Sunday, December 18 Fourth Sunday of Advent 9:00 A.M. Worship with Live-stream
10:00 A.M. Wassail with homemade cookies in Fellowship Hall
10:05 A.M. Sunday School meets in Fellowship Hall
11:00 A.M. Worship in Sanctuary
6:30 P.M. Youth Group at St. Mark Monday, December 19 10:30 A.M. Classic Chorale Rehearses Tuesday, December 20 10:00 A.M. Staff Meeting
11:00 A.M. St. Mark Duplicate Bridge Wednesday, December 21 7:00 P.M. Voices of St. Mark Thursday, December 22 9:00 A.M. Cherry Valley Bridge Group
12:30 P.M. Sew and Sews
6:00 P.M. Staff Christmas Party
6:30 P.M. Emotions Anonymous Friday, December 23 7:30 A.M. St. Mark Breakfast Group at Denny's Restaurant Saturday, December 24 3:00 P.M. Christmas Eve Worship
8:00 P.M. Christmas Eve Worship
10:00 P.M. Christmas Eve Worship Sunday, December 25 Merry Christmas 9:00 A.M. Worship with Live-Stream (one service only) | Fourth Sunday of Advent, December 18
9:00 am - Traditional Worship in the Sanctuary (Prelude will begin at 8:55)
10:00 am - Wassail and homemade Christmas Cookies in Fellowship Hall
11:00 am - Praise Service in Sanctuary Our weekly live-stream will occur during the 9:00 am service in the Sanctuary Follow this link for the live-stream service Sunday. | Wassail Sunday, December 18
If you signed up to bring cookies, don't forget to bring them to the kitchen prior to the 9:00 service. NEW THIS YEAR, as part of our Advent theme From Generation to Generation, we want to honor the special Christmas traditions of your family. If your cookies are from a recipe passed down, or a special treat your family has loved for years, we want to know! We'll have cards for you to jot down the story and to display next to your cookie tin. We also invite you to bring a special Christmas item, decoration, or ornament that's been enjoyed through the generations of your family, to display during our Wassail Sunday celebration. Bring your item to our volunteers in Fellowship Hall before the 9:00 am service on December 18 and we'll display it and watch over it with care. We'll have cards for you to write down the item's story and tell us why it is special. And you can take your item home again after you enjoy your Wassail and cookies." | Pledge Update
If you have not sent in your Plan for Giving card for 2023, please do so today or bring it to the church. Like last year, our 2023 Pledged Giving goal is $720,000, and the response we receive this fall will determine our actual budget for the coming year. To date, we have received 193 Pledges totaling $610,050. This amount represents 85% of the pledged giving needed to meet our budget goals for the coming year. Together, we can continue to Grow in Faith and Share God’s Grace! Click here to submit your pledge online. Extra planned for giving cards are in the narthex. Thank you for prayerfully considering your commitment to the mission we share! | Don’t Forget Your Christmas Envelopes!
At this time of the year our thoughts naturally turn to giving to others. Please keep St. Mark in mind with your Christmas giving. Our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day gifts go a long way to fund our ministries here at St. Mark. To be counted as a 2022 donation all gifts must be received in the office by Thursday, December 29th. | Thank you!
Wow! YOU did well with the sale of the crosses. Have a few left and Bob Connor dropped off a box of the larger cross. After Christmas, you will have another opportunity to make your selection. Although, if you were counting on selecting one as a gift for Christmas, see me and I will be glad to take care of your needs. Todate, Checks were mailed to the following Schools:
St. Joseph Indian, Chamberlain, SD. $100.00 Elementary
Red Cloud Indian, Pine Ridge.SD. $50.00 High School.
