Sharing Christ’s Abundant Love

This Week at St. Mark’s

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 Pentecost 17—Season of Creation Rally Day 9:00a Worship 9:00a Sunday School No 10:30a Worship 11:00a Capital Campaign Kickoff Event

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 9:30a Faith Circle—Annette Wood 7:00p Naomi Circle—Adele Buss

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 10:00a Adult Bible Study 1:00p Staff Meeting 6:30p Council Meeting 7:00p Glory Ringers: H.S. & Adult Rehearsal

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 9:30a Bread Wrappers 1:00p Office Volunteers 5:00p Roaring Ringers 3-5 5:30p FDL, gr. 1-5 & HS 5:30p Joyous Praise Bells 6-8 7:30p Vocal Worship Team 6-12 Rehearsal

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 5:30p Children’s Choir K-2 6:00p Youth Choir 3-5 7:00p Lions Voice Choir Rehearsal

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 6:30p Al-Anon

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 Pentecost 18—Season of Creation 5:00p Worship

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 Pentecost 18—Season of Creation 9:00a Worship 9:00a Sunday School Blood Pressure Screening 10:30a Worship

Volunteers Still Needed

Volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House

Let’s Communicate: Did You Receive Your St. Mark’s Email

Adult Fellowship—September Event

Lydia’s Piecemakers Annual Luncheon

Sanctuary Art & Banner Display—Season of Creation

Courtyard & Commemorative Paver Program

Children’s Choirs!

We celebrate God’s goodness and grace this weekend in and through: FIRST WORSHIP SERVICE ANNIVERSARY held at the YMCA in Aurora on September 11, 1960. See greetings from former

Pastors posted, as we remember all who have provided pastoral and lay leadership over the years. RALLY DAY as we begin another year of Christian Education. Butterfly release will follow the morning worship. CAPITAL CAMPAIGN KICK-OFF AND PARISH FESTIVAL with events and opportunities for all ages. LUNCH FOR ALL in

Sanctuary Hall, with musical accompaniment for your lunchtime enjoyment. For children and youth: face painting, balloon art, games, and a Bouncy House. For adults: Bingo and memory notes. For all [families, children, youth and adults]: pie eating contest and quilt square making. This is a celebration for all ages as we begin SHARING OUR FAITH and SECURING OUR FUTURE!

Sanctuary Art and Banner Display—Season of Creation

This year, for Season of Creation (Ocean, Flora & Fauna, Storm, Cosmos), the Sanctuary Art and Banner Team has created something whimsical, and rather abstract, to help you get the feel of the season. Our main focus is the Capital Fund Campaign, which is represented by the large tree in the center of the wooded wall. (Special thanks to students and teachers from VBS!) Their hands are the leaves. We used material to represent the different aspects of creation that we are focusing on this year. Blue, aqua, and turquoise netting represents the Ocean, along with some seashells. Greens, of course, represent Flora and Fauna, which lead your eye to several plants. Dark blue, lavender, gray, and black represent the Storm. These colors lead to a rain cloud, complete with a lightning bolt. Finally, dark blue and purple represent Cosmos. Look closely; stars peek out of the material. The large butterflies provide whimsy and serve to remind us of our Annual Rally Day Butterfly Launch. Many things will be going on in the Narthex this month, some interactive, some “make and take”, so stay tuned and stop by as the Capital Campaign kicks off!!

Volunteers Still Needed We need your HELP! Several of our long-time Sunday School and FDL teachers have “retired” this year and we are in need of more help! We have a few openings remaining for volunteers to teach Sunday mornings at 9am, as well as Wednesday nights from 5:30-7:30pm (only 45 minutes of teaching and includes dinner!) across all grade levels.

We use Sparkhouse curriculum from Augsburg and all lesson plans are completely written out for you to implement. It’s so rewarding to interact with our children and watch them grow in their faith. Please contact Kari Reiseck for more details.

