Markings WELCOMING. SERVING. GROWING. SUNDAYS IN LENT. . Hear the story: from the Gospel of Mark WEDNESDAY EVENINGS IN LENT . . Worship at 6:00 p.m. In the sanctuary, in the parking lot, or worship together watching Facebook Live at home (no Lenten suppers at church this year) One year ago - in March - just days before the pandemic shut-down began - the following was shared by Pastor Halaas in the Markings (we repeat this with a few editorial changes!) St. Mark offers THREE worship options - Wednesday at 6pm and Sunday at 8:30 and 10:30am. with public health safety procedures in place. We will also make the bulletin/announcements available to you if you are not able to attend. And now - worship is also on our Facebook page! When my kids would ask me, “Dad, why do I have to go to church?” my response was always “Because going to church is one of the most unselfish things you can do each week . . . For a couple of hours a week, be unselfish!” What do I mean? At church you become a part of something that is beyond and bigger than you. You will be a blessing to other people. You will pray for people who need our prayers...people you know, people you perhaps don’t know. You will be reminded that we are made by our loving God to care for - not just ourselves - but to care for others. Of course, we need to be selfish …. and lovingly care for our own needs (and that can also happen at church). But… when it comes to deciding about attending worship I think a lot of people are too selfish with their time. I encourage you to give of yourself, and be present for others at church on Sunday morning or on Wednesday evening. Certainly you can consider sharing an hour or two. I appreciate this quote from Martin Luther King, Jr. in his book The Measure of a Man: An individual has not started living until he or she can rise above the narrow confines of his or her individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of humanity. March 2021 St. Mark Lutheran Church + Sioux City, Iowa March Opportunities Sarah Circle - March 15 at 7pm Lydia Circle - watch for announcement St. Mark Men - March 21 @ 5:00 pm at the Friedrichsen heated garage Join us for Thursday morning Bible Study on ZOOM - 9:30 a.m. Call the office to request the ZOOM link Inside MARKINGS Page 2 - Foodbank of Siouxland Page 4 - LSI award Page 5 - you are BELOVED! Page 6 - from the Parish Nurse Page 8 - Lutheran Services in Iowa
Transcript
Markings
WELCOMING SERVING GROWING
SUNDAYS IN LENT Hear the story from the Gospel of Mark
WEDNESDAY EVENINGS IN LENT Worship at 600 pm
In the sanctuary in the parking lot or worship together watching Facebook Live at home (no Lenten suppers at church this year)
One year ago - in March - just days before the pandemic shut-down began - the following was shared by Pastor Halaas in the Markings (we repeat this with a few editorial changes)
St Mark offers THREE worship options - Wednesday at 6pm and Sunday at 830 and 1030am with public health safety procedures in place We will also make the bulletinannouncements available to you if you are not able to attend And now - worship is also on our Facebook page
When my kids would ask me ldquoDad why do I have to go to churchrdquo my response was always ldquoBecause going to church is one of the most unselfish things you can do each week For a couple of hours a week be unselfishrdquo
What do I mean At church you become a part of something that is beyond and bigger than you You will be a blessing to other people You will pray for people who need our prayerspeople you know people you perhaps donrsquot know You will be reminded that we are made by our loving God to care for - not just ourselves - but to care for others
Of course we need to be selfish hellip and lovingly care for our own needs (and that can also happen at church) Buthellip when it comes to deciding about attending worship I think a lot of people are too selfish with their time I encourage you to give of yourself and be present for others at church on Sunday morning or on Wednesday evening Certainly you can consider sharing an hour or two
I appreciate this quote from Martin Luther King Jr in his book The Measure of a Man
An individual has not started living until he or she can rise above the narrow confines of his
or her individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of humanity
March 2021
St Mark Lutheran Church + Sioux City Iowa
March Opportunities
Sarah Circle - March 15 at 7pm
Lydia Circle - watch for announcement
St Mark Men - March 21 500 pm at the Friedrichsen heated garage
Join us for Thursday morning Bible Study on ZOOM - 930 am Call the office to request the ZOOM link
Inside MARKINGS
Page 2 - Foodbank of Siouxland
Page 4 - LSI award
Page 5 - you are BELOVED
Page 6 - from the Parish Nurse
Page 8 - Lutheran Services in Iowa
We remember with gratitude - Marilou Rude - died on January 10 Walter Beckwith - died on January 25
A Memorial Service for Walter Beckwith will be held at
St Mark on Saturday March 13 2021 at
1100 am
+ + + + + + + + + +
WELCOME - to new members Jim Kris and Quintin Olson FAREWELL AND THANKS - to the Kramer family (Lucas Kelly Ryan Ethan and Nolan) - who will be moving to Sioux Falls this spring
+ + + + + + + + +
MARCH SHARING
Grocery cart - for the Food Pantry at Community Action Agency in
Sioux City CANNED FRUITS amp
CANNED VEGETABLES
Noisy offering every Sunday for Lutheran Lakeside Camp
Pop tabs for the Ronald McDonald House
Yarn for prison ministry
THANK YOU Thank you so much for the kind words and
prayers during the recent loss of my moth-
er Edna Mae She was a great Mom and we
will always cherish the memories our family
has of her We also appreciate the various
memorials given during this sad time in hon-
or of Mom We are truly blessed to be a
part of such a great congregation
Craig Stacy Karlee and Gage Phillips
Visiting you from the Pastor
Pastor David Halaas
Irsquom ready for more ldquodoingrdquo - how about you Yes - we continue to make ldquopublic health safety proceduresrdquo the highest priority (both in our individual lives and here at church) And - yes we have all found new ways of ldquodoingrdquo I appreciate doing church on Facebook meetings and Bible studies on Zoom and the joy of ldquoSecond Sunday Sunday Schoolrdquo Irsquom glad for socially distanced gatherings with St Mark Men and the Womenrsquos Circle groups It is great that the weather is better so we can share in the fun of ldquodrive-by birthday greetingsrdquo again
Irsquove also - in these past weeks and months - been doing a lot of learning - thanks to the Western Iowa Synodrsquos continuing education events for pastors which happen every Tuesday afternoon on Zoom (Wow Gath-ering on a regular basis with forty to fifty of my colleagues is great) I have also been participating in the 21-Day Race Equity Challenge (on-line) sponsored by the Sioux City Human Rights Commission Each day there have been links to articles videos and more that examine the history and impact of racism and how it has shaped our lives This has been excellent The resources are still available
We are called to ldquodo the faithrdquo - to do ldquoGodrsquos Work with Our Handsrdquo Together wersquoll keep at this - finding new ways One idea coming is this ST MARK MEN AT WORK (SMMAW) The idea is St Mark men gather for pizza and good conversation once a month but ALSO gather at least once a month for ldquodoingrdquo - doing projects for neighbors in need And the pictures below were a recent great night of doing (with our friends at Immanuel and New Life Lutheran) as we volunteered at the Food Bank
And coming in April -- more doing Spring Clean-up Days here at St Mark and also at Lutheran Lakeside Camp
Are you ready for more ldquodoingrdquo Do you have some ideas - for other kinds of ZOOM gatherings - and for safe workactiondoing projects
Letrsquos talk Letrsquos do
page 2 St Mark Lutheran Church
Sharing Our Milestones
St Mark Lutheran
Church ELCA 5200 Glenn Avenue
Sioux City Iowa 51106
Office Phone 712-276-2418 Website wwwscstmarkcom
scstmarkofficegmailcom
St Mark Staff David Halaas Pastor
(701) 430-3393 davidhalaasrevwisynodorg
Rebekah Elder
Director of Children and Family Ministry (817) 475-2176
rebekahelder517gmailcom
DeeEtta Riley Minister of Music (712) 253-0406
diriley1953gmailcom
Diana Herbold Office Assistant (712) 276-2418
scstmarkofficegmailcom
Michael Huser Treasurer
Jillena Miller Parish Nurse
Church Council 2021
Deb Roe President
Kevin Allman Vice-President
Tonya Hamilton Secretary
Kris Dillman
Sara Friedrichsen
Lindy Johnson
Mike Mattison
Cara Newman
Al Nordsiden
Carl Norquist
Rick Pridie
Dagna Simmons
Prayer Chain amp Pastoral Visitation
Please call the Pastor Halaas or Diane Swanson (712-204-3161) with your prayer requests or to receive the prayer email
updates
Everyone has different wants and needs when they are ill or homebound so please
communicate your wishes and expectations Thank you
Pastoral Emergencies
If you have a pastoral emergency please call
Pastor David Halaas
701-430-3393 (cell)
page 3
A great place for kids
+ 2nd Sunday Sunday School ZOOM is March 14 at 930 am + Consider having YOUR kids or grandkids spend ldquothe ldquobest week everrdquo at Lutheran Lakeside Camp St Mark families are planning on the week of June 20 Call Rebekah Elder (see number on this page) for details and registration arrangements + Save the date - VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL JULY 11-15 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now six ways to share your offering + in person ndash with your presence talents and financial gifts
+ by mail ndash to 5200 Glenn Avenue Sioux City Iowa 51106
+ ldquoSimply Givingrdquo direct deposit from your account to the church
+ arrange an automatic lsquobill payrsquo from your financial institution
+ No cash No checks No problem TEXT 712-794-4506 and use your
debit or credit card anytime
+ Remember the ministry of St Mark Lutheran in your willestate planning
Living Lutheran Living Lutheran is the monthly magazine of our church
denomination - the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America (ELCA) Each month there are featured stories
inspiration religion news from around the country AND
a crossword puzzle Include $10 in your offering to receive
