Sunday, January 21 9:00 A.M. Worship with Live-Stream
10:00 A.M. Fellowship with donuts and coffee
10:05 A.M. Sunday School
10:05 A.M. Adult Forum
11:00 A.M. Worship in Fellowship Hall
3:00 P.M. Youth Group Sledding at St. Mark
6:30 P.M. Youth Gathering Meeting at St. Mark Monday, January 22 10:30 A.M. Mosaic Hub Tuesday, January 23 10:00 A.M. Staff Meeting
11:00 A.M. St Mark Duplicate Bridge
7:00 P.M. Council Meeting Wednesday, January 24 9:00 A.M. Women's Bible Study
9:00 A.M. Men's Bible Study
9:30 A.M. St. Mark Ringers
6:30 P.M. Confirmation
7:00 P.M. Voices of St. Mark Thursday, January 25 9:00 A.M. Cherry Valley Bridge Group
12:30 P.M. Sew and Sews
5:30 P.M. Happy Campers - Victory Pickleball
6:30 P.M. Emotions Anonymous
7:15 P.M. Red Lights Friday, January 26 7:30 A.M. St. Mark Breakfast Group at Denny's Restaurant Saturday, January 27 6:30 P.M. Train Group Sunday, January 28 9:00 A.M. Worship with Live-Stream
10:00 A.M. Fellowship Hour with coffee and donuts
10:05 A.M. Sunday School
10:05 A.M. Adult Forum
11:00 A.M. Worship in Fellowship Hall
3:00 P.M. Praise Band Concert
6:30 P.M. Youth Group - Rec Night at Grace Lutheran | Join us this Sunday, January 21, The Third Sunday after Epiphany
9:00 A.M. - Traditional Worship in the Sanctuary- Prelude will start at 8:55.
10:00 A.M. Fellowship with cookies and coffee
10:05 A.M. Sunday School
10:05 A.M. Adult Forum
11:00 A.M. Worship in Fellowship Hall If you are unable to be here, click here to join us at 8:55 for our live-stream service. | Praise Band Concert
You won't want to miss this concert on Sunday, January 28!
Our talented praise band has been working hard to put together an afternoon of amazing music. A great way to beat the cold on a Sunday afternoon. | Important Staffing Update
We regret to announce that Cassie Boyer has resigned as our youth director and is no longer serving either St. Mark or Grace Lutheran. Our two congregations remain committed to a shared youth ministry program, and we are beginning the search for a new full-time director for this vital ministry. | Youth Fundraiser!
St. Mark Youth is taking orders for sub sandwiches from January 21 through February 4 and all proceeds will help cover the cost for the St. Mark youth attending the ELCA Youth Gathering in July. Order forms are available in the narthex. Pick up your order in the kitchen on February 11 after the annual meeting. Help support our youth! | Stewardship
Thank you to those who returned your Plan for Giving Cards. For those of you who have not, there are giving cards at church or click here to submit your pledge for 2024. Thank you for your participation in this important expression of support and gratitude. Together, we can continue to Grow in Faith and Share God's Grace! Pledge Update: Our 2024 Pledged Giving goal is $710,000, and the response we receive this fall will determine our actual budget for the coming year. To date, we have received 162 Pledges totaling $615,839. This amount represents 87% of the pledged giving needed to meet our budget goals for the coming year. In order to meet our goal, we are asking everyone to prayerfully consider an increase in giving. Please refer to the table on the back of your pledge card to see what it might take to raise your pledge by a small percentage. | Annual Congregation Meeting
This year's annual congregation meeting is Sunday, February 11 at 10:10 A.M. It is very important as a member of St. Mark to take time to be here. There will be no 11:00 worship service this day, Sunday School or Adult Forum. The meeting will include the pastoral report on the state of the congregation, the election of officers and committee members, and a vote on an amendment to our governing documents. The Fiscal 2024 budget will be presented for discussion and approval. All voting members are asked to participate. There will be fun activities for kids in Fellowship Hall, so parents and Sunday school teachers can attend the meeting. | Socks for Schools Update
This Advent, Outreach and Children’s Ministry Committees asked you to donate socks for students at Ellis, Lewis Lemon, McIntosh, and Haskell schools. These are the schools that St. Mark also supports through the uniform project. You all rose to the challenge! Over 500 pairs of socks were given directly, and the Sunday school offering was enough to buy almost 200 more. That means a combined total of over 700 pairs of socks!
