Our congregation is good at a lot of things, but as I reflect on this past year, I am starting to see one thing that we don’t do very well. St. Mark Lutheran Church is not great at simply going through the motions. Seasons and holidays come every year, and yet every time we find ways to make them feel new and meaningful. We always feel the need to try new things or tinker with tradition. We have that kind of creativity that helps us thrive and grow. The differences from year to year might be subtle at times, but like years before, we continued to lean into ingenuity in 2023.
Our Uniform Co-Op, which partners with four elementary schools, is already one-of-a-kind. In Advent, our congregation worked together to provide over 700 pairs of socks to those four schools. The Endowment Board also provided a sizable donation to cover the cost of socks, underwear, and other hygiene items. This all happened because the folks in charge of this ministry listened to the needs of the families and faculty, and because our congregation took those needs to heart.
We spent the better part of the year listening, planning, and transitioning into a new phase for our youth ministry. While our partnership with Grace Lutheran Church in Loves Park is still very new, it is grounded in that careful discernment, and we continue to search for the right person to lead that ministry with the same excitement and creativity which has led our youth ministries to this place. I am so grateful for everyone who has been part of this process, including Pastor Katrina, who has faithfully cared for our youth all year.
St. Mark has become quite seasoned in outdoor worship, led by our incredible Praise Band. It’s odd, then, that we had such an amazing Septemberfest inside, on a gorgeous day no less. With a packed sanctuary, a Fellowship Hall brimming with barbecue and community, and a bounce house loaded with kids, the day filled both our souls and our stomachs.
We had regular Family Fellowship nights, creative worship on Easter Saturday and the Winter Solstice, a Wassail Sunday that felt as fresh and lively as ever. We opened the building to support groups, a Mosaic Hub, and events for the Northern Illinois Synod. We found new ways to partner with LSSI, the Rock River Valley Pantry, and other organizations.
Of course, all of this is merely a snapshot of the last year. This is also true of the church’s full Annual Report for 2023. I hope you will pick one up and take the time to read through it to remember, or learn for the first time, the many new and familiar ways we live as the Body of Christ in the world.
I want to thank our entire staff, including those who were only with us for part of the year. The type of work our staff does can be both life-giving and exhausting on the same day. This amazing and faithful group really showed their dedication this year, filling the gaps when we were short-staffed, connecting with the community, and always doing so with love and optimism for our congregation.
Our volunteers are no different. Whether you help out for the occasional Sunday or service event, or you are at the church so often you wonder if you might actually be on staff, you make St. Mark what it is in our community. We could not do a single thing without our volunteers.
Thank you to each and every one of you for being a part of this wonderful congregation. It is a blessing to be your pastor.
Pastor Chad McKenna
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