Our Wilderness Wandering

Dear St. Mark friends,

Last week, we learned that Illinois will have a modified stay-at-home order beginning May 1.  Thus, we will continue to offer online Sunday worship services for the foreseeable future.  The “foreseeable future,” however, is quite vague.  I had two conversations with Bishop Jeffrey Clements this week regarding the eventual return to regular worship for our synod congregations.  He said that he doesn’t anticipate that happening until mid-summer at the earliest.  Bishop Jeff noted that churches will need to follow state guidelines as we slowly introduce small group gatherings...eventually leading to medium and larger group gatherings.  This will take time, involving steps and phases to properly evaluate and implement our courses of action. 

Such waiting is hard for all of us.  Day by day, we grow wearier of this stay-at-home routine.  It is precisely in such situations that Scripture encourages us to turn to God for patience, strength, and hope.  The Psalms can be a true source of inspiration for us during these long days of waiting and longing for a return to normalcy.  Yet, we wonder what that new normal will be and how will we adapt to it?

As you know, my final Sunday is scheduled for May 31, Day of Pentecost.  I am deeply disappointed that my last month as your senior pastor precludes our worshiping together at St. Mark.  These remaining weeks will not include the joyful face-to-face encounters I had hoped to share with you.  Still, I trust that God will somehow provide what we need to acknowledge the significance and delight of our 15 years together as “pastor and people.”  I want you to know that I intend to be available for the first weekend we are allowed to worship together at the church, whatever that might look like.  I’m eager to have the chance to say “good-bye” to you in person.

In the meantime, we pray for God’s grace to sustain us.  I also want to thank you for your continual support of St. Mark through your financial gifts to our ministry.  During this difficult time, we have fallen behind in our offerings and need your assistance.  I would kindly ask that you revisit your pledge for this year and strive to fulfill your weekly giving.  While our ministry feels like it’s “on hold,” our financial commitments continue...and we need your help to stay current.  Again, I extend my appreciation for your faithfulness and support.

Together, we will get through this time more resilient and focused as a congregation.  I am grateful for your witness to the power of God’s Spirit to lead us!

Walking this journey of faith with you,

Pastor Mark

Give Yourself Grace

Lately, I have had a hard time remembering what day it is. Though there are still deadlines and weekly meetings, the weekdays have all begun to blur together. Like many of you, most of my days I do as much work as I can while still giving my family the attention they need and deserve. As I write, my daughter is sitting next to me watching an episode of Daniel Tiger. (Which means I have about 22 minutes to wrap this up!) Since my wife’s work is essential, she still gets dressed and heads to the office every morning. Because of that, the weekends continue to be a treasured and welcome change in routine.

I wonder how you are holding up. I pray for you all throughout each day, and I so enjoy the phone conversations we have in order to stay connected. Though, being at the beck and call of a gregarious three-year-old all day means that those do not happen as much as I would like.

It is a difficult season. More time at home, it turns out, does not mean more freedom. Some of you may be juggling work and family like me. Some of you may feel isolated, like your house has become a solitary prison of sorts. Even if you are holding up well, you might have days where, out of nowhere, you feel slumped and weary. 

For us Christians, this season is also one of celebration, even if we are unable to enjoy the actual act of celebrating. When we put our hope in Easter, we do more than simply look to the sky in wonder or tell ourselves that everything will turn out okay in the end. Resurrection is so much more than an assurance that these difficult times are temporary compared to an everlasting joy that is still out of reach. Hope is a light that illuminates the darkness around us. It is not a light at the far end of the tunnel.

Easter hope is our ever-present reality. That same grace that will raise us on the last day can raise us to newness every day. When life is hard and you feel you are not good enough, remember that because of Jesus you are worthy of God’s love. We can fail and fall short daily, and yet God will still give us that same mercy. You do not have to come out the other side of this pandemic as some idealized better person. None of us have ever lived through anything like this. You cannot be expected to adapt overnight and do everything with perfection when the conditions are anything but. Remember the grace God has given you, and give that same grace to yourself. Remember the love God has shown you and show that same love to others with compassion and mercy. Live each day as if the hope of resurrection is already yours, because it is.

Peace,

Pastor Chad

Bishop Jeffrey Clements - Sunday's Sermon

Dear St. Mark friends,

I wish you God’s blessings as we enter this Easter season with joy at the resurrection of our Lord Jesus!  As members of the Body of Christ, here and throughout the world, we share a common faith in Christ our Savior.  That common bond is experienced most closely at the congregation and synod levels, where we regularly support one another through prayer and shared ministries.

Last week, Bishop Jeffrey Clements wrote a moving letter to each of our synod’s congregations.  I have been touched by his personal encouragement to our synod’s pastors, as well as his steadfast reassurance to our many church members.  I am grateful for Bishop Jeff’s leadership and witness to God’s enduring presence in these difficult and confounding days.

I am delighted to announce that Bishop Jeff has prepared a special Sunday-after-Easter sermon to be shared this Sunday with all the congregations of the Northern Illinois Synod.  This timely sermon will be included in our weekly online worship service.  What a wonderful and unique opportunity this is to see and hear our Bishop as he shares in our collective worship services throughout the synod. 

