OUR STAFF Rev. Jeffrey E. Koth Pastor Rev. Dr. Willard Blomquist Visitation Laura Swanson Youth & Family Ministry Anne Illi Choir Director Victoriya Berezhna Organist Jill Shepherd Stephen Ministry 847-989-1919 Kathy Anderson Office Manager Ken Swanson Facebook Page Rebecca Falkinham Web site master CONTACTS Phone: 847-623-5135 Fax: 847-623-4016 E-mail: [email protected]Website: stmarkslutheran.us OUR MISSION STATEMENT Come celebrate the gift of Jesus Christ. Grow together in faith and love. Share the Good News with all. The Messenger Come, Grow, Share June 2013 Vol. 16 No 6 3350 North Delany Rd Waukegan, II. 60087 Summer and Recreaon You can live without dessert. You can live without coffee. You can live without friends. You can live without music. You can live without peering into the night sky. You can live without books. You can live without newspapers or TV. You can live without animals. You can live without hobbies. You can live without good looks. You can live without sports. You can live without children. You can live without good neighbors. You can live without a vacaon. You can live without pizza. You can live without a car. You can live without your SmartPhone. You can live without a home. “But who would want to?” The one thing you cannot live without is God, your Creator, Redeemer and Sancfier! You can exist with- out God to be sure; just as you can exist without all the things listed above. “But who would want to?” In order to accommodate changing schedulers during the sum- mer months, in addion to Sunday morning [9:45] we will hold worship also on Wednesday evenings 7:00 pm. beginning June 5th. Hope to see you there! If not on Sundays!
Summer and Recreation You can live without dessert. You can live without coffee. You can live without friends. You can live without music. You can live without peering into the night sky. You can live without books. You can live without newspapers or TV. You can live without animals. You can live without hobbies. You can live without good looks. You can live without sports. You can live without children. You can live without good neighbors. You can live without a vacation. You can live without pizza. You can live without a car. You can live without your SmartPhone. You can live without a home. “But who would want to?” The one thing you cannot live without is God, your Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier! You can exist with-out God to be sure; just as you can exist without all the things listed above. “But who would want to?” In order to accommodate changing schedulers during the sum-mer months, in addition to Sunday morning [9:45] we will hold worship also on Wednesday evenings 7:00 pm. beginning
June 5th. Hope to see you there! If not on Sundays!
W e b t m a r k s l u t h e r a n . u s
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June Birthdays 06/01 Ginny Kukla
06/01 Sally Ammons
06/02 Elda Bennett
06/02 Susan Suomu
06/02 Jason Falkinham
06/04 Thomas Wendorf
06/06 Tuula Tamsi
06/06 Eleanore Wienke
06/06 Kathleen Owens
06/06 Crystal Vance
06/11 Ian Trukov
06/11 Kellan Trukov
06/14 Martha DeTogne
06/14 Judith Mickelson
06/14 Matthew Grams
06/16 Dylan Soling
06/18 Kathleen Meyer
06/20 Leslie Heredia
06/22 Shannon Wells
06/23 Lisa Smith
06/24 Christopher Aaltonen
06/25 Dominic Constantino
06/27 Grace Brikha
06/27 Elaina Plinke
06/28 Andrew Oye
Memorial Gifts
We thank the people who have memorialized these
friends and loved ones for their generosity.
The following gift was given in Loving Memory
of:
James Brophy III from Judy Solomon Brophy
Betty Hansen (Bob Harmon’s Mother) from Bob & Julie
Harmon
Sylvia Kangas from Kathy Morrow
Elisabeth Orna from Paavo & Helena Pelkonen,
If your name/s have not appeared in recognition of your birthday, wedding anniversary or a memorial gift, please contact the church office. We want to in-clude all celebrations and memorials. 847-623-5135
June Anniversaries
Ken & Sandy Falkinham—06/07
John & Sue Meyer—06/07
Dennis & Sally Closs—06/09
Glenn & Helen Collins—06/13
Ian & Jodi Hopkins—06/17
Jay & Nancy Owens—06/17
Don & Amy Fontana—06/22
Peter & Judy Reinier—06/ 21
Jim & Cindy Keister—06/25
Dom & Earleen Constantino—06/30
Thank You Dear Friends,
It is with deep appreciation that we acknowledge your generous donation of $665.00 to COOL to
help those in need. Your kindness is a blessing.
