August-September 2022 Vineyard

The
Vineyard Press
ST. MARK’S LUTHERAN CHURCH
Sharing Christ’s Abundant Love
“I am the vine, you are the branches. “ (John 15:5)
AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2022
Coming together with our community
“God’s Work, Our Hands”
Saturday, September 10
Come Together!
It all starts right here in September
Coming together as a church family
Rally Day 2022
Sunday, September 11
For our “God’s Work/Our Hands” day this Fall, we
are focusing on Hesed House in Aurora, which
is the second largest homeless shelter in Illinois.
September 10th is our regularly scheduled day to
prepare and serve dinner at their PADS Overnight
Emergency Shelter, and we are expanding on that
to include opportunities for the whole church.
To help familiarize members with where Hesed House
is located and their programs, we will be carpooling
from St. Mark’s the afternoon of September 10th to
TOUR HESED HOUSE and learn about the need and
their programs.
We’ll also be learning
about Hesed House’s
HARVESTING HOPE
program for homeless
children.
If you’d like to stay and help serve the Saturday
evening PADS DINNER, we’ll be offering a picnic
support to PADS residents from 6 to 9 p.m. You can
sign up online or at the Welcome Center to help
serve. You can also help by making Sloppy Joes ahead
or purchasing needed food items and dropping them
off. Please see page 10 for details!
Rally Day this year will be an all-ages, intergenerational
event for St. Mark’s! We’re coming
together—kids and adults, singles and couples, little
ones and elders—as a St. Mark’s family. It’s going
to be a great church-wide celebration! There’ll be
carnival games, such as ring toss, pop-a-balloon,
duck pond, a cake walk, a bounce house, plus some
amazing food trucks!
Let’s “Come Together” as ONE St. Mark’s Lutheran
Church again and kick off our Fall programs and
activities with an outdoor party. Bring a lawn chair
(some chairs will be provided) and be ready for some
fun and fellowship! Bring your appetites, and the food
trucks will be selling food we can all enjoy!
Strawberries BBQ will be
selling pulled pork, pulled
chicken, cornbread, beans,
and mac & cheese.
La Michocana Mobil food
truck will be selling shakes,
nachos, corn & flaming corn,
popsicles (paletas), yogurts, fruit
cups, and shave ices (raspados).

kids coming together for fun & learning
Sunday
mornings
NURSERY: ages 0 to 3, 9 a.m. & 10 a.m.
Staffed by a nurse and a kindergarten teacher, the
nursery includes story time, crafts, singing, and
snacks.
SUNDAY SCHOOL: ages 3 through grade 5, 9 a.m.
Students enjoy music and classroom time to hear
Bible stories that correlate with the Narrative
Lectionary used in worship. Registration is
encouraged. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.
PRAYGROUND: ages 2 to 6, during 10 a.m. worship
Dedicated space where children can quietly color,
play and read while engaging in worship. We ask
parents to sit in nearby pews to keep an eye on them.
See page 3 for more information.
KID KITS: ages 3 to 10, during 10 a.m. worship
Two kits available, for ages 3-6 and ages 6-10
In the back of the sanctuary as you enter, you can find
Kid Kits that your children can use while sitting in the
pew with you. The kits include a Bible-based activity/
coloring book, Bible or community-based story books
or devotional, crayons/pencils, pipe cleaners, and
Communion felt board. There are also children’s
bulletins available above the Kid Kits.
Wednesday
evenings
Registration is required for Wednesday night
programs. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.
FDL (Faith in Daily Life): grades 1 to 5
5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Students gather for a large group opening and dinner,
then rotate between music and classroom time to
learn Bible stories that correlate with the Narrative
Lectionary used in worship.
CONFIRMATION CLASS: grades 6 to 8
6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
Students begin in a large group for dinner/opening
and move to grade-level classrooms 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
5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Students meet in the Luther Room to discuss relevant
faith and daily life topics, engage in relationship
building, support one another, and play games.
ROAR: grades 3 to 5, 5:00 p.m.
ROAR TEEN: grades 6 to 8, 7:30 p.m.
These groups are for those kids especially interested
in music. They will explore ways to praise God
through music using chimes, bells, Orff instruments,
drums, and voices.
Final Family Fun Sunday of the summer!
Sunday, August 28, after worship
The last Family Fun Sunday of the summer is coming up on
Sunday, August 28th. Because we expect it to be hot, we are
going to be doing some all-ages water games, such as oldfashioned
water balloon toss, relay races, and more. Popsicles
and ice cream sandwiches will be available for everyone.
Don’t miss this final fun fling for all ages!
2

