Epiphany

Epiphany - while many know it as the day marking 12 days after Christmas and the time to take down the tree and decorations, it's actually a holiday with significant meaning. Epiphany means “appearance or manifestation.”  Christians throughout the world celebrate the twelve days of Christmas.  On Epiphany, Western Christianity recognizes Christ’s manifestation to the Gentiles. The Gentiles were represented when The Magi visited the child Jesus and showed how God’s gift of the Good News is for everyone.

Epiphany was established by the early church leaders in the third century.  This holiday celebrates and recognizes Christ’s birth, baptism, the adoration of the magi, and the first miracle at Cana.  Observing Christmas and Advent began at the end of the fourth century. 

The church calendar ensures that we cover the entire breadth and depth of the Gospel in a year.  The church year begins at Advent.  From Advent through Pentecost, we concentrate on the life and work of Christ. The six months from Advent to Pentecost covers all six major events: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost. The remainder of the year, Pentecost to Advent, the church year focuses on the teachings of Christ. Epiphany is the manifestation of God.  It is a lovely opportunity to rejoice that Christ has appeared to all, regardless of our status.    

Some historical traditions around Epiphany are celebrations focusing on the Magi’s journey, processions and ceremonies, children would receive gifts from the three kings not Santa, baking and enjoying a kings’ cake with a trinket baked inside (whoever finds the trinket is king or queen for the day), and a feast. 

This year we will celebrate Epiphany with worship on January 5^th, 2025 at 6:30 pm.  All the youth will be leading the worship service.  We will begin with a blessing for the new year and the service will focus on Jesus as the light of the world.  This is also a good time to remind us to keep Jesus at the center of our lives, and it is a beautiful way to start the New Year. 

Yours in Christ, 

Pastor Katrina Steingraeber   

Our New Advent Paraments

A few years ago, our Sew & Sews group did their best to touch up the paraments we use at Advent. It was a lovely set, but after so many decades of use and repair, the detailed piping on those old pieces could only be improved so much. It was clear then that we would soon need to have a brand new set of artistic fabrics to decorate our communion table, lectern, and pastoral stoles for Advent.

The Altar Guild had such a lovely experience working with Ann Anderson of Interwoven Studio when we commissioned our paraments for Lent in 2022. It was a no-brainer to call her up again and see what ideas she could come up with for us this time around. We went back and forth about vision, style, and details this past summer and fall, and if you have worshipped with us this Advent, you have seen the results of those conversations. 

One thing I love about Ann’s artistry is how she is able to capture an image or a moment, and yet leave it abstract enough for us engage her work with our own interpretations. Stars dot the stoles and paraments alike. The stole itself has a small seedling rising from below, a reminder of life’s persistence in the cold of December. 

I have always been enamored with the bold message of an Advent Wreath. As the days get shorter, the light in our worship space pushes back with increasing luminance until at last God’s own self enters into the world on Christmas Day. Like the increasing light of an Advent Wreath, the altar piece gains a new panel each Sunday in Advent, filling in the emptiness we might feel this time of year. The design seems to blend in more and more with the stained glass in the chancel, pulling us in to the story. Is that Mary and the Christ Child in the center of the altarpiece? Or is it an angel? Each week, the art speaks to us in new ways.

The piece on the lectern may seem less complex, but it emanates movement. A single figure stands on the edge, as if their journey is still in motion. A star rises to the left. But just who is that supposed to be? So many different people in the Christmas story are on a journey, guided by the heavens. Perhaps you have felt like you are being pulled into a journey of hope and trust in this season of your life. 

I pray that this new artwork has helped you encounter the season of Advent in new ways this year. I am so grateful to Ann Anderson for creating this new set of Advent Paraments, and to Christy Malenchik and the Altar Guild for their tireless work to make it happen. And, thanks to our Memorial Committee, these lovely new paraments were paid for in full using funds given in memory of St. Mark members. May their memory be a blessing as we await the one whose birth has given us all hope for new life in God’s love.  See the pictures below of the paraments.

