Vineyard PressThe ST. MARK’S LUTHERAN CHURCH Sharing Christ’s Abundant Love

“I am the vine, you are the branches. “ (John 15:5)

AUGUST 2019 , VOL 20, ISSUE 8

We’re getting ready for the whole family!

Sunday School starts Sunday, Sept 8On September 8th, our Sunday School program will begin for the year, at 9:00 a.m. It’s open to children age 3 through 2nd grade. Please register now: StMarksAurora.net/REGISTER

NEW THIS YEAR: We are having our 3rd through 5th grade students participate in worship on Sundays and join us on Wednesday evenings for FDL. These students will still receive the same teachings as before, as FDL and SS have the same curriculum.

PARENT MEETING: We will have a meeting for 3rd, 4th, and 5th-grade parents on Wednesday, September 4, at 5 p.m. to explain our vision and plan going forward.

Rally Day is August 25!Mark your calendars now. On Sunday, August 25th, Rally Day kicks off our youth and family programs for the year. We pray that our families and students have had a restful and joy-filled summer. Your

St. Mark’s staff has been busy putting together plans and preparations for the upcoming year. We can’t wait to have our students back on Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings!

Our Rally Day celebration gets under way on Sunday, August 25th at 11:45 a.m. with the very popular butterfly release. Kids (everyone, really) love to watch these beauties take off. Following, all are welcome to join in a casual lunch. We will have carnival-style games with candy and prizes for the kids, a bounce house for little ones, and large games for middle and high school students.

We will also be highlighting different St. Mark’s ministries. So much happens each week! We want to share stories of how we are impacting our world and community. We hope you will consider joining a ministry and help make a difference in 2019/2020.

Our new nursery program for kids 0-3 also starts on Rally Day (see page 8 for more information). Join us on Sunday, August 25th for all the festivities. There’s something for everyone, young and old.

FDL (Faith in Daily liFe) starts Wednesday, Sept 11Wednesday nights at St. Mark’s are filled with opportunities for children and teens, grades 1 through 12. The evening begins with a shared meal and includes lessons, discussions, small groups, and music:

FDL (gr 1-5): 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Confirmation Classes (gr 6-8): 6-7:30 p.m.

HS Youth Group (gr 9-12): 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Roaring Ringers (handbell choir for gr 3-5): 5-5:30 p.m.

Joyous Praise Bells (handbell choir for gr 6-8): 5:30-6:00 p.m.

It’s time to register! Go to: StMarksAurora.net/REGISTER There is a fee for FDL, which covers dinner, music education, and class materials from September to May. The cost is $100 per child, with a family max of $275. Sixth graders also have a $20 additional Bible fee. There are no additional fees for handbell choirs. Scholarships are available; contact the church office, 630-897-6891.

N O Wis the time to register for FDL& Sunday School

St MarksAurora.net/REGISTER

music at St. Mark’s

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5 B’s BBQ will be back!The Music Ministry is hosting their scrumptious annual “5 B’s” BBQ fundraiser on Wednesday, August 28th, from 4:30 to 6:30. Pork chops and chicken are BBQ’d right here, and meals include coleslaw, baked beans, apple sauce, rolls and butter.

Two-piece meals with pork chops or chicken (or a combination) are $13; kids’ hot dog meals are $7.

You can purchase tickets between worship services on Sunday mornings from any adult choir member, through the church office, or online at StMarksAurora.net/TICKETS. Invite your friends and neighbors! You can drive thru and pick up your meals, or dine in and get free dessert, coffee, tea, or lemonade, and lots of fellowship. See you on August 28th!

Praising God through music

God created us with the ability to sing and make music! So please consider joining us in Music Ministry this year. Your voice and musical talents are needed and appreciated. Come with a desire to make music and praise God! We will teach you the rest.

Lion’s Voice Choir: for adults & HS students who sing in school choirs. Starts Thursday, August 29, 7-8:30 p.m.

Glory Ringers: handbell choir for adults & HS students. Starts Tuesday, August 27, 7-8:30 p.m.

Roaring Ringers: handbell choir for grades 3-5Starts Wednesday, September 11, 5-5:30 p.m.

