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Food For Though - "The First Fire"
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 Hildegard of Bingen, born in 1098, was a mystic, poet, composer, dramatist, doctor, scientist. From childhood, she experienced dazzling spiritual visions. At age 43, a voice commanded her to tell what she saw and so began an outpouring of extraordinarily original writings. When she died in 1179 at 81, she left a rich legacy which speaks eloquently across the ages. Her poem, "The First Fire" seems particularly apt as we prepare for our celebration of Pentecost - a day on which our songs and prayers are filled with images of the Holy Spirit, that "Spirit of Fire" -
Spirit of fire,
Paraclete, our Comforter,
you're the Live in alive,
the Be in every creature's being,
the Breathe in every breath on earth.
Holy Life-Giver,
Doctor of the desperate,
Healer of everyone broken past hope,
Medicine for all wounds,
Fire of love,
Joy of hearts,
fragrant Strength,
sparkling Fountain,
Protector,
Penetrator,
in you we contemplate
how God goes looking for those who are lost
and reconciles those who are at odds with him.
Break our chains!
You bring people together.
You curl clouds, whirl winds,
send rain on rocks, sing in creeks,
and turn the lush earth green.
You teach those who listen,
breathing joy and wisdom into them.
We praise you for these gifts,
Light-giver,
Sound of joy,
Wonder of being alive,
Hope of every person,
and our strongest Good.
- Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179)
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Worship
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In the baptismal covenant, we are asked, "Will you continue in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers?" and we respond, "I will, with God's help."
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The Day of Pentecost: Ezekiel 37:1-4; Acts 2:1-15, 22-24, 37-41; John 15:26-27; 16: 4b-15
"I will sing to the LORD as long as I live;
I will praise my God while I have my being." - Psalm 104:34
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Worship Schedule Updates and Reminders
A reminder that there will be only one service this
Sunday, May 24th at 9:30a.m. as we gather as the One Body of Christ to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost.
On
Sunday, May 31st we will worship at 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Because Christian Formation has ended for the year, we will simply enjoy an extended coffee hour between the services and after the second service for any who are available and would like to gather for informal conversation. Because it is the fifth Sunday of the month, please plan to bring your favorite snack to share -- all letters of the alphabet!
On
Sunday, June 7th we will begin our Summer Worship Schedule with two services. The first at 8 a.m. in the Lady Chapel and the second at 9:30 a.m. in the Sanctuary. We will head to our lakefront location for the second service beginning in July.
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Feast of Pentecost and UTO Ingathering
 This Sunday, May 24th there will be only one worship service at 9:30 a.m. as we gather together to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost and to hold our UTO Ingathering.
Be sure to bring your coin boxes with you and/or to make a check payable to United Thank Offering; envelopes for checks will be available that day.
After worship, we will head outside (weather permitting) to enjoy a fabulous ice cream social thanks to the members of St. Mark's Vestry!.
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Chapel and Sanctuary Flowers
If you would like to donate 
money toward chapel and sanctuary flowers on a Sunday, a flower chart is available in the Parlor. The minimum suggested donation for one week is $25. Instructions for completing the form and envelopes for payment are next to the chart. This is a lovely way to remember or give thanks for a loved one.
Contributions which exceed the funds needed for altar flowers will be set aside for the ongoing landscaping needs of the church.
If you would like to join the dedicated team of volunteers who prayerfully select and arrange the flowers for Sunday services, please speak with any member of the Flower Guild - Virginia Beatty, Ellie Bergman, Dorothy Laudati, Michael Schoen, or Dale Seifert or send an e-mail to Coty at [email protected].
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This Sunday's Lay Ministers
Thank you to the following parishioners for sharing their time and talent with the congregation this week. If you would like to become involved, please contact Pastor Debra at 847-732-9564 or [email protected].
