Empathy is the Answer

It is hard to follow the news these days. Every story is stuffed with partisan politics. The stakes could never be higher, just like we were told last week and the week before that. It is exhausting to keep track of every little thing when it feels like every little thing is merely meant to elicit an emotional response out of you. From a temperamental climate, to the crisis surrounding immigrants, to the closing of an important hospital in our own city, you might feel pressed to have an opinion about what should be done, and yet powerless to actually do anything.

If I am honest, my own news consumption has declined dramatically over the past year. I am privileged enough to be able to tune major crises out because most have little effect on my day-to-day life at the moment. As a person of faith, though, I am not called to use that privilege to shelter only myself, but rather to advocate for those who are not as fortunate as I am. Because the truth is, I am surrounded by people in my family, my church, and my community who cannot as easily ignore the reality of our rapidly shifting society. In baptism, I am bound to my neighbors in this community of saints, and I am called to share the love of God with those outside of our faith as well. As our hymnal Evangelical Lutheran Worship puts it, the covenant God made with us in baptism is:

            “to live among God’s faithful people,

            to hear the word of God and share in the Lord’s supper,

            to proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed,

            to serve all people, following the example of Jesus,

            and to strive for justice and peace in all the earth.”

I was recently reminded of a profound quote by Swedish theologian, Gustaf Wingren: “God does not need your good works, but your neighbor does.” When we advocate for our neighbors and strive for justice and peace, our goal is not to earn salvation for ourselves but rather to ensure that our neighbors can know the life-giving grace of God in their time on earth. This is the reason congregations like ours invest so much of ourselves into organizations like Mosaic and Habitat for Humanity, as well as our own outreach programs. We share what we have, we advocate for one another, and in so doing we cultivate justice and peace for our neighbors.

In the end, empathy is the answer to every issue that threatens the lives of others. Everyone needs medical care, but not everyone can afford it — especially children, the elderly, and those who live with disabilities. Everyone deserves a place to call home. Our children and grandchildren deserve to grow up in a world with as much natural beauty and stability as we enjoyed in our youth. Whatever the big news story of the day may be, I pray that our actions and responses are rooted in empathy, and that those in power strive for the justice and peace we know in our savior, Jesus Christ. 

Peace,

Pastor Chad McKenna

Our Mission Statement

Growing in Faith… Sharing God’s Grace

Do you recognize this statement?  It is the mission statement for St. Mark Lutheran Church.  You can find it on the front of the bulletins each Sunday and on our website.  When you think about this statement, it is a simple but profound statement.

Growing in Faith, each week when we worship together we are growing our faith.  When we come to a bible study or book study our faith grows.  Your faith even grows when you enjoy a cup of coffee with friends after worship.  When we are in community with others who we care for and who care for us, our faith grows.  Even if we don’t realize it.  Knowing someone loves and cares for you can make a difference.   

Sometimes growing in faith can be challenging and uncomfortable. I have found that my faith grows the most when I am challenged and feel uncomfortable.  The uncomfortable feeling, I am referring to is an internal discomfort.  A discomfort that makes you think deeper.  Scripture can be extremely challenging and some of it is uncomfortable.  Take a look at the book of Job, especially when all that Job has and loves is taken away or when his so-called friends begin to speak.  When we are challenged, growth happens.

Sharing God’s Grace, I often see you all share God’s grace with visitors.  It is beautiful to witness members of St. Mark greeting and showing kindness to folks who walk through the doors.  God’s grace is also shared when we feed those who are hungry, by donating to local pantries or feeding folks who come to our doors hungry.  God’s grace is shared in the uniform co-op where families can buy school uniforms at an affordable price, and when blankets and quilts are made by our Sew and Sews to be given away to Habitat for Humanity families, kids who come to Rock House, and to Remedies.  Simple acts of sharing God’s grace with people in need.  

God’s grace is shared when the young people of St. Mark collect items during VBS and Sunday School to give to local organization, and when the youth volunteer at Rock House or the food bank.  The young people of St. Mark helping those in our community. This is only a few examples of how we Grow in Faith and Share God’s Grace. 

How do you see St. Mark Growing in Faith…Sharing God’s Grace?  How do you see yourself Growing in Faith…Sharing God’s Grace?

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Katrina Steingraeber

Announcing Our Ministry Support Matching Campaign

You may recall that when we approved our 2025 budget at the annual meeting in February, many ministries took substantial budget cuts. Outreach, children’s ministry, and youth ministry were among those most affected, with an overall budget reduction of $24,692. At the time, we mentioned that we would need to raise more funding in order to maintain our current level of service to our community. The council is pleased to announce a plan to do just that, and we need your help.