Joyous Praise Bells: handbell choir for grades 6-8Starts Wednesday, September 11, 5:30-6 p.m.

St. Mark’s Music AcademyDid you know St. Mark’s has it’s own Music Academy, and you can take private music lessons from highly skilled and degreed teachers right here at St. Mark’s during the week?

Lessons are offered in voice, piano, guitar, clarinet, and drums. This year we welcome Carol Hoepe on the staff. She has her bachelor’s degree in piano and her master’s in music composition. She will be offering private piano lessons and a group composition class on Mondays at the church.

The Fall Music Academy semester starts the first week in September. Look for registration forms in the narthex music studio window. Fees are $25 for a 30-minute private lesson and $90 for six group composition classes.

Is this YOUR year to sing and play?Contact Kristin Young for choir and lesson information (kyoung@stmarksaurora.net).Contact Sue Hilderbrand for handbell choir information (shilderbrand@stmarksaurora.net).

music in France

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“There is one day of our trip that I wish everyone at St. Mark’s could have shared. Visiting the American Cemetery at Normandy, where the sea lies just below the hill, seeing the rows and rows of white crosses, is a humbling experience. Over 9,000 soldiers are buried there. It was deeply moving to sing a concert on that hallowed ground. Four veterans in our choir participated in laying a wreath in honor of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice on D-Day.

“A little further up the coast, we visited Pointe du hoc, where hundreds of earthen bomb craters dot the landscape. Seeing the remains of the German bunkers and standing on the shores of Omaha beach was a life-changing experience.

“We also had the opportunity to give a concert at the awesome Notre Dame Cathedral In Rouen. Rouen was nearly completely destroyed during the war, and yet the cathedral survived.

“I’ll try not to make you envious by telling you about enjoying Paris’s beautiful bridges, the Arche de Triumphe, the Louvre, the sparkling Eiffel tower, the lovely cafés and restaurants!

“But I will tell you that the grand finale concert, which we sang with twelve other choirs and orchestra at La Eglise de Madeleine, was absolutely amazing. Over 900 people attended, and they had to turn folks away. All 351 choir voices sang with deep honor and passion to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-day.

“All of you back home at St. Mark’s were in our minds and hearts every time we lifted our voices in song. Thank you for your prayers and support. “

—Kristin Young, Music Director

A birds-eye view“The St. Mark’s Festival Choir trip to France in July was, in a word, beautiful. It is hard to sum up nine days of meaningful experiences, but the highlights were definitely our time spent on the coast of Normandy and the lovely city of Paris.

“At the start of our trip, I wish you could have heard the elderly British scholar explaining the meaning of the lovely cobalt blue stained-glass windows in the 13th-century Chartres Cathedral. He has been studying the cathedral for over 60 years!

“If you had been there to walk with us up the hill at the historic Mont Saint-Michel, through the little village to the abbey, you would have been immersed in centuries of devout Christian pilgrims and the life they carved out.

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a mission of love

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Making a difference“Long before 23 high school students and 4 adult leaders headed out from the church parking lot on Saturday, July 6th for a week-long mission trip to Denver, it was a team effort. Anna Themanson, Amy Mabrey, and Melissa Nowak took vacation time off work to spend it with our high school students. Heather Rehg organized and coordinated over 100 devotional partner packets for our students. Our devotional partners took time to write and buy gifts so our students could look forward every night of the trip to opening their packets. A HUGE thank you to each and every one of you!

“Every mission trip is different, and that’s what I love about mission trips. New configuration of students. New city. New service projects.

And what stood out the most, as I reflect back on this particular year, was how our students set the tone for the week. There were two other church youth groups whom we served alongside during the week, one from Colorado Springs, CO, and the other from Walla Walla, WA. Both groups had great leaders and great kids. But it became clear that both groups looked to our kids for guidance. Our kids have this innate sense of when it’s time to buckle down and work, and when it’s time to let loose and laugh. It was contagious, and it spread into the other groups.

