The MessengerSt. Mark’s Lutheran Church 1900 St. Paul Street Baltimore, MD 21218 Phone 410.752.5804 www.stmarksbaltimore.org

JULY 2017

St. Mark’s Lutheran Church Staff Clergy .............. Pr. Thomas Davison, Fr. Henry Hammond, Pr. Lee Hudson Cantor ......................................Mr. James Harp Administrator ..................... Mr. Stephen Kohler Sexton ................................ Mr. Jeffry Spangler Congregation Council Officers President ........................ Ms. Teri Lura Bennett Vice President ......................... Mr. Gil Ricketts Secretary ..................... Mr. Woodland Pomeroy Treasurer .............................. Mr. William Krim St. Mark’s Mission Statement The mission of St. Mark’s Church is to embrace diversity, practice hospitality, and make known Christ’s presence in word and deed. Newsletter Editor Mr. Stephen Kohler Webminister ................. The Rev. Stuart Wright

from Psalm 141:1-3

O LORD, I call upon You; hasten to me! Give ear to my voice when I call to You! May my prayer be counted as incense before You; The lifting up of my hands as the evening offering. Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.…

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Birthdays for July 2017

3 John Brown 7 Bob & Bonnie Devers (A) 12 John & Linda Miles (A) 14 Niels Cordes Pastor Dale Dusman 15 Marilyn Bernache

Cathy Walker 17 James Hicks 18 Terry Tudor 20 Austin Lee 25 Melvin Manson 30 Gil & Louise Ricketts (A)

JULY

Coffee Hour Hosts…July ‘17

2 Louise & Gil Ricketts 9 Andrew Colletta 16 Leigh & Henry Hammond 23 Joan Hoyle, Harold Sachs 30 Caroline & David Bahr

The Messenger Page 3 JULY 2017 500 Trees for the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation Please follow the following link to read about the ELCA initiative to plant 500 trees to mark the Reformation and to promote greater care for God’s creation.

http://www.lutheransrestoringcreation.org/500th-anniversary-of-the-reformation/500-trees-for-the-500th-anniversary-of-the-reformation

Reminder: There will be no celebration of the Holy Eucharist nor dinner on Thursdays for the remainder of the summer months. Check back to find out when these events will resume. Thank you!

New members: on Sunday, 25 June, we were very happy to

welcome Cliff Andersson, and Emmanuel Nixon into our fellowship at St. Mark’s. Both Cliff and Emmanuel have worshipped with us for a good period of time and are committed to St Mark’s worship and future outreach. Please take a moment to introduce yourself and welcome them to St. Mark’s Family.

Our Sympathy... is expressed to Sue Romanic upon the death of her father, John, on Tuesday, 27 June.

from Our Parish Life Committee:

St. Mark's congregation will be participating in the Delaware-Maryland Synod's Youth + Family Ministries project for Lutheran World Relief by providing School Kits and Personal Care Kits. The School Kits are used by children around the world who would like to attend school, but whose families cannot afford to buy the most basic school supplies. The Personal Care Kits are given to people who have lost everything due to a natural disaster or life-threatening violence. We would like to donate 20 of each kit. Some of the items in the School Kits are notebooks, pens & pencils, crayons, scissors, erasers, etc. Items in the Personal Care Kits include: towels, soap, toothbrushes, combs, and nail clippers. Examples of these kits can be seen at the LWF website. The School Kit: https://lwr.org/get-involved/build-kits-of-care/school-kits , and the Personal Care Kit: https://lwr.org/get-involved/build-kits-of-care/personal-care-kits . We would like to collect the items for these kits during the month of July and assemble the kits in early August. Please let Richard Spittel [ richlous@aol.com ] know what items you would like to donate, and if you'd like to volunteer to assemble and ship the kits. If you're not sure what to donate, cash donations are welcome so we can purchase the missing items.

Remember the persons on our Prayer List in your prayers throughout the week. Prayer lists are published weekly.

The Messenger Page 4 JULY 2017 Council Notes…

On Tuesday evening, 27 June, Bishop Gohl met with the Council to review/discuss St. Mark’s financial status, the Call process (Interim pastors, MSP document, Call committee), and outreach to our community. He specifically mentioned that our MSP was realistic, & ambitious, but might give the impression that we do not want to change. He went through various options that council needs to fully discuss/consider pros & cons before we ramp up to a full-fledged Call committee. We also met Pr. Eric Campbell, our new synod liaison.

The Council elected our executive committee for 2017-2018; President – Teri Lura Bennett, Vice-President – Gil Ricketts, Secretary – Woodland Pomeroy.