a one-year subscription
March Celebrations
Happy Wedding Anniversary
310 Bernie amp Kelly Frisch
311 Tracy amp Jeff Kunkel
322 Mike amp Carla Chilton
325 Stacy amp Craig Phillips
329 Cheryl amp Jim Hopkins
Happy Birthdays
302 Tom Dudley Brooke Johnsen Amy Law
303 Kase Leinbaugh Molly Riley
304 Jason Houser Ella Riley JD Scholten
305 Curt Friedrichsen Gerald Iversen
308 Tricia Keleher Nancy Marks Oliver Nelson
311 Kyler Backus Rose Ann Pridie Connor Sales
312 Kelly Frisch Nancy Gran Jon Tibbetts
314 Adam Glienke Emily Leinbaugh
316 Kelsey Graffis Frankey Richard
321 Jackie Pullen
322 Lois Sorensen Mary Webber
323 Blake Johnsen
325 Nicole Jolin
327 Holly Sales
328 Suzanna Koetters
329 Mark Bauer II Luke Casavant Hazel Melton
330 Leah Miller Kollbaum Allen Nordsiden
331 Judy Reinders
page 4 St Mark Lutheran Church
================================
THANK YOU TO
ST MARK PEOPLE
from
-Lutheran Lakeside Camp
-Community Action of Siouxland
For 85 lbs of soup and crackers and a large quantity of new first aid kits
-Western Iowa Synod ELCA
-Lutheran Services of Iowa (LSI)
LSI Foster Care and Adoption has been holding training events in our building - and shared this ldquoCommunity Hero Awardrdquo
with St Mark
==========================================
Participate at St Mark You are invited
= PROPERTY COMMITTEE
= MISSIONOUTREACH COMMITTEE
= GROUPS FOR MEN amp WOMEN
= QUILTING
= LIFE (Special events) COMMITTEE
= SERVING AT FUNERALS
= Assistance needed with Sunday Worship and hospitality and the new
sound boardsound system
page 5
BELOVED As we cross with Christ into the landscape of Lent and into the mystery that lies ahead of us
may we know at least this about ourselves that our name too is Beloved
Beloved Is Where We Begin
If you would enter into the wilderness do not begin without a blessing
Do not leave without hearing who you are Beloved named by the One who has traveled this path before you
Do not go without letting it echo in your ears and if you find It is hard to let it into your heart do not despair That is what this journey is for
I cannot promise this blessing will free you from danger from fear from hunger or thirst from the scorching of sun or the fall of the night
But I can tell you that on this path there will be help
I can tell you that on this way there will be rest
I can tell you that you will know the strange graces that come to our aid only on a road such as this that fly to meet us bearing comfort and strength that come alongside us for no other cause than to lean themselves toward our ear and with their curious insistence whisper our name Beloved Beloved Beloved
mdashJan Richardson from her book Circle of Grace
page 6 St Mark Lutheran Church
FROM THE PARISH NURSE
Simple Ways to Keep Inflammation Away
Inflammation is a hot topic these days ndashndash and for good reason While a little bit of inflammation is a normal healthy sign that your body is healing or protecting itself chronic inflammation can do damage over time (Cancer heart disease and arthritis have all been associated with chronic inflammation) Your diet is one way to turn back the dial on inflammation but itrsquos hardly the only tool in your anti-inflammation toolbox Learn about six everyday habits that can have a real im-pact on your health inside and out
1 Prioritize Sleep While yoursquore snoozing your body is hard at work repairing itself mdash including regulating inflammation A review of multiple studies found that people who experienced sleep disturbances and shorter sleep had higher levels of inflammation biomarkers like C-reactive protein (CRP) To get better shut-eye try sticking to a consistent sleep sched-ule Keep your bedroom cool and dark And try to avoid electronics at least an hour before bedtime The blue light emitted by these devices may interfere with melatonin production which can make it harder to fall asleep 2 Get Moving The benefits of exercise are nearly endless and yep fighting inflammation is one of them A possible rea-son for that is that when your muscles contract your immune cells secrete a cytokine that has anti-inflammatory proper-ties One study found that replacing 30 minutes of sitting with light physical activity could even prolong your life 3 Manage Your Stress Short-term stress can be helpful like when the pressure of a big work deadline gives you a boost of energy to complete the project But when you experience stress day in and day out it can lead to chronic inflamma-tion This kind of always-on stress causes your hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis to secrete hormones that sup-press your immune system ldquoStress lessrdquo is a lousy item to add to your to-do list But it might seem less impossible if you shift the focus to managing your stress rather than vanquishing it completely Figuring out what works for you may take some trial and error Maybe itrsquos weekly phone calls with a BFF or family member to talk through your big stressors taking a walk during your lunch breaks or adding a few minutes of meditation to your mornings 4 Quit Smoking We all know that smoking cigarettes can cause all sorts of serious health issues such as cancer heart disease and lung disease What you might not realize is that smoking can also increase inflammation and make it harder for your cells to fight off pathogens No matter how long yoursquove been smoking itrsquos never too late to stop Therersquos also no one-size-fits-all approach that works for everyone You might want to talk to your doctor about prescription medications or nicotine replacement therapies (like a lozenge or patch) You can also head to Smokefreegov for free guidance and support 5 Watch Your Weight Obesity is strongly linked to chronic inflammation and research shows that having excess fat tis-sue promotes the secretion of biomarkers like CRP and increases chronic inflammation The good news is that even mod-est weight loss can reduce those inflammatory biomarkers and lower your risk for cardiovascular diseases The research is resounding that eating whole foods (with plenty of lean protein and fiber) keeping portion sizes in check and being physically active can help you reach and maintain a healthy weight 6 Upgrade Your Diet No matter your weight what you eat can impact how your body handles inflammation Eating pro-cessed and red meat and high levels of added sugar have been linked to higher inflammation while fruits vegetables legumes whole grains and spices like ginger and turmeric are associated with lower inflammation You donrsquot have to swear off dessert and burgers for life Instead try to satisfy your sweet tooth with a modest amount of dark chocolate Make red-meat meals a weekly rather than daily habit or consider cutting back on red meat by bolstering dishes with more veggies (adding diced mushrooms to burger patties for instance or lentils and peppers to chili) Even a simple swap like replacing white pasta and white bread for whole-grain versions is a meaningful step in the right direction
Jillena Miller RN
The Parish Nurse will be in the wellness office March 14 and 28 between worship services
Feel free to email me if you have any questions or concerns jillena_mhotmailcom
page 7
Announcement In the new year 2021 St Mark people are invited to share weekly
ldquoELCA SEMINARY STUDENT SUPPORTrdquo
(now $30 each week) as we support ldquoone of our ownrdquo ndash
Paige McGrath is new student at Wartburg Theological Seminary
Dubuque Iowa and also now serves as Vicar (Pastor) at
St Luke Lutheran Church in Sioux City
Call or e-mail the church office to reserve your date
on the ldquoSeminary Student Supportrdquo calendar
Welcome Vicar Paige McGrath
Mar 7 Mar 14 Mar 21 Mar 28
Missionary Support - Diana Herbold
Seminarian Support - Nancy Gran
Missionary Support - Gary and Becky Huser Seminarian Support -
Deanna Ehlers
Missionary Support - Bonnie and Richard Storm
Seminarian Support - Jillena Miller
Missionary Support - Linda Clarke
Seminarian Support - Linda Clarke
SUNDAY SHARING
From LSI - Lutheran Services in Iowa March is National Professional Social Work Month
March is National Professional Social Work Month a time to recognize social workers and thank them for all they do At Lutheran Services in Iowa (LSI) we are grateful for the many social workers who have dedicated their lives to serving our communities across the state Maybe you have never had a social worker involved in your life Yet whether you realize it or not you have had the benefit of their behind-the-scenes work in your community Social workers help people help themselves by overcoming lifersquos most difficult circumstances or managing challenges of everyday living poverty abuse mental illness depression addiction disability and many other situations Iowa wouldnrsquot be the same without the patience guidance and empowerment that social workers pro-vide Happy National Professional Social Work Month For more information please contact Deb Whitford LSIrsquos Director of Philanthropy and Church Rela-tions at DeborahWhitfordLSIowaorg or 563-676-2065
Our Mission Lutheran Services in Iowa responds to the love of Jesus Christ through compassionate service LSI is an affiliated social ministry partner of the Iowa congregations of the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) and a member of LSA (Lutheran Services in America) We proudly serve people of all ages abilities religions sexes gender identities national origins ethnicities races and sexual orientations Learn more at LSIowaorg and facebookcomLSIiowa
Thanks to Deanna Ehlers for the new ldquoWELCOMErdquo quilted greeting for the Fellowship Hall
St Mark Inclusivity Statement
ldquoWe are a community that values and celebrates diversity in order to fulfill the work of the Holy Trinity Examples of now existing diversity in our congregation which we intend to nurture grow and celebrate include but are not limited to persons of varying race national and ethnic origin age sexual orientation gen-
der identity economic circumstance mentalphysical health political persuasion and theological perspective As a congregation we pledge to demonstrate not
only through words but our actions that when we say lsquoall are welcomersquo
we really mean itrdquo Welcome
