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WELCOME "INTERIM" DEACON MARTHA
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|  I am delighted to announce that the Bishop's Office has appointed Deacon Martha Durham to serve as St. Mark's Interim Deacon
from May 31 through Labor Day this summer.
Deacon Martha and I began conversations about this (along with Deacon Joan) last January. Deacon Joan and Deacon Martha were classmates in Deacon School and Deacon Martha and I were lay parishioners at St. Mary's together prior to either of our ordinations. Deacon Martha has been a deacon at St. Mary's (Park Ridge) for a number of years; however, she has been on sabbatical since last fall. In the meantime, she and her husband Tom have purchased a home in Arizona and live there much of the year with plans to be in the Chicago area in the summer months. On the occasions of her visits back to Park Ridge over the last several months, we have continued to be in conversation. While Deacon Martha continues to discern where God is next calling her to serve and while St. Mark's continues to work through our grief surrounding the death of Deacon Joan, we felt that this would be a wonderful opportunity for Deacon Martha to experience St. Mark's and minister among us and for us to experience the gifts another deacon can bring to our community. Every vocational deacon has a different set of gifts and is called to utilize them in different ways. Deacon Martha and I continue to explore how her gifts might best be used at St. Mark's. I anticipate that she will help us with the transition time between Julian Interns and, with that in mind, she will work alongside Jacqui in June and July, learning the ins and outs of the Tuesday evening / Wednesday noon lunch program with St. Matthew's so that the transition to the next Julian can be as smooth as possible. She will also likely be involved in the 2nd Tuesday of the month Producemobile distribution at Robert Crown and will, of course, serve as the Deacon of the Gospel and of the Table on Sunday mornings. I'm also looking forward to hearing some of her wonderful children's sermons! You may remember Deacon Martha as she served as the Deacon of the Gospel at Deacon Joan's funeral service. She has also worshiped with us at both the 8 a.m. and the 10:30 a.m. service on a couple of occasions recently. I am really excited to bring Deacon Martha on board and hope you will join me in welcoming her. Her first Sunday with us will be on Sunday, May 31st. If you'd like to drop her a note of welcome, you can do so at [email protected]. She will be traveling some this month and may not get back to you right away, but assures me that once she is back, she will be thrilled to be joining us! -Pastor Debra+ |
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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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Sixth Sunday of Easter: Acts 10:44-48; 1 John 5:1-6; John 15:9-17
"With trumpets and the sound of the horn
shout with joy before the King, the LORD." - Psalm 98:7
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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: Nancye Kirk & Lori Goede
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Eucharistic Ministers: Milner Seifert & Liz McElhatton
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Acolytes: Tyler Maegawa-Goeser, Abigail Seifert, Elia Basha
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Eucharistic Visitors: Liz McElhatton & Alison Walsh
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Altar Guild: Sharon Friend & Evelyn Russell
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Altar Flowers: Michael Schoen
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Vestry Persons of the Day: Nancye Kirk & Nathan Waller
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Ushers: John Lucadamo, Nancye Kirk, Doug Sondgeroth
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Coffee Hour Snacks: Last names beginning with
D - I
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Welcoming New Worshipers: All the People of St. Mark's
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Feast of Pentecost and UTO Ingathering
On Sunday, May 24 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 return your coin boxes that day  or make a check payable to United Thank Offering; envelopes for checks will be available that day). This will also be the last Sunday during which Scott Sumner, our seminarian will be with us.
After worship, we will head outside (weather permitting) to enjoy a fabulous ice cream social!.
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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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 Children's Formation
On Sunday mornings from 9:30 - 10:15, children (ages 3 - 12) are invited to take part in small groups that include Bible reading and response through arts and crafts, games, and other activities. There are three classes and this week's leaders are: Liz McElhatton / Daisy Kishler (ages 3 - 5), Anne Heinz / Luke Urbanowski (ages 6 - 8), John Lucadamo / Lori Goede (ages 9 - 11).
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Church School Goes on Vacation
Sunday, May 17th will be the last Sunday of Christian Formation until the Fall. Please plan to be present as we say thank you to all of our teachers and volunteers!
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Adult Forum: The Work of the Holy Spirit
St. Mark's Seminarian, Scott Sumner, is only with us through Pentecost. Come and take advantage of what he has to share with our community by joining in a lively Bible-based discussion around ways in which the Holy Spirit works in and through the life of St. Mark's. The conversation will take place in the Old Library (next to Pastor Debra's office) from 9:30 - 10:15 a.m. on Sunday mornings, May 10 and May 17.