“Throughout the week, our students served at Boys and Girls Club, Denver Metro Ministries, Extreme Community Makeover, Arc Thrift Stores, and so much more. They represented

St. Mark’s so well and conducted themselves in a way that made others around them better.

“I’m so excited to bring the energy, excitement, and experiences from the Denver experience back home to Aurora and St. Mark’s!”

—Pastor Fish

transition update

One step at a timeAs you well know, one part of life at St. Mark’s these days is that we’re living in “Transition Time.” The retirement of Pastor Patricia Geiseman started a five-step process for calling a new Senior Pastor. The congregation completed Step One when we said our farewells to Pastor Pat in June. Now, as Interim Senior Pastor, one of my tasks is to help move this process along.

We’re now deep into Step Two, which started with my preparing an Assessment of St. Mark’s. That document has been completed and was presented to the Congregation Council at the July 16th meeting. The Assessment is 11+ pages long and contains a variety of recommendations, so Council will take time between now and their August 13th meeting to review it. At that time, Council may or may not include the recommendations, according to its discretion.

This leads to Step Three, completing the Ministry Site Profile (MSP). This document contains a great deal of information about the congregation, its finances, goals, and visions, and also YOUR very important responses to three surveys that will take place during the first three weeks of August. Our goal is to complete and submit the MSP to the Metropolitan Chicago Synod and the church-wide ELCA body by August 31st.

In September, we enter Step Four by electing a Call Committee. The process moves forward as the Bishop of the Metro Chicago Synod and his staff review our MSP to see what possible candidates there may be for us, and work with our Call Committee. This MSP is posted online, and potential candidates will be able to peruse it and contact the Synod Bishop.

While the process may seem like a lot of hoops to jump through, it is important to remember that we not just hiring a person for a job; we are calling a new Senior Pastor (Step Five!). And this takes lots of discernment, prayer,

conversation, and involvement in order to find the best person for the position.

If you have questions, or if things seem unclear, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you for your partnership as disciples of Jesus here at St. Mark’s!—Pastor Olson

What do you think?Your input is KEY to helping St. Mark’s find the best Senior Pastor match for our

church. During the first three weekends in August, we’ll be asking you to complete a different short survey each week, as part of the MSP.

SURVEY #1 Gifts for Ministry: What do you think are the essential gifts our Senior Pastor should have?

SURVEY #2 Top 5 Ministry Tasks: What do you see as the top priority tasks for our new pastor?

SURVEY #3 Ministry Site Characteristics: How would you describe St. Mark’s?

We want to make this easy so everyone can respond. We’ll be handing out printed copies of a different survey each weekend, as well as posting the survey-of-the-week online (StMarksAurora.net/SURVEY). IMPORTANT: You will have only one week to respond to each survey. The important thing is that you respond! Thank you for your partnership.

* See the June Vineyard, pg 2, for the 5-step outline, or go to the RESOURCES tab on our website, StMarksAurora.net

opportunities for adults

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Financial Peace UniversityOver 5 million people have learned to pay off debt, save and invest for the future with Financial Peace University. Now it’s your turn!

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Adult StudyTuesdays, 10:00 a.m.starts August 27

After taking a break this summer, we are excited to begin a new Adult Study series on Tuesday mornings, starting on August 27th. The Fall class is a 6-week study on Paul’s letter to the Romans.

This letter from Paul is very different from his other letters. He addresses many important questions that were being debated during the beginning years of the Christian Church, such as salvation, God and creation, grace, suffering, discipleship, and purpose.

These are topics we are thinking about today as well, and we look forward to some vibrant discussions! Pastor Fish will be facilitating the class.

Week 1: What must I do to be saved? Week 2: Saved by grace … too good to be true?Week 3: If what I do doesn’t save me,     does it matter how I live? Week 4: Where is God when we suffer?Week 5: How can I keep from singing? Week 6: What does God want from us?

AN INTERESTING ASIDE: The theologian Matthew Marohl, who put together the commentary and study guide for this study, is Pr. Fish’s old professor at Augustana College. Marohl is one of only two professors in college who gave Pr. Fish a “B”! Professor Marohl will provide great insights and challenges in this study, as he did for Pr. Fish at Augustana.