WORSHIP
in the parking lot
and inside
Sundays
830 am
1030 am Also - live on our Facebook page
(and available for viewing
anytime)
Wednesdays in Lent
600 pm
Church Office is now usually open from 9am until 12 noon
Monday through Friday
with public health safety procedures
in place
page 8 St Mark Lutheran Church
St Mark Lutheran Church Welcoming Serving Growing
5200 Glenn Avenue Sioux City Iowa 51106
We remember with gratitude - Marilou Rude - died on January 10 Walter Beckwith - died on January 25
A Memorial Service for Walter Beckwith will be held at
St Mark on Saturday March 13 2021 at
1100 am
+ + + + + + + + + +
WELCOME - to new members Jim Kris and Quintin Olson FAREWELL AND THANKS - to the Kramer family (Lucas Kelly Ryan Ethan and Nolan) - who will be moving to Sioux Falls this spring
+ + + + + + + + +
MARCH SHARING
Grocery cart - for the Food Pantry at Community Action Agency in
Sioux City CANNED FRUITS amp
CANNED VEGETABLES
Noisy offering every Sunday for Lutheran Lakeside Camp
Pop tabs for the Ronald McDonald House
Yarn for prison ministry
THANK YOU Thank you so much for the kind words and
prayers during the recent loss of my moth-
er Edna Mae She was a great Mom and we
will always cherish the memories our family
has of her We also appreciate the various
memorials given during this sad time in hon-
or of Mom We are truly blessed to be a
part of such a great congregation
Craig Stacy Karlee and Gage Phillips
Visiting you from the Pastor
Pastor David Halaas
Irsquom ready for more ldquodoingrdquo - how about you Yes - we continue to make ldquopublic health safety proceduresrdquo the highest priority (both in our individual lives and here at church) And - yes we have all found new ways of ldquodoingrdquo I appreciate doing church on Facebook meetings and Bible studies on Zoom and the joy of ldquoSecond Sunday Sunday Schoolrdquo Irsquom glad for socially distanced gatherings with St Mark Men and the Womenrsquos Circle groups It is great that the weather is better so we can share in the fun of ldquodrive-by birthday greetingsrdquo again
Irsquove also - in these past weeks and months - been doing a lot of learning - thanks to the Western Iowa Synodrsquos continuing education events for pastors which happen every Tuesday afternoon on Zoom (Wow Gath-ering on a regular basis with forty to fifty of my colleagues is great) I have also been participating in the 21-Day Race Equity Challenge (on-line) sponsored by the Sioux City Human Rights Commission Each day there have been links to articles videos and more that examine the history and impact of racism and how it has shaped our lives This has been excellent The resources are still available
We are called to ldquodo the faithrdquo - to do ldquoGodrsquos Work with Our Handsrdquo Together wersquoll keep at this - finding new ways One idea coming is this ST MARK MEN AT WORK (SMMAW) The idea is St Mark men gather for pizza and good conversation once a month but ALSO gather at least once a month for ldquodoingrdquo - doing projects for neighbors in need And the pictures below were a recent great night of doing (with our friends at Immanuel and New Life Lutheran) as we volunteered at the Food Bank
And coming in April -- more doing Spring Clean-up Days here at St Mark and also at Lutheran Lakeside Camp
Are you ready for more ldquodoingrdquo Do you have some ideas - for other kinds of ZOOM gatherings - and for safe workactiondoing projects
Letrsquos talk Letrsquos do
page 2 St Mark Lutheran Church
Sharing Our Milestones
St Mark Lutheran
Church ELCA 5200 Glenn Avenue
Sioux City Iowa 51106
Office Phone 712-276-2418 Website wwwscstmarkcom
scstmarkofficegmailcom
St Mark Staff David Halaas Pastor
(701) 430-3393 davidhalaasrevwisynodorg
Rebekah Elder
Director of Children and Family Ministry (817) 475-2176
rebekahelder517gmailcom
DeeEtta Riley Minister of Music (712) 253-0406
diriley1953gmailcom
Diana Herbold Office Assistant (712) 276-2418
scstmarkofficegmailcom
Michael Huser Treasurer
Jillena Miller Parish Nurse
Church Council 2021
Deb Roe President
Kevin Allman Vice-President
Tonya Hamilton Secretary
Kris Dillman
Sara Friedrichsen
Lindy Johnson
Mike Mattison
Cara Newman
Al Nordsiden
Carl Norquist
Rick Pridie
Dagna Simmons
Prayer Chain amp Pastoral Visitation
Please call the Pastor Halaas or Diane Swanson (712-204-3161) with your prayer requests or to receive the prayer email
updates
Everyone has different wants and needs when they are ill or homebound so please
communicate your wishes and expectations Thank you
Pastoral Emergencies
If you have a pastoral emergency please call
Pastor David Halaas
701-430-3393 (cell)
page 3
A great place for kids
+ 2nd Sunday Sunday School ZOOM is March 14 at 930 am + Consider having YOUR kids or grandkids spend ldquothe ldquobest week everrdquo at Lutheran Lakeside Camp St Mark families are planning on the week of June 20 Call Rebekah Elder (see number on this page) for details and registration arrangements + Save the date - VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL JULY 11-15 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now six ways to share your offering + in person ndash with your presence talents and financial gifts
+ by mail ndash to 5200 Glenn Avenue Sioux City Iowa 51106
+ ldquoSimply Givingrdquo direct deposit from your account to the church
+ arrange an automatic lsquobill payrsquo from your financial institution
+ No cash No checks No problem TEXT 712-794-4506 and use your
debit or credit card anytime
+ Remember the ministry of St Mark Lutheran in your willestate planning
Living Lutheran Living Lutheran is the monthly magazine of our church
denomination - the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America (ELCA) Each month there are featured stories
inspiration religion news from around the country AND
a crossword puzzle Include $10 in your offering to receive
a one-year subscription
March Celebrations
Happy Wedding Anniversary
310 Bernie amp Kelly Frisch
311 Tracy amp Jeff Kunkel
322 Mike amp Carla Chilton
325 Stacy amp Craig Phillips
329 Cheryl amp Jim Hopkins
Happy Birthdays
302 Tom Dudley Brooke Johnsen Amy Law
303 Kase Leinbaugh Molly Riley
304 Jason Houser Ella Riley JD Scholten
305 Curt Friedrichsen Gerald Iversen
308 Tricia Keleher Nancy Marks Oliver Nelson
311 Kyler Backus Rose Ann Pridie Connor Sales
312 Kelly Frisch Nancy Gran Jon Tibbetts
314 Adam Glienke Emily Leinbaugh
316 Kelsey Graffis Frankey Richard
321 Jackie Pullen
322 Lois Sorensen Mary Webber
323 Blake Johnsen
325 Nicole Jolin
327 Holly Sales
328 Suzanna Koetters
329 Mark Bauer II Luke Casavant Hazel Melton
330 Leah Miller Kollbaum Allen Nordsiden
331 Judy Reinders
page 4 St Mark Lutheran Church
================================
THANK YOU TO
ST MARK PEOPLE
from
-Lutheran Lakeside Camp
-Community Action of Siouxland
For 85 lbs of soup and crackers and a large quantity of new first aid kits
-Western Iowa Synod ELCA
-Lutheran Services of Iowa (LSI)
LSI Foster Care and Adoption has been holding training events in our building - and shared this ldquoCommunity Hero Awardrdquo
with St Mark
==========================================
Participate at St Mark You are invited
= PROPERTY COMMITTEE
= MISSIONOUTREACH COMMITTEE
= GROUPS FOR MEN amp WOMEN
= QUILTING
= LIFE (Special events) COMMITTEE
= SERVING AT FUNERALS
= Assistance needed with Sunday Worship and hospitality and the new
sound boardsound system
page 5
BELOVED As we cross with Christ into the landscape of Lent and into the mystery that lies ahead of us
may we know at least this about ourselves that our name too is Beloved
Beloved Is Where We Begin
If you would enter into the wilderness do not begin without a blessing
Do not leave without hearing who you are Beloved named by the One who has traveled this path before you
Do not go without letting it echo in your ears and if you find It is hard to let it into your heart do not despair That is what this journey is for
I cannot promise this blessing will free you from danger from fear from hunger or thirst from the scorching of sun or the fall of the night
But I can tell you that on this path there will be help
I can tell you that on this way there will be rest
I can tell you that you will know the strange graces that come to our aid only on a road such as this that fly to meet us bearing comfort and strength that come alongside us for no other cause than to lean themselves toward our ear and with their curious insistence whisper our name Beloved Beloved Beloved
mdashJan Richardson from her book Circle of Grace
page 6 St Mark Lutheran Church
FROM THE PARISH NURSE
Simple Ways to Keep Inflammation Away
Inflammation is a hot topic these days ndashndash and for good reason While a little bit of inflammation is a normal healthy sign that your body is healing or protecting itself chronic inflammation can do damage over time (Cancer heart disease and arthritis have all been associated with chronic inflammation) Your diet is one way to turn back the dial on inflammation but itrsquos hardly the only tool in your anti-inflammation toolbox Learn about six everyday habits that can have a real im-pact on your health inside and out
