This Week at St. Mark's         July 7, 2016
4-Church Worship at the Lakefront THIS SUNDAY
We've called it "beach-a-palooza" . . . . other years, we've just referred to it as the largest gathering of Episcopalians in Evanston. . . but, whatever we call it, one thing is sure: when St. Andrew's, St. Luke's, St. Mark's, and St. Matthew's get together for worship at the lakefront it is a glorious morning indeed!  This summer we will gather on two occasions.
  • This Sunday, July 10 with worship at 10 a.m. followed by a splendid coffee hour! To sign up to bring goodies for coffee hour, go to  http://bit.ly/LemonadeCookieSignup
Worship will take place at St. Mark's usual lakefront location.  If it rains, we will move our worship to St. Luke's, 939 Hinman Avenue, Evanston. Then, in August, we'll do it all again: 
  • August 14 with worship at 10 a.m. followed by a "Ravinia-style" picnic. "What's that?" you may ask.  It's a pack your own picnic for you and your family, brin  g a dessert to share with the community and come and enjoy a great morning and afternoon at the lakefront kind of day! To sign up to bring a dessert to share, http://bit.ly/LemonadeCookieSignup
Worship
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." 
This Sunday's Lay Ministers- Thank you to these parishioners for sharing their time and talent with the congregation this week. If you would like to be involved, contact Pastor Debra at [email protected]
  • Altar Guild: Sharon Friend, Evelyn Russell
  • Flower Guild: Mike Schoen
  • Ushers: John Lucadamo, Doug Sondgeroth, Nancye Kirk
  • Lay Eucharistic Ministers: Aina Gutierrez, Abigail Seifert
  • Eucharistic Visitor: Andrea Nowack
  • Vestry Person of the Day: Nancye Kirk
  • 8 a.m. Coffee Hour Snacks: G-L
  • Lakefront Lemonade and Snacks: Nancye Kirk, Gutierrez / Sondgeroth Family, and you?
Third Saturday Worship - Our 3rd Saturday worship services will take a break for the rest of the summer. We will resume on Saturday, September 17 at 4 p.m.
Social Justice & Outreach Opportunities

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.

Backpacks:  St. Mark's will once again be a distribution site for school supplies as a COPE partner site. Donations of new backpacks can be dropped off at St. Mark's Monday through Friday - from 7 am to 11 am or on Sunday mornings.  There is a box in the entryway between the parish offices and the parlor.  If you would like to make a financial contribution to COPE, you can do so at this website: http://evanstoncope.weebly.com/.  In addition to providing school supplies, COPE (Caring Outreach by Parents in Evanston) provides assistance year round to Evanston families with immediate needs related to sustenance, safety and shelter through a network of volunteers in the Evanston school district.
 
Producemobile - Tuesday, July 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 July 12, please send an e-mail to Pastor Debra, [email protected] or sign-up at http://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080d4fafac2fab9-evanston2. Thank you to staff and volunteers from St. Mark's who helped out in June: Bruce Gaede, Anna Holladay, Rima Lockwood, Andrea Nowack, David Plank, and Chris Schultze. 

Midweek Lunch: Come and join us! There are two weekly opportunities to serve our neighbors who struggle with hunger and homelessness. Every Tuesday from 6:00-6:30 pm, lunches are packed in the kitchen here at St. Mark's, and every Wednesday lunch is served at 11 a.m. On Wednesday, volunteers are asked to arrive by 10:00 a.m. and stay until 12:30 p.m.
 
Lunch packing and serving is a great way to get to know members of your church family and meet others from St. Matthew's, our partner in this ministry. Please join us as we joyfully build a deeper sense of community both within our church and more broadly in Evanston. You can make this commitment to fit your schedule: weekly, monthly, or every once in a while! Do you have summers off from school or work? Start thinking about ways you can plug in to this ongoing program. To sign-up, please click these links:

Questions? Contact Anna Holladay, Community Engagement Director, at
Fellowship
Second Friday Dinner is on Vacation: There will be no dinner out this Friday. . . stay tuned for next month (and, while you wait, consider joining us for dinner on Tuesday, July 12th - read on!). . .

