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St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
Connecting Spirits
Engaging Minds
Welcoming All
ON LION
December 2014
Along with others in the congregation, including our pilot project of 15, the Vestry has been discussing the concept of Radical Welcome & Hospitality as we vision for the future. Recently, Canon Bob and the Vestry endorsed the work of this project, recognizing our common call in the roots of our Baptismal Covenant to “seek and serve Christ in all persons”. We endorse these goals: ■ to enhance St. Mark’s as a faith community that more members will get to know each other and have opportunities to participate in mutually fulfilling activities that further our mission (note the increased work of the Fellowship Ministry and the re‐organization of the Outreach Ministry); ■ to continue to diversify our membership; and ■ to engage, as partners in Christian justice, activities in our neighborhood (and beyond). The Vestry will be establishing a Radical Welcome Ministry that will develop a plan to guide this work in 2015 and will meet quarterly to oversee Radical Welcome activities. Membership will include representatives from all our ministries, including worship, youth and formation. Canon Bob We pray greetings and blessings in this holy season, as we welcome the Christ child. St. Mark’s Clergy and Ministry Support Team: The Rev. Canon Robert Alan Schiesler, Ph.D., Pastor The Rev. Sue York, Associate for Pastoral Care The Rev. Dr. Hugh Dickinson, Priest Associate Dr. Gregory Crowell, Music Director Erik Childers, Children’s Choir Director Jane Stidolph, Dir. of Christian Formation Pam Stevenson, Finance Manager Julian Medrano, Facilities Assistant Wafa Amash and Sommer Jabber, Nursery Caregivers Kit‐Ying Law, Organ Scholar Mary Heintzelman, Office Manager Jeff Brown, Dir. of Youth Ministries David Hawley, Facilities Manager Joe Pattok, Facilities Assistant This month you will receive your invitation in the mail to donate to the Flower collection for Christmas. Each year, we beautifully decorate our historic church with a bounty of flowers of every color in anticipation of the hundreds who join us for the great feast of Christmas. When you receive your envelope, please return it by mail or on Sunday morning, adding your name to the list of others willing to donate for this (envelopes must be received by Dec. 18). All contributors will be gratefully remembered in the Christmas bulletins. The Right Rev. Whayne M. Hougland
9th Bishop of Western Michigan
Clergy
The Rev. Canon Robert Alan Schiesler, Ph.D., Pastor
The Rev. Sue York, Associate for Pastoral Care
The Rev. Dr. Hugh Dickinson, Priest Associate
Ministry Support Team
Dr. Gregory Crowell, Music Director
Kit-Ying Law, Organ Scholar
Erik Childers, Children’s Choir Director
Mary Heintzelman, Office Manager
Jane Stidolph, Dir. of Christian Formation
Jeff Brown, Dir. of Youth Ministries
Pam Stevenson, Finance Manager
David Hawley, Facilities Manager
Julian Medrano, Facilities Assistant
Wafa Amash and Sommer Jabber, Nursery Caregivers
Introducing Ben Lepper During the spring, Ben Lepper is serving as a pastoral intern at St. Mark’s as part of his master’s education at the Grand Rapids Theological Seminary. He holds the BA in Religion and has served several evangelical congregations as a youth pastor, along with experience in summer youth ministry and urban outreach. He will primarily work with our children and youth programs; is on a Café team; working with the Outreach Ministry; and you might see him once or twice in the pulpit, honing his speaking skills. St. Mark’s is a different type of experience for him, and he has been greatly enjoying his time with us over the past year that he has been in the congregation. Canon Bob will serve as his GRTS Ministry Residency mentor. Officers and Vestry Members
Jennifer Julius, Sr. Warden
Leigh Eicke, Jr. Warden
Mark Stoppels, Treasurer
Sherri Nelson, Secretary
Through 2014: Aleta Anderson, Sherri Nelson,
Baldwin Ogden, and Pat Roy
Through 2015: Leigh Eicke, Jennifer Julius, and
Mark Stoppels