1 Prioritize Sleep While yoursquore snoozing your body is hard at work repairing itself mdash including regulating inflammation A review of multiple studies found that people who experienced sleep disturbances and shorter sleep had higher levels of inflammation biomarkers like C-reactive protein (CRP) To get better shut-eye try sticking to a consistent sleep sched-ule Keep your bedroom cool and dark And try to avoid electronics at least an hour before bedtime The blue light emitted by these devices may interfere with melatonin production which can make it harder to fall asleep 2 Get Moving The benefits of exercise are nearly endless and yep fighting inflammation is one of them A possible rea-son for that is that when your muscles contract your immune cells secrete a cytokine that has anti-inflammatory proper-ties One study found that replacing 30 minutes of sitting with light physical activity could even prolong your life 3 Manage Your Stress Short-term stress can be helpful like when the pressure of a big work deadline gives you a boost of energy to complete the project But when you experience stress day in and day out it can lead to chronic inflamma-tion This kind of always-on stress causes your hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis to secrete hormones that sup-press your immune system ldquoStress lessrdquo is a lousy item to add to your to-do list But it might seem less impossible if you shift the focus to managing your stress rather than vanquishing it completely Figuring out what works for you may take some trial and error Maybe itrsquos weekly phone calls with a BFF or family member to talk through your big stressors taking a walk during your lunch breaks or adding a few minutes of meditation to your mornings 4 Quit Smoking We all know that smoking cigarettes can cause all sorts of serious health issues such as cancer heart disease and lung disease What you might not realize is that smoking can also increase inflammation and make it harder for your cells to fight off pathogens No matter how long yoursquove been smoking itrsquos never too late to stop Therersquos also no one-size-fits-all approach that works for everyone You might want to talk to your doctor about prescription medications or nicotine replacement therapies (like a lozenge or patch) You can also head to Smokefreegov for free guidance and support 5 Watch Your Weight Obesity is strongly linked to chronic inflammation and research shows that having excess fat tis-sue promotes the secretion of biomarkers like CRP and increases chronic inflammation The good news is that even mod-est weight loss can reduce those inflammatory biomarkers and lower your risk for cardiovascular diseases The research is resounding that eating whole foods (with plenty of lean protein and fiber) keeping portion sizes in check and being physically active can help you reach and maintain a healthy weight 6 Upgrade Your Diet No matter your weight what you eat can impact how your body handles inflammation Eating pro-cessed and red meat and high levels of added sugar have been linked to higher inflammation while fruits vegetables legumes whole grains and spices like ginger and turmeric are associated with lower inflammation You donrsquot have to swear off dessert and burgers for life Instead try to satisfy your sweet tooth with a modest amount of dark chocolate Make red-meat meals a weekly rather than daily habit or consider cutting back on red meat by bolstering dishes with more veggies (adding diced mushrooms to burger patties for instance or lentils and peppers to chili) Even a simple swap like replacing white pasta and white bread for whole-grain versions is a meaningful step in the right direction
Jillena Miller RN
The Parish Nurse will be in the wellness office March 14 and 28 between worship services
Feel free to email me if you have any questions or concerns jillena_mhotmailcom
page 7
Announcement In the new year 2021 St Mark people are invited to share weekly
ldquoELCA SEMINARY STUDENT SUPPORTrdquo
(now $30 each week) as we support ldquoone of our ownrdquo ndash
Paige McGrath is new student at Wartburg Theological Seminary
Dubuque Iowa and also now serves as Vicar (Pastor) at
St Luke Lutheran Church in Sioux City
Call or e-mail the church office to reserve your date
on the ldquoSeminary Student Supportrdquo calendar
Welcome Vicar Paige McGrath
Mar 7 Mar 14 Mar 21 Mar 28
Missionary Support - Diana Herbold
Seminarian Support - Nancy Gran
Missionary Support - Gary and Becky Huser Seminarian Support -
Deanna Ehlers
Missionary Support - Bonnie and Richard Storm
Seminarian Support - Jillena Miller
Missionary Support - Linda Clarke
Seminarian Support - Linda Clarke
SUNDAY SHARING
From LSI - Lutheran Services in Iowa March is National Professional Social Work Month
March is National Professional Social Work Month a time to recognize social workers and thank them for all they do At Lutheran Services in Iowa (LSI) we are grateful for the many social workers who have dedicated their lives to serving our communities across the state Maybe you have never had a social worker involved in your life Yet whether you realize it or not you have had the benefit of their behind-the-scenes work in your community Social workers help people help themselves by overcoming lifersquos most difficult circumstances or managing challenges of everyday living poverty abuse mental illness depression addiction disability and many other situations Iowa wouldnrsquot be the same without the patience guidance and empowerment that social workers pro-vide Happy National Professional Social Work Month For more information please contact Deb Whitford LSIrsquos Director of Philanthropy and Church Rela-tions at DeborahWhitfordLSIowaorg or 563-676-2065
Our Mission Lutheran Services in Iowa responds to the love of Jesus Christ through compassionate service LSI is an affiliated social ministry partner of the Iowa congregations of the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) and a member of LSA (Lutheran Services in America) We proudly serve people of all ages abilities religions sexes gender identities national origins ethnicities races and sexual orientations Learn more at LSIowaorg and facebookcomLSIiowa
Thanks to Deanna Ehlers for the new ldquoWELCOMErdquo quilted greeting for the Fellowship Hall
St Mark Inclusivity Statement
ldquoWe are a community that values and celebrates diversity in order to fulfill the work of the Holy Trinity Examples of now existing diversity in our congregation which we intend to nurture grow and celebrate include but are not limited to persons of varying race national and ethnic origin age sexual orientation gen-
der identity economic circumstance mentalphysical health political persuasion and theological perspective As a congregation we pledge to demonstrate not
only through words but our actions that when we say lsquoall are welcomersquo
we really mean itrdquo Welcome
WORSHIP
in the parking lot
and inside
Sundays
830 am
1030 am Also - live on our Facebook page
(and available for viewing
anytime)
Wednesdays in Lent
600 pm
Church Office is now usually open from 9am until 12 noon
Monday through Friday
with public health safety procedures
in place
page 8 St Mark Lutheran Church
St Mark Lutheran Church Welcoming Serving Growing
5200 Glenn Avenue Sioux City Iowa 51106
St Mark Lutheran
Church ELCA 5200 Glenn Avenue
Sioux City Iowa 51106
Office Phone 712-276-2418 Website wwwscstmarkcom
scstmarkofficegmailcom
St Mark Staff David Halaas Pastor
(701) 430-3393 davidhalaasrevwisynodorg
Rebekah Elder
Director of Children and Family Ministry (817) 475-2176
rebekahelder517gmailcom
DeeEtta Riley Minister of Music (712) 253-0406
diriley1953gmailcom
Diana Herbold Office Assistant (712) 276-2418
scstmarkofficegmailcom
Michael Huser Treasurer
Jillena Miller Parish Nurse
Church Council 2021
Deb Roe President
Kevin Allman Vice-President
Tonya Hamilton Secretary
Kris Dillman
Sara Friedrichsen
Lindy Johnson
Mike Mattison
Cara Newman
Al Nordsiden
Carl Norquist
Rick Pridie
Dagna Simmons
Prayer Chain amp Pastoral Visitation
Please call the Pastor Halaas or Diane Swanson (712-204-3161) with your prayer requests or to receive the prayer email
updates
Everyone has different wants and needs when they are ill or homebound so please
communicate your wishes and expectations Thank you
Pastoral Emergencies
If you have a pastoral emergency please call
Pastor David Halaas
701-430-3393 (cell)
page 3
A great place for kids
+ 2nd Sunday Sunday School ZOOM is March 14 at 930 am + Consider having YOUR kids or grandkids spend ldquothe ldquobest week everrdquo at Lutheran Lakeside Camp St Mark families are planning on the week of June 20 Call Rebekah Elder (see number on this page) for details and registration arrangements + Save the date - VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL JULY 11-15 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now six ways to share your offering + in person ndash with your presence talents and financial gifts
+ by mail ndash to 5200 Glenn Avenue Sioux City Iowa 51106
+ ldquoSimply Givingrdquo direct deposit from your account to the church
+ arrange an automatic lsquobill payrsquo from your financial institution
+ No cash No checks No problem TEXT 712-794-4506 and use your
debit or credit card anytime
+ Remember the ministry of St Mark Lutheran in your willestate planning
Living Lutheran Living Lutheran is the monthly magazine of our church
denomination - the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America (ELCA) Each month there are featured stories
inspiration religion news from around the country AND
a crossword puzzle Include $10 in your offering to receive
a one-year subscription
March Celebrations
Happy Wedding Anniversary
310 Bernie amp Kelly Frisch
311 Tracy amp Jeff Kunkel
322 Mike amp Carla Chilton
325 Stacy amp Craig Phillips
329 Cheryl amp Jim Hopkins
Happy Birthdays
302 Tom Dudley Brooke Johnsen Amy Law
303 Kase Leinbaugh Molly Riley
304 Jason Houser Ella Riley JD Scholten
305 Curt Friedrichsen Gerald Iversen
308 Tricia Keleher Nancy Marks Oliver Nelson
311 Kyler Backus Rose Ann Pridie Connor Sales
312 Kelly Frisch Nancy Gran Jon Tibbetts
314 Adam Glienke Emily Leinbaugh
316 Kelsey Graffis Frankey Richard
321 Jackie Pullen
322 Lois Sorensen Mary Webber
323 Blake Johnsen
325 Nicole Jolin
327 Holly Sales
328 Suzanna Koetters
329 Mark Bauer II Luke Casavant Hazel Melton
330 Leah Miller Kollbaum Allen Nordsiden
331 Judy Reinders
page 4 St Mark Lutheran Church
================================
THANK YOU TO
ST MARK PEOPLE
from
-Lutheran Lakeside Camp
-Community Action of Siouxland
For 85 lbs of soup and crackers and a large quantity of new first aid kits
-Western Iowa Synod ELCA
-Lutheran Services of Iowa (LSI)
LSI Foster Care and Adoption has been holding training events in our building - and shared this ldquoCommunity Hero Awardrdquo
with St Mark
==========================================
Participate at St Mark You are invited
= PROPERTY COMMITTEE
= MISSIONOUTREACH COMMITTEE
= GROUPS FOR MEN amp WOMEN
= QUILTING
= LIFE (Special events) COMMITTEE
= SERVING AT FUNERALS
= Assistance needed with Sunday Worship and hospitality and the new
sound boardsound system
page 5
BELOVED As we cross with Christ into the landscape of Lent and into the mystery that lies ahead of us