Lydia’s Piecemakers Annual Luncheon On September 24th, the women of St. Mark’s are ALL invited to attend our annual luncheon, featuring German foods to honor Katherine Luther, Martin Luther’s wife. Our own Dotty Johnson will transform into this very interesting woman and give us insights on her life. Katherine was a very successful

businesswoman, besides her roles as wife, mother, and coworker with her husband. Lydia’s Piecemakers are planning a German luncheon with Katherine to celebrate the quilt making this year. Dedicated members of St. Mark’s have been busy all year making many warm quilts, which will travel to

all parts of the world and to Life Spring, a woman’s Wayside Cross Ministry in Aurora, to warm people and remind them that no matter their circumstances, there are people who care.

Please remember, the Fall Luncheon is on September 24th, beginning at 11:45am in Sanctuary Hall.

The cost is a $15.00 donation and reservations can be made using the inserted form in this week’s Courier, or at the Welcome Center.

Let’s Communicate: Have You Received Your St. Mark’s Email? The Vision Process indicated a strong desire for more communication, related to congregational activities, opportunities, needs, and decisions. One way we do this is weekly email bullets about upcoming events. You can help make this happen by sharing your email address with us, if you have not already done so.

Even if you receive a paper Vineyard, give us your email, and we will keep you in the loop! You may use the sign-in sheet in the Welcome Notebooks, located on the pews. Thank you so much for your part in staying connected!

Adult Fellowship - September Event We will be visiting the Sanfilippo Estate in Barrington on September 27th, for a three-hour guided tour of their music muse-um, "Place de la Musique". They have the largest pipe organ created, a great display of restored mechanical music machines, steam engines, and a very large restored Carousel. The cost is $25 per person, and we will go to lunch prior to our 1:30pm tour. There is a sign-up sheet for this event, as well as for lunch, at the Welcome Center. Contact Clare Toynton with any questions.

Children’s Choirs!

We are bringing back children’s choirs. They will have their own day and time to learn not only how to sing, but to learn many of the funda-mentals of music making for any instrument. Think of it as a free mu-sic class, but its worth is priceless! Children’s Choir, grades K-2 , will meet from 5:30-6:00pm on Thursdays, and Youth Choir, grades 3-5, will meet on Thursdays from 6:00-6:30pm. Our first Second Wednesday Worship, based on “Love” and led by the high schoolers, will be held on September 21st at 7:30 pm. This is a change from September 14th. The service will last for about 25 minutes. Please join us as we learn what the bible says about love.

Volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House Are you looking for a service opportunity that would make a difference in people’s lives? The Ronald McDonald House in Winfield has opportunities for families, youth groups, neighbors, women’s groups, or scouts to offer support to families experiencing a health challenge. Please visit the Ronald McDonald website and see what is available for you and your group. http://rmhccni.org/volunteercdh/

There are multiple ways to assist the residents. You can plan a meal—cookout, pasta night, brunch, soup night; the possibilities are endless. Gather a group of friends and share a meal. You can provide craft projects or game nights, or bake cookies with the families. There are also opportunities to volunteer on a weekly basis. Consider reaching out.

Courtyard & Commemorative Paver Program The courtyard looks beautiful and the southern magnolia have almost finished blooming for the season. Please take time to enjoy them! Now is also a good time to order a memorial paver, as we'll be putting in our order soon so that the pavers can be delivered and installed before the cold weather returns. Paver order forms can be found at the Welcome Center or by contacting John Themanson.

http://rmhccni.org/volunteercdh/

September 10th & 11th, 2016

Welcome!

We’ve been waiting for you! Our mission at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church is to share Christ’s Abundant Love. We are called to reach out to persons of all ages and life situations with Christ’s own hospitality and acceptance, to invite you to be our companion on the spiritual journey as we discover together the ways that Christ is offering hope, healing, and a renewed sense of meaning for our lives. If you are not a member, we would love to talk to you about our ministry. We invite you to talk to one of our pastors or stop at the Welcome Center near the church entrance. May your worship experience here at St. Mark’s draw you closer to Christ and His Abundant Love!