Sign up at the Welcome Center and pick up your book. (Books are $10, and you can pay at the start of the class. If money is an issue, contact Pr. Fish. We never want money to be a reason not to explore and grow in your faith!)

St. Mark’s is offering the life-changing 9-week Financial Peace University course on Sundays from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., beginning September 15th.

YOU’LL LEARN:• Build Starter Emergency Fund & Budgeting• Pay Off All Debt• Save a Fully Funded Emergency Fund• Invest for the Future and Build Wealth• Buyer Beware• The Role of Insurance• Retirement Planning• Real Estate and Mortgages• Outrageous Generosity

YOU’LL ALSO RECEIVE:• 2 ADDITIONAL COURSES (Teaching Your Kids’

to Make Wise Financial Decisions; Leaving a Legacy for Future Generations)

• INTERACTIVE WORKBOOK• 1-YEAR FINANCIAL PEACE MEMBERSHIP (which

includes a budgeting/spending app, access to a financial coach, debt/investing/mortgage calculators, livestream refreshers)

Discounted registration for St. Mark’s people is$109 per family (regularly, $129)*Register by Friday, Sept 6 at FPU.com/1094021Contact coordinator Susan Koepke for more information: koepkesj@gmail.com

*Scholarships available. Contact the church office.

Coffee Project newsSat-Sun, August 3 & 4Sunday, August 18

The Coffee Project Team’s 20th Anniversary Celebration continues, and YOU could be the winner! Each

month, the team is giving away a bag of coffee and a chocolate bar to two lucky customers who make a purchase of either item at any time during the year. So the more months you participate, the greater your chances of winning.

21&OverWednesdays, 7:30-9 p.m.August 7 & 21

THIS month the 21&Over group is following the summer schedule of meeting on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays, August 7 and August 21. Starting in September, the group will switch back to the 1st and 3rd Monday evenings. If you are interested in joining a 21&Over gathering, contact Pr. Fish to get on the email thread: pfish@stmarksaurora.net

Adult Fellowship Wednesday, August 21 Brunch & Matinée Show Starved Rock Lodge

The Adult Fellowship group will meet at 10:00 a.m. on the 21st in the church parking lot to arrange carpools If you have made other travel plans, please notify Priscilla at 630-553-0543. Seating begins at 11:30 a.m. It’s going to be a great buffet and show!

opportunities for adults

Lydia’s Piecemakers & Knit Pickers Annual Luncheon

Saturday, October 5 will be here before you know it! Mark your calendar to save the date for the annual quilt luncheon. Come and see vintage quilts cherished for generations, make new friends, and enjoy lunch. Tickets will be available starting the weekend of September 14 in the narthex. Plan to come and bring a friend.

Have a vintage quilt? Every quilt tells a story! The luncheon will feature antique and/or family heir-loom quilts. If you have a quilt handed down from a previous generation and story to share, please contact Mary Close at 630-636-7414 or Dotti Mat-son at 630-554-1926.

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Blood pressure screeningsSunday, August 11

Do your heart a favor this month, and get your blood pressure checked. This is a free monthly service offered by our Health & Wellness nurses, and we hope you will take advantage of it.

Calling all creative souls . . .Our communications are expanding! We are making more use of screens, website, posters, banners, signs, slideshows, and videos. All of these call for some special gifts. Do you like to take pictures? Do you have an eye for design and layout? Do you have some Photoshop or Adobe InDesign experience? (Or would you like to learn a little?) What about writing skills?

If you answered YES to any of these, there’s a place for you on these new teams we’re forming:

• Graphics Team• Photography Team

We’re also looking for a new Photo Librarian. Ever since Nancy Clark moved East, our photo archives have been growing out of control! We need someone who loves to organize and can keep our Photo Library in usable shape.

If any of these items interest you, please contact our Communications Coordinator, Marcia Broucek: news@stmarksaurora.net. She’d love to talk with you!

opportunities for youth & families

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Nursery newsParents with small children, we apologize that the nursery has not been staffed during the summer. Please don’t take that to mean we think nursery is unimportant! In fact, the opposite is true. Pr. Fish, Kari Reiseck, Amy Mabrey, and the rest of staff have been working to put together a plan for our nursery ministry. We are excited about our new curriculum, resources for families with children 0–3 years old, and stations for faith formation to happen.