Earlier this year, St. Mark received a generous bequest from the estate of Ulla Kercher, in the amount of $10,000. Many of you may remember Ulla, who was a longtime worshipper at our 11:00am services. Even as her health declined, she made it to a number of outdoor services last summer. She supported our music ministries with her presence, kind words, and generosity.  On top of that, Ulla often gave special offerings for specific ministries­– including outreach, youth ministries, and Vacation Bible School.

Around the time we received Ulla’s bequest, an anonymous donor gave an additional $2,000 gift for children’s ministries, in response to this year’s budget cuts. We are so grateful for the generosity shown by Ulla and the anonymous donor. Their combined gift of $12,000 will go a long way toward funding some of our most essential ministries.

Here is where you come in. The council and pastors would like to challenge our congregation to match these generous gifts by raising an equal amount of $12,000. This will close the budget gap and ensure our outreach, children’s and youth ministries have the resources they need to share God’s love with our community. We ask that you prayerfully consider contributing to this matching challenge, so that our vital ministries have a total of $24,000 dedicated to cover budget shortfalls this year and beyond.

In recent years, we have had similar fundraisers in order to upgrade our electric sign and purchase new pianos for worship. Those campaigns proved to be incredibly successful, thanks to the generosity of many of our members. Because of those successes, we are confident that you will rise to this new challenge! Thank you for your continued support of the ministries of St. Mark Lutheran Church. Donate to the campaign here on Tithely. 

Peace,

Pastor Chad McKenna & Pastor Katrina Steingraeber

The Problem with Excellence

To say I have been busy lately is an understatement. In the course of a single week, my family took part in three major music performances. On a Tuesday our oldest daughter’s school had their spring concert, overwhelmed with singing, drumming, dancing, and xylophones. The following Monday was her first piano recital. And in between, Andrea and I had the pleasure or singing Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the Nielsen Chorale and Rockford Symphony Orchestra.

 

To add to all that, earlier this spring I was able to attend my sister’s spring concert. It was amazing to watch her direct about 100 elementary students in a wide-ranging performance at the rural school district where she is the sole music teacher.

 

As much as I am proud of what my family was able to do musically, these moments were also a strong reminder that excellence is not all it’s cracked up to be. Mistakes were made. Notes were missed. Thanks to a cold in a week full of rehearsals, I barely had enough of a voice to squeak out my part at our final performance. Despite these things, there was still joy and applause. Focusing on the imperfections instead of the joy will only sour the memory of witnessing the people I love do what they love to do.

 

The need for excellence has gotten incredibly strong in recent years. Thanks to social media, where everyone seems polished and perfect, we rarely see each others’ flaws. Thanks to club sports and singing competitions, it is hard for some folks to enjoy the simplicity of activities which were originally meant to bring us together in community. How often have you hesitated to sing because you didn’t want others to judge you, or sat out of a group activity because you didn’t think you were as good as everyone else?

 

Often, the pursuit of excellence takes away the joy that an activity is meant to bring. You don’t have to play the best round of your life in order to enjoy a morning on the golf course with dear friends. You don’t need to be a classically trained singer in order to add your voice to the multitude of worshippers on a Sunday morning. A kid doesn’t have to set their sights on a spot with the swim team in order to benefit from swimming lessons. If you like to knit or paint or sew, the things you make don’t have to end up at a craft fair. It is one thing to be good enough at something to enjoy it. It’s a completely different thing to strive to be better than others, or to worry what others might think of you. Comparison is the thief of joy.

 

This may not seem like a particularly spiritual subject, and yet it has everything to do with how we experience our faith in community— from worshipping together, to contributing to the ministries of the church, to the way we hope the community might recognize us. One of the wonderful things about having faith in Jesus is that perfection is already considered out of reach. We don’t need it in order to be part of what God is doing in the world. Jesus doesn’t insist that the disciples be polished, pure, and pristine. Instead, he commands us to have love for one another. So love one another, love who God has called you to be, and never let your limitations stop you from experiencing joy. 

Peace,

Pastor Chad McKenna

Linger with Jesus!

As I was scrolling through Facebook on Easter Monday, I came across a post from the Rev. Traci Blackmon who reminded us to Linger with Jesus.  Rev. Blackmon writes,

“Hey Family! I have Good News to share this morning, just in case you aren’t aware! Easter is not just a Sunday. It is a season in the life of the Church. Easter Season last 50 days and ends with Pentecost.  We always make a big deal of Resurrection Day, as we should…but that’s not the end of the story. The Bible says Jesus hung around earth 40 days making appearances and assurances to those who believed. During those 40 days…Jesus showed his wounds to Thomas (John 20); had a fish fry with his boys (John 21); showed up for a gathering of more than 500 (1 Corinthians 15) …ordinary sightings. In other words, Jesus is not only Savior, but our Sustainer. Jesus did not ascend to the heavens until the 40th day. This is your invitation to linger at Easter….to look for God in the ordinary…to remember God in the mundane…to trust God’s guidance in times of despair…to know God will soon send the Comforter. Don’t rush Easter.  Linger with the Lord.”