Regarding Benevolences we reviewed our timeline for deciding distributions through Mission Endowment, & coordination with St Mark’s General Benevolences distribution. It was decided to post regular notices in the bulletin or newsletter to let St. Mark’s congregation know where the benevolence money is going. This would help members to understand what happens with that line item on our offering envelopes.

St Marks Constitution; review for updates to present to Congregation at the regular December Congregation meeting, we’ll need to check with the ELCA Model Constitution.

Sincerely, Teri Lura Bennett St Marks Evangelical Lutheran Church – Council President

This article is written by Carole Conors as a result of her June 6, 2017 travel to Williamsport, Maryland, for the presentation of Cross+Gen by its founder, Rev. Dr. Rich Melheim as part of his tour about Cross+Gen. Carole had a poignant moment at the conclusion when she learned that the next stop on Dr. Melheim’s tour was in Princeton Junction to Pastor Peter Froehlke, pastor at Carole’s first Lutheran church. Carole suggests that readers look at http://www.crossgenlife.org, for a far fuller and better explanation of Cross+Gen and contemplate how it may apply to the future of St. Mark’s and to the people whom St. Mark’s hopes to nurture in God’s family.

Cross+Gen is an exciting concept and

exercise in many churches, bringing together/holding together the generations of a congregation-- mixing, learning from one another and inspiring. Yes! Imagine middle-aged and elderly parishioners being inspired by the comments of children! Contemplate the elderly bringing new ideas to children! And the teens uttering their fresh thinking for all generations. The contributions of the millennials. No more kiddie programs but rather programs that suit all! No more confirmations at age 13, those graduations from church life, but rather family affirmations of all of them, maybe many families at the same time! Yes! No more dropping the kiddies off and going to the coffee shop during free babysitting but rather a mix at those no-longer kiddies program. On to family programs! No more adult Sunday school and pre-school Sunday school and high school (Luther League?) Sunday school but rather a mix, all getting smarts from each other!

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Such is the concept of Cross+Gen. As Saint Mark’s commences its new life, augmenting its family with folks of all generations, all walks of life, a great cross section of all God’s people, let it be a family with children having many aunts and uncles and grandparents and cousins, ah! the warmth and security of it! And sisters-in-law and fathers-in-law and great grand children to get to know and love. And the participating of the children and the teens and the grannies and moms and dads in functions and their preparations. Shall we give it a try?!

Looking for Volunteer Opportunities? From time to time, folks call the office or ask on Sunday what volunteer opportunities are available through St. Mark’s Church. Here are two that might be of interest and both organizations would surely treasure your time and your talents. Ø Manna House. A soup kitchen on East

25th Street. Volunteers, under the coordination of Austin Lee, work one day per month serving meals to the clients of this much needed resource in the Old Goucher neighborhood. If you’d like to help. Contact Austin.

Ø GEDCO. Located on East 33rd Street,

Govans Ecumenical Development Corp. operates several facilities, including a food pantry that regularly could use assistance in food distribution, as well as other regular volunteer opportunities. For questions or to learn more about volunteering

with GEDCO, contact Nate FitzGerald, Resource Development Associate, at 410-433-2442 ext. 19 or nfitzgerald@gedco.org.

Coming up in August…

FORWARD IN FAITH: is an initiative of the Dealware-Maryland Synod, ELCA. On Sunday, 6 August, Karen Kretschmann, from our Synod, will be with us to give a brief presentation on this faith initiative. If you would care to read up on Forward in Faith, there is an article on the DE-MD Synod website, at http://www.demdforward.com/about.html

Plan to be present on August 6th to welcome Karen and to learn more about the work of our synod.

E-Blasts

Some months ago we began sending out weekly emails to all

with appropriate news, announcements, and schedule changes (when appropriate). Our intention is to keep you all better informed and informed on a timely basis. To date, the comments about these weekly “updates” have been quite positive. It is good to have as many folks as possible on the same page…at the same time!

“Forgiveness is another word for letting go.”