COOL is committed to identifying and adapting to the ever changing needs of the community, and
our staff works very hard to continue providing the highest level of services to those who come to us
seeking assistance.
All of us at COOL are thankful for your generous support and partnership in this ministry.
Warmest Regards,
Diane Thackston, Executive Director
W e b s i t e : s t m a r k s l u t h e r a n . u s
Mission of the Month
3 “Come, Grow, Share.”
Over the last year, Lutheran Social Services of
Illinois (LSSI) has engaged in a listening pro-
cess with our key stakeholders that has al-
lowed our agency to develop a clearer picture
of itself today and to discern the directions
that we need to follow to build upon our won-
derful history.
This process has resulted in three key out-
comes:
The first, and perhaps most important out-
come, is a deepened commitment to a shared
mission and a sense of enthusiasm for LSSI’s
work among its key stakeholders, including
our staff.
This has brought energy to our second out-
come — a shift to a more collaborative and
creative way of doing our work. There is a
sense among those who participated in this
process that people and communities should
be engaged as partners for the sake of creating
long-lasting and systemic change.
Next, we learned that our work is vital in
meeting essential needs of people in our state.
The third outcome of the listening process
affirmed the five service areas that LSSI cur-
rently focuses on.
The last outcome of this process is the devel-
opment of an umbrella strategy to give in-
creased focus and confidence to our agency as
we face the challenges of an emerging future.
This strategy includes our purpose or mission
statement, guiding principles and strategic
directions.
People are excited about LSSI’s mission.
Our guiding principles emerged from patterns
that could be seen as people talked about the
things that excite them about LSSI, what they
value, along with their worries and hopes for
LSSI.
These six principles will reshape our agency’s
work in dramatic ways. They define the way
we will do our work and the nature of our
calling to provide leadership in church and
society to empower and advocate on behalf of
members of our communities who are vulner-
able or in need.
Five new strategic directions were also identi-
fied, which will help LSSI focus its energy,
attention and resources for the sake of moving
with confidence into the future.
#1 Maintain and manage program services
effectively and efficiently to meet the growing
needs of people and communities.
#2 Explore and implement new ways of work-
ing that are innovative, integrated and collab-
orative.
#3 Call and equip churches and communities
to tackle local needs to expand our impact.
#4 Build a brand that reflects our leadership
role in Illinois, attracts a more diverse and
sustainable funding base, and maximizes our
influence.
#5 Develop resources to upgrade our physical
properties and technological infrastructure.
During the coming years, we will work to-
gether with those who helped shape this vi-
sion, which will move us into our future with
a continuous way of seeing and working that
releases creativity and uses the assets, gifts
and passions from all areas of LSSI’s work and
our partners throughout the state.
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W e b s i t e : s t m a r k s l u t h e r a n . u s
St. Mark's Cook Book
Wanted... Your Favorite Recipe(s)
The box that has been placed in the Narthex
marked Cook Book Recipes is anxiously awaiting
your recipe(s). But please, type (preferably) or
hand print the recipe(s). This will make for
less mistakes as they are retyped for the cook
book. And don't forget to put your name on
the recipe. If you have one of grandma's,
grandpa's, an aunt or friend that you want to
submit, then below your name add: In memory
of... or In honor of..., and her/his name. A keep-
sake recipe is special and great to share
We are looking forward to the many kinds of
foods that will be included. So if you have rec-
ipes for CHILDREN, INTERNATIONAL or,
MICROWAVE, please share them.
Again, all of us on the Ministry of Hospitality
Cook Book Committee say thank you for your
help in making our new St. Mark's Cook Book a
reality.
Church Women United Charity Luncheon Church Women United Annual Charity Lunch-
eon will be held at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church
on Wednesday, June 19th, 2013 at 12:00 noon.
The luncheon will be catered by Maravela’s.
Tickets are $8.00 per person and are available
from Lucille Tolonen.
Worship on Wednesdays
Starts June 5th, 2013 at 7:00 p.m.
Confirmation 2013
Congratulations to our Confirmands:
Abigail Oye Claire Lundtveit Matthew Hopkins
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Stephen Ministry Stephen Ministry on the
Colorado Slopes and on the
Battlefield
The True Story of
“A Man of Faith, Strength,
and Courage, and Doing
What’s Right”
Part II
I have said these things to you so that my joy may be
in you, and that your joy may be complete. This is my
commandment, that you love one another as I have
loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay
down one's life for one's friends.