As we journey through the Easter season, I encourage you to invite Jesus into your ordinary, everyday activities.  Invite Jesus into the kitchen while you make a meal or while you’re doing the dishes.  Invite Jesus into times of play and rest.  Invite Jesus into your entire day.  As you invite Jesus into your day, did you notice something different?  How did you feel knowing that you have invited Jesus into your day to day activities?  We may be surprised at what changes when we intentionally invite Jesus into our daily life. 

Siblings in Christ, I encourage you to lean into the entire Easter season. Linger at Easter.  Invite Jesus into your daily life, you may be surprised at what Jesus does in the ordinary and mundane.  Don’t rush Easter.  Linger with Jesus.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Katrina Steingraeber  

The Gift of Hospitality!

As I have gotten older, I have come to greatly appreciate hospitality.  When I walk into a place for the first time, it is nice to have someone acknowledge me or often to help.  Whether I’m in a department store, a church, or a restaurant, the hospitality I receive makes a difference. 

I have heard from several folks that have visited St. Mark Lutheran Church say that the people at St. Mark are so nice.  I love that people feel this way.  We as a church need to be a welcoming and show hospitality to all people. Jesus teaches us to care for the poor, welcome the stranger, care for those living with disabilities, and feed the hungry.  Jesus taught us radical hospitality.  

Synonyms for the adjective form of the word radical are awesome, beautiful, divine, and wonderful.  These are amazing descriptive words that are often not thought of when the word radical is heard.  Sadly, I am aware that radical is often thought of as a negative description, but when it comes to radical hospitality it is far from negative.  It is beyond beautiful.

As we prepare to welcome new members, I encourage you to continue to show radical hospitality to folks who visit St. Mark. I encourage you to greet people whom you do not know.  Wear a name tag each Sunday so folks can see your name.  There are extra name tags and markers in the narthex on the tall tables for you to use on Sunday mornings.  Sit at a table with someone you don’t know well and get to know them while enjoying a donut and coffee.  Continue to be the friendly church on the hill.

Thank you for sharing your radical hospitality with others.  You all are the hands and feet of Jesus caring for and loving the people of our community and beyond.  You are a blessing!

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Katrina Steingraeber 

Glimpses of Hope

I pulled into the garage on one of of those beautiful spring days last week, and as the we walked through the yard toward the back door, both girls begged to go straight to the front yard, where sidewalk chalks and scooters awaited. The air was so crisp that I couldn’t say no, and before I knew it, the three of us had sauntered past all the yard toys and into our first neighborhood walk in months. We noticed tulips and irises poking out of leaf piles. We used a phone app to identify the songs of birds returned from their winter retreats. We laughed at squirrels. We greeted dogs out for a walk, as well as the humans on the other end of their leashes.

After a frigid winter with little sunlight, being outside can be incredibly healing. And while we can’t quite pack up our heavy coats just yet, these glimpses of new life can still warm us with hope. With Spring officially here, those glimpses will be more and more common, until that hope is the whole of our reality.

There are entire fields of research that study what exactly is going on in our minds and bodies when we spend the right amount of time in the sun, in a forest, or simply working in the back yard. This post-winter feeling, though, is about more than the biological benefits to our bodies. There is connection and community at play. Winter is isolating, but spring can help us step out and discover our neighbors again— from wildlife and perennial plants, to the folks we meet on the sidewalk. We can discover again how we can care for creation and our community.

As much as I love being outside, this phenomenon of springtime connection is evident inside our church building as well. At the weekly dinner before mid-week Lenten worship last night, one person I sat with glowed as he talked about the community that we experience when we simply come together to eat, serve one another, and worship outside of our typical routines. Families filled the Fellowship Hall last night with food, life, and joy. Like glimpses of spring, moments like that are tangible reminders of the hope we have for the Kingdom of God.

Lent is usually thought of as a season for fasting and prayer. In Isaiah 58, though, the prophet reminds that these practices are only helpful when they cause us to feed the hungry and care for one another. We can take these little springtime moments to restore ourselves, and we are all the more restored when those moments recognize our neighbors and bring us together. Isaiah says that when we do this, we become like a watered garden whose springs of water never fail. As we continue on this journey through Spring and Lent, I pray that you find moments of hope and connection that bring you closer to your neighbors, and closer to the God who created us all.

Peace,

Pastor Chad McKenna