A Word of Encouragement and Thanks from Pastor Mark

 Dear St. Mark friends,

I want to thank you for your prayers and support of one another as we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.  Every day becomes a challenge as we seek to observe the restrictions in place to stem the tide of further infections and deaths from this disease.  I encourage you to stay in touch with one another and to reach out to those in our congregation who would benefit from a conversation with you. 

I’m grateful that so many of you watched last Sunday’s abbreviated worship service on our church YouTube page.  As of today, 722 viewers have watched that service.  This week’s recording will not be in the church sanctuary, however.  Due to the state restrictions to avoid the workplace, we are recording services from the homes of each of the service leaders.  Pastor Chad will be editing and formatting the service from his home and then putting it up on YouTube Sunday morning at 8:00.  I encourage you to tune in again and join our St. Mark family in worshiping together from our homes.

I cannot predict when the stay-at-home restrictions will be lifted or when we will be able to resume worship at St. Mark.  For now, we can only wait and pray.  I agree with Bishop Jeff Clements that it is highly unlikely we will be back in church by Easter.  I will let you know what develops as we get closer to worshiping together again.  We will not be ordering Easter lilies this year, in case you were wondering.  We do plan to provide certain Holy Week observations online, so stay tuned for more details.

Please feel free to contact Pastor Chad and me with any pastoral concerns that arise.  We are here for you. 

May we find our strength and courage in God’s promises to sustain us and in the power of the Holy Spirit to give us peace.

Walking this journey of faith with you,

Pastor Mark

Update from Pastor Mark

Dear St. Mark friends,

Last week, we made the tough, but necessary decision to cancel all worship services and events in order to provide an additional level of protection against the rapid spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus disease.  On Monday, Bishop Jeffrey Clements urged all congregations in our synod to likewise cancel all worship services and events for the foreseeable future.  We’re urging everyone to adhere to the new guidelines and restrictions as they are communicated daily by community, state, and national leaders.  Please take these seriously and limit your contact with those outside your home. 

The church office will be sparsely staffed weekday mornings in order to limit contact with others during this critical time.  Next Tuesday’s staff and Council meetings will use Zoom, a remote conferencing service that allows members to participate in meetings off-site.  We encourage other groups to consider using this service to stay in touch and hold meetings.

This Sunday, we will begin weekly streaming of abbreviated, pre-recorded worship services on our St. Mark YouTube page, available for viewing throughout the day on Sundays, beginning at 8:00 A.M.  Pastor Chad’s sermon from last Sunday, March 15, is also now available on YouTube.  These short, weekly pre-recordings will include prelude music, the reading of our three scripture lessons, a full-length sermon, and the prayers of the church.  I estimate these will last approximately twenty-five minutes.  Look for a special email on Sunday morning providing a link to this service on YouTube.  We’re hopeful this will give our congregation a much-needed sense of community during these difficult times of separation.

Your weekly offerings to St. Mark are no less vital during this time.  Please make every effort to stay current with your weekly pledge by giving online, using our St. Mark App (Pushpay), or mailing in your weekly offering.  I thank you for your continued financial support!  Please visit our church Facebook page for regular updates and news.  Also, consider using our Instant Church Directory App to stay in contact with those members who would appreciate hearing from you during this lonely time of isolation.

I ask for your patience and prayers as we face this pandemic together.  While we can’t predict what’s immediately ahead of us, we can live our days with assurance and faith in the Lord of the Church to be with us.   As always, please feel free to contact Pastor Chad or me...we’re here to offer our support.

Walking this journey of faith with you,

Pastor Mark

Church website: www.stmarklc.com

Church phone: 815-398-3557

Immediate Cancellation of All St. Mark Worship, Activities, and Events due to Coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic

Dear St. Mark friends,

The spread of the coronavirus COVID-19 is of grave concern to all of us. We are witnessing its swift movement globally, nationally, and locally. Organizations and leaders in our community are implementing extreme measures to contain this disease through the suspension or cancellation of numerous gatherings and events.

In the last two days, I have received numerous email notifications from various ELCA Bishops and Pastors around the country announcing the temporary cancellations of all worship, activities, and events in their respective congregations. I believe their actions rightly convey the urgency needed in responding to this alarming pandemic.

In order to be proactive in protecting our St. Mark members and many guests, I am announcing the immediate cancellation of all Sunday worship services and Sunday School classes, Wednesday morning Bible studies and evening Lenten worship, confirmation classes, music rehearsals, and all other weekday and evening activities and events at least through the end of March. All cancellations are effective as of today. We will proceed on a week-by-week basis after that, giving you regular updates on when we plan to resume our regular worship schedule and activities.

The church office will remain open during this time, but we ask that you come to the office only if necessary, to reduce your risk. Please feel free to contact me or office manager Jill Davenport with any concerns or questions that arise.

While the reality of this dire situation is still sinking in for us, I ask for your steady prayers and support as we take the necessary steps together to confront this unprecedented pandemic in the most responsible and effective way for the good of all.

Walking this journey of faith with you,

Pastor Mark