, Barbara Bleke, Charley Budd, Jenni Granquist, Lonnie
Grimes, Ron Hickey, Joanne Jackman, Sean McGraw, Bob Overstreet,
Thomas Pall, Doris Park, Pat Paulus, Jocelynn Probst, Joe Rangel,
Michael Riehle, Amy Runge, Lorand Szekely 10:30am Jim Frank, Dave
Frey, Lisa Hoth, Michelle Leedham, Frances Sauber Continuing Care
Laurie Dunn, Tad Dyer, Gary Francis, John Lange, Bruce Lindgren,
Julie Michaels, Lauren Muscat, Grant Oestriech, Wendy Overstreet,
Sharon Ross, Bessie Sclavos Paul’s Ministry We give thanks to God
for the staff, congregation, and ministries at Messiah Lutheran
Church and School in Wauconda, IL.
Check Us Out Online! Head to www.stmarksaurora.net and, on the
homepage, find the Courier and Vineyard online.
Find us at: @stmarksaurora on both Facebook and Twitter.
Give us your email to get updates about current events and
programming!
Submissions for the weekly Courier are due each Monday by noon
for that weekend’s publication. Submissions for the October
Vineyard are due by noon on Wednesday, September 14th. Submissions
will be added in the order in which they are received. Early
submissions are always welcomed!
Please email articles for the Vineyard and Courier to Cathy
Hanson at: [email protected] or place handwritten articles
in her mailbox. If you have any questions, please email or call
Cathy at: (630) 897-6891 ext. 27.
Please send all 2016 photos from any St. Mark’s ministry or
event to: [email protected].
St. Mark's Lutheran Church 27 South Edgelawn Drive Aurora,
Illinois 60506
Phone: (630) 897-6891 Fax: (630) 897-4842 Web:
www.stmarksaurora.net Office Hours: Mon - Fri / 9:00am - 4:00pm
Sharing Christ's Abundant Love
Emmanuel House: Danny Gokey Benefit Concert
Nursing the Spirit: Suicide Awareness Month
Tuesday Adult Bible Study
Emmanuel House: Danny Gokey Benefit Concert Support Emmanuel
House’s mission of aiding refugee and working class families on the
pathway to home ownership! On October 1st, at 7pm, American Idol
contestant and Christian recording artist, Danny Gokey, will be
performing at the Batavia Fine Arts Center in a benefit concert to
support Emmanuel House. Tickets are on sale now, and can be
purchased through Emmanuel House’s website: www.emmanuelhouse.org
.
Nursing the Spirit: Suicide Awareness Month Chances are, suicide
has touched you in some way, through either someone in your family
or someone you know. The issues are serious and the impact is real.
Suicide can be prevented, if people get the appropriate treatment.
Know the signs! 1. Talking about suicide 2. Talking about
hopelessness or helplessness 3. Preoccupation with death 4. Loss of
interest in things 5. Giving one’s things away 6. Setting business
in order 7. Suddenly happier, calmer 8. Disturbance in eating or
sleeping 9. Previous suicide attempt
Thinking about suicide? Call us now: 1-800-273-8255. We are
available 24 hours a day. For more information about suicide
prevention speak with our health care professional and visit:
http://www.spsamerica.org
Tuesday Adult Bible Study Join us on Tuesday mornings from 10 –
11:30 AM for adult Bible study. Each week’s class is independent,
so the next week is not based on previous meetings. Our focus this
coming week will be on both the Book of Job and the Gospel of Luke,
readings from the previous weekend’s worship. Join us for good
discussion, developing friendships, coffee, and sometimes goodies
to share, along with the bond of prayer that holds the group
together each
week. Welcome!
https://www.facebook.com/stmarksaurora/?fref=ts#http://www.emmanuelhouse.orghttp://www.spsamerica.org