The nursery opens Sunday, August 25th. Starting on Rally Day, August 25, the nursery will be staffed at ALL Sunday worship services. We are hoping that volunteers can help us with staffing. If you are interested, contact Amy Mabrey (mabrey5@sbcglobal.net) or sign up at the Welcome Center. We want to share this workload rather than put it all on one person. Consider volunteering and helping our little ones know God’s love.

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Splash NightFriday, August 9, 5–7 p.m.For families with babies through 2nd graders

Come one, come all to our first annual St. Mark’s Splash Night on Friday, August 9 starting at 5:00 p.m. We’re gathering in the church playground area to play water games with our kids, from newborns to second graders. There will be kiddie pools, water balloons, and a water table. Feel free to bring squirt guns or any other fun water toys to share. We’ll also provide Popsicles and waters for everyone. Bring snacks, drinks, etc., plus outdoor chairs. See you there!

Bells workshopWednesday, August 7, 5:30–7:30 p.m.For kids 2nd through 8th grade

Give your kids a chance to be bell ringers for a few hours. They’ll get to participate in some creative team work while learning a bit about music. It’s fun and educational And there’s snacks. And it’s free! Contact Sue Hilderbrand (shilderbrand@stmarksaurora.net).

GraceRoad Ministry4th Sunday of the monthFor parents with kids in middle school/high school

We are excited to announce a new small group ministry called “GraceRoad Ministry,” for parents with kids in middle school and high school. The purpose of the group is to help parents find grace on the road to parenting their teens. We, as the church, recognize the tremendous challenges our young people face today and want to walk alongside them through all of it. Yet, we also don’t want to ignore the tremendous stress our parents face. That is why we feel this ministry is so important and so exciting. We want to connect parents to each other. We want to create spaces for parents with teens to talk together about the issues of parenting and have some social time doing all that.

Each month, we will have a topic for discussion, but the primary purpose is relationship building. We will meet once a month on the fourth Sunday at 6:30 p.m. starting in August. We will rotate houses to meet so that one family is not hosting all the time. There is no pressure to attend every month. The purpose is to build connections and lean on each other.

The first meeting is Sunday, August 25, at 6:30 p.m. If you are interested in being a part of this parent small group, contact Pr. Fish (pfish@stmarksaurora.net).

High School Kick-OffWednesday, Sept 4, 6:00 p.m.For HS families and students

On September 4th we’re having a back-to-school BBQ at 6 p.m. to discuss our plans for the year. Looking forward to another great year together!

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vacation bible school

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The kids assembled 100 blessing bags to be given to homeless people their families might encounter. One family was able to give a bag the same day, right in downtown Aurora. The homeless man smiled really big and thanked them profusely! The kids were so happy to be able to help him.

Who is my neighbor? EVERYONE!This year’s VBS program, Who Is My Neighbor?, was a great success. You should have heard the singing and felt the exuberance in every corner of our building! Kari Reiseck and a dedicated team of over 50 volunteers pulled together an amazing week of stories, crafts, games, and lessons that brought home the teaching that EVERYONE is our neighbor. And the creative backdrops and signs—even a “Mr. Roger’s” trolley, a food truck, and balloon trees—crafted by Greg Reiseck made the message come alive. We were thrilled to host 98 kids, with over half of them from the community!

We raised $581 for ELCA Good Gifts backpacks filled with school supplies. (58 backpacks!)

Each day of VBS highlighted people from a different part of the globe and ways that ELCA World Hunger is helping these neighbors. At each day’s closing, kids put hearts on a giant foam globe to show where God’s love was at work. It was a great visual representation of love around the world.