Today’s WORSHIP FOCUS We continue in the Wisdom Series of the Season of Creation as we move from the depths of the Ocean to the Fauna and Flora…plants and animals. Our readings in Job and in Luke continue… Job, who has suffered substantial losses, challenges God’s wisdom with—Why? Why? Why? Dear Job, there is much that you do not understand! Like mountain goats and soaring hawks. There is a wider wisdom far beyond your imagination. Trust in this Wisdom. In Luke, Jesus speaks to human anxiety – worry and fear. Will we have enough?! Ah! Check out the birds - even ravens- they know what they’re doing and fly! They eat and live! Look at the lovely flowers. Do you think they work for their brilliant beauty and lovely scent? No Way! Dear human…trust! Trust that you are part of a Circle of Life that is powered by Wisdom. This Wisdom keeps the Circle moving! Be part of this movement, of mystery and beauty. Be part of the Realm of Creative Love. The kingdom of God!

Next Week’s WORSHIP FOCUS We all feel and experience the storms of life. We read and hear about the storms every day - violence in our communities and in homes, senseless slaughter of innocents, terrible language from leaders who should speak and act better, realities of illness that comes without warning and robs us or our loved ones of a vibrant, whole, and healthy life. The list could go on and on. It’s almost as if we echo the words of the disciples in the Gospel Reading from Luke 8:22-25: Master, Master we are perishing! It feels like that often in our life. We feel we are going down on the ship of life. And let's not forget the church; it's not exempt from storms and chaos, either. We all too often experience those storms when the church struggles, because of uncommitted members, when Christians are distracted from worship, reading God's Word and prayer by all kinds of trivial things, when Christians prefer holding grudges rather than seeking reconciliation, when the disciples of Jesus today are burdened with guilt, uncertainty, and doubt. Master, Master we are perishing! Often, the church is described as a boat and all the believers are sailing in this boat, sometimes in calm waters, but more often than not sailing through a storm. God isn't responsible for the chaos in our lives, but he is there to help us overcome the chaos that Satan wreaks in our lives. God is not out there somewhere, but right here in the boat with us as the chaos and storms rage around us. God is in the midst of our difficulties and the scary moments of our lives but not subject to them.

Staff Contact Information Please call the appropriate St. Mark’s staff member or email them if you have questions about the following areas of ministry. You may also visit our website for more information about St. Mark’s.

Pastoral Staff

Pastor Patricia Geiseman Ext. 15 pgeiseman@stmarksaurora.net Pastor Paul Olson Ext. 13 polson@stmarksaurora.net

Ministry Staff

Kristin Young Ext. 16 kyoung@stmarksaurora.net Director of Worship & the Arts Sue Hilderbrand Ext. 24 shilderbrand@stmarksaurora.net Director of Bell Choirs Kari Reiseck Ext. 22 kreiseck@stmarksaurora.net Director of Children’s Ministries

Support Staff

Deb Arcilla Ext. 10 darcilla@stmarksaurora.net Office Manager John Themanson Ext. 19 jthemanson@stmarksaurora.net Finance Administrator Gregg Kobliska Ext. 12 emalert@stmarksaurora.net Facility Manager Cathy Hanson Ext. 27 chanson@stmarksaurora.net Communications Coordinator Terese Ruppel 630-466-1036 ter60554@gmail.com Nursery Coordinator

Faith Community Nurse

Jean Clementz, R.N. Ext. 23 jean.clementz@presencehealth.org

Financial Secretary

Jim Erickson 630-897-0291 jerickson@stmarksaurora.net

St. Mark’s Child Development Center

Colette Patterson 630-897-6063 stmarksdir@att.net Interim Director

Council Members

Don Friend (President), Preston Runyan (Treasurer), Rick Jansen (Property), Jeanne Flynn, Julie Simpson, Lindsay Meyer, Heather Rehg