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Lectors: Aina Gutierrez, Bob Barr
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Eucharistic Ministers: Liz McElhatton, Milner Seifert
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Acolytes: Mickey Loewenstein, Patrick Nee, Eva Sondgeroth
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Lay Eucharistic Visitor: Milner Seifert
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Altar Guild: Dorothy Laudati
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Altar Flowers: Dorothy Laudati
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Vestry Persons of the Day: Aina Gutierrez, Lori Goede
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Ushers: Tacia Johnson, Alison Walsh, John Fitts
- Ice Cream Sundaes: The Vestry of St. Mark's
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Welcoming New Worshipers: All the People of St. Mark's
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Christian Formation
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Lifelong Christian faith formation is important for lifelong growth in the knowledge, service and love of God as followers of Christ. Regardless of where you are on your spiritual journey, no matter what season of life you are in, you are invited to enter into a prayerful of continuous learning.
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Dr. Basha to Speak at Round Table at Northwestern University
This Friday, May 22 from 12 - 1:30 p.m., Sami Basha will be speaking as part of a round table conversation organized by Northwestern University called "Pedagogy of Liberation, a Palestinian Perspective: Cultivating new ways to engage each other in a context of conflict." In addition to being a valued member of the St. Mark's community this part year, Dr. Basha is a Fulbright Research Scholar at Northwestern. He has invited anyone from the St. Mark's community who might be interested to attend. You will need to register online (no charge) by going to
http://planitpurple.northwestern.edu/event/476939. You will see that it is a "faculty" event; but Sami assures us that all are welcome.
Also, a note that the Basha family - Sami, Elisabetta, Sara, and Elia will be returning to their home in Palestine next month. Please join us on Sunday, June 7 as we bid them farewell during the 9:30 a.m. service.
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Handbell Workshop Saturday May 30th, David will be conducting a free workshop on handbells from 9:30-11:30AM. You will learn various ringing techniques, basic methods for reading handbell music, rhythm exercises, and keeping a steady tempo as a group. Our hand bell group is a multi-generational group, so anyone age 5 and above is welcome to join. Due to size limits for the number of handbell ringers in a bell choir, please RSVP to David Plank at
[email protected] to ensure your spot!
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?? Music Night??
If it's Wed
nesday Night it's Music Night at St. Mark's! Who will be the composer of the month? What will be the instrument of the fortnight? Will the
re be a quote of the week? Come and find out! Associate for Music Ministries, David Plank, leads "Music Night."
People with any level of musical background-even those with no music experience-are welcome to come upstairs to the choir room on Wednesday night from 6:00-7:30. Younger children, starting at age five, are welcome to join with all ages from 6:00-6:30. Youth and adults can come (or continue) from 6:30-7:30. Please contact David with any questions you may have at
[email protected].
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Fellowship
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Where are you today? Lonely and afraid? Joyful and confident? Somewhere in between? Wherever you are in your journey of faith, know that there is a place for you here, companionship for the journey in this community gathered.
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St. Mark's Men's Group will meet for breakfast at Walker Brothers at 7:30 AM on Saturday, May 30. All of the men of the parish are welcome, as are your friends and neighbors. Hope to see you there. For more information contact Bruce Gaede;
[email protected] 847-274-0541.
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SMAC (St. Mark's Active/Adventurous Christians) - Youth Group
On Tuesday, May 26 we will be packing lunches together at St. Mark's for the Wednesday Lunch Program - a joint ministry of St. Mark's and St. Matthew's. Meet in the St. Mark's kitchen at 6 p.m. Once the lunches are packed, we'll walk to Andy's Custard for dessert. Please bring money for Andy's and parents, please plan to pick your young person up at Andy's Custard between 7:15 and 7:30. Questions: contact your somewhat fearless leaders, Pastor Debra at 847-732-9564 or Deane at 231-313-9217.
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This Week at Saint Mark's
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Thursday, May 21
7:30 p.m.
Choir Rehearsal,
Choir Room
Sunday, May 24
9:30 a.m.
ONE SERVICE of Holy Eucharist for Pentecost
followed by an Ice Cream Social!
Monday, May 25
Memorial Day,
Office Closed
Tuesday, May 26
6:30 p.m.
Wednesday Lunch Packing,
St. Mark's
7:30 p.m.
InterPlay Class,
Cunningham Hall
Wednesday, May 27
11:00 a.m.
Wednesday Lunch,
St. Mark's
6:00 p.m.
Music Night,
Choir Room
7:00 p.m.
Evanston Creative Writing Group,
Library or Panera
Thursday, May 28
7:30 p.m.
