A reminder that if you have announcements for the newsletter or the bulletin, they must be sent to Katie at community@stmarksevanston.org no later than Tuesday at 12 noon.
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Faith, Formation and Fellowship
My soul waits for the Lord,
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning. - Psalm 130:5
This Sunday is the Fifth Sunday in Lent and the appointed readings are
Ezekiel 37:1-13;
Psalm 130;
Romans 8:6-11; and
John 11:1-45. We invite you to take some time this week to read them in advance so that they can speak to you throughout the week. If you don't have a Bible nearby, you can find the passages at this website:
www.lectionarypage.net
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 rector@stmarksevanston.org.
- Altar Guild: Trish Barr, Dorothy Laudati
- Ushers: Marion Macbeth, Dorothy Laudati, Bob Barr, Rich Forst
- Acolytes: Abigail Seifert, Patrick Nee, Mickey Loewenstein
- Lectors: Dorothy Szczepaniak, Rich Forst
- Eucharistic Ministers: Lisa Montgomery, Dale Seifert, Liz McElhatton
- Eucharistic Visitor: Andrea Nowack
- Vestry Persons of the Day: Nathan Waller, Alison Walsh
- Coffee Hour Snacks: Last Names beginning with A through F
Easter Flowers -
One of the most beautiful ways in which we mark the difference between the season of Lent and the joyous celebration of the Feast of the Resurrection is in the way we adorn our sanctuary. All are invited to help us create a festive display by contributing money toward St. Mark's Altar Guild Flower Fund. This fund is used both to adorn the sanctuary with flowers and to maintain the landscaping at St. Mark's. Contributions may be given in memory of a loved one or in thanksgiving or honor of someone special. The requested minimum donation is $20 per name. Please make checks payable to St. Mark's Episcopal Church and indicate "Easter Flowers" in the memo line or place cash in an envelope clearly marked Easter Flowers. Forms are available in the parlor. You can place the forms and payment in the offering plate or in Pastor Debra's mailbox in the hallway. If you prefer to pay by credit card, you can go to our website, click the "Donate" tab and follow the instructions on PayPal. Requests to remember or honor loved ones in this way, must be in to the church no later than Wednesday, April 5.
Easter Preparations -- If you would like to help prepare the sanctuary for our celebrations of the resurrection, you are invited to gather in the parlor at St. Mark's on Saturday, April 15 at 9 a.m. We will set out the Easter flowers, prepare candles for the vigil, polish brass, decorate the parlor for our coffee hours and receptions and more! There is always something for everyone to do! All ages are welcome!
Easter Vigil Reception:
Please add to our festive receptions for the Easter Vigil on April 15 bringing something to share: appetizers, mixed nuts, fruit and sweets are all options. Treats should be already plated / ready-to-serve. If you would like to join Joanna Greene in setting up for and cleaning up after the Easter Vigil reception, please contact her at jsgreene@hotmail.com.
Easter Day Coffee Hours:
Please add to our festive coffee hours on Eastery Sunday, April 16 between the services and after the 10:30 service by bringing something to share: savory or sweet, crunchy or chewy, store bought or homemade are all options. If possible, please bring treats already plated / ready-to-serve.
Listening Below the Noise at St. James the Less --
Interior anxiety, worry, concern and fear steal our peace and paralyze our sense of hope. Perhaps more now than ever Christians must practice listening be-low the surface of our mind for the deeper wisdom of the Spirit. St. Paul invited the early Christians into the mind of Christ. When our thoughts are bathed in the spiritual heart we bec
ome the peace of Christ and we are astounded by God's use for us. On Saturday, April 8 from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. the Rev. Lisa Senuta will lead enriching practices of holy listening using a variety of contemplative practices. St. James the
Less Episcopal Church (550 Sunset Ridge Rd. Northfield IL 60093) Register through the office - virginia@stjamestheless.org. Cost: $15, (pay at the Quiet Day)
Preparing for the Paschal Feast -- On Tuesday in Holy Week, April 11, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., all members of the diocese are invited to gather at St. James Commons and St. James Cathedral for a time of preparation for the celebrations of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Great Vigil of Easter. The half-day retreat is offered as a time of refreshment and reflection and will begin with prayer and meditation, include a celebration of the Eucharist with the blessing of chrism and conclude with a simple lunch of soup, salad and bread (optional for those who can stay.) The Ven. David Painter will serve as guest preacher and, during the Eucharist, chrism will be blessed for use in congregations. To register, go to:
http://bit.ly/PaschalFeastPrep. There is a $10 fee to attend.