families coming together for worship
What’s happening at the
PrayGround?
It’s been a year since we launched our PrayGround! Just
like our faith, the PrayGround isn’t static or finished;
it’s an ongoing journey. We have already taken several
items out and added several in. To keep kids engaged
and interested, we have the books on a rotation system
with the books in the Kid Kits, as well as the basket
of children’s books in the narthex. We also rotate the
books according to the church seasons.
Our first year has been a learning
process between families using
the space and other congregation
members. As we’ve been adjusting,
some have expressed concern about
the noise level and distraction.
Others have shared some very
positive feedback:
Our kids clearly love the PrayGround
and look forward to going to
church because of it!”
My kids love being with the other kids at church. I
figure they are having their own kind of ‘fellowship.’
They love helping baby xxx, which I think is God working
through them. Very different ministry from sitting with
mom and dad all the time.”
What a great idea the new PrayGround has been. As
an official ‘oldster’ here, I am pleased to share that
I have not found the PrayGround noisy or disturbing to
my aging ears. Children are the future of every church,
and all churches struggle to figure out how to attract and
welcome young families. This space says, “We welcome
you, we want you here, we hope you’ll come back!”
We want you to know that concerns are being
discussed and addressed, and we ask for your patience
as we continue to fine tune this ministry to work for
all ages. The PrayGround grew out of three years of
research, talking with colleagues at Youth Ministry
conferences, and meeting with other local churches.
We researched layouts, location, what to have in it,
what to NOT have in it, what items help engage kids in
worship and what items distract them from worship,
etc. We believe this space is important for our little
ones, and we want to keep sharing the “why” of our
PrayGround.
3
Why have a PrayGround?
X
X
Children are the church. This is something we
strongly believe. They are the church RIGHT NOW,
not just in the “future.” We want to show our kids
they are a priority to our congregation and an
important part of St. Mark’s.
Early participation in intergenerational
worship matters. One of the goals of our youth
ministry is to teach kids that we are never done
learning and growing in our faith; it’s a life-long
journey. And part of that journey is worship
literacy: knowing and understanding
what happens in worship each week,
why it’s important, why we have certain
sacraments and rituals. When kids
participate in worship starting at an
early age, they are already learning
this. In fact, the authors of Sticky Faith:
Everyday ideas to build lasting faith in
your kids, Kara Powell and Chap Clark,
found in their research that participation
in intergenerational worship was the
number one predictor of whether or not
emerging adults would participate in the life of
faith and the life of the congregation beyond their
high school years.
What’s next?
This Fall we are starting Family PrayGround
Orientations. Young families with kids in the
PrayGround age group (age 2 to 6) will be invited to
join us at church to review what options are in the
PrayGround, as well as the expectations for both kids
and parents. We will review the PrayGround Covenant
that hangs on the wall in the sanctuary, and do some
role playing with the kids to practice quiet voices,
areas of play, and more.
If you’re a parent with PrayGround-aged children,
please mark these orientation dates on your calendar:
• Tuesday, Sept 13 at 6 p.m.
• Sunday, Sept 18 at 9 a.m.
We ask for your prayers and patience as we continue
this journey. We are so grateful for the support and
will continue to keep the congregation updated as
we tweak the space. We urge you to delight in the
children’s laughter and smile when they ask questions
or participate in worship in a new way.

coming together for study & fellowship
NEW Education Hour
starts Sunday Sept 18, 9 a.m. Sanctuary Hall
When Sunday School starts on September 18, we will
also start our new Education Hour. We are excited to
expand our Adult Faith Formation into a format that
strengthens this learning time. Education Hour will
allow for multi-generational activities, workshops,
and guest speakers, in addition to more traditional
faith-based offerings. We already have plans for an
exciting “Social Justice Sunday” series on the first
Sunday of every month (first one is October 1st—look
for more information to come!), and there are plans
in the works for multi-generational activities, such as
a December “Chrismon” workshop.
Brainstorming: Thursday, Sept 1, 6 p.m.
We know there is a lot of untapped talent in the
congregation! We’d love to have a group of people
involved in brainstorming plans for Education Hour.
Come, share your ideas on Thursday, Sept 1, at 6 p.m.
Treats provided.
Anti-Racism:
What’s Next
Starts Tues, Sept 13, 6 p.m.
For the past few years, a
group of St. Mark’s members
has been reading, reflecting,
watching videos and movies,
and discussing anti-racism.
We know there are more ways we can take action,
monitor legislation, create an impact on the effects of
systemic racism in our own community,
all while continuing to learn. If you’d like to take part
in our “What’s Next?” moment around anti-racism,
the group will begin meeting again on the second
Tuesday of each month at St. Mark’s at 6 p.m. We
invite you to bring your ideas and your reading list!
See you in September.
Adult Fellowship
Thursday, Sept 22,10 a.m., Sanctuary Hall
Where were you during the Hippie Era? The
September Adult Fellowship group is kicking off the
year with an intriguing event on Thursday, September
22nd. Eleven friends and colleagues will be sharing
their ‘take’ on how the hippie era impacted them,
what they have become because of it, and how it has
made it’s mark on the present day.
What topics will be covered? The Vietnam War, Kent
State, University of Wisconsin protests, music of
the era, clothing styles, the Democratic National
Convention, Days of Rage, Chicago Seven, Woodstock,
Stoney Island riots, drugs, going to San Francisco for
love and peace, Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, and yes . . .
even Women’s Lib!!!
Lunch will follow at the Fireside Grill in Sugar Grove.
Plan to join us on Thursday, September 22nd.
Watch for the signup sheet at the Welcome Center
and online. If you would prefer to e-mail your
reservation(s) rather than sign up at the Welcome
Center, drop a note to karenlorence@earthlink.net or
call at 630-801-0979. Deadline for lunch reservations
is Sunday, Sept 18th.
Fall Adult Study
We know you’ve been missing the weekly Adult
Study! Please stay tuned as plans for the Fall shape
up. We’ll alert you to the start date and topic.
4

