All of us at St. Mark’s share a commitment to our faith and to our community, and we welcome visitors regardless of religious background, race, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Everyone is welcome here.
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Gifts We Bring to a World in Need: New Bulletin Board
The word 'stewardship' simply means careful management of something entrusted to us. The Bible invites us to be stewards of all that is around – earth, sky, plants, animals and one another.You will find a bulletin board outside of the sanctuary that says “Gifts We Bring to a World in Need.” and we would like YOU to provide us with photos or short paragraphs that show us the stewardship work you do – whether that is through St. Mark’s or through paid or volunteer work in the community. For example, do you teach children in the community, volunteer at a local hospital, give blood, or visit the homebound? Whatever it is, we want to hear about it! We’ve already started the bulletin board with some stewardship photos from St. Mark’s but we know that there is much more that we do as we bring our gifts to a world in need. . .. and we want to share it with one another!
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Is Lent for You?
The season of Lent is a gift intended especially for those who are turning to the way of Christ in some new way:
- It may be that your Christian faith has only been a family tradition – until now. If this is the moment for you or your household to become intentional about following the way of Christ, Lent is for you.
- It may be that your faith has been a private affair – until now. If you are ready to make common cause with other disciples of Jesus, Lent is for you.
- It may be that Christ has always seemed a distant figure to you – until now. If this is the moment for you to deepen your relationship with Christ, Lent is for you.
If you would like to know how to take advantage of this opportunity, if you would like to prepare for confirmation or reception into the Episcopal Church, or if you would like to prepare for your own or your child’s baptism, or if you would simply like to renew your commitment to following the way of Christ, please talk to
Pastor Debra who will help you in plotting a course through Lent. And remember that we will all walk the path with you. Lent begins on Wednesday, March 6 with services of Ash Wednesday at 7:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Parish Pre-Lenten Retreat: Preparing for our renewal in repentance and faith
On Ash Wednesday, we will be invited to the observance of a holy Lent. In the invitation we will be reminded that Lent is a “time when those who, because of notorious sins, had been separated from the body of the faithful were reconciled by penitence and forgiveness, and restored to the fellowship of the Church.” What exactly does this mean and how might we preparation ourselves for such restoration during the 40 days of Lent? Join Pastor Debra who will lead us in a pre-Lenten retreat on Saturday, March 2 from 9 a.m. – 12 noon.
Lenten Midweek: Preparing for What We Already Are
In baptism we are marked as Christ's own forever. During the weeks of Lent, as we prepare to renew our baptismal promises at the Great Vigil of Easter, we will gather together each Wednesday evening, March 13 through April 11 for a light supper, followed by small group reflection and evening prayer. This series is open to all who are in grade 4 or older (check with Pastor Debra if you have younger children to see if this might be appropriate for them and/or to arrange for childcare).
Schedule:
6:30 p.m. Light Supper
7:00 p.m. Small Group Reflections
8:15 p.m. Evening Prayer
If you plan to join for supper, please RSVP to rector@stmarksevanston.org or sign up in the parlor. Otherwise, simply arrive shortly before 7 p.m. to join a reflection group.
Living Well through Lent
The
Living Compass Lenten devotionals,
Living Well Through Lent: Practicing Forgiveness with All Your Heart, Soul, Strength and Mind, are available to be picked up from the center table in the Parlor. The devotional is intended to be used for daily personal reflection and includes a reflection for each day of the week along with questions and a space for you to record your own thoughts, feelings or insights.
Lay Ministers for Sunday, February 17
Eucharistic Ministers: Milner Seifert (8 a.m.), Aina Gutierrez, Betsy Johnson, Liz McElhatton, Dorothy Szczepaniak (10:30 a.m.)
Lectors: Nancye Kirk (8 a.m.); Christine Schultze, Michelle Mbuki (10:30 a.m.)
Lay Eucharistic Visitor: Ted Richardson
Acolytes: Patrick Nee, Betsy Johnson, Lydia Pappas
Altar Guild: Pat Bent, Rachel Easton
Altar Flowers: Dorothy Laudati
Ushers: Fred & Susan Lewis, Lisa Montgomery, Emily & Sophia Chastain
Coffee Hour Hosts: Debra Bullock (8 a.m.), The Chastain Family (10:30 a.m.)
Coffee Hour Snacks: Last names beginning with M-S (2/17), T-Z (2/24)
Vestry Person of the Day: Deane Johnson, Chad Goeser
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Texts This Week
February 17, 2019
Happy are they who have not walked in the counsel of the wicked, *
nor lingered in the way of sinners,
nor sat in the seats of the scornful!