Fun Night: Starlight Concert and Food Truck Festival - 
On Tuesday, July 12 from 7-8:30, join us at Brummel Park (Brummel St. at Elmwood Ave.) for a night of free live music accompanied by a Food Truck Festival! Performing that night is "R-Gang", a group bringing fun & soul from the Motown era into the 21st century. Be sure to bring with you a blanket or lawn chair and some cash for the food trucks. Please RSVP to Anna Holladay, Community Engagement Director, at    [email protected]  or by calling the church office.
A Lion Hunt to Create Fellowship Across the Miles-
Betsy and Sebastian teamed up at Skokie Sports Park to find their lion. . . where will you find yours?
Each summer, St. Mark's parishioners and staff members fan out across the country (sometimes across the globe) as travel plans take them outside of Evanston.  This summer, St. Mark's invites you to go on a Lion Hunt!  The lion is our mascot and so we invite you, wherever you are (even if you don't leave Evanston) to keep your eyes open for lions - stuffed, real, in a painting, in the pages of a book - and take a picture (preferably with you in it). Then, send it to Natalie at the church office ( [email protected]) OR better yet, post it to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtags #StMarkEvanston and #LionHunt. We can't wait to see all the places you've found a lion to remind you of St. Mark's!
In This Issue:
Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
Amos 7:7-17; Colossians 1:1-14; Luke 10:25-37

"God takes his stand in the council of heaven; he gives judgment in the midst of the gods. Psalm 82
Calendar
Thursday, July 7
10:00 a.m.
Holy Eucharist, King Home

Sunday, July 10
8:00 a.m.
Holy Eucharist, Lady Chapel

10:00 a.m.
4-Church Worship, Lakefront

Tuesday, July 12
8:30 a.m.
Producemobile, Robert Crown Center
 
6:00 p.m.
Lunch packing, Cunningham Hall

7:00 p.m.
Starlight Concert, Brummel Park

Wednesday, July 13
6:45 a.m.
AA meeting, Bethlehem Chapel

11:00 a.m.
Midweek Sack Lunch, Cunningham Hall

7:00 p.m.
Finance Committee Meeting, Volunteer Office
Birthdays
July 3
Ruthanne Brule
Amaru Greene

July 4
Phyllis Lyons

July 8
Elsa Sondgeroth

July 10
Asher Sondgeroth

July 13
John Fitts
Gordon Lewis

July 14
Char Wiss

July 18
Marion Drew

July 24
Joshua Lettner

July 25
John Sagan
Lisa Liang

July 26
Meagan O'Dowd

July 27
Alica Yanaga

July 29
Sharon Friend
Nadia Himrod

July 31
Richard Forst
Anniversaries
July 14
Ed & Jane McCarron

July 16
Dorothy & Vittorio Laudati

July 25
Hector Cortes & Byron Scott

July 28
Theodore & Donna Richardson

July 30
Bob & Trish Barr
SMAC (St. Mark's Adventurous Christians - a/k/a Youth Group) News for Youth . . . and for the Rest of Us!
Going Where Our Youth Are: If you have events you would like included for your young person or if your child will be at camp and you'd like them added to the prayer list while they are away, please email Pastor Debra,  [email protected]
Lunch Packing, Starlight Concert & Food Trucks!  Meet Pastor Debra at St. Mark's on Tuesday, July 12 at 6 p.m. so that we can pack lunches together for the Wednesday lunch program. Afterwards we will carpool over to Brummel Park (at the corner of Brummel and Elmwood in Evanston) for an evening of live music accompanied by a food truck festival. Bring a blanket to sit on and money for your dinner at the food trucks.  Let Pastor Debra know by July 5 if you'll be coming by texting 847-732-9564 or emailing, [email protected].  Parents, if you are not attending the Starlight Concert, please plan to meet your young person at Brummel Park at 8:30 p.m. to get them home. 
 
Confirm not Conform Info Night will take place on Sunday, August 28 from 6:15 - 8 p.m. at St. Mark's.  Confirm not Conform (CnC) is a place for incoming 7th, 8th, and 9th graders to ask tough questions about faith and to search out answers. Through interactive classes, mentor relationships, field trips, retreats and the challenge to do a whole lot more than just learn a few facts; CnC lets you take real responsibility for understanding your faith and its power.  At the end of the two-year program,  you choose whether or not to be confirmed. All participants, whatever their decisions, are honored in a special service dedicated to their work, exploration, and discoveries. This information night is your opportunity to hear about the program, get a copy of the year's calendar of events and to ask questions.

Softball Game: Kate J. and Betsy J. will be playing softball at Howard Park (Lake and Ridge in Wilmette) on Monday, July 18th. Kate's game starts at 5:45 p.m. Betsy's starts at 7:15 p.m.  Come on out and cheer them on!
In the Diocese
Antiracism Training in July-  Please join Pastor Debra at the next Understanding & Analyzing Systemic Racism training offered by the Diocesan Antiracism Commission and partner organization Chicago ROAR will be July 28-30 at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago in Hyde Park.  Learn more and registerThe cost is just $75 and includes workshop materials, breakfast and lunch on Friday and Saturday.
Other Announcements
Staff Vacations: Natalie Greene, Office Manager, is on vacation until July 12. David Plank, Associate for Music Ministries, is on vacation until July 16. Please keep Natalie and David in your prayers as they travel. During their absence please send any needs and requests to Pastor Debra 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. Also, find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @StMarkEvanston!