Prayers

5:00pm Grant Allen, Kris Ballard, Kathy Johnson, Ryan Johnson, Ron Kaemarick, Mary Kenner, Christopher Knight, Sue Norris, Jason Skow, Courtney Voda 9:00am Kevin Acuff, Lorraine Angell, Barb Barrett, Barbara Bleke, Charley Budd, Jenni Granquist, Lonnie Grimes, Ron Hickey, Joanne Jackman, Sean McGraw, Bob Overstreet, Thomas Pall, Doris Park, Pat Paulus, Jocelynn Probst, Joe Rangel, Michael Riehle, Amy Runge, Lorand Szekely 10:30am Jim Frank, Dave Frey, Lisa Hoth, Michelle Leedham, Frances Sauber Continuing Care Laurie Dunn, Tad Dyer, Gary Francis, John Lange, Bruce Lindgren, Julie Michaels, Lauren Muscat, Grant Oestriech, Wendy Overstreet, Sharon Ross, Bessie Sclavos Paul’s Ministry We give thanks to God for the staff, congregation, and ministries at Messiah Lutheran Church and School in Wauconda, IL.

Check Us Out Online! Head to www.stmarksaurora.net and, on the homepage, find the Courier and Vineyard online.

Find us at: @stmarksaurora on both Facebook and Twitter.

Give us your email to get updates about current events and programming!

Submissions for the weekly Courier are due each Monday by noon for that weekend’s publication. Submissions for the October Vineyard are due by noon on Wednesday, September 14th. Submissions will be added in the order in which they are received. Early submissions are always welcomed!

Please email articles for the Vineyard and Courier to Cathy Hanson at: chanson@stmarksaurora.net or place handwritten articles in her mailbox. If you have any questions, please email or call Cathy at: (630) 897-6891 ext. 27.

Please send all 2016 photos from any St. Mark’s ministry or event to: smyearinreview@gmail.com.

St. Mark's Lutheran Church 27 South Edgelawn Drive Aurora, Illinois 60506

Phone: (630) 897-6891 Fax: (630) 897-4842 Web: www.stmarksaurora.net Office Hours: Mon - Fri / 9:00am - 4:00pm Sharing Christ's Abundant Love

Emmanuel House: Danny Gokey Benefit Concert

Nursing the Spirit: Suicide Awareness Month

Tuesday Adult Bible Study

Emmanuel House: Danny Gokey Benefit Concert Support Emmanuel House’s mission of aiding refugee and working class families on the pathway to home ownership! On October 1st, at 7pm, American Idol contestant and Christian recording artist, Danny Gokey, will be performing at the Batavia Fine Arts Center in a benefit concert to support Emmanuel House. Tickets are on sale now, and can be purchased through Emmanuel House’s website: www.emmanuelhouse.org .

Nursing the Spirit: Suicide Awareness Month Chances are, suicide has touched you in some way, through either someone in your family or someone you know. The issues are serious and the impact is real. Suicide can be prevented, if people get the appropriate treatment. Know the signs! 1. Talking about suicide 2. Talking about hopelessness or helplessness 3. Preoccupation with death 4. Loss of interest in things 5. Giving one’s things away 6. Setting business in order 7. Suddenly happier, calmer 8. Disturbance in eating or sleeping 9. Previous suicide attempt

Thinking about suicide? Call us now: 1-800-273-8255. We are available 24 hours a day. For more information about suicide prevention speak with our health care professional and visit: http://www.spsamerica.org

Tuesday Adult Bible Study Join us on Tuesday mornings from 10 – 11:30 AM for adult Bible study. Each week’s class is independent, so the next week is not based on previous meetings. Our focus this coming week will be on both the Book of Job and the Gospel of Luke, readings from the previous weekend’s worship. Join us for good discussion, developing friendships, coffee, and sometimes goodies to share, along with the bond of prayer that holds the group together each

week. Welcome!

https://www.facebook.com/stmarksaurora/?fref=ts#http://www.emmanuelhouse.orghttp://www.spsamerica.org