October 2021 Vineyard

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Child Development Center Concluding 26 Years of Ministry St. Mark’s Child Development Center has been sold! The doors of St. Mark’s Child Development Center opened over 26 years ago. During that time, more than 2,000 children were cared for as if they were family, introduced to prayer, rejoiced with lively music, learned their prekindergarten basics, and were loved by the teachers, staff, and the people of St. Mark’s Church. On August 23, 2021, St Mark’s Lutheran Church officially signed the papers to sell the Child Development Center building to an Investor Group. The good news is that they have, in turn, leased the building to The Learning Care Group. The Group will be making some updates to the center and will reopen as a childcare center in late 2021 or 2022. The Finance Team has been meeting to identify how the proceeds from the sale should be used, and they recommend the following distribution: • Pay back outstanding debt. The proceeds will pay back expenses the church paid on the CDC’s behalf between March 2020 and August 2021. • Set aside money to service the mortgage. The church has one mortgage loan that includes both the CDC loan and the church building loan. We cannot prepay this loan without a significant prepayment penalty, so we will need to service the CDC portion for the next 6 ½ years. Money has been put aside in interest-bearing accounts for this purpose. • Fund St. Mark’s building repairs. A significant amount will be allocated to the Property Team to cover some of the essential repairs and maintenance needed for the church building. • Support existing and new church programs. Some of the proceeds will be distributed to the church each year to support outreach programs, under the direction of Council. • Secure our financial future. The remaining money will be placed in secure accounts to be used to pay off a substantial portion of the church’s mortgage balance at the end of the loan term. The successful sale of the CDC building was due to the hard work, dedication, and attention to detail of many people. We owe a special thanks to Beth Benson, Vicki and Al Lettow, Reese Wagner, Roger Shields, John Themanson, Deb Arcilla, Jeff Ulrich, Gregg Kobliska, Emma Albers, Don Friend, and Becky Mueller. In addition, we thank the members of the CDC Board who faithfully served on behalf of the children: Pat Jones, Pat Hesteken, Greg Reiseck, Kate Fish, Carol Fick, Teresa Thompson, Katie DeSotell, Beth Benson, and Linda Pfeiffer. We celebrate the 26 years of ministry that the CDC provided to the Aurora community. In that time, St. Mark’s provided a safe and welcoming space for children to learn. In that time, we saw infants grow up and graduate to kindergarten, thanks to supportive staff and loving teachers. We can be proud that we have offered care for little ones in our community for over two decades. And we rejoice that we are able to use the CDC building proceeds to start new programs, become more financially secure, and continue to help those who are in need in our community. 4
opportunities for kids & families Sunday mornings Wednesday evenings NURSERY: age 0 to 3, 9 a.m. & 10 a.m. Staffed by a nurse and a kindergarten teacher. Includes story, interactive activity, singing, snack, and enjoy a craft. October theme: Creation. SUNDAY SCHOOL: age 3 through grade 5, 9 a.m. Small-group format where kids learn about Jesus’ work and God’s good word. Click here to register. Guests are always welcome! PRAYGROUND: during 10 a.m. worship most appropriate for ages 1 to 6 Dedicated space where children can quietly play or read during the service. We ask parents to sit in nearby pews to keep an eye on them. Check the card in the pew racks for more information. KID KITS: during 10 a.m. worship two kits available: for ages 3-6 and ages 6-10 These kits include a Bible-based activity book, a story book or devotional, crayons/pencils, and pipe cleaners. There’s also a basket of children’s bulletins available. Ushers will help you find what you need. FDL: grades 1 to 5, 6 p.m. Students gather for a large-group opening, 45 minutes of class time with Bible story and activities, and 45 minutes of music time, learning notes, instruments, and singing. CONFIRMATION CLASS: grades 6 to 8, 6:30 p.m. Students meet in grade-level classes to learn about faith, Lutheran traditions, and how to apply this to their daily lives as junior high students. YOUTH GROUP: grades 9 to 12, 6 p.m. Each week, HS students meet in the Luther Room to play games, engage in relationship building, and discuss relevant topics related to their faith. ROAR & ROAR TEEN grades 3 to 5, 5:30 p.m. grades 6 to 8, 7:30 p.m. (NEW TIME) Especially for kids interested in music. Explores ways to praise God through music using chimes, bells, Orff instruments, drums, ukes, and voices. 3rd Saturday of the month PT2 Saturday Oct 16 The PT2 group (Play Time & Parent Time) welcomes all parents of infants to elementary-age children. To kick off the year, parents and kids will be heading over to Keller’s Farmstand in Oswego on Saturday October 16, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. It will be a great day to enjoy corn maze, play area, and petting zoo. NOTE: You’ll need to register ahead of time on the Keller Farmstand website. Bring your little ones and join the fun! For more information, contact Amy Runge. 3rd Sunday of the month Baptisms As Christians, we believe that our faith journey begins with baptism and that it is a sacrament of the whole community of faith. At St. Mark’s, baptisms are offered on the third Sunday of each month, at the 10 a.m. worship service. The first step in planning a baptism is to contact the church office at 630-897-6891 to arrange a time to meet with a pastor. 5
Page 1 and 2: The Vineyard Press ST. MARK’S LUT
Page 3: confirmation Confirmation Sunday 20
Page 7 and 8: opportunities for adults 21&OVER Sa
Page 9 and 10: Narrative Lectionary What is the Na
Page 11 and 12: community opportunities Two great c
Page 13 and 14: Rally Day wrap up Rally Day Sunday
Page 15 and 16: money matters Monthly Information S

October 2021 Vineyard

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