Through 2016: Chuck Bocskey, David Kidd, and
Catherine Frerichs
St. Mark’s Ministries
Fellowship Ministry - Judy Fetterhoff
Formation Ministry
Children - Jane Stidolph
Youth - Jeff Brown
Adult - Pastor
Library - Charles Brown
Healing Racism - Becky Bocskey
Health Ministry - Pastor Sue
Worship - Pastor
Altar Guild - Margaret Stretton
Ushers - Tom Burr
Stewardship Ministry
Finance & Facilities - Sharon Buursma
Endowment Board - Wendy Stock
Outreach Ministry
Outreach - John Bosserman
Breakfast Café - Jennifer Julius
Calling All Bakers… ...and Cookie Eaters! The annual Cookie Walk will be held on Dec. 14 after the Children’s Pageant & Eucharist. Bakers are invited to bring their cookies to the kitchen before the service, and afterwards all will enjoy a broad array of freshly baked cookies at only $5 per bag. You can collect different types and styles and maybe share a few along the way. Funds collected go towards outreach activities. Come and enjoy! DEADLINE FOR THE
JANUARY/FEBRUARY
ISSUE
OF THE ON LION
Connecting Spirits Engaging Minds Welcoming All
On Lion is published eight times a year by
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
IS
134 North Division Avenue
Grand Rapids, MI 49503-3103
(616) 456-1684 fax (616) 456-7506
www.stmarksgr.org
https://www.facebook.com/stmarksgr
MONDAY,
JANUARY 17TH.
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Services Celebrating the Nativity of our Savior Christ Dec 24 5pm — Festival Eucharist includes choral music, Gospel story telling & gifts for the children 10pm — Festival Eucharist includes choral music & instruments Dec 25 10:30am — Meditative Holy Eucharist From the Healing Racism Ministry— HRM endorses the work of Partners for a Racism‐Free Community (PRFC) and their web site at www.prfc‐gr.org, which has a variety of interesting information and coming events. Their next Community Workshop with lunch will be a viewing and discussion of the documentary Our Fires Still Burn: The Native American Experience. Wednesday, December 10, 11:30‐1:30 at the Dominican Center at Marywood, 2025 E. Fulton (parking and entrance off Lakeside Dr.). Cost $20 includes lunch. Register at www.prfc‐gr.org and click on “Register Now” button‐‐or call 466‐6187. This exciting and compelling documentary by Audrey Geyer, an independent video producer/director for over 15 years, invites viewers into the lives of contemporary Native American role models living in the Midwest. The tragic history of Native Americans is considered by many to be our “American Holocaust". Interviewees explain how this past trauma continues to negatively impact their emotional and physical health today and contribute to urgent social problems. The stories are powerful, startling, despairing, and inspiring. Following the documentary, Audrey Geyer and Levi Rickert, Editor Native News Online, will facilitate a discussion. Come join us for a Festival of Advent Lessons and Carols on Sunday, December 7 at 5:00 p.m. This traditional service of carols and readings has long been a meaningful and joyous way to enter into the seasons of Advent and Christmas. Musical selections sung by the choir and by the congregation are interspersed with scripture readings in a way that brings us to Advent expectation and Christmas joy in deeper ways. The St. Mark’s Choir, under the direction of Gregory Crowell and accompanied by Organ Scholar Kit‐Ying Law, will present new and traditional carols, including African‐American spirituals and the music of David Willcocks. This is a free event as part of our Sacred Sounds at St. Mark’s series, so please come and bring a friend! A reception will follow the service. 3