100% of our crew leaders were teenagers this year and we’re so proud and thankful for their hard work. They did a great job teaching the kids about God’s love around the world

opportunities to serve

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School supplies for Hesed House kidsAugust is back to school month, and, once again, our Outreach Project for the month of August is the collection of school supplies for children in the Aurora area. This year we are collecting notebooks, pencils, paper, scissors, school glue, crayons, colored pencils, markers, etc. for children in the Family Shelter at Hesed House. When you donate supplies, you give these children the tools they need to succeed in school.

You may want to consider buying a child’s backpack and filling it with the basic school supplies. This gift will allow a child less fortunate than yours or your grandchildren to be “like the other kids.” Please remember those in need when you go shopping for school supplies. And remember to take advantage of sale prices and 2-for-the-price-of-1 items.

Please drop off your donations at the Hesed House school supplies table by the window wall to the sanctuary. If you would like to give online to help purchase school supplies, go to our website: StMarksAurora.net/GIVE. Any donation, great or small, is appreciated. Your gifts allow all children to have the supplies they need for learning. Thank you for your generous giving.

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SAVE THE DATE“God’s Work, Our Hands” weekendFriday, Sept 6, 6:30–9 p.m. - clearing the spaceSaturday, Sept 7, 9–3 p.m. - masking, paint brushing + PIZZASunday, Sept 8, 11:30 a.m. - PIZZA, paint rolling, sit-down jobs

Across the nation, ELCA churches will be celebrating “God’s Work, Our Hand’s” day on September 8th with service to our neighbors. At St. Mark’s, we’ll be putting our hands together the entire weekend on behalf of the Child Development Center. In addition to painting, there will be opportunities on Sunday to create note cards and gifts for the CDC kids and their parents. There will be plenty of action & pizza for all!Sign up at the Welcome Center for time(s) you can help.

It's time to paint! The classroom walls at the St. Mark’s Child Development Center on Downer Place need refreshing, and we’re going to use “God’s Work, Our Hands” weekend to get it done. Get ready for Pizza & Paint . . .

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Inventory timeATTENTION MINISTRY & TEAM LEADERS: We need a list of any and all assets your team has or uses by September 30th. We want to make sure we are insured for the correct amount! It’s also a great time to see what items you don’t need and what will need replacing in upcoming years. If you have any questions and or comments, please feel free to contact me. —Don Friend (donaldfrnd@yahoo.com)

good to know

Leadership change in our synodBishop Wayne Miller is retiring from the Metropolitan Chicago Synod on August 31, 2019, after serving two-terms. Many people from St. Mark’s remember Bishop Miller’s pastoral leadership at St. Mark’s from 1993 to

2007. On September 1st, Bishop-elect Yehiel Curry will officially begin his six-year term, with a formal installation scheduled for Saturday, October 19th. Curry holds a Master of Divinity from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, has served as pastor of Shekinah Chapel

Lutheran Church in Riverdale since 2013, and as mission developer at Shekinah from 2007 to 2012.

Constitution updateWould you like St. Mark’s to:

• add a high school person to Council to represent our youth?

• add a Vice-President and Secretary to strengthen Council and relieve some of the burden on current members?

• shorten the term for Council members to two years to make it more feasible for new people to serve?

• follow ELCA “best practices” guidelines for internal controls of finance, data security, and audits?

The problem is that NONE of these are provided for in our current constitution! Our constitution lays the groundwork for how we function, and it needs not only to match our practices but also to be in sync with the larger ELCA church. So, it’s time. The last update of our Constitution was in 2004! It’s especially important now so our next Senior Pastor won’t need to get bogged down in outdated materials and procedures. The Constitution Team will be presenting their recommended changes for your vote in the Fall.

Dreams turned into realityThe Neighbor Project’s annual summer event on June 22nd was an amazing day. Fourteen volunteers achieved an unbelievable amount of work, including removal of yard debris, tree trimming, weeding, mulching, basement cleaning, wall and ceiling painting,

installation of a new ceiling fan and range hood. Plus a BBQ cookout!

The work day substantially improved the condition of the property in preparation for the arrival of a new family that will be joining The Neighbor Project program and will be partnered with St. Mark’s for the next two years.