As we continue to implement the stay-at-home restrictions put in place, we trust in the Lord of all creation to guide and sustain us.  I encourage you to stay in touch with one another, offering prayers on behalf of all who are deeply affected by the tragedies of the COVID-19 pandemic.  We are especially indebted to all those courageous souls who serve in roles of leadership, medical attention, and caregiving.  We are witnessing the astounding strength of character and conviction in those who sacrifice so much for the good of our country.

We look forward to the time when these necessary restrictions are eased and lifted, allowing us to resume weekly worship at St. Mark.  Like you, I miss seeing and greeting one another each week.  I long to be in your presence and to share in your joyous companionship again.  In the meantime, we wait, we pray, and we rejoice in the shared resurrection with Christ our Lord!

Walking this journey of faith with you,

Pastor Mark

Holy Week Pastoral Letter from Bishop Clements

April 7, 2020

Tuesday in Holy Week

Dear friends in Christ:

It now seems so long ago that I recorded my Lenten greeting to you. I was sitting in the empty sanctuary of First Lutheran Church in Geneseo on a Thursday afternoon in February as I reflected on why I find the season of Lent so meaningful. I named some of the liturgical rituals that feed my spirit as we move through the 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter. It was a simple message in which I invited you to join me in the disciplines of Lent.

How life has changed for all of us in recent weeks. I had no idea that as we watched Jesus walk into the wilderness (First Sunday in Lent) that we would soon find ourselves in a wilderness of our own; a wilderness of unknown peril. Opportunities for Wednesday, Sunday, and Holy Week worship evaporated. I could not have imagined that all of our sanctuaries would be empty and that we would be staying at home for our celebration of the Resurrection. It is all so different.

Everything is different. I am working from home. I have more meetings than ever, all in front of a computer screen. I must work to keep track of what day it is. Our groceries are being delivered. My car sits idle in the garage. I am adding to my vocabulary every day with words and phrases such as COVID-19, social distancing, flattening the curve, contactless delivery, and N95 masks. The same is true for you.

In Illinois, we have not yet hit the apex of the curve. The coronavirus continues to work its way into and through our communities. In times of fear, we seek our solace and comfort in the midst of others. We naturally go to church to be fed with God’s Word and holy sacraments. Right now, we cannot do that. Lament seems appropriate for this Holy Week. For now, our pastoral leaders are coming to us by electronic means (for those who have internet service). It is all so different.

This coming Sunday is Easter. Let us celebrate the Resurrection of Our Lord! At my house, the Easter lily will be replaced by daffodils from our yard. The ringing of church bells will be replaced by the sound of a tiny bell. Joyous shouts of “Alleluia!” will only be our two voices. There will be no family gathering. No Easter eggs. No Easter dinner. But, thanks be to God, there will be the message of resurrection and new life. The tomb will be empty. Jesus will most assuredly live, and victory over death will be ours.

We must face these days with courage. In the face of uncertainty, let us boldly proclaim with the psalmist: “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!”

Allow me to remind you that I have called this synod to pray each day at noon until May 13. I am asking you to pray for this synod, its congregations, and all who stand in need of any kind at this time. I make suggestions each day on the “Bishop Jeff Clements” Facebook page.

Also, and this is critically important, continue to financially support your congregation as we continue to gather remotely. Your congregation, this synod, and our ELCA are completely dependent upon your generosity. Your gifts make local, synodical, national, and international ministries possible. Your gifts support your congregation’s staff, the synod staff, and the Churchwide staff and the work that they all do.

Your gifts keep your congregation strong. This is a financially challenging time. There are many whose income has been drastically cut. I have long encouraged first-fruits proportional giving. First-fruits is giving off the top or giving to God first. Proportional giving can be a set percentage that fluctuates up and down with income. Give electronically if your congregation is set up for it or mail a check to your church office.

Walking together… loving Christ, loving all, for the sake of the world. That is who we are and what we do. I wish you a blessed Easter.

Walking with you, in resurrection love,

The Rev. Jeffrey Clements
Bishop, Northern Illinois Synod, ELCA

Physically Distant, Socially Close

Dear St. Mark friends,

            I continue to be amazed at the way that we are able to stay connected in this time of distance. Pastor Mark and I were able to have a phone call with Pastor Chuck today to hear of the ways he is maintaining his relationships with our permanently home-bound members. Over on Facebook, many of you are engaging with one another over Sunday School, Confirmation, and other highlights of our ministry. This past Sunday, we were able to see the faces of many St. Mark people in our online worship. 

            It’s a good thing that we are learning new ways to stay together because it seems we are in this boat for the long haul. As you may have learned from today’s news, Illinois’ stay-at-home order has been extended to April 30th. What this means for us is that we will have to wait even longer until we can be together again. 

            And yes, that means our Holy Week and Easter services will be online only this year. Our staff is hard at work to ensure that we can still journey together through these most holy days, even as we worship and pray from our own homes. We can mourn the loss of our traditional Holy Week practices, but we can also still observe these days with the same faith and fervor as any other year.

            Someday, we will again worship together. And when that day comes, I am confident that it will be full of joy, gratitude, and at least some relief. It will feel like the Easter worship we had originally planned. Even so, this pandemic is changing our lives. It will take even longer until we come to a new sense of normal. I am confident that God will be with us every step of the way, reminding us again and again of the great hope of Easter.

            Continue to stay socially close, even as we are physically distant. Call one another, write to those you miss, and most importantly, continue to pray for each other.

Walking this journey of faith with you,

  Pastor Chad