may we know at least this about ourselves that our name too is Beloved
Beloved Is Where We Begin
If you would enter into the wilderness do not begin without a blessing
Do not leave without hearing who you are Beloved named by the One who has traveled this path before you
Do not go without letting it echo in your ears and if you find It is hard to let it into your heart do not despair That is what this journey is for
I cannot promise this blessing will free you from danger from fear from hunger or thirst from the scorching of sun or the fall of the night
But I can tell you that on this path there will be help
I can tell you that on this way there will be rest
I can tell you that you will know the strange graces that come to our aid only on a road such as this that fly to meet us bearing comfort and strength that come alongside us for no other cause than to lean themselves toward our ear and with their curious insistence whisper our name Beloved Beloved Beloved
mdashJan Richardson from her book Circle of Grace
page 6 St Mark Lutheran Church
FROM THE PARISH NURSE
Simple Ways to Keep Inflammation Away
Inflammation is a hot topic these days ndashndash and for good reason While a little bit of inflammation is a normal healthy sign that your body is healing or protecting itself chronic inflammation can do damage over time (Cancer heart disease and arthritis have all been associated with chronic inflammation) Your diet is one way to turn back the dial on inflammation but itrsquos hardly the only tool in your anti-inflammation toolbox Learn about six everyday habits that can have a real im-pact on your health inside and out
1 Prioritize Sleep While yoursquore snoozing your body is hard at work repairing itself mdash including regulating inflammation A review of multiple studies found that people who experienced sleep disturbances and shorter sleep had higher levels of inflammation biomarkers like C-reactive protein (CRP) To get better shut-eye try sticking to a consistent sleep sched-ule Keep your bedroom cool and dark And try to avoid electronics at least an hour before bedtime The blue light emitted by these devices may interfere with melatonin production which can make it harder to fall asleep 2 Get Moving The benefits of exercise are nearly endless and yep fighting inflammation is one of them A possible rea-son for that is that when your muscles contract your immune cells secrete a cytokine that has anti-inflammatory proper-ties One study found that replacing 30 minutes of sitting with light physical activity could even prolong your life 3 Manage Your Stress Short-term stress can be helpful like when the pressure of a big work deadline gives you a boost of energy to complete the project But when you experience stress day in and day out it can lead to chronic inflamma-tion This kind of always-on stress causes your hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis to secrete hormones that sup-press your immune system ldquoStress lessrdquo is a lousy item to add to your to-do list But it might seem less impossible if you shift the focus to managing your stress rather than vanquishing it completely Figuring out what works for you may take some trial and error Maybe itrsquos weekly phone calls with a BFF or family member to talk through your big stressors taking a walk during your lunch breaks or adding a few minutes of meditation to your mornings 4 Quit Smoking We all know that smoking cigarettes can cause all sorts of serious health issues such as cancer heart disease and lung disease What you might not realize is that smoking can also increase inflammation and make it harder for your cells to fight off pathogens No matter how long yoursquove been smoking itrsquos never too late to stop Therersquos also no one-size-fits-all approach that works for everyone You might want to talk to your doctor about prescription medications or nicotine replacement therapies (like a lozenge or patch) You can also head to Smokefreegov for free guidance and support 5 Watch Your Weight Obesity is strongly linked to chronic inflammation and research shows that having excess fat tis-sue promotes the secretion of biomarkers like CRP and increases chronic inflammation The good news is that even mod-est weight loss can reduce those inflammatory biomarkers and lower your risk for cardiovascular diseases The research is resounding that eating whole foods (with plenty of lean protein and fiber) keeping portion sizes in check and being physically active can help you reach and maintain a healthy weight 6 Upgrade Your Diet No matter your weight what you eat can impact how your body handles inflammation Eating pro-cessed and red meat and high levels of added sugar have been linked to higher inflammation while fruits vegetables legumes whole grains and spices like ginger and turmeric are associated with lower inflammation You donrsquot have to swear off dessert and burgers for life Instead try to satisfy your sweet tooth with a modest amount of dark chocolate Make red-meat meals a weekly rather than daily habit or consider cutting back on red meat by bolstering dishes with more veggies (adding diced mushrooms to burger patties for instance or lentils and peppers to chili) Even a simple swap like replacing white pasta and white bread for whole-grain versions is a meaningful step in the right direction
Jillena Miller RN
The Parish Nurse will be in the wellness office March 14 and 28 between worship services
Feel free to email me if you have any questions or concerns jillena_mhotmailcom
page 7
Announcement In the new year 2021 St Mark people are invited to share weekly
ldquoELCA SEMINARY STUDENT SUPPORTrdquo
(now $30 each week) as we support ldquoone of our ownrdquo ndash
Paige McGrath is new student at Wartburg Theological Seminary
Dubuque Iowa and also now serves as Vicar (Pastor) at
St Luke Lutheran Church in Sioux City
Call or e-mail the church office to reserve your date
on the ldquoSeminary Student Supportrdquo calendar
Welcome Vicar Paige McGrath
Mar 7 Mar 14 Mar 21 Mar 28
Missionary Support - Diana Herbold
Seminarian Support - Nancy Gran
Missionary Support - Gary and Becky Huser Seminarian Support -
Deanna Ehlers
Missionary Support - Bonnie and Richard Storm
Seminarian Support - Jillena Miller
Missionary Support - Linda Clarke
Seminarian Support - Linda Clarke
SUNDAY SHARING
From LSI - Lutheran Services in Iowa March is National Professional Social Work Month
March is National Professional Social Work Month a time to recognize social workers and thank them for all they do At Lutheran Services in Iowa (LSI) we are grateful for the many social workers who have dedicated their lives to serving our communities across the state Maybe you have never had a social worker involved in your life Yet whether you realize it or not you have had the benefit of their behind-the-scenes work in your community Social workers help people help themselves by overcoming lifersquos most difficult circumstances or managing challenges of everyday living poverty abuse mental illness depression addiction disability and many other situations Iowa wouldnrsquot be the same without the patience guidance and empowerment that social workers pro-vide Happy National Professional Social Work Month For more information please contact Deb Whitford LSIrsquos Director of Philanthropy and Church Rela-tions at DeborahWhitfordLSIowaorg or 563-676-2065
Our Mission Lutheran Services in Iowa responds to the love of Jesus Christ through compassionate service LSI is an affiliated social ministry partner of the Iowa congregations of the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) and a member of LSA (Lutheran Services in America) We proudly serve people of all ages abilities religions sexes gender identities national origins ethnicities races and sexual orientations Learn more at LSIowaorg and facebookcomLSIiowa
Thanks to Deanna Ehlers for the new ldquoWELCOMErdquo quilted greeting for the Fellowship Hall
St Mark Inclusivity Statement
ldquoWe are a community that values and celebrates diversity in order to fulfill the work of the Holy Trinity Examples of now existing diversity in our congregation which we intend to nurture grow and celebrate include but are not limited to persons of varying race national and ethnic origin age sexual orientation gen-
der identity economic circumstance mentalphysical health political persuasion and theological perspective As a congregation we pledge to demonstrate not
only through words but our actions that when we say lsquoall are welcomersquo
we really mean itrdquo Welcome
WORSHIP
in the parking lot
and inside
Sundays
830 am
1030 am Also - live on our Facebook page
(and available for viewing
anytime)
Wednesdays in Lent
600 pm
Church Office is now usually open from 9am until 12 noon
Monday through Friday
with public health safety procedures
in place
page 8 St Mark Lutheran Church
St Mark Lutheran Church Welcoming Serving Growing
5200 Glenn Avenue Sioux City Iowa 51106
March Celebrations
Happy Wedding Anniversary
310 Bernie amp Kelly Frisch
311 Tracy amp Jeff Kunkel
322 Mike amp Carla Chilton
325 Stacy amp Craig Phillips
329 Cheryl amp Jim Hopkins
Happy Birthdays
302 Tom Dudley Brooke Johnsen Amy Law
303 Kase Leinbaugh Molly Riley
304 Jason Houser Ella Riley JD Scholten
305 Curt Friedrichsen Gerald Iversen
308 Tricia Keleher Nancy Marks Oliver Nelson
311 Kyler Backus Rose Ann Pridie Connor Sales
312 Kelly Frisch Nancy Gran Jon Tibbetts
314 Adam Glienke Emily Leinbaugh
316 Kelsey Graffis Frankey Richard
321 Jackie Pullen
322 Lois Sorensen Mary Webber
323 Blake Johnsen
325 Nicole Jolin
327 Holly Sales
328 Suzanna Koetters
329 Mark Bauer II Luke Casavant Hazel Melton
330 Leah Miller Kollbaum Allen Nordsiden
331 Judy Reinders
page 4 St Mark Lutheran Church
================================
THANK YOU TO
ST MARK PEOPLE
from
-Lutheran Lakeside Camp
-Community Action of Siouxland
For 85 lbs of soup and crackers and a large quantity of new first aid kits
-Western Iowa Synod ELCA
-Lutheran Services of Iowa (LSI)
LSI Foster Care and Adoption has been holding training events in our building - and shared this ldquoCommunity Hero Awardrdquo
with St Mark
==========================================
Participate at St Mark You are invited