coming together for music & fun
“Coming Together for a New Day”
A bold new day in the music ministry began Monday night, August 22nd, at the music ministry kick-off
event. With the help of Randy Steinheimer, Rob Creaney, Kristin Young, and Sue Hilderbrand, our adult
vocal and handbell choirs were invited to boldly come together for a glorious new day. The meeting
was well attended and successful. Coming together, the music ministry moves forward to share Christ’s
abundant love through the gift of music.
If you were unable to attend the meeting but would still like to participate in these groups and haven’t
contacted Kristin Young yet, please let Kristin know that you plan on being a part of either group.
kyoung@stmarksaurora.net or 630-897-6891, ext. 103.
GLORY RINGERS HANDBELL CHOIR
rehearsals begin Tuesday, August 30, 7 p.m.
LION’S VOICE VOCAL CHOIR
rehearsals begin Thursday, September 1, 7 p.m.
Planting day
Saturday, Sept 17,
10 a.m.
Sunday, Sept 18,
after church
Our Gardening Team invites
you to join them for a
planting day on Saturday,
September 17 at 10 a.m.
and Sunday, Sept 18 after church. Bring your
tools and gardening gloves, plus any plant
donations you might have from thinning out
your garden.
Not able to come in September? You can still
donate flowers and plants! Please contact Sue
Hilderbrand.
Fall Fest
Craft &
Vendor
Show
Saturday, Sept 24, 8:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.
If you are crafty and like to create or sell any
unique items, you might be interested in
participating in the craft and vendor show
our Office Manager, Joni Ackley, is organizing.
The show will be at St. Mark's on Saturday,
September 24th from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in
Sanctuary Hall. If you'd like to participate,
please stop by and see Joni in the church
office, or email her at jackley42472@sbcglobal.
net. Registration deadline is August 26th!
5

coming together in worship & giving
Narrative Lectionary
starts weekend of Sept 10/11
Coming together in worship
On Rally Day weekend, we begin our third
year using the Narrative Lectionary. If you’re
new to this lectionary, a little background
might be helpful.
The Narrative Lectionary had its roots in a
course at Luther Seminary titled “Genesis to
Revelation.” In 2010 the class professor, Dr.
Jacobson, presented the idea at a regional
synod assembly of preaching the epic biblical
stories as one connected story. The idea
caught on and was developed into what we
now know as the Narrative Lectionary.
In a four-year cycle, from September through
May each year, selected texts follow the
sweep of the biblical story from Creation
through the early Christian church. The goal
is to take us through scripture in sequence,
so we can see the whole of scripture as a
story that has coherence and a dynamic
movement.
In September, we’ll be covering these texts:
• Sept 10/11: “Flood and Promise”
Noah, the flood, and the promise of the
rainbow
• Sept 17/18: “Call of Abraham”
Call of Abraham, promise of land,
descendants, blessing to the nations
• Sept 24/25: “Joseph in Prison”
Joseph is unjustly put in prison; yet God is
present with him there
If you’d like to see the complete list of
readings for the year, CLICK HERE.
Stewardship Campaign
starts weekend of Sept 17/18
Coming together in joyful giving
Scripture teaches us that a faithful steward is
one who cares for the world and takes care of
what has been given. To proclaim this message,
the St. Mark’s 2022 Stewardship Campaign
centers around the theme of “Coming Together
in Joyful Giving.”
We come together weekly because it is the
embodiment of our Christian faith, acted out in
community, Word, and prayer.
We come together in the liturgy to celebrate our
faith and offer ourselves to God through the
Holy Spirit in the presence of Christ.
We come together in joyful giving to make
possible the wonderful ministries within our
walls and the ministries that flow into our
community and out to the world. Our joyful
giving proclaims our mission of Sharing Christ’s
Abundant Love!
St. Mark’s is blessed, and we are called to be
careful stewards of our joyful giving. This year,
our Fall Stewardship Campaign kicks off the
weekend of September 17/18. Each week of the
campaign will spotlight one of the important
ministries of St. Mark’s that we make possible
by “Coming Together in Joyful Giving.”
September 17/18 – Stewardship Kickoff
September 24/25 – Youth & Family Ministry
October 1 / 2 – Music, Worship & Arts
October 8 / 9 – Quilting Weekend
October 15/16 – Stewardship of our building
October 22/23 – Collection of pledge cards
October 29/30 – Collection of pledge cards
November 5 / 6 – Celebration Weekend
6