Get Ready for an Exciting December, with Friends New & Old December is always an exciting month with Sunday activities galore, and this year is no exemption as we begin the season of Advent on Nov. 30th, with the lighting of the Advent Wreath, a symbol of hope with its green branches and symbol of eternal salvation with the round wreath. Dec. 7 we’ll welcome an old friend with St. Nicholas visiting us from far away; hopefully, he will bring a gift for all who have been generous and kind in 2014. Dec. 14 is the day that folks, young and old, await with the Christmas Pageant with our children. Join us for this always exciting Nativity telling with acting and singing. Following the Service, come over to the Parish Hall for the Cookie Walk. Each bag is $5 (the money will be used for outreach), and you can fill up your bags from a vast array of freshly baked cookies. However, we need your help to make this successful by being willing to do some baking and bringing cookies into the kitchen prior to 10:30am to be laid out for the Walk. It’s always enjoyable and guaranteed delicious. Oh No!… It’s that ugly thing… Right in the Church!! Yes, beginning Nov 30th, you will see that artificial tree front and center in the Sanctuary, as our Sharing Tree project gets underway. Throughout Advent, we are collecting hats, gloves, scarves, socks and toiletries for Christmas bags to be distributed to our guests at the Sunday Café. Bring your items in on Sunday and come right up and cover the tree with your outreach donation; you might even want to do it every Sunday of December. All of our donations will be used to reach out to our neighbors with respect and kindness. Any that are not used here will be given to the Heartside Ministry, which works so diligently with the homeless in our area. Dec. 21 we will hear the familiar readings of the season and hear some magnificent singing as our choir leads us in the annual Lessons and Carols Service. Visiting Scholar Coming In January pictorial meditation on the words. Participants are invited to take a photo to share their interpretation on the day’s word ‐ #Abide; #Thrive,; #Become; #Imagine; and post the picture to instagram adding the day’s tag plus #Adventword. This is one more way that we can assist others with their daily prayer practice, awakening deep thoughts and longings in this Advent season– and doing so in a global manner. On SATURDAY, JAN. 24, she will be teaching from 9:30‐ll:30am on the theme of THE REIGN OF GOD: CHURCH DYING; CHURCH LIVING. She sees a distinct shift in the Church in the context of American society and will explore this with us within a sociological, Biblical and theological context. We welcome a Visiting Scholar with the Rev. Dr. Angela Cowser on Jan 24 and Jan 25. Dr. Cowser Digital Advent Options is ordained in the Presbyterian Church and worked in Nashville, TN as Program Director for A Better Anglicans are invited to “celebrate Advent with your Start against infant mortality, and Executive camera phone”. Members of the Anglican Director of People of God Organized. She holds Communion are being invited to celebrate Advent degrees from the University of Chicago and through prayer, meditation and contributing to a Vanderbilt University. In 2012, she joined the faculty global Advent calendar on Instagram. Each day, of Garrett Theological Seminary (Chicago) as from Nov 30 to Dec 24, a time of Advent waiting, an Professor in the Sociology of Religion and Director Advent email will arrive in your mailbox at of the Center for Church and the Black Experience. 5am. There will be a short meditation and then a 4
On SUNDAY, JAN 25, she will be our guest preacher at the Martin Luther King Jr. Remembrance Service. Children’s Formation
St. Nicholas Day Celebration
Saturday, December 6
St. Luke's Episcopal, Kalamazoo (247 W Lovell St Kalamazoo, MI 49007) 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
A Diocesan Gathering For All Ages
Join Bishop Whayne Hougland and spend the day finding old friends and meeting new ones as we
learn about St. Nicholas and celebrate the joy of the season.
Please bring a book
We'll be collecting books for the summer diocesan reading camps. Please bring a new or gently used
copy of your favorite childhood book to give to the program.
All ages are invited and friends are welcome. All Children must be accompanied by an adult (high
school students, if you don't have anyone to accompany you, contact me and I will find you an adult).
Please register by family group, or youth group if you are bringing a number of children from your community or your parish. Register at edwm.org.