Farewell, Thank You and Good Luck to Anna Holladay - The Julian Year is coming to a close and that means we will soon be saying goodbye to our Community Engagement Director, The Rev. Anna Holladay.  Anna's last Sunday will be July 17 and her last day in the office (and at Wednesday lunch) will be July 27.  To help with Anna's move to her very own apartment - her first! - Pastor Debra invited Anna to set up a Target Registry so that we can say thank you and contribute items she will soon need.  To participate, you can go to this link and select a gift: http://bit.ly/AnnaApartment OR you can pick up a gift card to Target and give it to Anna on Sunday, July 17th when we gather for worship.  So that Anna can travel lightly, please have any gifts from her registry sent to her new church: The Rev. Anna Holladay, Holmeswood Baptist Church,9700 Holmes Rd., Kansas City, MO 64131
In The Community

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.

New Session of Tai Chi Chuan starts Saturday, July 10-
This is an ancient Chinese martial art that promotes well-being by circulating the chi of the body through a series of slow, relaxing movements.  The Human Process teaches the Yangstyle short form each Saturday morning at St. Mark's.  Practicing Tai Chi helps replenish energy reserves, improves balance, loosens tight muscles and brings more flexibility to joints and ligaments.  It is a cardiovascular and weight-bearing exercise.  For more information, contact The Human Process at 847-556-6040. 
 
InterPlay is at St. Mark's on Tuesdays 7:30 - 9 p.m. This is an opportunity for adults to shake out everyday stress.  Refresh and rejuvenate yourself.  Meet new people.  Deepen existing connections. Explore all of your awesomeness just as you are. And... the list goes on.  Those are some of the benefits you'll enjoy in these weekly, Tuesday night drop-in sessions. No prior InterPlay experience is required to attend.  Anyone and everyone can do the activities in this class.  So, come just as you are.  Sliding scale $8 - $15 per session. To learn more about InterPlay, visit them online here and here. You can also email event leader Jeff Breting at [email protected].
Evanston Creative Writing Group-  Do you like to write?  Do you like to be creative but find it challenging sometimes to put yourself on the page?  Do you enjoy receiving challenging prompts that spur your creativity?  The Evanston Creative Writing group is a creative prompt group designed to get you on the page and start the creative juices flowing.  Each meeting one member will act as the Prompt Master, offering a writing prompt like a picture, a first line, an object, or even a single word.  From these prompts members will write for fifteen to twenty minutes, creating a unique and original story, or perhaps creating something that will be the start of something bigger.  Please note that this is not a critique group.  We offer positive comments on what our authors create, understanding that the writing generated within our group is rough or "first-draft".  We accept all members, from those who are serious about writing to those who use the time offered to blow off some creative steam.  We meet on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month in the library at St. Mark's. For more information visit us online here
Parish Prayer List

The prayer list has been refreshed for the month of July (and is at the beginning of each month).  If you would like your loved ones placed (back) on the prayer list at any time, send an email to Pastor Debra at [email protected]

We bid your prayers for:  Helen Baker, Astley Bent, Veronica Braithwaite, John Burnham, Martha Burns, Karen Cornelius, Bob Easton, Lynn Erickson, Hal Griffith, Charlie and Judy Kopp, Grace Lettner, Kathy Lettner, Ayden Lettner, Ann Lettner, Ted Loda, Donald McCrea, Jake Morris, Mary O'Dowd, Jan and Jeri Offutt, Sarah Sutcliffe, Casmir Szczepaniak, Char Wiss, Ronnie Witt IV, Carol Albertson, Betty Augustinos, Lucy Augustinos, Carol Beatty, Margaret Beatty, Joseph Compton, Chisara Conception, David Cresap, Faye Delandro, Jay Johnson, Katie Iles, Alaf Kwayana, OJ Mabwa, Pat Martin, Carl and Lindy Messier, Susan Murrell, Reg Ryan, Terri Shepard, Helen Snow, Tim and his family, Clifford & Byrdie Tucker, Richard Walsh, Juanita White, Julie Whitmore.

We pray for those who have died:  Mary Sawers, friend of Bob & Trish Barr
 
We pray for the people in:   the Diocese of Southeast Mexico and the Diocese of Renk.
St. Mark's Episcopal Church | 847-864-4806 | [email protected] |   http://www.stmarksevanston.org
1509 Ridge Avenue
Evanston, IL 60201