coming together with new members
Joel, Julie,
Grace, Andrew,
and Aaron
Friend
We grew up in
the St. Louis area
but have lived in
Chicagoland for the
past 25 years. We
were looking for a welcoming and family-friendly
church and found ourselves at St. Mark’s. Grace is a
recent high school graduate and will be studying sign
language interpreting. Andrew will be in 8th grade
and loves playing baseball. Aaron will be in 4th grade
and loves video games and playing with his friends.
Joel works at the Paramount Theatre, and Julie
homeschools the kids and delivers groceries parttime.
As a family, we enjoy trips to Disney, playing
outside, and cheering on the St. Louis Cardinals.
Keith, Mary and
Hailey Negley
Thank you to the St.
Mark’s family for the
wonderful welcome. We
are the Negley’s: Keith,
Mary, and Hailey. We
moved to Montgomery
a little over a year ago
to be closer to Keith’s work and various family. Prior to
this, we were 20-year members at St. Andrew’s Lutheran
Church in Mundelein. Mary is a retired high school
teacher, Keith is a Logistics Manager for a Logistics
Provider in Naperville, and Hailey is in her third year at
Iowa State University, studying engineering. A favorite
family pastime is attending the Iowa State Univ. Cyclone
home football games which we have been doing for
years. We look forward to getting to know the great
people at St. Mark’s!
Sophia Manera
I am currently a
student at Aurora
University, double
majoring in Social
Work and Criminal
Justice. I currently
work at Anderson
Humane as an animal
care tech, and I love
it. At St. Mark’s I have
participated with the
Outreach Team, and
I love doing service
and volunteer work. I
love all that St. Mark’s
represents and am
looking forward to
growing in my faith
here. I am grateful to
be a new member of
the congregation!
Ariana Sanchez
Hello, everyone! I am thrilled to be
joining the St. Mark’s family! I found St.
Mark’s after being distant from my faith
for a while and wanted to try something
new. After attending my first worship
service, I left feeling so welcomed,
loved, and affirmed. At that moment, I
knew this could be a place I could call
home. I grew up in Oswego, alongside
my parents and four siblings. I am
currently a student at the University of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, studying
kinesiology. In my free time, I enjoy
watching sports (especially college
sports—go Illini!), watching movies,
reading, hanging out with my niece and
nephews, hiking, and listening to music.
I am blessed to have been welcomed
with such open arms at St. Mark’s, and
I look forward to growing in Christ with
you all.
Brian Spitzer and Chad Sohl
Brian and Chad moved last year from
Chicago to Oswego. In the middle of
a world pandemic, it was a challenge
finding a church home. But even with
the masks and social distancing, we
loved the people we eventually got to
meet at St. Mark’s. Brian is from Ohio
and moved to Chicago from Richmond,
VA about 8 years ago. Chad is a Texan
and moved to Chicago in 2000. Brian
is a computer engineer, and Chad is in
printing, promotions, and marketing.
Brian had a midlife crisis a few years ago
and got a degree at the French Pastry
School. Then he went on to get an MBA
and MCS at University of Chicago. For
Chad’s midlife crisis, he started wearing
his hair different. Can you tell which one
is the overachiever? We have 2 dogs,
Baxter and Ralphie, and you will get to
hear about them all the time.
7