Peace,

Pastor Chad McKenna

We are Better Together!

We are blessed at St. Mark.  We are among a few Lutheran churches in Rockford who have two pastors. I believe that having two pastors is wonderful. I am grateful and blessed to work with Pastor Chad.  We work well together and we bring different God given gifts to the table, and this is a blessing to the church. 

When I was growing up, almost every church in Rockford had two pastors.  I didn’t appreciate that when I was a child, nor did I understand the value and blessing that two pastors bring to the church.  As a congregation you hear sermons from two different perspectives.  You have two pastors who are there for you and who will journey with you in times of grief and joy.  Having two pastors allows for one to lead the adult forum, while the other enjoys a time of fellowship with folks in the café.  The confirmation classes and bible study’s have two pastors to lead and have discussions with about the bible, book studies, the catechism, and more.  

From my perspective, having two pastors is a blessing for the pastors too.  As co-pastors, Pastor Chad and I can work on projects together, which allows us to bounce ideas off each other.  We can support the ministries better because one of us is not carrying the weight of all the ministries at St. Mark.  We are better when we work together.

When pastors are ordained we make promises.  We promise to be diligent in our study of the holy scriptures and be faithful in our use of the means of grace.  We promise to pray for God’s people, nourish them with the word and sacraments, and lead them by our own example in faithful service and holy living.  We are charged to “fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called” and to “care for God’s people, bear their burdens, and do not betray their confidence.”  Our final charge is to “witness faithfully in word and deed to all people.  Give and receive comfort as we serve within the church.  And be of good courage, for God has called you, and your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” 

Pastor Chad and I take these promises and charges very seriously.  God has called us to the ministries and work in the church.  Again, I am grateful and blessed to work alongside Pastor Chad as we journey with each of you.

Yours in Christ, 

Pastor Katrina Steingraeber 

A Tradition of Gratitude

Thanksgiving is a complicated holiday. Sure, it has straightforward traditions, from a set menu of turkey and potatoes to the ritual of going around the table. But its origins and our nation’s history can mix up our feelings about America’s most treasured meal.

One unmistakable aspect of this holiday is the way it connects us to the indigenous peoples of North America. Every grade school kid learns the story— of how the Mayflower made a November landing in modern-day Massachusetts; how the Wampanoag people saved the Pilgrims from starvation during that harsh first winter; and how they celebrated their friendship with a grand feast the following fall. It is a lovely story of hospitality that is wonderful to tell, but it is merely the beginning of a longer, more complicated history.

If you know that history well, hearing this story on Thanksgiving, a holiday rooted in gratitude, can feel a bit ironic. With the horrific ways European settlers treated Native Americans in the following centuries, it doesn’t seem like the lesson about gratitude sank in. How different would our world be if gratitude for the Wampanoag people had a genuine, lasting effect on our relationship with the indigenous people who originally called these lands their home? Lacking such a history of gratitude for Native Americans, the story of the first Thanksgiving becomes another decoration on the table, nestled next to the cornucopia and turkey feathers.

Pure gratitude leads to respect, humility, and even love. Gratitude forms relationships, connection, and understanding. It is hard to ignore or mistreat another person when you are grateful for how that person has shaped your life.

At our Thanksgiving Eve service this year we spent some time reflecting on the tradition of gratitude practiced by the Haudenosaunee Confederacy of nations, which includes the Mohawk, Oneida, Cayuga, Onondaga, Seneca, and Tuscarora peoples. This tradition is called the Thanksgiving Address, Greetings to the Natural World, or simply “The Words Before All Else.” Before any social gathering or meeting, people from these nations open with a lengthy litany of gratitude for the earth, plants, animals, and all that which gives and sustains life in our world. We express gratitude to God all the time. These words take it a step further by expressing gratitude directly to all that God has created.