Well done, St. Mark, and thank you! | The St. Mark Makers Craft Group will meet on Monday, February 5th from 2:00 - 4:00 P.M. Join us in making hearts for Valentine's Day, one for you and one to bring to a friend. Sign up this Sunday in the narthex or call the church office at 815-398-3557. | The Happy Campers are checking out the new place in town
We are going to Victory 7003 N. Alpine Road. Join us Friday, January 26, 5:30-7:30 P.M. We will meet at the Kitchen Tap Wall & Grill (inside Victory Pickleball) to enjoy some great food and over 30 beverages. There will be Corn Hole, Ping Pong, or Foosball. Take some time to play Darts or shoot a game of pool. There is even karaoke on Friday evenings. We aren’t playing pickleball that evening, but you can certainly check it out! Join us 5:30 -7:30 P.M. Have questions? Text Melinda Alekna 815-871-0390. | There will be tea!
Ladies, Save the Date...
Saturday, April 13th. Watch your Memos for more details! | New Year, New Library Books! We’re starting the new year by adding 10 new books to the St. Mark library. There are picture books, a nonfiction history, some religious topics, and even a book of poetry. You can find them all on the display case near Fellowship Hall! Check-out cards can be left in the basket on top of the display case or the basket in the library. Let’s take a closer look at three of our new books! Into the Heart of Romans by N.T. Wright is a deep dive into what Wright, one of the world’s leading New Testament scholars, considers to be Paul’s greatest letter. Romans is often thought of as the gospel in condensed form, and this book shows how it illuminates so much else that God reveals in scripture, from the promises of Abraham to the visions of Revelation. The Fabulous World that God Made by Joyce K. Ellis and illustrated by Andres F. Landazabal brings the creation story to life, using the classic rhythm, repetition, humor, and cumulative storytelling style of “This Is the House That Jack Built.” As kids read about the water, land, plants, and animals, they’ll find that they, too, have a place in this fabulous world. Papyrus: The Invention of Books in the Ancient World by Irene Vallejo is the story of the book’s journey from oral tradition to scrolls to codices, and of how that transition laid the very foundation of Western culture. At its heart a love letter to language itself, this book takes readers on a journey across the centuries to discover how a simple reed grown along the banks of the Nile would give birth to a rich and cherished culture. Find these books and more featured on the display case near Fellowship Hall! Check-out cards can be left in the basket on top of the display case or the basket in the library. | Sign up for Altar Flowers
Each Sunday we have two beautiful bouquets of flowers on the altar. The 2024 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. | St. Mark Summer Internship
Do you have a college-aged person in your life who graduated from high school in or before 2023? Do they like working with children and youth? If so, please encourage them to apply for the St. Mark Summer Internship. This is a 10-week, full-time, paid internship where you will work with the children of St. Mark during VBS and the youth throughout the summer. We will go to the ELCA Youth Gathering in New Orleans in July. Plus you will learn what it is like to work in a church. I am super excited for this summer. You can apply for the St. Mark Summer Internship any time from now until February 14, 2024, on our website or by clicking here. If you have any questions, please reach out to Pastor Katrina at prkatrina@stmarklc.com. | Sledding at St. Mark
Sunday, January 21st at 3 pm the youth group will be sledding. We will meet at St. Mark and sled down the hill on the north side of the building. Please dress appropriately for sledding; coat, hat, snow pants, boots, and mittens/gloves. Bring a sled or two. We will sled for about 30 to 45 minutes and then come inside for hot chocolate. | Youth Gathering Meeting
There is a meeting for the youth and their parents on Sunday, January 21 at 6:30 pm in the cafe for the youth that are attending the Gathering in New Orleans this summer. If you are unable to be there, please text or call Pastor Katrina at 815-988-1215. | Our St. Mark Members: Marlow Anderson, David Olson, Linda Vivian, Lis Pearson, Joe Garcea, Jeanne Zeschke, Ulla Kercher, Mark Honzel, Lorine Kortus, Beth Johnson, Carol Kilts, Diane Swanson, Sherri Lindquist, Bette Patterson. Family and Friends of St. Mark Members: Joylyn Wahla, Michelle Hilst, Pat Viereck, Jim O’Brien, Jeanne Menzies, Greg Palmer, Mark Nelson, Gina Meeks, Natena Berry, Barbara Buttchen, Ruth Hewitt, Mike Balles, Chris Nack, Ron Gentry, John Ayotte, Carrie Kielty, Ed Sobczyk, Elizabeth Woodworth, Carrie Nelson, Bill Hart, Ellie Krepfle, Tom Montgomery, Jon Baylander, Jenny Hobby. Those serving in the military and their families: Holden Paddock, Logan Gehrke, Hunter Haggestad, Scot Hornick, Jim Tammen, Brandon Ballenger, Taylor Eversole. Strengthen and encourage those in public health services and in the medical profession: caregivers, nurses, attendants, and 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. | |