coming together with our community
ESSE update
There’s great news with ESSE! We have our
Letter Of Agreement fully executed and can
now move forward with getting everything in
place for ESSE to start their Adult Day Service.
Over the next few weeks, they will begin
bringing in supplies, setting up their office, and moving the furnishings in.
Hiring has already started, with the site manager and nurse already in place.
As you have seen in our Friday emails, they are also looking for activity
assistants. They have just received approval for a Federal Grant that will
pay the salary of low-income, new hires who are 60 and older. Two of their
current clients are already eager to attend the new St. Mark’s location, and
activity is now planned to announce the opening to the press and online.
We are working with them to contact local Chambers and Associations, such
as Lions and Kiwanis. Grant applications have been submitted and more
are planned. They also may be able to qualify for Aurora Township Senior
Services financial support to help pay for transportation of their clients when
needed. Lots of work yet to do, but it is all coming together for an October
opening!
St. Mark’s and
Dominican Literacy Center
in the news!
Our partnership was featured in
several publications! Check them out!
Daily Herald
Rockford Archdiocese
Last spring, our Outreach team introduced St. Mark’s to a new Outreach
Partner, the Dominican Literacy Center (DLC), and we kicked off our
partnership with a one-time donation of $10,000. This directly enriches the
lives of women who are able to have positive impacts on their families and
communities because they have learned to read and write English at the
DLC.
St. Mark’s has since partnered with the DLC in many small but meaningful
ways. Several members baked cakes for the DLC graduation in the spring,
and St. Mark’s showed overwhelming support of the DLC Lou Malnati’s pizzanight
fundraiser. With donations from St. Mark’s members, Sue Hildebrand
bought flowers to place in decorative pots to brighten the Center’s entrance.
This Fall, we are planning to open our doors for the DLC volunteer luncheon.
In addition, the DLC has invited St. Mark’s member Lynnette Brent to serve
on their board, which will strengthen the bond between us as we identify
new opportunities for St. Mark’s members to get involved.
School supplies
for McCleery
Want to help a McCleery student
get a good start to the new year?
They need school supplies!
Over the next few weeks, we’re
collecting school supplies to
deliver to McCleery in early
September. Always on the list
are pencils, erasers, crayons,
glue sticks, washable markers,
wide-ruled spiral notebooks
and, especially, black dry-erase
markers. For a complete list
of what’s needed, CLICK HERE
or pick up a copy of the list at
the Welcome Center. You can
bring your supplies to a special
McCleery table in the narthex.
McCleery also has told us about
a need for headphones to
replace lost and broken ones
as the year progresses. (First
through third graders use overthe-ear
headphones while the
higher grades use ear buds.)
They need about 50 over the
course of the year, and we’ll
be using any funds donated to
McCleery in honor of Pr. Patrick
to purchase these headphones.
We’ll let you know how much we
raised and update you on what
more we can do.
Look for information about the Dominican Literacy Center at the Welcome
Center. If you want to get involved, please contact Lynnette Brent.
8

coming together with our community
“God’s Work, Our Hands” day
Saturday, Sept 10
Every September, ELCA congregations across the U.S. participate
in an initiative called “God’s Work, Our Hands.” It’s a day set aside
to engage in service to the community and to remember that we
are the Church for the sake of the world.
Hesed House tour, 5 to 6 p.m.
Many of us have been hearing about and faithfully giving to
Hesed House, but many of us have never been inside the
building to see what great stuff happens there! Come, see for
yourself. We’ll be carpooling from St. Mark’s the afternoon of
September 10th to tour the facility and learn about the need and
their programs. Sign up at the Welcome Center if you’d like to
take the tour and meet at the church parking lot at 4:30 p.m.
Aurora Area
Interfaith Food Pantry
Thank you!
“We just wrapped up our fiscal year!
From August 1, 2021 - July 31, 2022,
we distributed 3,034,138 lbs of food
to our community! We could not have
achieved this without the support from
our amazing community, volunteers,
staff and board! THANK YOU for
helping us!”—The Food Pantry
Kids’ Pop-Up
The Aurora Interfaith
Food Pantry is hosting
a Kids’ Pop-Up in the
St. Mark’s parking lot,
on Saturday, September 10, from 10
a.m. to 12 p.m. The pantry has reached
out to us for help setting up. If you
would like to volunteer, please reach
out to Joni Ackley at the church office,
at 630-897-6891, or by email at office@
stmarksaurora.net.
Harvesting Hope
As part of the tour, we’ll also be learning about Harvesting
Hope, an award-winning program dedicated to increasing the
behavioral and social skills of homeless children. Find out what
a difference volunteers spending time with homeless children in
play and crafts on a Thursday evening (6:30 to 8 p.m.) can make,
and how you can help!
PADS dinner, 6 to 9 p.m.
On Saturday night, we’ll be serving a picnic supper for the PADS
residents. This is a great opportunity to join in if you haven’t
done this before. You can:
• make Sloppy Joes ahead of time
• donate prepared foods, such cheese, potato salad, macaroni
salad, baked beans, and fruit
• donate non-perishable items, such as detergent and coffee
• help serve food and clean up at Hesed House on Saturday
Spending time with a homeless child in
play, making crafts, and laughing can
make a huge difference in their lives! No
special skills needed—just the capacity
to care. To find out more, contact Gena
Gerdin.
Sign up online or at the Welcome Center to help serve or donate
items. You can pick up a list of what’s needed at the Welcome
Center. We hope to see you on God’s Work, Our Hand’s Day!
9