Choir Rehearsal,
Choir Room
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| May 3 Nick Easton May 4 Martha Lettner May 6 Helen Baker May 7 Elizabeth Lele May 9 Avis Redwine,
Victoria (Laudati) Smith,
Alice Rocca May 10 Bonnie Lindstrom May 13 Milind Lele May 16 Vittorio Laudati May 18 John Sagan, Jr., Hughie Lele May 19 Anne Heinz, Kate Lewis, John Baker May 22 Veronica Braithwaite, Bob Molumby, Mary Koss May 23 Lee Gaede May 26 Molly Skelton, Todd Skelton May 27 Reba Howard May 28 Dalia Benz May 29
Robin Tucker,
Donald Koss,
Kate (Chase-Lansdale) Hayes,
Nasim Clark
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May 1
Mickey and Susan Loewenstein
May 3
Dennis and Carol Martin
May 24
Calvin and Holly Yanaga
May 30
Gunnar and Elizabeth Lewis
May 31
Dave and Victoria (Laudati) Smith, Fred and Susan Lewis
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Social Justice & Outreach Opportunities
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St. Mark's continues its commitment to our community through its many social justice and outreach activities. Following are ways in which you can get involved with the St. Mark's community in helping to create a better world.
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|  Midweek Lunch Program Volunteers! Lunches are being packed on Tuesday evenings at 6 p.m. in Cunningham Hall. Lunches are being served on Wednesdays (volunteers are asked to arrive by 10:45 and stay until 1 p.m.). If you're interested in volunteering, please sign-up here:
For more information, contact Community Engagement Coordinator, Jacqui Zeng at [email protected]. |
Social Media and St. Mark's
 If you have your mobile device it would be good if you put it on silent when in worship. But if anything in Sunday's service - a prayer, reading, hymn or the sermon-moves you, please feel free to tweet it or post it to Facebook #StMarkEvanston. While you're at it, "check-in" with us on Foursquare!
St. Mark's website has up-to-date information on all that's new at St. Mark's - including a current calendar of events - check it out at http://www.stmarksevanston.org. Also, we are on Facebook and Twitter! Find us at http://www.facebook.com/StMarkEvanston and follow us @StMarkEvanston.
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New Landscaping for St. Mark's This Spring!!
Now that spring is here, the building improvement work begun during the 150th anniversary to make our parish a more welcoming, beautiful and safe place for worship can shift outdoors. Nature's Perspective, a well-known Evanston company, will implement a plan to dramatically improve the landscaping in front of St. Mark's and the area around the new sign and the St. Francis garden. The St. Mark's Landscaping Committee, Dale Seifert, Carol Martin, Lola Himrod, Nancye Kirk, and Joanna Greene, requested bids from three companies, received two bids and the vestry approved the committee recommendation to select Nature's Perspective for our landscaping work. Work will begin in the next couple of weeks.
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In The Community
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God calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves. Loving finds all of its meaning in relationship. The following are opportunities to be in relationship with one another and with the community of Evanston.
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Adult InterPlay Group 
InterPlay is an easy to learn creative process that invites adult participants to express themselves through storytelling, movement and vocalization. Through well-established methods of play participants can simply have fun. They can also discover new things about themselves and others. InterPlayers across the world are celebrating its 25th birthday this year. You can be part of the party! No Prior Experience is Necessary. This class meets every Tuesday night in Cunningham Hall. The cost is $5 per session. Contact: Christina Ernst (847)899-5329.
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 Evanston English Country Dance Group
This group meets every other Wednesday in Cunningham Hall. All dances are taught and prompted. We learn English Country dances devised from pre-1650 to the present. Jane Austin would recongize much of the dancing we do. Once a month, we have live music performed by Putting on Aires; the other Wednesdays, the music is from an extensive CD collection. You are welcome to come with or without a partner. Wear comfortable shoes (the type you would use to walk a mile) and casual clothing. We ask for a $5 ($3 for students) admittance fee to cover the rent and to buy music for the band. For further information, contact Tom Senior 847-606-8704, [email protected].