St. Mark's Book Fair Ends This Sunday!
Looking for that perfect Easter gift for your kids or grandkids? Stop by our Book Fair in the Parlor on Sunday morning and shop award-winning Bibles, books, and videos for kids. Save up to 50% PLUS free shipping on all titles. Payment for ordered books must be made in advance with cash or check payable to St. Mark's (memo: bookfair). For credit card payment option, please speak with Pastor Debra; a surcharge will apply.
Going Where the Youth Are: Being Church
The Church is wherever God's people are gathered and for our youth that is often not at St. Mark's - the building - because they are involved in so many extra-curricular activities. Imagine the positive message we might share with our young people by Being Church where they are - at the ice rink, on the baseball diamond, at the debate club, at their concert. Let's show up and cheer for our young people. Let's Be Church Where the Youth Are! Take pictures, congratulate often, and remind our young people that they too are Being the Church wherever they are! If you have events to add on behalf of your young person, please email Pastor Debra, rector@stmarksevanston.org
Tyler is the Assistant Technical Director for USC's School of Dramatic Arts production of Evita which runs the weekends of March 30th and April 6th. If you can't get to southern California to see the show, you can send a note of encouragement to Tyler Maegawa-Goeser, Arts & Humanities Residential College, 920 W. 37th Place, Los Angeles, CA 90007 or email to tcmg98@gmail.com.
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Outreach and Social Justice
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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. For more information and to volunteer, contact John Lucadamo
Social Justice Forum Series Concludes This Sunday-- Join us this Sunday, April 2 at 9:30
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Katie Kuriyama will lead this Sunday's forum
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a.m. (Bethlehem Chapel) as Associate for Community Engagement Katie Kuriyama presents on
Jesus' Third Way: An Introduction.
"Jesus' Third Way" is a term used by the late biblical scholar, theologian, and activist Walter Wink to describe Jesus' creative alternative to our natural "fight or flight" responses to conflict.
Katie will introduce Wink's work by leading a group discussion on Matthew 5:39-41, considering how Jesus' words understood in their social context applies to social justice. Turns out, Jesus' audience did not hear his words as "doormat theology"! Katie joined St. Mark's staff in October, and was introduced to Walter Wink's work during her Religion & Conflict Transformation studies through the Boston Theological Institute.
In the Community
50th Anniversary of Rev. Dr. King's Speech: Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence -- Sherri Bevel, Chicago nonviolence educator, activist, and the daughter of civil rights movement leaders James Bevel and Diane Nash, will headline "A Call to Conscience: Revisiting King's Radical Revolution of Values." This convening of peace and justice organizations, along with a reading of excerpts of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s prophetic Riverside Church speech, will take place Sunday, April 2nd, from 1:30 - 4:30 pm, at Chicago Temple, 77 W. Washington, Chicago, Illinois. This event is free and open to the public. For more information or to RSVP, click here and follow the links:
www.chipeaceaction.org
"Upstander" Training --
Want to learn practical, individual ways you can stand up to bigotry and hate? Evanston for All's Solidarity Response Team is offering "upstander" training that involves hands-on learning and role-playing. If you want to learn more about the 5 D's (Direct, Distract, Delegate, Delay, and Document), please come on Tuesday, April 4, from 7 -9 p.m. to St. Paul's Fellowship Hall (1004 Greenwood St., Maple Ave. entrance).
Understanding and Analyzing Systemic Racism workshop will be held on April 20 - 22 at Oakton Community College in Skokie, Illinois. This is a unique opportunity for St. Mark's as most of the trainings have taken place in Hyde Park. If you have questions about what to expect, contact Pastor Debra, Liz McElhatton, Andrea Nowack, or Katie Kuriyama who have all attended the workshop within the past year. The most recent workshop filled up quickly (over 60 attendees!); so, please register early. Registration is now open, and you can learn more and register online
at
http://bit.ly/ChicagoROAR.
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Palm Sunday Services: Sunday, April 9 at 8 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.
This service begins with a joyful procession with palms and gives way to a dramatic reading of the passion narrative. Between the Sunday services, children and adults are invited to gather for an inter-generational time of formation from 9:30 - 10:15 a.m.
Maundy Thursday: April 13 at
7:30 p.m.
This service remembers the Maundy, the commandment of Christ to love one another even as each has been loved by him. And we remember his example in the washing of feet. The Eucharist is followed by the somber stripping of the adornments from the altar and church.