Children’s Christmas Pageant
All children are welcome to participate in the Christmas Pageant. Here are some important dates to
know:
■ Sunday November 30 and December 7 during formation: assign parts and begin rehearsing
■ Saturday December 13 10AM to noon: final rehearsal and costume fitting
■
Sunday December 14 during 10:30AM worship: Pageant Performance
Pageant help is needed! In order to pull this yearly spectacle off, many helpers are needed. Help will be
needed during the Saturday rehearsal and the following day for the performance. See or contact director Jane Stidolph, jstidolph@gmail.com or call 616.706.6232 to volunteer.
Mark Your Calendars!
St. Nicholas Day Celebration, Sunday December 7th. Special visitor will be on hand during the
10:30am service. St. Nicholas activities will be available during coffee hour.
Annual Children’s Christmas Pageant, Sunday December 14th during the 10:30am worship service.
Pageant Rehearsal, Saturday December 13th from 10am-12 noon.
Children’s Choir News
Children’s Choir will sing December 14th during the 10:30am worship service. After the 14th, the
Choir will take a winter break. Rehearsal will resume on January 11th.
Jane Leacock Stidolph, Director of Christian Formation
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GRAND RAPIDS
EPISCOPAL YOUTH
(G.R.E.Y.)
The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies @ Celebration Cinema On the evening of Friday, December 19, we will be meeting at Celebration Cinema North to see the final installment of “The Hobbit” trilogy. Tentative plans are for us to meet at the east entrance of Celebration at 6 pm and grab a bite of dinner prior to seeing the film. Show times have not been released, but will be earlier that week. The film has an unconfirmed running time of around 2 hours and 40 minutes, so we will conclude the evening by 11 pm. I do need RSVPs by Wednesday, December 17 to secure a spot for youth and ensure I have enough chaperones. The churches will pay for dinner and the movie, but youth should bring money for any additional purchases, such as snacks during the movie. I will have permission slips available at Oasis and as an attachment in my weekly GREY updates. Oasis Please join us at Oasis on Wednesdays at St. Andrew’s on 3 Mile, with dinner from 5:45 to 6:30 and programming for all ages from 6:30‐7:30. We will not have Oasis on the following Wednesdays, due to the holidays: November 26th, December 24th and 31st.
Connect
Email Jeff at jeffatgrey@gmail.com to receive regular Grand Rapids Episcopal Youth updates.
Jeff Brown
Director of Youth Ministries
St. Mark’s and St. Andrew’s Episcopal Churches-Grand Rapids, MI
(616)304-7604 www.stmarksgr.org standrewsgr.org
Begin the New Year Mark Your Calendar! with a meditative Holy Communion on Monday, Dec. 31 at 5:30pm. This will be a candlelight service in our Chapel, gathering for prayer as we enter into a new, challenging year of 2015. Rather than the hurrying through the night to open the new year, how about a change of pace in attitude and possibility. 6
The Annual Meeting of the Congregation will be held on Sunday, Feb. 1 at 11:30am. This will include receiving the written Annual Report on all of our ministries, along with the 2014 financial report; remarks by the Sr Warden and Canon Bob’s address; four Vestry members will also be elected; watch for their names in the January/February issue. ■ We pray for Marion Bosserman, John’s mother, who recently died and for Gus Wawee who died this past month. We continue our prayer for Kate Dykema , as she continues to struggle with illness. It’s good to see Jeanne Ransford and Martha Stoppels back with us after a short hospital stay. We also pray for the ill: Arlen Dove and Shirley Klein (Tampa, Florida) ■ We thank the work of the Finance Ministry with budget assistance, and all those members who are generously supporting our mission through their Covenant pledge for 2015. If you have not sent in your pledge, get a card from the Ushers this Sunday & place it in the offering bowl as it is passed. ■ We thank Jon Anderson, who is completing his term on the Endowment Board, offering sound and well thought out advice in overseeing our Endowment funds. ■ Thanks to