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Serving Schedule – July 2017 2 July – 4th Sunday after Pentecost Presider Fr. Henry Hammond Assisting Minister Deacon Connie Lisch Crucifer Louise Ricketts Chalicist Susan Surrey Lector Audrey Huka Petitioner Carole Conors Greeters John & Connie Lisch Tellers B. Hanson, J. Hoyle 9 July – 5th Sunday after Pentecost

Presider Pr. Tom Davison Assisting Minister Stephen Kohler Crucifer Oliver Walston-Lavdas Chalicist Shawn McDowell Lector Susan Surrey Petitioner Teri Bennett Greeters John & Connie Lisch Tellers J. Lisch, S. Surrey 16 July – 6th Sunday after Pentecost

Presider Pr. Lee Hudson Assisting Minister Deacon Cliff Andersson Crucifer/Chalicist Louis Flake Lector Jeffry Spangler Petitioner Stephen Kohler Greeters John & Connie Lisch Tellers L. Flake, J. Hoyle 23 July – 7th Sunday after Pentecost Presider Fr. Henry Hammond Assisting Minister Deacon Sue Romanic Crucifer/Chalicist Richard Spittel Lector Jane Parker Petitioner Bill Krim Greeters John & Connie Lisch Tellers J. Hoyle, A. Huka

30 July- 8th Sunday after Pentecost

Presider Pr. Tom Davison Assisting Minister Woodland Pomeroy Crucifer John Schultz Chalicist Shawn McDowell Lector Charlotte Floyd Petitioner Teri Lura Bennett Greeters John & Connie Lisch Tellers L. Flake, G. Ricketts

6 August – 9th Sunday after Pentecost

Assisting Minister Deacon Connie Lisch Crucifer Alexander Smith-Burden Chalicist Susan Surrey Lector Charles Smith Petitioner Alexander Smith-Burden Greeter Caroline Bahr Tellers B. Hanson, J. Hoyle

13 August – 10th Sunday after Pentecost

Assisting Minister Deacon Cliff Andersson Crucifer/Chalicist Richard Spittel Lector Audrey Huka Petitioner Woodland Pomeroy Greeter Caroline Bahr Tellers J. Lisch, S. Surrey

Daily Lectionary – July 2017 1 Psalm 1-4, 15-18 Jeremiah 28:1-4 Luke 17:1-4 2 Fourth Sunday after Pentecost Jeremiah 28:5-9 Romans 6:12-23 Matthew 10:40-42 3 Psalm 119:161-168 1 Kings 21:1-16 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12 4 Psalm 119:161-168 1 Kings 21:17-29 1 John 4:1-6 5 Psalm 119:161-168 Jeremiah 18:1-11 Matthew 11:20-24 6 Psalm 145:8-14 Zechariah 1:1-6 Romans 7:1-6 7 Psalm 145-8-14 Zechariah 2:6-13 Romans 7:7-20 8 Psalm 145:8-14 Zechariah 4:1-7 Luke 10:21-24 9 Fifth Sunday after Pentecost Zechariah 9:9-12 Romans 7:15-25a Matthew 11-16, 25-30 10 Psalm 131 Jeremiah 27:1-11, 16-22 Romans 1:18-25 11 Psalm 131 Jeremiah 28:10-17 Romans 3:1-8 12 Psalm 131 Jeremiah 13:1-11 John 13:1-17 13 Psalm 65:1-13 Isaiah 48:1-5 Romans 2:12-16 14 Psalm 65:1-13 Isaiah 48:6-11 Romans 15:14-21 15 Psalm 65:1-13 Isaiah 52:1-6 John 12:44-50 16 Sixth Sunday after Pentecost Isaiah 55:10-13 Romans 8:1-11 Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

17 Psalm 92 Leviticus 26:3-20 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 18 Psalm 92 Deuteronomy 28:1-14 Ephesians 4:17─5:2 19 Psalm 92 Proverbs 11:23-30 Matthew 13:10-17 20 Psalm 86:11-17 Isaiah 41:21-29 Hebrews 2:1-9 21 Psalm 86:11-17 Isaiah 44:9-17 Hebrews 6:13-20 22 Psalm 86:11-17 Isaiah 44:18-20 Matthew 7:15-20 23 Seventh Sunday after Pentecost Isaiah 44:6-8 Romans 8:12-25 Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 24 Psalm 75 Nahum 1:1-13 Revelation 14:12-20 25 Psalm 75 Zephaniah 3:1-13 Galatians 4:21─5:1 26 Psalm 75 Daniel 12:1-13 Matthew12:15-21 27 Psalm 119:129-136 1 Kings 1:28-37 1 Corinthians 4:14-20 28 Psalm 119:129-136 1 Kings 38-48 Acts 7:44-53 29 Psalm 119:129-136 1 Kings 2:1-4 Matthew 12:38-42 30 Eighth Sunday after Pentecost 1 Kings 3:5-12 Romans 8:26-39 Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 31 Psalm 119:121-128 1 Kings 3:16-28 James 3:13-18

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This just in…!

Dear St. Cecilia Society lovers: want to help stuff envelopes for the

mailing about the upcoming St. Cecilia Society season? It’ll be early

August at the church. It is fellowship and fun!

If yes, tell Carole Conors, caroleconors@verizon.net, 443-794-4678