Imagine going into a tense meeting, where emotions are high and conflict seems inevitable. But before anyone has a chance to sling a few hurtful words, everyone gathered takes five minutes to express gratitude to the world for all its life-giving splendor. Before raising your voice in anger, you raise your voice in thanksgiving for animals, forests, the sun, and even the wind. How might such a habit shift your perspective about squabbles with your family, co-workers, and neighbors? 

Take time this Thanksgiving to reflect on everything you are grateful for. Do more than simply recite one thing. If you want, you can read the Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address alone or with others. https://danceforallpeople.com/haudenosaunee-thanksgiving-address/. A holiday which celebrates abundance is most meaningful when met with an equal abundance of gratitude.

Note: The Haudenosaunee People see their practice as a gift to the world, and they encourage others to modify the words to fit their own context. The version used at our Thanksgiving Eve service was indeed adjusted to be true to the makeup of our little Lutheran community in Northern Illinois. 

Peace,

Pastor Chad McKenna

The Many Saints

November 1^st is All Saint’s Day and on November 3^rd we will remember the St. Mark members who died in the past twelve months.  As I reflect on all the saints who have influenced my life, I am beyond grateful for each one of them.  Some of the saints I knew really well and others not so much.  Some saints came in my life for just a moment and others were there when I was born. No matter how long I knew them, each saint had an impact on my life.    

Bernard Bangley writes, “Since there are many more Christian saints than the three hundred and sixty-five days of the year, this day is set aside to honor all of them.  Many saints have never had their names mentioned beyond a very small circle of friends.  Not all saints are alike.  Spiritual gifts are as varied as the many interests and ability that exists in the broad spectrum of people.  Some saints have a mystical experience; others do not.  Some saints stay busily at work in the world; other saints have neither the energy nor the social skills for that.  Many saints have no idea that they are saints.  One saint will rediscover the value of tradition, while another saint will open new doors of innovation.  Each life has a purpose and fits into God’s grand scheme the way plants –an oak or a trillium – grow in the forest.”  

I love this quote.  It speaks to the many types of saints and how each one has a purpose.  I invite you to reflect on the saints in your life.  I encourage you to say their name or light a candle in memory of them.  You will have the opportunity to light a candle on Sunday morning during worship and a time to say their name during the prayers.  I give God thanks for all the saints that I have known throughout my lifetime.   

Yours in Christ, 

Pastor Katrina Steingraeber

Living out our mission statement

During the month of October, the Stewardship Committee invited people to share how St. Mark has impacted their lives. We have been hearing how our mission statement, Growing in Faith, Sharing God’s Grace, plays out here at St. Mark and in the community. Here are a few more…    

“Some of my earliest memories lie in Sunday school, whether it was making crafts or preparing for that yearly Christmas concert. You all see the end product, but what you don’t see is the countless hours of kindness, support, and love that go into making it work. When I finished it was on to confirmation, and here I formed the bedrock of my faith. I learned and studied the prayer, the creed, the commandments, and started in earnest a journey that I still continue on today. Even now I often still think back to things we talked about in confirmation. From there I’ve moved to the youth group, and it is here that I’ve found some of my closest friends. We went to New Orleans together, something we never would have been able to do without the congregation’s support, and there I deepened my friendships and my faith, meeting people from across the country and hearing their stories. It is an unforgettable experience, and I am eternally grateful for it. Every step of my journey has been invaluable with St. Mark by my side, and I can’t wait for the future.”      -Luke Snyder

 “Sunday morning service is a reflective time for me.  The service rolls along smoothly, and I enjoy that.  A plus for me, since I like stories, are the readings and sermons. Life moves fast and the words are reminders of lessons I may have forgotten. Sundays are food for thought until next week.”                      -Janet Bederka