= PROPERTY COMMITTEE
= MISSIONOUTREACH COMMITTEE
= GROUPS FOR MEN amp WOMEN
= QUILTING
= LIFE (Special events) COMMITTEE
= SERVING AT FUNERALS
= Assistance needed with Sunday Worship and hospitality and the new
sound boardsound system
page 5
BELOVED As we cross with Christ into the landscape of Lent and into the mystery that lies ahead of us
may we know at least this about ourselves that our name too is Beloved
Beloved Is Where We Begin
If you would enter into the wilderness do not begin without a blessing
Do not leave without hearing who you are Beloved named by the One who has traveled this path before you
Do not go without letting it echo in your ears and if you find It is hard to let it into your heart do not despair That is what this journey is for
I cannot promise this blessing will free you from danger from fear from hunger or thirst from the scorching of sun or the fall of the night
But I can tell you that on this path there will be help
I can tell you that on this way there will be rest
I can tell you that you will know the strange graces that come to our aid only on a road such as this that fly to meet us bearing comfort and strength that come alongside us for no other cause than to lean themselves toward our ear and with their curious insistence whisper our name Beloved Beloved Beloved
mdashJan Richardson from her book Circle of Grace
page 6 St Mark Lutheran Church
FROM THE PARISH NURSE
Simple Ways to Keep Inflammation Away
Inflammation is a hot topic these days ndashndash and for good reason While a little bit of inflammation is a normal healthy sign that your body is healing or protecting itself chronic inflammation can do damage over time (Cancer heart disease and arthritis have all been associated with chronic inflammation) Your diet is one way to turn back the dial on inflammation but itrsquos hardly the only tool in your anti-inflammation toolbox Learn about six everyday habits that can have a real im-pact on your health inside and out
1 Prioritize Sleep While yoursquore snoozing your body is hard at work repairing itself mdash including regulating inflammation A review of multiple studies found that people who experienced sleep disturbances and shorter sleep had higher levels of inflammation biomarkers like C-reactive protein (CRP) To get better shut-eye try sticking to a consistent sleep sched-ule Keep your bedroom cool and dark And try to avoid electronics at least an hour before bedtime The blue light emitted by these devices may interfere with melatonin production which can make it harder to fall asleep 2 Get Moving The benefits of exercise are nearly endless and yep fighting inflammation is one of them A possible rea-son for that is that when your muscles contract your immune cells secrete a cytokine that has anti-inflammatory proper-ties One study found that replacing 30 minutes of sitting with light physical activity could even prolong your life 3 Manage Your Stress Short-term stress can be helpful like when the pressure of a big work deadline gives you a boost of energy to complete the project But when you experience stress day in and day out it can lead to chronic inflamma-tion This kind of always-on stress causes your hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis to secrete hormones that sup-press your immune system ldquoStress lessrdquo is a lousy item to add to your to-do list But it might seem less impossible if you shift the focus to managing your stress rather than vanquishing it completely Figuring out what works for you may take some trial and error Maybe itrsquos weekly phone calls with a BFF or family member to talk through your big stressors taking a walk during your lunch breaks or adding a few minutes of meditation to your mornings 4 Quit Smoking We all know that smoking cigarettes can cause all sorts of serious health issues such as cancer heart disease and lung disease What you might not realize is that smoking can also increase inflammation and make it harder for your cells to fight off pathogens No matter how long yoursquove been smoking itrsquos never too late to stop Therersquos also no one-size-fits-all approach that works for everyone You might want to talk to your doctor about prescription medications or nicotine replacement therapies (like a lozenge or patch) You can also head to Smokefreegov for free guidance and support 5 Watch Your Weight Obesity is strongly linked to chronic inflammation and research shows that having excess fat tis-sue promotes the secretion of biomarkers like CRP and increases chronic inflammation The good news is that even mod-est weight loss can reduce those inflammatory biomarkers and lower your risk for cardiovascular diseases The research is resounding that eating whole foods (with plenty of lean protein and fiber) keeping portion sizes in check and being physically active can help you reach and maintain a healthy weight 6 Upgrade Your Diet No matter your weight what you eat can impact how your body handles inflammation Eating pro-cessed and red meat and high levels of added sugar have been linked to higher inflammation while fruits vegetables legumes whole grains and spices like ginger and turmeric are associated with lower inflammation You donrsquot have to swear off dessert and burgers for life Instead try to satisfy your sweet tooth with a modest amount of dark chocolate Make red-meat meals a weekly rather than daily habit or consider cutting back on red meat by bolstering dishes with more veggies (adding diced mushrooms to burger patties for instance or lentils and peppers to chili) Even a simple swap like replacing white pasta and white bread for whole-grain versions is a meaningful step in the right direction
Jillena Miller RN
The Parish Nurse will be in the wellness office March 14 and 28 between worship services
Feel free to email me if you have any questions or concerns jillena_mhotmailcom
page 7
Announcement In the new year 2021 St Mark people are invited to share weekly
ldquoELCA SEMINARY STUDENT SUPPORTrdquo
(now $30 each week) as we support ldquoone of our ownrdquo ndash
Paige McGrath is new student at Wartburg Theological Seminary
Dubuque Iowa and also now serves as Vicar (Pastor) at
St Luke Lutheran Church in Sioux City
Call or e-mail the church office to reserve your date
on the ldquoSeminary Student Supportrdquo calendar
Welcome Vicar Paige McGrath
Mar 7 Mar 14 Mar 21 Mar 28
Missionary Support - Diana Herbold
Seminarian Support - Nancy Gran
Missionary Support - Gary and Becky Huser Seminarian Support -
Deanna Ehlers
Missionary Support - Bonnie and Richard Storm
Seminarian Support - Jillena Miller
Missionary Support - Linda Clarke
Seminarian Support - Linda Clarke
SUNDAY SHARING
From LSI - Lutheran Services in Iowa March is National Professional Social Work Month
March is National Professional Social Work Month a time to recognize social workers and thank them for all they do At Lutheran Services in Iowa (LSI) we are grateful for the many social workers who have dedicated their lives to serving our communities across the state Maybe you have never had a social worker involved in your life Yet whether you realize it or not you have had the benefit of their behind-the-scenes work in your community Social workers help people help themselves by overcoming lifersquos most difficult circumstances or managing challenges of everyday living poverty abuse mental illness depression addiction disability and many other situations Iowa wouldnrsquot be the same without the patience guidance and empowerment that social workers pro-vide Happy National Professional Social Work Month For more information please contact Deb Whitford LSIrsquos Director of Philanthropy and Church Rela-tions at DeborahWhitfordLSIowaorg or 563-676-2065
Our Mission Lutheran Services in Iowa responds to the love of Jesus Christ through compassionate service LSI is an affiliated social ministry partner of the Iowa congregations of the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) and a member of LSA (Lutheran Services in America) We proudly serve people of all ages abilities religions sexes gender identities national origins ethnicities races and sexual orientations Learn more at LSIowaorg and facebookcomLSIiowa
Thanks to Deanna Ehlers for the new ldquoWELCOMErdquo quilted greeting for the Fellowship Hall
St Mark Inclusivity Statement
ldquoWe are a community that values and celebrates diversity in order to fulfill the work of the Holy Trinity Examples of now existing diversity in our congregation which we intend to nurture grow and celebrate include but are not limited to persons of varying race national and ethnic origin age sexual orientation gen-
der identity economic circumstance mentalphysical health political persuasion and theological perspective As a congregation we pledge to demonstrate not
only through words but our actions that when we say lsquoall are welcomersquo
we really mean itrdquo Welcome
WORSHIP
in the parking lot
and inside
Sundays
830 am
1030 am Also - live on our Facebook page
(and available for viewing
anytime)
Wednesdays in Lent
600 pm
Church Office is now usually open from 9am until 12 noon
Monday through Friday
with public health safety procedures
in place
page 8 St Mark Lutheran Church
St Mark Lutheran Church Welcoming Serving Growing
5200 Glenn Avenue Sioux City Iowa 51106
page 5
BELOVED As we cross with Christ into the landscape of Lent and into the mystery that lies ahead of us
may we know at least this about ourselves that our name too is Beloved
Beloved Is Where We Begin
If you would enter into the wilderness do not begin without a blessing
Do not leave without hearing who you are Beloved named by the One who has traveled this path before you
Do not go without letting it echo in your ears and if you find It is hard to let it into your heart do not despair That is what this journey is for
I cannot promise this blessing will free you from danger from fear from hunger or thirst from the scorching of sun or the fall of the night
But I can tell you that on this path there will be help
I can tell you that on this way there will be rest