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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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♪♫ 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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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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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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| Spring Into Action: Impacting Homelessness in Evanston On Monday, May 11 from 7 - 8:30 p.m. at First Congregational Church, 1417 Hinman Avenue, Evanston join Pastor Debra (Chair of the Advocacy Committee of Interfaith Action of Evanston), Jim Picchetti (State Organizer for Chicago Coalition for the Homeless) and Sue Loellbach (Director of Development for Connections for the Homeless) for Interfaith Action of Evanston's Spring Gathering. This gathering will be a facilitated conversation about how advocacy work can enhance the direct service work that we already provide throughout our community to our homeless neighbors. Please come and be a part of the conversation - and be a part of the action! For more information, contact Pastor Debra at [email protected]. |
 Producemobile - Tuesday, May 12
On the 2nd Tuesday of each month, Interfaith Action of Evanston teams up with the Greater Chicago Food Depository to bring free, fresh produce to our neighbors in need. The distribution takes place from 9:30 - 11:30 at the Robert Crown Center. Volunteers are needed from 8:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. If you are able to help on May 12, please send an e-mail to Pastor Debra, [email protected] or sign-up at http://bit.ly/ProduceMobile.
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Third Sunday Food Drive
On the third Sunday of each month, St. Mark's will collect non-perishable food items to be shared with local food pantries. On Sunday
May 17
, please bring your boxes of cereals, cans of soup, jars of peanut butter and other non-perishables with you to church. The big red shopping cart will be waiting for you at the back of the sanctuary. This month's donations will be given to the
food pantry at the Salvation Army
.
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This Week at Saint Mark's
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Wednesday, May 6
11:00 a.m.
Wednesday Lunch,
Cunningham Hall
6:00 p.m.
Music Night,
Choir Room
8:00 p.m.
Evanston English Country Dancers,
Cunningham Hall
Thursday, May 7
10:00 a.m.
Holy Eucharist,
The King Home
7:30 p.m.
Choir Rehearsal,
Choir Room
Saturday, May 9
9:00 a.m.
Keeping God's People Safe Training,
Bethlehem Chapel
Sunday, May 10
8:00 a.m.
Holy Eucharist,
Lady Chapel
9:30 a.m.
Children's Formation,
Classrooms
9:30 a.m.
Adult Formation,
Library
10:30 a.m.
Holy Eucharist
with Music,
Sanctuary
12 Noon
Hand Bell Choir Rehearsal,
Balcony
Tuesday, May 12
8:30 a.m.
Producemobile,
Robert Crown Center
6:00 p.m.
Wednesday Lunch Packing,
Kitchen
7:30 p.m.
InterPlay Class,
Cunningham Hall
Wednesday, May 13
11:00 a.m.
Wednesday Lunch,
Cunningham Hall
6:00 p.m.
Music Night,
Choir Room
7:00 p.m.
Evanston Creative Writing Group,
Old Library
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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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|  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]. |
New Landscaping for St. Marks This Spring!!
Now that spring is here, the building improvement work begun during the 150
th
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. The Landscaping Committee will be available in Bethlehem Chapel after the 8:00 and 10:30 services on Sunday May 17
th
to discuss the landscaping plan and answer questions. We hope you can participate in this discussion.
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Keeping God's People Safe Training
St. Mark's and
The Diocese of Chicago is committed to doing everything in its power to maintain a safe and supportive atmosphere for the children and adults who are members of its congregations, attend its programs or participate in its ministries. To foster a secure environment, we have developed Keeping God's People Safe, a two-level workshop training program that sensitizes all of those who work with children in our church to the dangers of child sexual abuse and teaches them to recognize and prevent situations in which abuse or exploitation might occur. Level one, called Protecting God's People, is required for all clergy, paid employees, those who provide pastoral services, and all persons - volunteer or paid - who work with children or youth or vulnerable adults. This training will be offered by Pastor Debra at St. Mark's on
Saturday, May 9 from 9 a.m. - noon
. There is no cost to attend, but you must RSVP to [email protected] so that we have an accurate headcount. This training is required every 5 years. If you are not sure if you should attend, please speak with Pastor Debra.
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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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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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Coriolis Spring Concerts
Saturday, May 16, 7:30 pm Christ Church, Winnetka & Sunday, May 17, 4:00 pm St. Mark's Episcopal Church. From Byrd and Mendelssohn to Whitacre by way of Rorem, Tavener, and Stroope. Throw in offerings by Forrest, Bright, and Mealor. Coriolis presents its spring program featuring our usual eclectic selection of works for
a cappella
voices. Join us in one of these beautiful churches, and you will hear some amazing harmonies and sonorities. We'll even throw in a little choreography. Find program details at:
http://www.facebook.com/coriolisacappella
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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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Episcopal Relief and Development 75th Anniversary Reception All members and friends of the Diocese of Chicago are invited to Episcopal Relief & Development's 75th Anniversary photo exhibition, reception and ingathering on Tuesday, May 19 from 6-7:30 pm at St. James Commons. The event is hosted by Episcopal Relief & Development President Robert Radtke, and the program will begin at 6:45 pm. Light refreshments will be served. Please RSVP by May 13 at
http://bit.ly/ERDExhibit.
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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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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, 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, Andre King, Allison King, Marc King, OJ Mabwa, Carl Messier, Garrett Moody, Scott Moody, Tricia Moody, Leo Stuyt, Tim and his family, Jill Vannatta, Richard Walsh. We pray for the people in: the Diocese of Southeast Mexico and in the Diocese of Renk. |
Stay Connected
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