We’re also thrilled to report that the Kakule family, whom St. Mark’s has supported for the last two years, has now graduated from The Neighbor Project program with the successful purchase of their first home here in Aurora. The church’s financial contributions made this dream possible.

Spotlight on StewardshipIn May this year, the West Aurora Board of Education recognized St. Mark’s for our involvement and positive impact on the young people of

our community, specifically those who are volunteer mentors at McCleery Elementary. As the new school year ramps up, we thought you’d like to hear from some of our McCleery volunteers:

Clare Toynton: “Volunteering at McCleery has been an excellent experience. I had often considered volunteering, but not until St. Mark’s started the program with McCleery did I get involved. This will be my third year helping third-grade students in math. The kids appreciate the extra help, and the teachers are thrilled some children can receive additional support. It is exciting to see the ‘light bulb’ go on. I’m so glad I took advantage of this opportunity.”

Roald Haase: “When greeted by my first-grade charges, I didn’t know what to think. They were a polyglot bunch not only with local language backgrounds but also African, Latin American, and south Asian. Quickly it became clear that this was no ‘Dick and Jane’ exercise. Imagine them trying to read the word “pterodactyl.” And imagine me trying to explain it! Each child is different, each personality unique. Some shy, some boisterous, some funny, but all worth helping.”

Sarah Anderson: “I love seeing how much progress these kids make from the beginning of the school year to the end! As the kids get to know me, they get really excited when I come back each week. And it’s so easy! There’s no preparation; the teachers have everything ready. I get to listen to these wonderful first-grade students read, and it makes me feel as if I have something to give. And I’m glad to be a part of spreading St. Mark’s love.”

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“Mission Support” is the portion of your weekly financial offering that our congregation shares with our synod and the churchwide organization, the other two expressions of this church.

“Mission” is a broad term used to describe all the ministries of this church, not just those involving ELCA missionaries who work with our Lutheran partners around the world. “Support” is the portion of members’ offerings that makes all ELCA ministries possible, here at home and abroad.

Mission Support is the way Lutherans share Jesus’ message of love around the world. It is the lifeblood of the work that God does through global ELCA. Mission Support from ELCA congregations provides almost 80% of the financial support for this worldwide ministries.

Your gifts and offerings each week do so much more than just pay for lights and paper for St. Mark’s. Your gifts and offerings literally go around the world—helping, supporting, encouraging, and sustaining people in a whole host of ways. Which means that your faithful giving—either through the offering plate or electronically—is so important! We are not an island unto ourselves. We are in a partnership with millions across our community, state, nation, and world.

As you consider your financial situation during these summer months, remember how important your gifts and offerings are for the mission of St. Mark’s and how broad and vast your gifts and offerings become for sharing the Good News of Jesus in our world.

Thank you for your faithful support and the very real ways that your gifts and offerings make a difference in lives of people today! — Pastor Olson

stewardship

Stewardship + Mission = Us!As members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, we do mission together through our financial giving. We do God’s work in ways that no individual, congregation, or synod can do alone.

If you’re interested in volunteering at McCleery this year, come to an informational meeting on August 27 at 6:30 at St. Marks.

St. Mark’s monthly financial recap for June 2019Monthly information

Monthly Budget Goal  $ 70,914.83Monthly Offering information Envelopes – General Fund     $ 56,309.93 CDC Rent/Administration $ 4,387.50 Miscellaneous $ 193.00 Other $ 594.96 Total General Fund Income  $ 61,485.39Monthly Surplus (Shortfall)  $ (9,429.44)

Summary General Fund information as of 6/30/2019Annual Budget  $ 902,978.00Percent of Year Completed 50%Offerings/Commitments/Other Income $ 442,190.26 received year to date   Actual Expenses year to date  $ 490,226.71Actual Expense Surplus (Shortfall) year to date  $ (48,036.45)

Budget Surplus (Shortfall) year to date  $ (35,298.74)

Summary “Share and Secure” Capital Campaign information as of 6/30/2019

Giving to “Share and Secure” to date  $ 632,062.61Transferred to Outreach  $ 64,272.88Principal Payments to Mortgage  $ 561,270.18

Debt Balances as of 6/30/2019Principal Remaining on Church Building $ 1,570,076.34Principal Remaining on CDC $ 493,734.98 (payments from CDC operating income)

General Fund owes Special Fund $ 20,000.00

council & finances

Eligible Thrivent Financial members can use the Thrivent Choice grant program to direct their “Choice Dollars” to St. Mark’s. Last month, Thrivent deposited $197 in our account, thanks to David and Kathy Bloom, and Sheryl Murphy. Thank you for directing your Thrivent Choice Dollars here.