I can tell you that you will know the strange graces that come to our aid only on a road such as this that fly to meet us bearing comfort and strength that come alongside us for no other cause than to lean themselves toward our ear and with their curious insistence whisper our name Beloved Beloved Beloved
mdashJan Richardson from her book Circle of Grace
page 6 St Mark Lutheran Church
FROM THE PARISH NURSE
Simple Ways to Keep Inflammation Away
Inflammation is a hot topic these days ndashndash and for good reason While a little bit of inflammation is a normal healthy sign that your body is healing or protecting itself chronic inflammation can do damage over time (Cancer heart disease and arthritis have all been associated with chronic inflammation) Your diet is one way to turn back the dial on inflammation but itrsquos hardly the only tool in your anti-inflammation toolbox Learn about six everyday habits that can have a real im-pact on your health inside and out
1 Prioritize Sleep While yoursquore snoozing your body is hard at work repairing itself mdash including regulating inflammation A review of multiple studies found that people who experienced sleep disturbances and shorter sleep had higher levels of inflammation biomarkers like C-reactive protein (CRP) To get better shut-eye try sticking to a consistent sleep sched-ule Keep your bedroom cool and dark And try to avoid electronics at least an hour before bedtime The blue light emitted by these devices may interfere with melatonin production which can make it harder to fall asleep 2 Get Moving The benefits of exercise are nearly endless and yep fighting inflammation is one of them A possible rea-son for that is that when your muscles contract your immune cells secrete a cytokine that has anti-inflammatory proper-ties One study found that replacing 30 minutes of sitting with light physical activity could even prolong your life 3 Manage Your Stress Short-term stress can be helpful like when the pressure of a big work deadline gives you a boost of energy to complete the project But when you experience stress day in and day out it can lead to chronic inflamma-tion This kind of always-on stress causes your hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis to secrete hormones that sup-press your immune system ldquoStress lessrdquo is a lousy item to add to your to-do list But it might seem less impossible if you shift the focus to managing your stress rather than vanquishing it completely Figuring out what works for you may take some trial and error Maybe itrsquos weekly phone calls with a BFF or family member to talk through your big stressors taking a walk during your lunch breaks or adding a few minutes of meditation to your mornings 4 Quit Smoking We all know that smoking cigarettes can cause all sorts of serious health issues such as cancer heart disease and lung disease What you might not realize is that smoking can also increase inflammation and make it harder for your cells to fight off pathogens No matter how long yoursquove been smoking itrsquos never too late to stop Therersquos also no one-size-fits-all approach that works for everyone You might want to talk to your doctor about prescription medications or nicotine replacement therapies (like a lozenge or patch) You can also head to Smokefreegov for free guidance and support 5 Watch Your Weight Obesity is strongly linked to chronic inflammation and research shows that having excess fat tis-sue promotes the secretion of biomarkers like CRP and increases chronic inflammation The good news is that even mod-est weight loss can reduce those inflammatory biomarkers and lower your risk for cardiovascular diseases The research is resounding that eating whole foods (with plenty of lean protein and fiber) keeping portion sizes in check and being physically active can help you reach and maintain a healthy weight 6 Upgrade Your Diet No matter your weight what you eat can impact how your body handles inflammation Eating pro-cessed and red meat and high levels of added sugar have been linked to higher inflammation while fruits vegetables legumes whole grains and spices like ginger and turmeric are associated with lower inflammation You donrsquot have to swear off dessert and burgers for life Instead try to satisfy your sweet tooth with a modest amount of dark chocolate Make red-meat meals a weekly rather than daily habit or consider cutting back on red meat by bolstering dishes with more veggies (adding diced mushrooms to burger patties for instance or lentils and peppers to chili) Even a simple swap like replacing white pasta and white bread for whole-grain versions is a meaningful step in the right direction
Jillena Miller RN
The Parish Nurse will be in the wellness office March 14 and 28 between worship services
Feel free to email me if you have any questions or concerns jillena_mhotmailcom
page 7
Announcement In the new year 2021 St Mark people are invited to share weekly
ldquoELCA SEMINARY STUDENT SUPPORTrdquo
(now $30 each week) as we support ldquoone of our ownrdquo ndash
Paige McGrath is new student at Wartburg Theological Seminary
Dubuque Iowa and also now serves as Vicar (Pastor) at
St Luke Lutheran Church in Sioux City
Call or e-mail the church office to reserve your date
on the ldquoSeminary Student Supportrdquo calendar
Welcome Vicar Paige McGrath
Mar 7 Mar 14 Mar 21 Mar 28
Missionary Support - Diana Herbold
Seminarian Support - Nancy Gran
Missionary Support - Gary and Becky Huser Seminarian Support -
Deanna Ehlers
Missionary Support - Bonnie and Richard Storm
Seminarian Support - Jillena Miller
Missionary Support - Linda Clarke
Seminarian Support - Linda Clarke
SUNDAY SHARING
From LSI - Lutheran Services in Iowa March is National Professional Social Work Month
March is National Professional Social Work Month a time to recognize social workers and thank them for all they do At Lutheran Services in Iowa (LSI) we are grateful for the many social workers who have dedicated their lives to serving our communities across the state Maybe you have never had a social worker involved in your life Yet whether you realize it or not you have had the benefit of their behind-the-scenes work in your community Social workers help people help themselves by overcoming lifersquos most difficult circumstances or managing challenges of everyday living poverty abuse mental illness depression addiction disability and many other situations Iowa wouldnrsquot be the same without the patience guidance and empowerment that social workers pro-vide Happy National Professional Social Work Month For more information please contact Deb Whitford LSIrsquos Director of Philanthropy and Church Rela-tions at DeborahWhitfordLSIowaorg or 563-676-2065
Our Mission Lutheran Services in Iowa responds to the love of Jesus Christ through compassionate service LSI is an affiliated social ministry partner of the Iowa congregations of the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) and a member of LSA (Lutheran Services in America) We proudly serve people of all ages abilities religions sexes gender identities national origins ethnicities races and sexual orientations Learn more at LSIowaorg and facebookcomLSIiowa
Thanks to Deanna Ehlers for the new ldquoWELCOMErdquo quilted greeting for the Fellowship Hall
St Mark Inclusivity Statement
ldquoWe are a community that values and celebrates diversity in order to fulfill the work of the Holy Trinity Examples of now existing diversity in our congregation which we intend to nurture grow and celebrate include but are not limited to persons of varying race national and ethnic origin age sexual orientation gen-
der identity economic circumstance mentalphysical health political persuasion and theological perspective As a congregation we pledge to demonstrate not
only through words but our actions that when we say lsquoall are welcomersquo
we really mean itrdquo Welcome
WORSHIP
in the parking lot
and inside
Sundays
830 am
1030 am Also - live on our Facebook page
(and available for viewing
anytime)
Wednesdays in Lent
600 pm
Church Office is now usually open from 9am until 12 noon
Monday through Friday
with public health safety procedures
in place
page 8 St Mark Lutheran Church
St Mark Lutheran Church Welcoming Serving Growing
5200 Glenn Avenue Sioux City Iowa 51106
page 6 St Mark Lutheran Church
FROM THE PARISH NURSE
Simple Ways to Keep Inflammation Away
Inflammation is a hot topic these days ndashndash and for good reason While a little bit of inflammation is a normal healthy sign that your body is healing or protecting itself chronic inflammation can do damage over time (Cancer heart disease and arthritis have all been associated with chronic inflammation) Your diet is one way to turn back the dial on inflammation but itrsquos hardly the only tool in your anti-inflammation toolbox Learn about six everyday habits that can have a real im-pact on your health inside and out
