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!

St. Mark the Evangelist, by Antonio Domenico Gabbiani (1652-1726), Florence, Italy, Museum di San Marco dell-Angelico

Rector's Message

Dear Church,

Two concurrent celebrations are happening this weekend in our neck of the Episcopal woods: the "BPG" or Big Provincial Gathering in South Bend, Indiana, and our own celebration of the Feast of St. Mark, our patron saint, this coming Sunday, April 28th.

The Episcopal Church is divided into regions called "Provinces," of which there are nine total. They include international dioceses. We are in Province Five (V) which consists of the Dioceses of Northern Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan, Michigan, Ohio, Southern Ohio, Northern Indiana, Indianapolis, Springfield, Chicago, Missouri, Milwaukee, Eau Claire and Fond du Lac.

This BPG is a convention of all of these dioceses, and an opportunity for workshops, worship, plenary meetings and networking (indeed, I am attending in order to meet and learn from other campus ministers as research for my additional role as chaplain to Northwestern students). The entire conference's worship and music was designed by and will be led by our own Westley Hodges, and they have been preparing for many months for this huge event. Hold Westley in your prayers and give thanks for their representation of St. Mark's for this important occasion! For more info about the BPG, click here.

Then Westley and I return just in time for our annual celebration of our patronal feast, Mark the Evangelist, on Sunday. Mark's red-letter martyrdom date is marked as April 25, 68 C.E., and as one of the four gospellers, Mark is given a special date on the church calendar since the early days of the canonization of the New Testament.

For THIS St. Mark's, it means a higher-church celebration at 10am, where we wear the liturgical color red and there will be incense and some chanting. The carefully-curated music will be wonderful, and at the Announcements time we will present the 2024 Lion of the Year award to a worthy parishioner (come and find out who!). A little birdie told me there will be a return of a very fun coffee-hour CAKE in honor of our patron saint, too.

Whether you are with us in spirit or with us in person, please join me in giving thanks for the wider Church family in Province V, and let us also give thanks for all holy places named for their patron saint Mark the Evangelist on the occasion of his feast day.

Blessings,

Greg+

This Week at St. Mark's

Save the Date

Sunday, May 5

• 7:00 pm - Choral Evensong in the Sanctuary. A 15-minute pre-Evensong recital by violinist Vannia Phillips starts at 6:45 pm.

Saturday, May 11

• 7:30 pm - Spring Concert Series: Coriolis in the Sanctuary. This concert will be followed by a champagne, sparking cider, and dessert reception.

Saturday, May 18

• 11:00 am - Funeral for Maryallen Estes. Follwed by a Reception in the Parlor

Sunday, June 2

• 2-5:00 pm - Interfaith Family LGBTQ+ Pride Fest at Raymond Park, Evanston (See flyer below)

Sunday, June 16

• Race Against Hate 2024

Announcements

Remembering Maryallen Estes (1926-2024)

Earlier last week we lost 97-year-old Maryallen Estes. She is survived by four children (and grandchildren) including parishioner Flo Estes.

The family and St. Mark's are pleased to announce the date of Maryallen's funeral:

Saturday, May 18, 2024

11:00am

Followed by a Reception in the Parlor

If you are available to help with the reception, provide any baked goods, or assist in worship, please let Greg+ know.  The choir is also invited to confirm with Westley if individuals are available to sing.

First Friday at Reza in Evanston May 3rd

Please join us for dinner at Reza's in Evanston (1557 Sherman) at 6:30 pm. They serve Persian and Mediterranean food which means lots of good options for all. You can review the menu at rezarestaurants.com. They have suggested that we consider ordering family style but are still willing to accept single orders. However, they will not do individual checks to remember to bring cash or be prepared to send payment via Zelle. Last month at Mount Everest we had 20 diners! Looking forward to another impressive gathering. Remember, it's OK to bring a friend! Please let me know if you are interested in attending - Rachel Easton       224-234-9380         

Adult Forum 9am Series: Easter Themes and the Movies!

Greg+ leads an Adult Forum series each week at 9am in the Parlor over coffee and breakfast treats, and the topic is Easter Themes and the Movies. This Sunday, April 28th,

Join us as we discuss this film and its religious allegory. All are welcome to attend, even if you’ve never attended one before. Beginning today, we will be video-recording the class and uploading to St. Mark’s YouTube page for those who cannot attend in person.

Here is the link for last week's discussion on Superman (which was flagged for copyright issues, so some portions are muted):

The film is streaming on multiple platforms including Max, and for rent on Apple TV+, or is available to rent at a library - and Greg has DVD and bluray copies to borrow. Click here to learn more.

All are welcome to attend, even if you’ve never attended one before.

