St Mark eNEWS January 6, 2023 photo by City of Storm Lake
A NOTE FROM PASTOR DAVE
“We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in
our prayers, constantly remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ..” -1 Thessalonians 1:2-3
Friends,
I hope this edition of eNEWS finds all of you doing well.
When you read these words from 1 Thessalonians, what do you think of? They remind me of the need to give thanks for the persons who have been a blessing in my life. But, what if you are the one who received a letter with these words in the beginning lines giving thanks for your faithfulness?
The Apostle Paul wrote these words to leaders in a church that he had started in the city of Thessalonica. Even though Paul and other leaders were forced out of town by those who did not receive the Good News of Jesus, some remained and continued the ministry of Jesus that Paul had entrusted to them. This letter is written to those who faithfully continued the work.
This weekend at St Mark we are honoring a partnership with a community located in Tanzania. St Mark and the other churches of the Western Iowa Synod worked together to found a school for girls. That school is Igumbilo Lutheran Girls School in the Southern Diocese of Tanzania.
On Sunday morning (January 8) following worship we will have a brunch in the Fellowship Hall to help support the school. There will be lots of good food and opportunities for conversation. Gail Schillmoeller (daughter of Betty Neisius) has been at the school several times, and will be with us on Sunday morning to share about the school.
There is going to be a really good brunch awaiting us following worship thanks to the generosity of Thrivent Financial. There will be a basket set out during the brunch where financial gifts may be given to support the purchase of a total of 50 laptops for the students of Igumbilo Girls School to learn with. We are hopeful that through St Mark at least 2 or more laptops will be purchased. If you are not able to come on Sunday and still want to support this opportunity to give, please drop off your gift at the church office, or give electronically through the church website.
For the past several years, the outreach ministry of the St Mark community to the wider community of Storm Lake and beyond has been outstanding, and it continues to grow. We make a big difference in the lives of persons living in this area. This partnership with the Girls School in Tanzania "reconnects" and "reminds" us of the larger ministry of the Church that we as a congregation have been a part of for many years.
LIFE TOGETHER AT ST MARK You can find us at:
1614 West Fifth Street
Storm Lake, IA, 50588
Phone: 712-732-5255 You can email us at hello@stmarkstormlake.com
You may log into Saint Mark Wi-Fi
Password- devotion
WORSHIP
We gather for worship each Sunday morning at 9:00. You can join us in-person in the Sanctuary, or via livestream on our Facebook page. Recordings of services may be also found on the St Mark Website.
PRAYERS-
We are all invited to keep the following persons in our prayers:
Prayers for Healing:
Tony Bodholdt, Clara Samuelsen, Marlon Gasner, Marilyn Jones, Ken Russell, Hildy Clewell, Julie Egland, Val Anderson, Jon Kruse, Donna Schulz, Steve Korner, Jane Evans, Evelyn Messenbrink, Alex Kron, Steve Berg, and all persons seeking healing and wholeness.
Prayers for the Grieving:
For Susan Thompson and family as they grieve the death of Bob Thompson
For Lisa Shepherd and family as they grieve the death of her father Orin Rinkel
Prayers of Thanksgiving:
As we welcome Mark and Zo Ohlson as members of St Mark today.
AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP OUR PARTNER SYNOD GIRLS SCHOOL AND HAVE BRUNCH TOO TODAY!!
We are all invited to a brunch following worship on Sunday, and an opportunity help out the students at Igumbilo Girls School. The Western Iowa Synod has a relationship with the Igumbilo Lutheran Girls School in the Southern Diocese of Tanzania. The Synod's relationship with the girls' school dates back to 2005 when the Western Iowa Synod helped found the school. Gail Schillmoeller (daughter of Betty Neisius) will be sharing about the girls school with us in worship and at the brunch. The school is currently in the process of creating a computer lab at the school. Individual congregations are being asked to help purchase computers (approximate cost $225), hoping to supply at least 50 computers for the lab. Computers are needed so students and staff can access resources that are only available electronically.
A brunch will be served following the church service on Sunday with the offering to go to help purchase at least two computers for the school. Thrivent will be providing some seed money for this event. Please join us after church for a meal and a chance to make a difference in these girls' lives.
SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES- Methodist Manor- The residents of Methodist Manor are in need of persons to visit. Training will be available to prepare volunteers for the conversations. If you are interested, please contact Maxine Lampe 712-732-1058, or Pat Cowan 712-299-3120.
Worship Techs- we are in need of at least 2 more persons (families) to serve one Sunday a month as worship tech. New tech helpers may include families with junior high or high school aged kids, possibly a great way to involve them more with helping with church service. If you are interested, you are invited to sit back at the console on a Sunday morning and watch/help the persons working on that weekend. Contact Pastor Dave if you are interested.
VETS TOGETHER-
Is an opportunity for veterans of the United States military branches. There is no agenda other than an opportunity for veterans of the United States military services to have a place to be with others who have had similar experiences and who are willing to receive and give encouragement to others. As veterans go through re-entry into civilian life they may experience, short and long term, challenges unique to veterans such as: PTSD; disabilities; reconnecting to family and friends; finding meaningful employment; and other struggles. Vets Together meet on Wednesday evenings, 6:00 PM in room 128. The gatherings are open to all community persons. Please share this opportunity with friends.
