Thank you, Pastor Mark

I don’t know if you know this, but for the past five years, Pastor Mark and I have regularly played hooky from work. Every Tuesday the two of us would sneak out after lunch and meet over- what else- a fresh cup of coffee. There in that familiar restaurant we would talk about the coming week, or imagine the future of St. Mark, or talk about those aspects of ministry that I wanted to learn more about. On occasion, the conversation would drift to the latest iPhone or news about our families. More than once, I am fairly certain the volume of our laughter cleared out what remained of the lunch crowd. I hope you will forgive us for skipping out of the office so much. To be fair, we did talk about St. Mark at least 80% of the time.

Recently, Pastor Mark and I sat down for one last meeting, although our place of escape this time was the conference table at church. We left the confines of our houses in lockdown to sit on either side of that 12-foot long table, fresh coffee in hand. He asked me to come with any lingering questions about his role as Senior Pastor. Though I had a few, I was surprised that I wasn’t able to come up with an entire list of inquiries. It isn’t that I’m not curious; rather, it’s because we have talked openly for five years about our roles as your pastors, and almost every topic you can think of has been broached. I have been able to learn firsthand from him simply through the way we have worked together.

It has been an absolute dream to work alongside Pastor Mark for these five years. Even though he has been the one in charge, it has been a true partnership. I have always had a voice at the table. When I first arrived, I was asked to sit in on meetings for the capital campaign in 2016. Plans were well underway when I arrived. It would have been understandable if I had been asked to simply focus on all the new responsibilities I had as your new associate pastor. Instead, Pastor Mark invited me to be a part of that team in addition to my other work.

I could take you to the Common Grounds Café and brag about all the little details that were my idea, but that’s beside the point. The trust Pastor Mark gave me then, and in many other moments of decision since, was about far more than simply bouncing an idea off of one more person. It had to do with Pastor Mark’s understanding of leadership. It’s one of the reasons our staff works so well together. We truly have been a team, not simply a staff to support the vision of one person. The collaborative nature of our working relationship has cultivated in me a better sense of what it means to lead a congregation. I have learned so much from our time together, and I will miss the leadership and partnership that he and I have had.

Thank you, Pastor Mark, for the wonderful ministry you have had at St. Mark. The many years of dedication you have had in this place have left us all stronger, healthier, and more optimistic than ever before. I pray that we always remember the lessons you have taught us.

Peace, 

Pastor Chad McKenna

With Gratitude

Dear St. Mark friends,

I began my sermon last Sunday acknowledging that my retirement was close at hand.  I shared a famous anonymous quote that seems quite appropriate for this situation: “Don’t cry because it’s over.  Smile because it happened.”  I believe there’s room for both tears and smiles as we anticipate closure to our shared ministry over the past fifteen years.

We can all relate to departures and the subsequent transitions that result from them.  Life is largely defined by the way we handle these transitions.  In his book, Managing Transitions, William Bridges writes, “It isn’t the changes that do you in, it’s the transitions.  Change is not the same as transition.  Change is situational: the new site, the new boss, the new team roles, the new policy.  Transition is the psychological process people go through to come to terms with the new situation.  Change is external, transition is internal.”

Thirty-seven years ago, I was ordained into the holy ministry of Word and Sacrament.  I knew what I was getting into: a vocation that would involve a lengthy sequence of hellos and good-byes; a series of exciting beginnings, as well as grace-filled departures...a lifetime of transitions.  Tears and smiles serve as salt and pepper, seasoning our lives as we serve God and neighbor.  I realize that, for some of you, my retirement may seem like a mixture of salt and pepper.

Pastor Chad will become St. Mark’s primary pastoral leader in June, as is the case in the vacancy of the senior pastor position.  I encourage you to fully support Pastor Chad in his new role during the call process.  It’s also important to clarify the boundaries that I intend to observe as a newly retired pastor.  Professional etiquette requires that I find a new church to join in the coming months.  Thus, I will not attend any future worship services or church events at St. Mark unless specifically requested by the new senior pastor.  The one exception to this will be an available Sunday down the road once we have returned to our church nave for full worship services.  I look forward to preaching one final sermon in your presence in the weeks to come!

I will also refrain from any pastoral care in my retirement.  This includes weddings, funerals, baptisms, counseling, and any other pastoral acts on behalf of St. Mark.  While I intend to honor the friendships that exist, I will refrain from engaging in any discussions or activities surrounding the many ministries of St. Mark.  This vital separation of pastoral expectations and activity is necessary and healthy for all of us, allowing St. Mark to move forward with new leadership and bold visioning for the future.  God is faithful...you are in good hands!

Finally, I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve St. Mark these past fifteen years.  Together, we have served this community with faith, courage, and innovation.  We have wept together, and we have laughed together.  We have endured many trials and hardships, and we have celebrated significant growth and accomplishments.  We have done it all as one family of faith. 

Regardless of the numerous transitions that define our individual journeys, we will continue to serve one Lord and one Church.  In that light, we will always be together in the Spirit...sharing in the common work of serving Jesus!

With deepest gratitude,

Pastor Mark

Just Ask

When I was in high school, one of my favorite hobbies was making home movies with my friends. Most have been lost to time and obsolete technology. We filmed with handheld camcorders and edited with high-end software from the school library. It was a skill I honed well into college when my imagined future career was much different than where I am today. When I entered seminary, I never imagined that those old skills would one day be vital to my ministry.

I hope you have been tuning in to our weekly online worship services. Not because a lot of effort goes into them, but because it is important for all of us to maintain some sort of routine in all of this. We need time every week, every day even, to focus ourselves on God’s great love for us. If such a thing was true before the virus, it is even more true now.

These videos continue to teach me about taking care of myself and relying on God to provide. When we first started, I did everything. That first video on April 15th was literally all me. It was short, yet exhausting. After that, the videos got much more complicated, but I still was doing most of the work, overworking myself even more. It was all due to my inability to ask for help because I did not take the time to imagine how I could rely on others. But each week has been a little easier than the last because so many people continue to insist on helping. Our worship is once again truly a collaborative effort that takes the efforts of many who are in front of and behind the camera. I am so grateful for the ways so many of you have contributed to our unique, but temporary, style of worship.

In chapter 11 of Luke’s Gospel, Jesus teaches his disciples to ask God for help in their ministry. “Ask, and it will be given to you;” he says. “Search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”

Jesus isn’t saying that God will stuff our wallets if we just keep asking, or that if we knock on the door of our dream house God will open it to us and hand us the keys. What he means is that God will always give us what we need to do God’s work - to care for ourselves and others. 

What do you need these days? Where are you spread too thin or falling short? What keeps you from asking for help? In my case, I neglected to pause and reflect about the tasks I could ask others to do for me. Maybe you are in the same place, or maybe you know what you need but find it hard to ask because of pride or shame or the fear of being a burden. You do not have to do everything. It is not all up to you. There are others, especially in this congregation, who are eager to be there for you. 

Go easy on yourself and others, ask for help when you need it, and remember that God has enough grace for each and every one of us.

Peace,

Pastor Chad

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