1 Prioritize Sleep While yoursquore snoozing your body is hard at work repairing itself mdash including regulating inflammation A review of multiple studies found that people who experienced sleep disturbances and shorter sleep had higher levels of inflammation biomarkers like C-reactive protein (CRP) To get better shut-eye try sticking to a consistent sleep sched-ule Keep your bedroom cool and dark And try to avoid electronics at least an hour before bedtime The blue light emitted by these devices may interfere with melatonin production which can make it harder to fall asleep 2 Get Moving The benefits of exercise are nearly endless and yep fighting inflammation is one of them A possible rea-son for that is that when your muscles contract your immune cells secrete a cytokine that has anti-inflammatory proper-ties One study found that replacing 30 minutes of sitting with light physical activity could even prolong your life 3 Manage Your Stress Short-term stress can be helpful like when the pressure of a big work deadline gives you a boost of energy to complete the project But when you experience stress day in and day out it can lead to chronic inflamma-tion This kind of always-on stress causes your hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis to secrete hormones that sup-press your immune system ldquoStress lessrdquo is a lousy item to add to your to-do list But it might seem less impossible if you shift the focus to managing your stress rather than vanquishing it completely Figuring out what works for you may take some trial and error Maybe itrsquos weekly phone calls with a BFF or family member to talk through your big stressors taking a walk during your lunch breaks or adding a few minutes of meditation to your mornings 4 Quit Smoking We all know that smoking cigarettes can cause all sorts of serious health issues such as cancer heart disease and lung disease What you might not realize is that smoking can also increase inflammation and make it harder for your cells to fight off pathogens No matter how long yoursquove been smoking itrsquos never too late to stop Therersquos also no one-size-fits-all approach that works for everyone You might want to talk to your doctor about prescription medications or nicotine replacement therapies (like a lozenge or patch) You can also head to Smokefreegov for free guidance and support 5 Watch Your Weight Obesity is strongly linked to chronic inflammation and research shows that having excess fat tis-sue promotes the secretion of biomarkers like CRP and increases chronic inflammation The good news is that even mod-est weight loss can reduce those inflammatory biomarkers and lower your risk for cardiovascular diseases The research is resounding that eating whole foods (with plenty of lean protein and fiber) keeping portion sizes in check and being physically active can help you reach and maintain a healthy weight 6 Upgrade Your Diet No matter your weight what you eat can impact how your body handles inflammation Eating pro-cessed and red meat and high levels of added sugar have been linked to higher inflammation while fruits vegetables legumes whole grains and spices like ginger and turmeric are associated with lower inflammation You donrsquot have to swear off dessert and burgers for life Instead try to satisfy your sweet tooth with a modest amount of dark chocolate Make red-meat meals a weekly rather than daily habit or consider cutting back on red meat by bolstering dishes with more veggies (adding diced mushrooms to burger patties for instance or lentils and peppers to chili) Even a simple swap like replacing white pasta and white bread for whole-grain versions is a meaningful step in the right direction
Jillena Miller RN
The Parish Nurse will be in the wellness office March 14 and 28 between worship services
Feel free to email me if you have any questions or concerns jillena_mhotmailcom
page 7
Announcement In the new year 2021 St Mark people are invited to share weekly
ldquoELCA SEMINARY STUDENT SUPPORTrdquo
(now $30 each week) as we support ldquoone of our ownrdquo ndash
Paige McGrath is new student at Wartburg Theological Seminary
Dubuque Iowa and also now serves as Vicar (Pastor) at
St Luke Lutheran Church in Sioux City
Call or e-mail the church office to reserve your date
on the ldquoSeminary Student Supportrdquo calendar
Welcome Vicar Paige McGrath
Mar 7 Mar 14 Mar 21 Mar 28
Missionary Support - Diana Herbold
Seminarian Support - Nancy Gran
Missionary Support - Gary and Becky Huser Seminarian Support -
Deanna Ehlers
Missionary Support - Bonnie and Richard Storm
Seminarian Support - Jillena Miller
Missionary Support - Linda Clarke
Seminarian Support - Linda Clarke
SUNDAY SHARING
From LSI - Lutheran Services in Iowa March is National Professional Social Work Month
March is National Professional Social Work Month a time to recognize social workers and thank them for all they do At Lutheran Services in Iowa (LSI) we are grateful for the many social workers who have dedicated their lives to serving our communities across the state Maybe you have never had a social worker involved in your life Yet whether you realize it or not you have had the benefit of their behind-the-scenes work in your community Social workers help people help themselves by overcoming lifersquos most difficult circumstances or managing challenges of everyday living poverty abuse mental illness depression addiction disability and many other situations Iowa wouldnrsquot be the same without the patience guidance and empowerment that social workers pro-vide Happy National Professional Social Work Month For more information please contact Deb Whitford LSIrsquos Director of Philanthropy and Church Rela-tions at DeborahWhitfordLSIowaorg or 563-676-2065
Our Mission Lutheran Services in Iowa responds to the love of Jesus Christ through compassionate service LSI is an affiliated social ministry partner of the Iowa congregations of the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) and a member of LSA (Lutheran Services in America) We proudly serve people of all ages abilities religions sexes gender identities national origins ethnicities races and sexual orientations Learn more at LSIowaorg and facebookcomLSIiowa
Thanks to Deanna Ehlers for the new ldquoWELCOMErdquo quilted greeting for the Fellowship Hall
St Mark Inclusivity Statement
ldquoWe are a community that values and celebrates diversity in order to fulfill the work of the Holy Trinity Examples of now existing diversity in our congregation which we intend to nurture grow and celebrate include but are not limited to persons of varying race national and ethnic origin age sexual orientation gen-
der identity economic circumstance mentalphysical health political persuasion and theological perspective As a congregation we pledge to demonstrate not
only through words but our actions that when we say lsquoall are welcomersquo
we really mean itrdquo Welcome
WORSHIP
in the parking lot
and inside
Sundays
830 am
1030 am Also - live on our Facebook page
(and available for viewing
anytime)
Wednesdays in Lent
600 pm
Church Office is now usually open from 9am until 12 noon
Monday through Friday
with public health safety procedures
in place
page 8 St Mark Lutheran Church
St Mark Lutheran Church Welcoming Serving Growing
5200 Glenn Avenue Sioux City Iowa 51106
page 7
Announcement In the new year 2021 St Mark people are invited to share weekly
ldquoELCA SEMINARY STUDENT SUPPORTrdquo
(now $30 each week) as we support ldquoone of our ownrdquo ndash
Paige McGrath is new student at Wartburg Theological Seminary
Dubuque Iowa and also now serves as Vicar (Pastor) at
St Luke Lutheran Church in Sioux City
Call or e-mail the church office to reserve your date
on the ldquoSeminary Student Supportrdquo calendar
Welcome Vicar Paige McGrath
Mar 7 Mar 14 Mar 21 Mar 28
Missionary Support - Diana Herbold
Seminarian Support - Nancy Gran
Missionary Support - Gary and Becky Huser Seminarian Support -
Deanna Ehlers
Missionary Support - Bonnie and Richard Storm
Seminarian Support - Jillena Miller
Missionary Support - Linda Clarke
Seminarian Support - Linda Clarke
SUNDAY SHARING
From LSI - Lutheran Services in Iowa March is National Professional Social Work Month
March is National Professional Social Work Month a time to recognize social workers and thank them for all they do At Lutheran Services in Iowa (LSI) we are grateful for the many social workers who have dedicated their lives to serving our communities across the state Maybe you have never had a social worker involved in your life Yet whether you realize it or not you have had the benefit of their behind-the-scenes work in your community Social workers help people help themselves by overcoming lifersquos most difficult circumstances or managing challenges of everyday living poverty abuse mental illness depression addiction disability and many other situations Iowa wouldnrsquot be the same without the patience guidance and empowerment that social workers pro-vide Happy National Professional Social Work Month For more information please contact Deb Whitford LSIrsquos Director of Philanthropy and Church Rela-tions at DeborahWhitfordLSIowaorg or 563-676-2065
Our Mission Lutheran Services in Iowa responds to the love of Jesus Christ through compassionate service LSI is an affiliated social ministry partner of the Iowa congregations of the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) and a member of LSA (Lutheran Services in America) We proudly serve people of all ages abilities religions sexes gender identities national origins ethnicities races and sexual orientations Learn more at LSIowaorg and facebookcomLSIiowa
Thanks to Deanna Ehlers for the new ldquoWELCOMErdquo quilted greeting for the Fellowship Hall
St Mark Inclusivity Statement
ldquoWe are a community that values and celebrates diversity in order to fulfill the work of the Holy Trinity Examples of now existing diversity in our congregation which we intend to nurture grow and celebrate include but are not limited to persons of varying race national and ethnic origin age sexual orientation gen-
der identity economic circumstance mentalphysical health political persuasion and theological perspective As a congregation we pledge to demonstrate not
only through words but our actions that when we say lsquoall are welcomersquo
we really mean itrdquo Welcome
WORSHIP
in the parking lot
and inside
Sundays
830 am
1030 am Also - live on our Facebook page
(and available for viewing
anytime)
Wednesdays in Lent
600 pm
Church Office is now usually open from 9am until 12 noon
Monday through Friday
with public health safety procedures
in place
page 8 St Mark Lutheran Church
St Mark Lutheran Church Welcoming Serving Growing
5200 Glenn Avenue Sioux City Iowa 51106
Thanks to Deanna Ehlers for the new ldquoWELCOMErdquo quilted greeting for the Fellowship Hall
St Mark Inclusivity Statement
ldquoWe are a community that values and celebrates diversity in order to fulfill the work of the Holy Trinity Examples of now existing diversity in our congregation which we intend to nurture grow and celebrate include but are not limited to persons of varying race national and ethnic origin age sexual orientation gen-
der identity economic circumstance mentalphysical health political persuasion and theological perspective As a congregation we pledge to demonstrate not
only through words but our actions that when we say lsquoall are welcomersquo
we really mean itrdquo Welcome
WORSHIP
in the parking lot
and inside
Sundays
830 am
1030 am Also - live on our Facebook page
(and available for viewing
anytime)
Wednesdays in Lent
600 pm
Church Office is now usually open from 9am until 12 noon