Good Friday: April 14 at
Noon
The service will include the solemn collects, communion from the reserve sacrament and adoration of the cross, with singing led by the choir.
The Great Vigil of Easter:
Saturday, April 15 at 8 p.m.
This is the first celebration of the Resurrection amid candles and song, and stories of the great and wonderful things God has done for God's people.
The Sunday of the Resurrection:
Sunday, April 16 at 8 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.
Eucharist will be celebrated at both services. Between the services, children are invited to gather for a time of formation from 9:30 - 10:15 a.m. The annual Easter Egg Hunt will take place on the front lawn after the 10:30 a.m. service.
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Stewardship
Each month in 2017 we will feature a ministry of St. Mark's where we can "count what counts" because we are Bound Together in Christ. If you have a ministry at St. Mark's where we can "cou
nt what counts" (lunches packed or served, pounds of produce distributed, hours of candles burned, number of notes sung!) contact Katie Kuriyama at community@stmarksevanston.org so we can assign you a month!
Counting What Counts:
St. Mark's is the location for many gatherings in our community. In addition to the groups from St. Mark's that utilize church space on a weekly basis, St. Mark's shared space with 20 other community groups in the month of March! What a joy it is that our building can be a blessing to others.
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Other Announcements
Prayer List
If you have loved ones you would like added to the prayer list at any time, send an email to Pastor Debra at rector@stmarksevanston.org.
We bid your prayers for: Bob Barr,Louise Beem, Astley Bent, Veronica Braithwaite, John Burnham, Tony Campise,Genevieve Costello,Karen Cornelius, Maryallen Estes, Caroline Frowe, Ann Lettner, Ayden Lettner, Charlie Lettner, Grace Lettner, Kathy Lettner, John Lucadamo, Donald McCrea, Bob Molumby, Jake Morris, Mary O'Dowd, Jan and Jeri Offutt, Casmir Szczepaniak, Danny White, Fareedun Ansari, Betty Augustinos, Lucy Augustinos,Paul Basenberg, Susan Murrell Castaneda, Marilyn Goede, Katie Iles, Joan and Sherwin, Jay Johnson, OJ Mabwa, Ahmed Mahmoud, Carl and Lindy Messier, Garrett Moody, Jim Riley and his family, Reg Ryan, Herman Schrock, Delores Sykes Hicks, Kelly Wheeler Szczepaniak, Tim and his family, Dorothy Waller.
We pray for those who have died:
Hector Carrasco, friend of Tacia Johnson
We pray for the people in
the Diocese of Southeast Mexico and the Diocese of Renk
April Birthdays
- Alison Walsh (3), Sandra Howard (5), Liz McElhatton (6), Ellen Bergman (7), Caroline Frowe (9), Dan Whitmore (9), Bob Barr (10), Holly Yanaga (11), Kendra Johnson (11), Jeremy Greene (16), Samuel Najem (18), Owen Baker (20), David Plank (21), Timothy Blue (23), Rudy Burke (23), Anna Holladay (4/25), Tom Durham (27), Holly Benz (28), R
ichard Brooks (28), Carrie King (29), Michelle Mbuki (30)
April Anniversaries: Milind and Blair Lele (3), Clark and Nasim Alexander (10), Gary and Liz McElhatton (19), Mike Schoen and Nathan Waller (26)
If we have missed your birthday or anniversary, please do let us know so we can correct the error. Send your name and date of birth to rector@stmarksevanston.org
Nametags - Please wear your nametags this season. It's welcoming! And helps us all converse and connect. If you need a nametag, please contact Katie (community@stmarksevanston.org)
Evanston English Country Dancers meet in Cunningham Hall on alternate Wednesday evenings beginning at 8 p.m. All dances are taught and prompted and include English Country dances devised from pre - 1650 to the present. Once a month, live music is performed by Putting on Aires; other Wednesdays, the music is from an extensive CD collection. Please come with or without a partner. Wear comfortable shoes (the type you would use to walk a mile) and casual clothing. The fee is $5 ($3 for students). Upcoming dates include: March 22, April 9, and April 19. For more information, contact Tom Senior at 847-606-8704 or ChicagoECD@yahoo.com.
Evanston Creative Writing Group
meets in Bethlehem Chapel on the 4th Wednesday of every month from 7 - 9 p.m. 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. 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 welcome you, and hope you will join us soon. Bring a notebook/pen or a computer on which to write - that's all you need!
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