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Coffee Hour Hosts Needed for after services through March 24! If you are available to help set up and clean up after a service, please sign up in the parlor, or
email Timothy and let him know what weekend!
Come and Sing Choir Sundays! Last Sunday of Each Month
Anytime is a good time to join the choir! However, sometimes the pieces are a little intimidating to just pick up and Thursday night rehearsals are too much for some people’s busy schedule. To accommodate this, an accessible choral work will be chosen for “drop-ins” to join on the last Sunday of each Month. No choral experience necessary! No strings attached! To participate, stop into the sanctuary 30 minutes before the later worship service to rehearse without a mid-week, late-night rehearsal. Rehearsal for the “Come and Sing Choir Sunday” will be every Sunday in the month leading up to the Sunday in which the piece is to be sung.
(Anyone is welcome to join the choir on all Sundays with rehearsals on Thursday nights in the choir room from 7:30-9:00.)
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Jubi-latte and Tea Deum
(a/k/a Coffee and Conversation with the Priest)
happens each Wednesday from 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. at Cupitol (812 Grove Street). Pastor Debra looks forward to visiting with you then!
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Outreach & Social Justice
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3rd Sunday Juice/Sock collection
We use about two gallons per week. Please remember to put cranberry or apple juice on your shopping list for our Wednesday Lunch program.
We are also collecting
socks (men’s or women’s)
for the guests of the
Hospitality Center
.
Our next RED CART collection will be February 17
Please place the jugs or socks in the cart at the back of the sanctuary.
Thank you!
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Midweek Lunch
Each week, volunteers from St. Mark's and St. Matthew's work together to prepare and serve meals for our neighbors who struggle with hunger and homelessness. On Tuesdays from 6-6:30 p.m. volunteers prepare sandwiches. On Wednesdays, volunteers gather in Cunningham Hall from 10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. to serve the meal and talk with our guests. If you would like to help, please contact
John Lucadamo or
Donna Richardson for more information.
For any Social Justice and Outreach Ministry (SJOM) questions, please contact Donna Richardson,
dlynnrich322@gmail.com or 847.677.0701
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Birthday Blessings:
Emily Furlong (2/14)
Manel (Valdes-Cruz (2/16)
Luke Urbanowski (2/16)
Carly Ho (2/16)
We bid your prayers for:
Veronica Braithwaite, Mary Pat Buckley, Tony Campise, Jim Carver, Gerritt Dangremond, Caroline Frowe, Cyndi Hefler, Judy Kopp, Charlie Lettner, Grace Lettner, Paul Lettner, John Lucadamo, Jan and Jeri Offutt, the Babbitt-Lewis family, Herschel Brooks Lowe, OJ Mabwa, The Nacey family, Laura Easton and her family, Eric Mockler, Kevin.
If we have missed your birthday or anniversary, or if you have a name you would like added to the prayer list (or removed from the list) please send an email to Timothy at
office@stmarksevanston.org
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Other News and Information
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Email Fraud at St. Mark’s
Like many other clergy at other churches, as well as with business owners and other companies, email fraud is on the rise and is very persistent. Over the last month we have had a few notable email fraud attacks. These
look
as if they are sent by Pastor Debra. They came from email addresses similar, but not identical, to the actual email addresses.
Please note that Pastor Debra's actual email address is:
rector@stmarksevanston.org
Example A:
Last week the email "From" was rector.smarksevanston(at)gmail.com, which is not a match with Debra’s official St. Mark’s email address. The text started with "How are you? I need a favor, please respond as soon as possible." Once responded to, the next email got to the point, "Go purchase ____ gift cards for my friend in the hospital. I will pay you back as soon as possible." Then they send further instructions on how to transfer the value by phone and/or email.
Example B:
Keep in mind there is also what is known as email "spoofing." This will appear to have the correct "From" email address, but that is only an altered display name, which is easily done in Outlook or Gmail. This has also happened to Pastor Debra a couple of times.
What Should You Do?
1.
If the "From" is not the official email address above, then just delete the email without opening. If you do open the email, DO NOT RESPOND. If you respond, your email address will be noted as live and you will get more such requests. You can also see if you can block future emails from the address or label as Junk Mail with your email service.
2.
If the email "From" appears to be legitimate and you open the email, remember the following:
o Pastor Debra will never email you a request to purchase gift cards, transfer money or any other such action. So just delete any such request, again without responding.
o If you think the request still may be legitimate, be cautious. Always seek to verify the legitimacy by calling, texting or visiting Pastor Debra. Do not try to verify by email.
St. Mark’s is committed to keeping our community as safe as possible – even in this digital age.
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