the Fellowship Ministry who organized the “Mary Poppins” lunch and outing for thirty members. ■ Thanks to all who offered their thoughts and prayers in our ecumenical Advent Devotional. These were Ruth Hawley‐Lowry, Doug Karsen, Joyce Krushinsky, Dan Mc Donald, Larry Manglitz, and Aleta Wells. ■ We thank Sharon Buursma for the limited edition, signed print that she has donated and that now hangs in the Parish Hall‐‐ a generous addition to beautify our campus. ■ Congratulations to our former Youth Ministers, the Revs. Jodi & Christian Baron, who will be ordained to the Priesthood on Dec. 20th at Grace Church, Holland. All are invited to the service at 11:00am.  Nominations are open for Vestry; if you feel drawn to this particular leadership, please speak to a nominating committee member: Baldwin Ogden, Pat Roy, Sherri Nelson, or Aleta Anderson about this possibility. Candidates need to be participating, contributing members of the church with good communication and organizational skills and available to attend monthly meetings, a yearly retreat, and other events, such as church representation for diocesan events; Vestry members are elected at the Annual Meeting on Feb. 1 and serve a three year term.  Congratulations to Steve & Sarah Mika upon the birth of their son. DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS: Caroline VanderVelde, Natalie Green, Jan Deverman, Doug Karsen, Bob Connors, Leigh Eicke, Roger Rollins, Financial Wisdom Shirley Bernard, as 2014 concludes Harrison Stidolph, Declan Piechocki, If you are age 70 and a half or older, Olivia Nichols, Michele Martin, Maclin Stidolph, and Nancy Dodge. you can transfer assets from a traditional IRA to St. Mark’s and exclude the amount distributed directly to the Church from your gross income. This charitable gift can be as small as $100 or as large as $100,000 (perhaps to be added to the St. Mark’s Endowment for future generations). If you need assistance on this subject, please call/email our Financial Manager, Pam Stevenson. She can work directly with your bank or financial adviser to facilitate this possibility. DECEMBER ANNIVERSARIES: Vivian & Jane Jawahir, and Bob & Julie Connors. JANUARY BIRTHDAYS: Joe Aten, Alakiir Atem‐Flora, Jennifer Humphries, Simon Luk, Debora Makuei, Aislynn Moynihan, Helen Ellis, Judy Ogden, Jan Barr, Fred Idema, Xander Brown, Samantha Green, Julian Medrano, Mike Lutley, Lee Strodtman, Kuol Kuol, Olga Cassard, Isaiah Luk, Caleb Busman, Mary Savara, Becky Bocskey, Judy Fetterhoff, Nicholas Holland, Sherri Nelson, William Falkenstern, Mary Slenker, Wendy Stock, Deb Weinrick, Charles Brown, Bill Bowie, Jordan Nelson, and Cole Konwinski. JANUARY ANNIVERSARIES: Bill & Sallie Bowie, William and Shirley VanDerBos, Bruce & Dawn Johnson, and Greg & Christine Kerkorian. 7
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church 134 N Division Ave Grand Rapids MI 49503‐3173 Ph (616) 456‐1684 Fax (616) 456‐7506 www.stmarksgr.org https://www.facebook.com/stmarksgr ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED Sharing another blessing... In this season of Advent, we prepare for the birth of Jesus with times of worship, music, gifts, parties, and family gatherings, but also this is a time of special focus on those who will not be able to enjoy the season. They are focused on finding a place to keep warm, a meal, a way to survive... Here at St. Mark’s we have been very blessed , and there are many ways that we can share those blessings. On Thursday, December 11 from 10am to 2pm we will offer a Spa Day for our women neighbors. We will offer foot care, nail care, haircuts and make‐up. We’ll serve a holiday lunch, and have music and holiday videos. We would like to gift each neighbor with a pair of holiday socks, and a warm hat and mittens. Your donations to the Sharing Tree will assist with this. We need help serving the luncheon, as well as with other parts of the day. If you would like to help, please call or email me at 616‐915‐0277 susanyork@prodigy.net. We hope to make the Christmas season a little brighter for our neighbors, and to remind ourselves of the wonderful gift of Jesus in our lives. Blessings to all in this Advent and Christmas season, Pastor Sue. 8