kids coming together for VBS
“Tree of Healing” VBS
A great week for our kids & the community!
VBS week in July was a great success and a wonderful community
outreach! We had over 50 kids for 3 hours a day for 5 days. Of these
kids, almost two-thirds of them were from the Aurora community
and new to St. Mark’s. We made some amazing new friends, and
many of them joined us for worship on the following Sunday for
Family Fun Sunday!
We had over 40 volunteers each day, and we could have not done
this without them. Our volunteers, both adults and kids, pitched in
wherever help was needed and made it more fun than ever. Our
fearless stage leader “Sage” (David Simpson) joined us again, and
the kids loved Sage and his friends.
We did some awesome activities, such as making paper-bag
dancers, planting seeds, making first-aid kits for the homeless,
and decorating peace doves. During the week, the kids brought
in money to donate to ELCA World Hunger for hygiene kits, which
provide sanitation supplies and education for households, schools,
clinics and other public spaces. We raised over $300, which equates
to 12 hygiene kits!
10

teens coming together on a mission
students on a mission
Mission Trip
highlights
Minneapolis 2022
This July, 22 of our high school
students attended a mission trip
to Minneapolis, Minnesota. The
kids helped do yard work for
the elderly, cleaned up schools,
packaged potatoes to be sent
to various ministries, prepped
food for meals to be given to the
community, and sorted medical
supplies to be sent to Africa. The
group also visited George Floyd
Square and reflected on the
community-made memorial. We
also visited Como Zoo, Minehaha
Falls, and Luther Seminary. The
kids engaged in devotions each
morning to center themselves to
do God’s work throughout the
day. We concluded each night
by having worship and sharing
how we saw God. The kids loved
opening the letters from their
devotional partners and enjoyed
sharing the messages they
received with others. Thank you
to everyone who helped make
this trip happen!
11

ELCA Churchwide Assembly 2022
5 things you need to know
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America gathered
in Columbus, OH, August 8-12, for its first Churchwide
Assembly since COVID-19 upended churches across the
country in 2020. The triennial gathering brought together
members from all corners of the ELCA to hold elections,
make declarations, and consider legislation guiding the
country’s largest Lutheran denomination. Here are some
of the actions the ELCA Churchwide Assembly took.
coming together as a denomination
1. Apology to Santa María Peregrina
Four representatives from Iglesia Luterana Santa María
Peregrina in Stockton, California, traveled to receive a
public apology from Bishop Eaton. The former bishop
of their Sierra Pacific Synod had abruptly removed the
Latino congregation’s pastor on the Feast of Our Lady
of Guadalupe, and it had sparked outcry across the
denomination.
“I think it was a healthy thing to do, and I’m touched
by the courage of these four to stand up in front of all
these people and say, ‘This is how this affected us,’ ”
Eaton said.
2. First Asian American vice president elected
The ELCA elected Imran Siddiqui as vice president of
the denomination, making him the first Asian American
elected to the highest office a layperson can hold. But,
in his words, “This doesn’t mean we have solved racism
yet. We have a lot of work to do, church.”
Siddiqui is a senior investigator for the U.S. Department
of Labor and current vice president of the Southeastern
Synod of the ELCA, which spans Georgia, Tennessee,
Alabama and Mississippi. He grew up Muslim and
became Lutheran in 2011.
Siddiqui will take office in November.
3. Support for #Landback movement
Voting members considered a memorial (proposal)
urging support for the #Landback movement. In the
end, they approved a memorial encouraging ELCA
members and entities to support “creative programs
of restorative justice in partnership with Indigenous
peoples.” That can include returning land to the
appropriate Native American nations when selling or
transferring property.
12
The memorial also encourages ELCA members and
entities to explore making land acknowledgments a
part of their public gatherings, to educate themselves
about the Indigenous peoples whose land they inhabit,
and to deepen relationships with Indigenous peoples
and tribal nations.
4. Revisions to Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust
A lot has changed since 2009. That’s when the ELCA
adopted its social statement “Human Sexuality: Gift and
Trust,” which allowed Lutherans to hold differing views
about same-sex relationships and opened the door for
LGBTQ clergy.
A memorial authorized a narrow review of the social
statement about sexuality to make sure its wording
“reflects current church understanding, church policy,
civil law, and public acceptance of same-gender and
gender non-conforming couples.”
5. Restructure the governance of the ELCA
Is it time for another Reformation? Bishop Eaton
said she thought the idea was “brilliant” when she
first heard of plans to consider restructuring the
governance of the ELCA, which was formed 35 years
ago by a merger of three Lutheran denominations.
Voting members seemed to think so, too. They
approved a memorial directing the ELCA Church
Council to establish a Commission for a Renewed
Lutheran Church to reconsider the principles of the
denomination’s organizational structure and the
statements of purpose for its churches, synods and the
churchwide organization. The memorial instructs the
commission to be “particularly attentive to our shared
commitment to dismantle racism.”
Adapted from Religion Newswire, “5 Things You Need to Know from the
ELCA Churchwide Assembly”