John 15:11-13
Army Captain David Rozelle was severely
injured in 2003 while leading his troops in Iraq.
In spite of extreme pain and shock, Captain
Rozelle immediately thought of the safety of the
140 soldiers under his command—issuing orders
to secure the site and evacuate casualties. Hours
later doctors at the combat support hospital
amputated David’s lower leg and foot.
Eight surgeries and three months after his injury,
Captain Rozelle received his prosthesis.
Through therapy and rigorous physical activity
he became fully functional, physically. However,
it was another three months before he was ready
to accept his injuries and heal in both mind and
spirit.
It was with this Spirit and hope that Captain
Rozelle was determined to resume his Army
career and help other soldiers with injuries like
his own. But he had great challenges ahead of
him!
With God’s help, he pushed himself beyond “the
expectation of his doctors, therapists, and even
himself, getting himself into better physical
shape than he had been before leaving for Iraq.”
When Captain Rozelle
left Walter Reed
Hospital he knew first
hand the tremendous
emotional and
spiritual needs of
amputees. The Army
sent him to visit Ward
57 at Walter Reed,
where he sat, talked
and prayed with the
amputees. But he
found their grief
difficult to handle and
he knew he had to be a better listener. He
returned home wondering, “Where can I learn
these skills?”
Becoming a Stephen Minister was his answer!
Captain Rozelle’s church was a Stephen
Ministry congregation since 1981. That May
2004 he attended an information session and
applied to serve as a Stephen Minister. His
Stephen Leader recalled, “During his training
class on grief, David talked about grief that
people experience after losing a part of their
body. He shared how there can be a delay
before the loss sinks in. For him it was six
months before it hit him hard that his life had
changed. But it was also obvious that he had
worked through it well because he was so open
to talking about it.”
Will Captain Rozelle become “fit for duty” to
return to the Army? Does God have other plans
for him? A hint: read next month to discover
how Captain Rozelle makes military history!
May you feel the joy of Christ in
your hearts,
Jill Shepherd
Stephen Leader
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W e b s i t e : s t m a r k s l u t h e r a n . u s
COOL FOOD PANTRY—
FOOD OF THE MONTH:
Side Dishes—(Macaroni & Cheese, Stuffing
Mix, Boxed Potatoes, etc.)
Prayer Breakfast
ALL Women
Saturday, June 8, 2013
9:00 - 11:00 a.m. Women of St. Mark's Board invites ALL women, young or old to our Annual Prayer
Breakfast next month. The breakfast and program will be held in our Fellowship Hall on
Saturday June 8th from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. at no expense to you. Simply come.
The Board has planned another morning of breaking bread together and the enjoyment
of a splendid program which you, your family, friends and neighbors are invited to
join us.
Come...eat with us at St. Mark's Prayer Breakfast.
Thank You
We would like to thank St. Mark’s and Pastor
Koth for the recognition with the presentation of
the Areta award. Being a member of this congre-
gation and preserving our Finnish Heritage is
very important in our life.
Paavo & Helena
Pelkonen
7 “Come, Grow, Share.”
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Dedication Worship & Open House May 5th, 2013
8 “Come, Grow, Share.”
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Dedication of Gifts “In God We Trust”
Haapanen Brothers Orange Leaf $ 6,000.00
Kensa Corporation Orange Leaf $ 6,500.00
Congdon and Company Red Leaf $ 10,000.00
Sylvia Kangas Estate Red Leaf $ 20,000.00
Administration Wing Gold Leaf $360,818.00
St. Mark’s Spring Banquet Sunday, April 21, 2013
The Women of St. Mark's Board presented an-other wonderful program for this year's Spring Banquet. The Theme this Year:
Inspiring Women of Faith Through Stories and Songs
St. Mark’s Lutheran Church
July 8th through 12th
6 p.m.—8 p.m.
Laura 224-619-7758
9 “Come, Grow, Share.”
W e b s i t e : s t m a r k s l u t h e r a n . u s
Appreciation Dinner Held Saturday, May 4th, 2013. Areta & Paraclete Award Winners were
honored for their hard work on the Building Addition project.
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