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 Evanston Creative Writing Meetup
If you like to write and want a supportive environment in which to write, join us! Each week, a member volunteers to provide writing prompts to spark our creativity. It can be a first line, an object, a picture, a situation. For about 10-15 minutes we write and if we feel like sharing we read our creation aloud. This is not a critique group - only positive feedback is encouraged. We usually fit in 3-4 prompts in an evening. Member ages range from young adults to octagenarians. You do not have to be a serious or professional writer to participate. The group meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month in the Old Library at St. Mark's or Panera. For more information go to http://www.meetup.com/Evanston-Creative-Writing-Group/
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Wrestling with Angels: A Night of Engaging the Bible and Each Other
Brent House, the Episcopal ministry at the University of Chicago invites all to join in a discussion with the contributors to
Disquiet Time: Rants and Reflections on the Good Book by the Skeptical, the Faithful, and a Few Scoundrels
. The collection features essays and reflections from a wide range of contributors on the topic of the Bible, including the Rev. Victor Conrado, assistant rector at St. Mark's Glen Ellyn. Wednesday, May 27 from 7:30 - 9 p.m. at Rockefeller Memorial Chapel, 5850 South Woodlawn Avenue, Chicago.
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Preparing for General Convention -
As we prepare for the 78th General Convention of the Episcopal Church, all members of the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago are invited to hear from the members of our deputation. A meeting will take place on Thursday, May 28 from 6 - 7:30 p.m. at St. James Commons, 65 E. Huron Street, Chicago.
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Altar Guild Conference
The Episcopal Church Women (ECW) is pleased to announce the Diocese of Chicago Altar Guild Conference on Saturday, June 6 from 8:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church in Wheaton. Altar guild members and anyone with an interest in the history of our church are invited to attend. Registration is $15 in advance, $20 at the door including lunch. Details can be found on the ECW website, http://www.ecwchicago.org.
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 March with the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago on June 28 Join the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago on Sunday, June 28 to march in Chicago's Annual GBTQ Pride Parade. With nearly 1 million people in attendance, the parade is an amazing opportunity to deliver our message of hope in Christ, of complete love and acceptance in God, and of changing the world through the Holy Spirit to a massive audience. This year's parade is approximately 2.5 miles long, beginning at Montrose and Broadway and ending at Diversey and Sheridan. If you've never marched before, it is an amazing experience. We'll have signs, streamers, music, and even a minivan if you get too tired. All you need to do is show up -- and wear a blue t-shirt! To march with the diocese, please email Matthew Zaradich at [email protected] and put "Episcopal Pride" in the subject line. We need an accurate count of marchers, so please email as soon as possible. If you'd like to commute in with Pastor Debra, send an e-mail to [email protected]. |
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The Volunteer Lay Chaplain's Training Program
is now accepting Applications for Enrollment in their Fall 2015 training program which will meet at Christus Victor Lutheran Church, 1045 S. Arlington Heights Road, Elk Grove Village on Saturday mornings September 5 through December 5. For more information and an application form, please see Pastor Debra.
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Parish Prayer List
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If you would like your loved ones added to (or removed from) the prayer list, please send an e-mail to [email protected]. Thank you.
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We bid your prayers for: Helen Baker, Veronica Braithwaite, John Burnham, Tony Campise,
Walter Clarkson, Karen Cornelius, Bob Easton, Hal Griffith, Mary Hair, Charlie and Judy Kopp, Grace Lettner, Kathy Lettner, Ayden Lettner, Ann Lettner, Jake Morris, Mary O'Dowd, Jan and Jeri Offutt, Danny White, Char Wiss, Jane McCarron, Carol Albertson, Diana Austin, Carol Beatty, Roger Cain, Marilyn Goede, Patricia Gosling, Susan Greene, Dave and Jan Gurniak, Jeff Heiting and his family,
Andre King, Allison King, Marc King, OJ Mabwa, Carl Messier, Garrett Moody, Scott Moody, Tricia Moody, Aaron Rawley,
Leo Stuyt, Tim and his family, Jill Vannatta, Richard Walsh.
We pray for those who have died: Debbie Heiting, sister of Pastor Debra's brother-in-law. We pray for the people in: the Diocese of Southeast Mexico and in the Diocese of Renk. |
Stay Connected
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