American Indian, Denver CO. $25.00 College
The elementary and high school children are also clothed and receive nourishing food. Would like to thank those who did not purchase a cross, but made a contribution. | The 2023 Altar Flower Chart is Up
Each Sunday we have two beautiful bouquets of flowers on the altar. The 2023 flower chart is up in the narthex on the bulletin board. You may sign up on the chart, call the church office or click on this link. We will continue to purchase them from Cherry Blossom. The price per arrangement will stay the same $40. If you sign up online, put your memory or honor of in the comment line and pay here or write a check to St. Mark. If you have the mobile app you can do all of it on there. You may take your flowers home after the service or stop by the office
during the week to pick them up. | Epiphany Worship Service
On January 4th, 2023 the confirmation class will host an Epiphany Worship Service. The time of the worship service is 6:30 pm. Worship will take place in the Sanctuary led by the confirmation class, with a little help from Pastor Katrina. Many of the confirmands will share their gift of music. There will be treats and coffee following the service in the Fellowship Hall. | Sunday School and Youth Families are invited to view All Aglow, a special holiday light display at Nicholas Conservatory, on Sunday, December 18. This is an outdoor activity, so dress for the weather! We will meet at 5:00 in front of the Conservatory building, then walk through the garden displays. Explore at your own pace and stay as long as you like! The Youth Group is encouraged to head back to St. Mark for fellowship at 6:30. I hope you will join us for a fun evening out with your St. Mark friends! | Reminder
There will be no women's and men's Bible studies on Wednesday, December 21 or 28. We will resume on January 4 at 9:00 am. | Sunday Youth Group Schedule
Dec. 2022 - Jan. 2023 - 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm December 18, 2022: Hot Chocolate, Cookies, and Christmas Carols (or Christmas movies) January 8, 2023: Second Sunday @ St. Mark Lutheran Church January 15, 2023: St. Mark Youth Group (maybe sledding depending on the weather) January 22, 2023: St. Mark Youth Group | Outreach Update on blankets, quilts, and port pillows
Throughout this year, there have been 900 port pillows donated to the three hospitals. Rock House received 77 blankets to give to the children. Eleven quilts were donated to the Foster Care Alliance. Habitat for Humanity had eight home dedications at each of those dedications a quilt was given to each family member, totaling 29 quilts given out this year. A big thank you to everyone who helped make this possible. | The Mitten Tree!
The mitten tree is standing tall in Fellowship Hall waiting to be decorated with hats, scarves, gloves, mittens, and boots. This is an annual Christmas project supported by the Outreach Committee. We thank the people who put up the tree the night our church was decorated, and we look forward to having lots of cold-weather supplies to distribute to needy people in our community. | Our St. Mark members: Pat Venstrom, Norm and Lorine Kortus, Beth Johnson, Carol Kilts, Tim Panjkovich, Rita Olson, Fritzi Panjkovich, Bev Johnson, Russ Oellig, Jack Sowl, Jan Cotter, Diane Swanson, Sherri Lindquist, Bette Patterson. Our condolences to: Jeff Kobernat and family upon the death of his brother, Terry Kobernat, and Pastor Don Lavelle and family upon the death of his daughter, Katherine Lavelle Hogan. Family and friends of St. Mark members: Diann Sailors, Barbara, Buttchen, John Ayotte, Carrie Kielty, Ed Sobczyk, Jeff Basset, Kevin Kuntzelman, Elizabeth Woodworth, Carrie Nelson, Bill Hart, Ellie Krepfle, Carl Steingraeber, Don Minnis, Tom Montgomery, Jon Baylander, John Mortensen, Carolyn Neagle, Jenny Hobby, Bill King, Carolyn King, Norma Comstock. Those serving in the military and their families: Logan Gehrke, Hunter Haggestad, Tristan Davenport, Scot Hornick,
Bailey Panjkovich, Jim Tammen, Brandon Ballenger, Taylor Eversole. Strengthen and encourage those in public health services and in the medical profession: care-givers, nurses, attendants, doctors, all who commit themselves to care for the sick and their families. | Office Hours
Monday through Thursday
9:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M.
Friday - 9:00 A.M. - 1:00 P.M. Telephone: 815-398-3557
Publications
St. Mark Memos, the weekly e-newsletter, is distributed each Thursday. The deadline for submission is Monday by 3:00 P.M.
Please click to send submissions.
Worship Services
Miss a Sunday at St. Mark? Please visit our website and watch the service online.
Please click to watch. | |
