Walking through the Church

Have you ever walked through a church building in the dark?  I know this may sound odd, but there is something sacred about walking in the church when it is dark.  When I have walked through St. Mark in the dark I noticed the moon light shining through the skylights and the street lights giving off just enough light that you can see the tree branches sway through the stained glass.  The gentle light that shines into the building from the moon and street lights offers a stillness that I don’t feel during the day.

What do you think about walking through the church building in the dark?  When we play sardines at youth group, the darker the better.  The darkness helps the person hiding from being found too quickly.  Some people find it scary and do not want to be in a dark church.   When I get a chance to walk through the church in the dark, I am often by myself and the church is very quiet and still.  This is a sacred moment for me.  Darkness holds a mystery but darkness also holds rest and quiet.    

The quiet, stillness of the sanctuary offers a restful and peaceful space to spend time with God.  A time to pray and a time to listen.  A time to take a deep breath and let go of the craziness of the day.   We all need a time to connect with God and a time for rest.  I encourage you to find your sacred space to spend time with God.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Katrina Steingraeber       

     

St. Mark Supports Habitat

While sitting in the sanctuary waiting for church to start, I thought, “most members have no idea how many St. Mark members live out their faith by volunteering for Rockford Area Habitat for Humanity.” Habitat’s mission is to provide safe, affordable housing for deserving low income families in the Rockford area.

If you happen to go shopping at ReStore (Habitat’s resale shop), 7141 Harrison Avenue, on a Monday morning, you might see several St. Mark faces. John Hargrove and Bob Osolin will wave at you as they drive the truck out of the parking lot to pick up a load of donated goods (example: tile, sinks, electrical fixtures) from our partner suppliers. Don Coffman will be around to help unload the truck when they get back. Chuck Schroeder is working in the Hardware department along with Karen Ganschow, and Dave and Gillian Collier. Don Daniels joins the Hardware crew on Thursdays.  Maureen Hargrove, Pat Coffman, and I will be in the Lighting department – cleaning donated fixtures and working on the displays. Mary Kay Schingoethe recently joined the Vintage department and has been putting her retail experience to good use.   Some of these volunteers also work other days of the week. 

There are six houses under construction at the build site in Emerson Estates located to the west of Auburn High School.  You might recognize the Foreman of the Community Build: Jeff Stovall. You might see John Buzzard helping the First Free team on their house.  Both men work Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday most weeks or as much as needed to complete the houses during build season.  Pastor Katrina recently participated in the Women’s Build Day. Other members have spent a day building with their employer or group. 

When the homes are completed and dedicated (both pastors have participated), new handmade quilts are presented to each family member by the St. Mark Sews and Sews which includes Nancy Eckburg, Nancy Leonard, Marsha Carlson, Sally Campbell, Chris Allen, and Sue Schroepfer.

Once a summer sixty-five sack lunches for the build team are prepared by St. Mark members.  Dick Crooks, Kelly Champion, and Jacey Nausner are the crew who have made the lunches for several years.  This year cookie bakers assisted them: Marcia Cook, Renee Fager, Jane Lundstrom, and Cassie Paulsen.  

Organizations like Habitat function well when there is good administration.  Pat Coffman and John Hargrove serve on the board of directors. Other members serve on committees throughout the year. It is amazing to see how many St. Mark members are involved with this very worthwhile effort to give a hand-up to those in need of safe housing. Disclaimer: We probably forgot someone and apologize for that omission.

If you would like to join these volunteers for Habitat, you can contact any of the people mentioned above or the Habitat Volunteer Coordinator Jessica at 815-636-4573.

Stella Schroeder

Experience & Cicadas

Chances are, if you live in Rockford and haven’t really ventured out lately, you are probably wondering what all the fuss is about. Maybe you have seen photos or videos of them emerging in the Chicago suburbs, but you have yet to notice any signs in your own neighborhood. While some folks who live near forest preserves may have witnessed their presence, here in the Forest City excitement over the seventeen-year cicada has, so far, been nothing more than hype.

Whether the quiet air is a relief or a letdown, I would encourage you to at least take a brief trek up near Rockton, or down to Blackhawk Springs Forest Preserve, where the cicadas are in full gear. You don’t even have to get out of your car — just the sheer volume of their droning is like nothing I have ever heard. The hype is real. If you do go, consider taking a set of earplugs to donate to the folks who live nearby!

This whole entomological event is a wonderful reminder that even in the most common of circumstances, people will have vastly different experiences. Cicadas emerge in pockets, terrorizing some and completely avoiding others. A solar eclipse leaves a narrow line of communities breathless, while those only a dozen miles away are rendered unimpressed. Some people are eager to celebrate Father’s Day next week, while others will greet the day with grief.

We can experience the exact same moment, but our unique, individual stories will turn that moment into a type of Rorschach test, reflecting our own histories back on us. The only way to know that some people witness totally different images in the inkblots is to ask, listen, and believe.

I grew up in a small town, where those in the LGBT community were at best mocked, and at worst outright shunned. That was the only view I knew. But once I moved away, I met wonderful people so different from me and learned the depth of joy that can be found when we celebrate people for who God has made them to be. By listening to others, we can discover that the world is so much bigger, complicated, and wonderful than it ever could be if everyone was exactly the same.

The wonderful thing about diversity is that we have so much to learn from one another. I don’t know what it’s like to grow up in a city. I will never be a minority. I have never felt compelled to move to a new country simply to survive. But, I can listen. Learning about the different experiences others have had creates empathy and helps us embrace the valid, human experiences of our neighbors. We are all unique children of God, wonderfully made in God’s image.

Cicadas aren’t made in God’s image, but they too are wonderful. 

Peace,

Pastor Chad McKenna