St. Mark's Day (Apr. 28) - Consider Giving to our Trust

This year St. Mark's will be celebrating St. Mark's Day on April 28th. Our tradition since the creation of St. Mark's 1970 Trust Fund, our "rainy day" fund, has been to deposit our open collections on that day, along with any specially designated contributions, into the 1970 Trust. Over the years, this Fund has provided much-needed money for various extraordinary purposes, including both unanticipated operating and capital expenditures. So, please keep this important goal in mind as St. Mark's Day approaches, and give generously to ensure our future financial stability.

Evensong — May 5, 2024 at 7pm (pre-service recital at 6:45pm)

Join us for our annual Evensong, led by our fabulous choir and some other special guests! The service will start at 6:45 p.m. with a pre-service recital by violinist Vannia Phillips. Our guest organist will be Beau Surratt, and Westley will conduct the choir. Greg+ will officiate the service. Please be sure to mark your calendars and come out for a beautiful service of prayer, songs, readings, and canticles. You don't want to miss this annual tradition at St. Mark's! For more information, please contact Westley.

Personal Finances Presentation by Northern Trust

During coffee hour after church on Sunday, May 5th, our Investment Committee has arranged for Northern Trust to present a session covering the basic financial topics of Spending, Saving, and Credit for our parishioners. This one-to-one-and-a-half-hour session is intended for adults and soon-to-be-adults alike, and will focus on developing a plan for spending and saving that aligns with your values and goals, as well as building and using credit responsibly.

If this discussion is as successful as we hope it will be, our plan is to hold additional sessions next fall that will cover more advanced topics, such as planning for retirement and investing basics. The committee is very grateful to Northern Trust for providing these timely and informative classes, and we look forward to hosting a full house at each of them. Because having a solid understanding of personal finance concepts is so important, St. Mark's also will be inviting the other parishes in our Deanery to participate remotely via Zoom, which will be available to our own parishioners as well.

See you there!

Spring in the Garden

Rain and warm weather are bringing flowers and new growth to the gardens. If you are interested in providing annuals or cold-hardy perennials for up to 5 planters in the front of the church please contact Lola Himrod at Lhimrod@comcast.net or 847-864-7815. Or, if you are interested in ordering and/or organizing a planting party this fall of spring bulbs, she would be happy to hear from you.

Mulching Party - Sunday, May 19th after the 10am Service

It’s time for mulching our beautiful grounds and property for the summer season. As we have done in previous years, we are calling on all parishioners to join together to make the work go by super-fast. Sunday, May 19th is the Feast of Pentecost, and the last Sunday before Memorial Day Weekend and the unofficial start of the summer season. Wear jeans and outdoor clothes to the 10am service and plan to stay to pitch in, if you are able. Coffee Hour will be both inside and outside as a treat (weather-permitting). For more info or to volunteer in advance, please let Lola know at Lhimrod@comcast.net.

Westley Hodges Leads Music at the Big Provincial Gathering

The Big Provincial Gathering (BPG for short), for Province V of the Episcopal Church (a cluster of dioceses around the Great Lakes), is a convention for which our own Director of Music, Westley Hodges, is leading the worship and music. The BPG is an opportunity to meet new people from across the dioceses and connect with others who share your ministry passions. It is structured like a "ministry fair" so that people may host workshops and conversations to share program and resource ideas with others. Pre-event trainings will run from Thursday afternoon through Friday morning, the Synod meets on Friday afternoon, we celebrate a community Eucharist Friday night, and workshops run on Saturday. EVERYONE is invited to this event! For more info, click HERE.

Inspired to Action: Wednesday, May 1st at 7pm

Join us as this gathering to find out how our interfaith dialogue groups (many of which started during the Pandemic) have been supporting each other, sharing resources, advocating together, and educating and activating their faith communities around shared social justice initiatives.

Inspired to Action : IAE Subcommittees & Interest Groups Panel

Find out about work of these groups around shared social justice initiatives.

• Hunger/Homeless Advocacy,
• Racial Justice & Equity,
• Climate Change & Justice and
• Refugees /Immigration

When:

Wednesday, May 1st , 2024

Where:

First Congregational Community Center

1417 Hinman Avenue, Evanston, IL

7:00 p.m. – 8:15 p.m.

Meeting will also be available Online via Zoom. RSVP by April 29th - https://tinyurl.com/51inspired

Race Against Hate Set for June 16th

Join with our Episcopal kin in saying NO! to Racism in Evanston as we support our friends at the YWCA in their battle to End Racism. St. Matthew's, St. Augustine's (Wilmette), St. Andrew Pentecost, St. Luke's and St. Mark's are participating again in this annual event, a walk/race for a cause: to support the equity work of the YWCA. Last year, the Episcopal team was the top fundraising team. What will we do this year? To register, go to tinyurl.com/racehate2024 and look for the team: Episcopalians Unite Against Hate. And Save the Date, June 16th.