Council highlightsJuly 16, 2019

Council approved a fundraiser request from the Music Ministry for a 5 B’s BBQ to raise funds for new robes, liturgical tunics, and educational instruments.

Council approved a request for a new Ricoh Copier contract to replace the contract that is expiring.

Treasurer Charlie Brummet stated that money had to be borrowed from operating reserve fund. We have a deficit of about $12,000.

Council discussed changes to the Constitution & By-laws. Susan Koepke of the Constitution Team explained areas of the Constitution that need updating or changing, e.g., council term lengths, additional officers, high school representative appointed to Council, quorum rules for annual meeting/congregational meetings, audit committee, and adding a Mutual Ministry team.

The Ministry site Profile will need the input from the congregation. Surveys will be done the first three weeks of August via online and paper copies. Goal is to have the Ministry Site Profile completed and submitted to the Metro Chicago Synod and ELCA by the end of August.

A final wrap up of the Capital Campaign will be done. The three chairs of the Capital Campaign have agreed to do the wrap up.

Plans are in the works for the Fall stewardship campaign: “60 years/Decades of Dedication.”

Plans are to move the Sunday School children grades 3–5 to FDL, beginning this Fall. Many reasons were given for this decision, including the fact that FDL uses the same curriculum as Sunday School. Nursery Revision plans to have curriculum for 0–3 year olds, with learning stations and a learning session each week.

The Property Team has scheduled a scoping of the property to see what is causing the continued water leakage into the basement.

Council voted to give $5,000 from the Hanson Fund to Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS).

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Pastoral ActsFuneral: Jess Holcomb – June 27, 2019Wedding:Kyle Warns & Nicole Poulous - July 16, 2019

Stock GiftsDid you know that you can fulfill your pledge or Capital Campaign commitments by making a direct gift of your appreciated stocks or mutual funds? You will receive a charitable tax deduction for the full fair market value of the stock or mutual fund and potentially reduce or eliminate any capital gains on the appreciated stock. In order to take advantage of this, you must DONATE THE STOCK DIRECTLY TO THE CHURCH. The church then sells the stock in order to turn the donation into cash. If you are interested in initiating such a gift, please contact Financial Secretary Beth Benson at giving@stmarksaurora.net or 630-234-6529. Additionally, if you have taken advantage of stock gifting in the past, there are NEW instructions, so please contact Beth for the instructions.

August 3 & 4 Saturday, 5:00pm Sunday, 9:00 am Sunday, 10:30 am

August 10 & 11

August 17 & 18

August 24 & 25

S W servers for worship

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Website 1-year anniversary

St. Mark’s Lutheran Church 27 South Edgelawn Drive

Aurora, IL 60506630-897-6891

office@stmarksaurora.net facebook.com/stmarksaurora

NEWSLETTERS: Read The Courier & The Vineyard

UPCOMING EVENTS: Buy tickets or register

INSPIRATION: Check out “God Pause” devotions (new!)

CALENDAR: view this month plus months ahead

Send yourself an event reminder. Send an event invitation to a friend!

SERMONS: Read a sermon from last week, month, or year

Go to the GIVE tab to make a pledge payment or give a special offering

The TOP row giving options remain constant:• General Fund (pledges)• Capital Campaign• Memorials & Endowments

The BOTTOM row giving options fluctuate, depending on the special offerings/projects at St. Mark’s and global needs. This month includes:• school supplies for Hesed House• Lutheran Disaster Response• World Relief DuPage/Aurora

Have you discovered all you can do on the St. Mark’s website? The RESOURCES tab is your go-to spot.

Visit our website:StMarksAurora.net