PROCLAIM RADIO MINISTRY
Proclaim is a radio ministry of St Mark and is broadcast every Sunday morning at 7:30 AM via FM 101.7 KAYL. The message and music are from the previous weekend. This ministry is one of the ways we reach out to Storm Lake and Western Iowa with the love of Jesus. We invite you to consider supporting this ministry in addition to your regular financial support of St Mark. Cost is $38 per week and can be given online, or by check. You can sign-up for a Sunday on the bulletin board sign-up located on the bulletin board near the west entrance to the building. Call Jane Hartwell 732-5255 if you have questions.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR OFFERINGS AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT
We are grateful for your faithful financial gifts to St Mark as they provide the needed support for all of our ministries, outreach, operating expenses, and staff. We are hopeful that through all of our gifts we will finish our year strong. If you have a financial gift you would like to share today you may place it in the offering box found at the welcome center. You are welcome to drop off an offering at the Church office or send it in the mail. You can also go to the St Mark Give Page where there are links and instructions for sharing your gifts:
Give via EFT, banking cards, and credit cards. Make a one time, or set up ongoing gifts
Text your gift to 833-643-0608.
You can also give during the service electronically through the new Vanco Mobile Giving App available at Apple App Store on Google Play Store.
And a new way to give is through Amazon Smile each time you purchase something online.
BOOK DISCUSSIONS CONTINUE-
The book for January will be “A Fall of Marigolds” by Susan Meissner. “This book tells the story of two women, a hundred years apart; two spur of the moment decisions that were inspired by joy but instead caused their lives to intersect with tragedy and resulted in the loss of the men they loved; and one mysterious marigold scarf that connects them and changes their lives.” We will meet on Sunday, January 15 after church to share and discuss. The book for February will be “Born a Crime” by Trevor Noah. It is about Trevor Noah's childhood and adolescence in apartheid and post-apartheid South Africa. A child of mixed heritage, Noah details the challenges he faced and the peculiarities that existed when he was growing up. The meeting date for discussion is TBD.
FRIENDS WITH FOOD
Friends with Food is a partnership of St Mark Lutheran Church, SALUD, and other community persons who work together to offer a monthly food distribution to those who are permanently or temporarily homebound and without easy access to transportation. The next distribution will be January 19th. If you would like to help, and if you know of someone who could use some food, please contact Jane Hartwell 712-732-5255, Di Daniels 712-299-9863 or Julie Cook- Western Iowa Synod Office 732-4968.
LIFE SERVE BLOOD DRIVE
In spite of the icy weather, LifeServe had a successful Blood Drive at St Mark. There were 55 appointments, 38 persons registered to give blood (33 were eligible), and 38 units of blood were collected (enough hto safe up to 114 lives). “Thank you a million times over to Pastor Dave for keeping the church open and putting ice melt down for our team. We appreciate your dedication to saving local lives!” The next date is February 7, 2023 at St. Mark from 12:30-5:30. You can register online or text LIFESERVE to 999-777 to make an appointment to Give Blood. If you would like to know any other info about donating blood and Life Serve Blood Center, just click on this link, or contact Jane Hartwell in the Church Office.
UPPER DES MOINES FOOD SHELF NEEDS OUR HELP
The Upper Des Moines Opportunities Food Shelf staff has stated that any food is welcomed at the pantry. The following items are very low and needed at this time: cereal, oatmeal, peanut butter, canned fruit & vegetables, beans and rice, spaghetti sauce and pasta. Meat is very much needed (lunch meat, hot dogs, ground beef, ground pork, chicken. Freezers are available at Upper Des Moines if you drop off there, address below). Other items needed: laundry soap, dish soap, shampoo, body soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, toilet paper, paper towels. You can drop the food off in the grocery cart by the church office, or at Upper Des Moines Opportunities Food Shelf, 620 Michigan Street, in Storm Lake.
2023- ANNUAL MEETING OF ST MARK LUTHERAN CHURCH
The Annual Meeting of St Mark Lutheran Church will take place on January 29, 2023, immediately following the 9:00 worship service (Time @10:10). In addition to the election of officers, and reports of the Congregation, the Congregation Council has recommended changes to the Constitution of St Mark that will be voted upon at that service. We will have Congregation Conversations on Sundays January 15 and 22 @10:10 in the Fellowship Hall. Copies of the documents are available in the office and at the Welcome Center.
THANK YOU “Thank you so much for thinking of me at Christmas. Your kindness has touched my heart. I hope the holidays are memorable for you as you spend them with family and friends”. Brenda Newell
“Many thanks to all of you who remembered me at Christmas. I appreciate it very much. Happy New Year to you all.”- Jane Hartwell
THIS WEEK AT ST MARK
Sunday, January 8
7:30AM - Proclaim Radio broadcast on FM101.7
9:00AM- Worship Service- in-person and streamed live
on Facebook
10:00AM- Brunch (free-will Offering to Igumbilo Lutheran Girls
School)
10:00-10:45AM Sunday School (Sanctuary)
Monday, January 9
5:00- Family Access (Room 128)
Tuesday, January 10 1:30PM- Parkinson’s Support Group (Fellowship Hall)
Wednesday, January 11
6:00-6:45PM Confirmation Class
6:00PM- Vets Together (Room 128)
7:00PM- Congregation Council Meeting (Conference Room)
Thursday, January 12
12:00PM- AA-(Fellowship Hall)
Saturday, January 14
9:00AM-3:ooPM PEO Meeting (Library)
10:00AM-2:00PM Western Iowa Synod (Fellowship Hall)
Sunday, January 15
7:30AM - Proclaim Radio broadcast on FM101.7
9:00AM- Worship Service- in-person and streamed live
on Facebook
10:00AM- Fellowship Coffee time (Fellowship Hall)
10:00AM- Book Discussion (Library)
10:00-10:45AM Sunday School (Sanctuary)
10:10AM Congregation Conversation- Changes to St Mark
constitution
1:00-2:30 PM Visitation for Bob Thompson family
2:30 PM Funeral for Bob Thompson