coming together with God
Looking for
inspiration?
Attending to our spiritual health
“Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)
As we move into September, we know that life will get just that much
busier. More dates on the calendar, more meetings, more school
activities, more work. And in the current climate of angry voices and
anxiety-inducing challenges, where do we go to find peace and hope?
If you’re looking for a daily devotion, inspiration, or a faith resource
at home, here are a few possibilities.
God Pause is a daily email
sent by Luther Seminary, written
by a variety of pastors living in a
variety of areas. Each day offers
a short reading, a devotion, and a
prayer. Click here to see samples and sign up.
Daily Grace is a short daily
email message from WELCA
(Women of the ELCA). While
it does have some feminine
themes, it is not exclusively for
women. The topics covered span a wide variety of
interests. Click here to see samples and sign up.
Inspiring Quotes is a daily
email that shares positive quotes
from a wide variety of individuals
including authors, actors,
scientists, and other well-known
people past and present. Click here to see samples and
sign up.
Richard Rohr’s Daily
Meditations are in-depth
email reflections written by
Richard Rohr and the Center
for Action and Contemplation
(CAC) faculty. Frequent guest teachers and authors also
reflect on the wisdom and practices of the Christian
contemplative tradition. Click here to see samples and
sign up.
= = = = = =
You can also pick up the two small devotional booklets
available at St. Mark’s Welcome Center: “Christ in Our
Home” and “The Upper Room.”
There are also many inspirational or positive pages for
those of you who are on Facebook. The St. Mark’s page,
the ELCA page, the Hesed House page, A Hygge-ish Life
page, Fred Rogers Quotes, Snoopy pages, High Church
Coyote (Episcopal Humor), and others that can bring a
smile to your face.
Frederick Buechner, 1926-2022
This month, we lost one of the great beacons of faith, Frederick Buechner. He
was arguably the foremost spiritual writer of his generation. His writing career
spanned six decades, during which he wrote more than 30 books, and his
work has been translated into 27 languages. Here’s just a small sampling of his
insightful writing:
“The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s
deep hunger meet.”
“Turn around and believe that the good news that we are loved is better than we ever dared hope.”
“Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery that it is. In the boredom and pain of it no less than
in the excitement and gladness: touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it because
in the last analysis all moments are key moments and life itself is grace.”
For more inspiring Buechner quotes, CLICK HERE.
13

church matters
Council happenings
Since the last issue of the Vineyard, the
St. Mark’s Council has met twice and had
two sessions of “Chat with Council.” We
invite members of the congregation to
come to our chats 30 minutes before
services on Council-meeting days and
the night before. We thank you for your
suggestions and also for your words of
encouragement!
Here are just a few highlights of our recent
Council meetings:
FINANCES AND STEWARDSHIP: Our
finances continue to trend in a positive
direction, as we continue to be under
budget on spending and over budget
on income. Our giving has lagged in
the summer, which is typical during the
summer months. We will continue to
monitor expenses to keep our budget
moving in the right direction.
Look for information to come on our
Stewardship Campaign, “Coming Together
in Joyful Giving.” This year, we plan to
highlight the various ministries of St.
Mark’s as members consider how to offer
time and talent as well as monetary gifts.
ESSE: We continue to be excited about
ESSE (Ecumenical Support Services
for the Elderly) at St. Mark’s, and we
appreciated all of the questions at the
special congregational meeting, where
the congregation voted to designate
space at St. Mark’s for ESSE. This meeting
was a high point of our summer as we
came together to consider hosting this
important ministry at St. Mark’s.
COMMUNICATION: Plans are in the
works to upgrade the display space on the
brick wall near our front entrance. Matt
Greising and Greg Reiseck are creating
innovative, user-friendly “display rails”
to replace our bulletin boards. Check
this space in September to see what’s
happening at St. Mark’s!
BUILDING USE: Our Property Team is
receiving many requests for the use of our
building, both from members and from
community groups. We want to make sure
that requests are going through the office
so they are properly vetted and get on
the church calendar. Watch for upcoming
information about a new Building Use
Application, a Liability Release Waiver, and
a Policy and Procedure document.
PERMANENT NAME TAGS: As Council has
become more visible with name tags, a
generous member has offered to create
name tags for all members. We are excited
for the opportunity to call everyone by
name! Look for more information to come.
YOUTH AND FAMILY: We have an array of
youth and family events coming up at
St. Mark’s:
• Final Family Fun Day, August 28
• Rally Day, September 11
• FDL, Confirmation, Youth Group,
beginning September 14
• Sunday School and Education Hour,
beginning September 18
WORSHIP AND THE ARTS: Council
approved the hiring of Sue Hildebrand
as Facilitator of Worship, Music, and the
Visual Arts. She will serve the congregation
part-time in this role.
RESPONSE ADVISORY TEAM: New “panic
buttons” have been installed in the
sanctuary and lower level. When pressed,
they send out a silent alarm. We also
have new Emergency Action Plans posted
all over the building. In the future, look
for upgraded first-aid kits and drills for
weather, emergency action, and so forth.
Please feel free to reach out to Council
members with questions and suggestions
in helping us carry out St. Mark’s mission
to share Christ’s abundant love!
— Lynnette Brent
14
St. Mark’s
Council
Randy Steinheimer, President
rsteinheimer@sd129.org
Lynnette Brent, Vice-President
lynnettebrent@gmail.com
Jon Miller, Secretary
jgmiller6836@gmail.com
Rob Creaney, Treasurer
rob.creaney@sbcglobal.net
Mike Bauman
jmb15mjb4@gmail.com
Matt Greising
mpgreising@gmail.com
Izzy Jones
isabellemjones06@gmail.com
Tyler Mabrey
yerbam719@gmail.com
Mark Mueller
mueller1110@comcast.net
Anna Themanson
acthemo@gmail.com
Patrick Fish, Pastor
pfish@stmarksaurora.net
Marnie Rourke, Pastor
mrourke@stmarksaurora.net
Joni Ackley, Recording Secretary
jackley@stmarksaurora.net