 “It has truly been a blessing to serve the families at Haskell. In the three years we have been there, we have been welcomed by and have established relationships with the staff, students and families and recognize familiar faces with each visit. Staff members personally thank us for being there. Parents and grandparents share their gratitude and their stories. We laugh with them, meet their children, and share in the joy of coming to school. Parents appreciate the ability to support their children themselves because we provide affordable means to do so. They are proud to use our exchange program and many times ask us to give their credit earned to another family that might need it more. A mother once responded that she had never been able to “pay it forward” and there was extreme pride in her smile. Think about that. It was the first time that she could provide for her own child and also help another. There is such power in that. Being part of the Uniform CO-OP at Haskell Academy is a gift to those of us who serve.” -Stella Schroeder & Renee Fager

 (The St. Mark Uniform Co-op is one of our biggest outreach ministries. Through it, our members sell affordable school uniforms at four RPS elementary schools: Ellis, Lewis Lemon, McIntosh, and Haskell. Last year, over 30 volunteers sold 3,039 pieces, impacting over 600 families.)

These are just a few stories of the many ways St. Mark people grow in faith and share God’s grace. No doubt, you have stories of your own. Sunday school, confirmation, youth group and worship impact the faith of many each week. Our outreach ministries reach people across the Rockford area. Behind each story is the generosity of those who value and support the ministries of St. Mark through pledged giving. All of this is possible because of you. 

The pledge goal for 2025 is $775,000, an increase of 8.69% from current giving. We know this is a big ask. However, after operating at a deficit the past two years, meeting this goal will allow St. Mark to pass a balanced budget at our annual meeting. Our ministries depend on it.

October 20, 2024 is Stewardship Sunday. As we approach that day, we ask that you prayerfully consider increasing your pledge to St. Mark to help us meet our goal. Thank you for your generosity and support of the many ministries of St. Mark Lutheran Church.  To fill out an electronic pledge card, click here.   There will be paper pledge cards out this Sunday.

Peace,

The Stewardship Committee:

 Melissa Stenstrom, Luke Snyder, Cassie Paulsen, Bob Osolin, Jessica Stanek, Martina Schumaker, Pastor Chad McKenna, and Pastor Katrina Steingraeber

The Journey of Grief

According to Webster’s Dictionary, grief is defined as (a.) a deep and poignant distress caused by or as if by bereavement or (b.) a cause of such suffering.  To me grief is more than just these definitions, it is complex and life changing.  Grief is something everyone will experience at some time in their lifetime.  We may be able to say what caused our grief and when it started, but we cannot predict when or if it will end.  I would argue that grief does not end, but that our grief changes over time.  We are changed by grief.  Ann Hood writes, “Grief in not linear.  People kept telling me that once this happened or that passed, everything would be better…But it is not linear…It is a jumble.  It is hours that are all right, and weeks that aren’t.  Or it is good days and bad days.  Or it is the weight of sadness making you look different to others and nothing helps.”

Grief is different for each of us.  Our journeys may be similar, but it is not identical.  No one can predict how you will react or how it will change you.  Grief will hit you when you least expect it.  Jan Warner writes, “Grief is complex.  It is ever changing and may come to us differently on any given day.  Yet, it is possible to build a bridge that spans from the acute pain of loss to a life in which peace, and even gratitude, can coexist with our grief.”  There is no set timeline to when one will get to peace or gratitude, however I pray that each one of us who grieve will be able to get to a place of peace with grief. 

Grief can be a lonely place, where one feels isolated.  You don’t have to grieve alone.  Starting on October 10^th, 2024 at 5:00 pm, St. Mark will start a grief support group.  We will meet once a month in the Adult Ministries Room.  This will be a safe space to share our grief with one another.  This is a place where we will support one another and share our stories.  We will pray together, laugh together, and cry together. Whatever you are grieving and where ever you are in your journey of grief, you are welcome to join the grief support group.  If you are interested in joining the grief support group, please contact Jill Daniels via text at 847-224-4751 or Pastor Katrina at prkatrina@stmarklc.com or 815-988-1215.

Yours in Christ, 

Pastor Katrina Steingraeber