Episcopal Church Foundation (ECF) - 75th Anniversary

The Episcopal Church Foundation designates April 16th as ECF Day to celebrate 75 years of service.

2024 marks the Episcopal Church Foundation’s (ECF) 75th year of dedicated ministry and service to The Episcopal Church. ECF is designating April 16th as ECF Day and invites Episcopalians everywhere to participate in thanksgiving celebrations for the ministry of the organization.

On its 75th anniversary, ECF stands as a testament to what can be achieved when faith meets action. ECF continues to be a wellspring of support for Episcopal faith communities, providing resources for financial management, leadership development, and community transformation. ECF’s mission today is to be a catalyst, agent, and advocate for transformation and growth in The Episcopal Church in innovative and spiritually-grounded ways.

Click Here to Read More about this important organizations work for the Church.

Education for Ministry Open House - Wednesday, May 15th

Interested in deepening your relationship with God? Want to study scripture with other committed people? Looking for an intimate intentional spiritual community? Consider joining an EfM group. Education for Ministry is a four-year seminar course in which you’ll study the Old and New Testaments, church history, and theology while engaging in the weekly practice of theological reflection. The EfM program is designed to help us prepare for the ministry we are all called to as Christians. You’re invited to participate in an existing group’s session at our open house on Wednesday, May 15 from 6pm until 9p.m. at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church at 939 Hinman in Evanston. Please contact Laura Jenkins at laura.m.jenkins@icloud.com for more information or to register for the session.

Presiding Bishop - Nominee Slate

The Episcopal Church’s next presiding bishop will now be selected this summer at General Convention from the five nominees, including new petition nominee DeDe Duncan-Probe of Central New York.

To read the biographies of each candidate, please go to this link: tinyurl.com/pbtec2

Red Cart Sunday - Sunday, May 19th

Help the Wednesday Lunch Program! Bring jugs of juice/non- carbonated drinks (apple juice, cranberry juice, lemonade, or iced tea) or powdered mix for iced tea or lemonade. Package cookies (Oreos, windmill, and fudge stripe, etc. are preferred). We also need grocery style plastic bags that we use to pack lunch items for people who request a lunch to go. Place items in the cart at the back of the sanctuary.

THANK YOU!

Thank you to all who came to the Noon Concert this past Monday, where we heard Michael Brazille perform on the harpsichord (and several guests were able to approach the magnificent instrument for a closer look at its design and artwork!). You can view the concert on our YouTube channel if you missed it.

Coming Next Week - a new Ridge Notes and the 2024 Fall Concert Series announcement!

Pictured is Vannia Phillips, guest violinist for our annual Evensong.

2024 Spring Concert Series:

Sun. 5-5, 7:00 pm— Choral Evensong,

Prelude recital by Vannia Phillips, violin

Sat. 5-11, 7:30pm—Coriolis, a cappella choir

Not subscribed to Ridge Notes?

You can subscribe by following the link below!

Creation Care Corner

In Our Prayers

Celebrating Birthdays

Rudy Burke (4/23)

Timothy Himrod (4/23)

Dick Brooks (4/28)

Holly Benz (4/28)

Michelle Mbuki (4/30)

Celebrating Anniversaries

Gary and Elizabeth McElhatton (4/19)

Nathan Waller and Michael Schoen (4/26)

Have we missed your birthday or anniversary? 

If so, please send an email to elion@stmarksevanston.org

so we can correct our records and include you in the next issue of the eLion.

Clergy, Staff & Ministry Chairs

The Rev. Gregory L. Millikin, Rector

(847) 864-4806, ext. 114

(310) 721-6356 (mobile)

rector@stmarksevanston.org

Westley Art Hodges, Director of Music Ministries

(847) 864-4806, ext. 118

(312) 241-5308 (mobile)

music@stmarksevanston.org

Andrew Schaeffer, Interim Parish Administrator

(847) 864-4806, ext. 102

office@stmarksevanston.org

Rudy Burke, Sexton

(847) 687-9172 (mobile)

(847) 864-4806, ext. 103

sexton@stmarksevanston.org

Tim Heuer, Senior Warden

srwarden@stmarksevanston.org

Nancye Kirk, Junior Warden

jrwarden@stmarksevanston.org

Chris Schultze, Treasurer

(847) 864-4806, ext. 112

treasurer@stmarksevanston.org

Allison Ashley, Creation Care Team

creation@stmarksevanston.org

Donna Richardson, Outreach & Social Justice Committee

outreach@stmarksevanston.org

Patrick Furlong, Investments Committee

investment@stmarksevanston.org

Vestry

Gretchen Constantine, Adrianna Dangremond,

Julia Ferguson, Aina Gutierrez,

Kathy Hart, Deane Johnson,

Hardy Murphy, Chris Schultze

and Dan Whitmore  

vestry@stmarksevanston.org

Have news to contribute to the eLion? Send it to elion@stmarksevanston.org