church matters
Emergency Action Plan
The Response Advisory Team (RAT)
continues to work for the safety of
our members.
New Alarm System: Our newly
installed state-of-the-art system
protects and integrates our entire
building and replaces the former
alarm systems that had been
added as our building expanded. In
addition, panic buttons have been
installed in the sanctuary and lower
level. In the case of an emergency,
when both buttons are pressed
and held simultaneously for several
seconds, a silent alarm is triggered.
An alarm signal is sent directly to
emergency personnel and identifies
an emergency at St. Mark’s, as well
as the location within St. Mark’s
where the distress signal is coming
from.
Emergency Action Plan: The
original plan has been updated
and printed in teal blue binders,
strategically placed in 10 locations
around St. Mark’s:
• Main office
• Staff hallway
• Sanctuary
• Sanctuary Hall
• Nursery (in book shelves)
• Welcome Center
• Education wing (outside the
door)
• Education wing office
• Lower level
• Kitchen
Please stop by one of these locations
to examine the new Emergency
Action Plan. Thanks to our Office
Manager, Joni Ackley.
St. Mark’s monthly financial recap
for July 2022
Monthly Information
First-Aid Kits: As we continue implementing ways to keep our
members safe, we will complete our task of replenishing/replacing
outdated First-Aid Kits.
Safety Drills: In the Fall we will implement safety drills for worship,
Sunday School, and FDL. These drills will be pre-planned and
announced, and procedures/expectations will be explained. These
drills will be in preparation for severe weather, fire, and other
emergency situations.
The RAT will continue to update you on our work. If you have any
questions about ongoing safety measures, please contact the church
office.
Monthly Budget Goal $ 76,213.92
Monthly Offering information
Envelopes – General Fund $ 61,496.62
LSSI Rent $ —
Miscellaneous $ 311.00
Other (loose, Sunday School, interest) $ 322.63
Total General Fund Income $ 62,130.15
Monthly Surplus (Shortfall) $ (14,083.77)
Summary General Fund Information as of 07/31/2022
Annual Budget $ 914,567.00
Percent of Year Completed 58%
Offerings/Commitments/Other Income $ 455,915.49
received year to date
Actual Expenses year to date $ 527,182.97
Actual Expense Surplus (Shortfall) year to date $ (71,267.48)
Budget Surplus (Shortfall) year to date $ (77,581.93)
Debt Balances as of 07/31/2022
Principal Remaining on Church Building $ 1,169,287.30
Principal Remaining on CDC $ ---
General Fund owes Special Fund $ 15,000.00
15

Wow! There’s a LOT going on here!
Look at the opportunities to come together!
the whole church
kids & teens
special interests
Family Fun Sunday - pg 2
Fall programs - pg 2
handbells & vocal choir - pg 3
Rally Day - pg 1
PrayGround update - pg 3
our community
NEW Education Hour- pg 4
Adult Fellowship - pg 4
God’s Work, Our Hands - pg 1 & 9
McCleery supplies - pg 8
DLC update - pg 8
Anti-Racism group - pg 4
Stewardship Campaign - pg 6
ESSE update - pg 8
Planting Day - pg 5
new members - pg 7
Harvesting Hope - pg 9
Fall Fest - pg 5
looking for
inspiration?
St. Mark’s
Lutheran Church
27 S Edgelawn Dr
Narrative Lectionary
pg 6
ELCA Assembly
pg 12
devotional resources
pg 13
church matters
pg 14-15
Aurora, IL 60506
630-897-6891
stmarksaurora.net