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Apr 2023
Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! This isn’t just a mantra we share on Easter Sunday, but it’s the reality that we live each day. Christians believe that Jesus was crucified, died, and was buried, but even more than that, we believe that he was raised to new life again. Like the disciples, we may have our doubts some days and we may want proof and question what it means. Yet at the core of who we are, we are blessed even when we didn’t see the actual proof. Have......
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Waiting for Good News
On Sunday, we had marathon worship service, filled with powerful music and Scripture. It would have been long even without Communion, but I grossly underestimated its length for a Communion Sunday! I’ve now used...
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Hosanna in the Highest
Every year at this time, the song from “Jesus Christ Superstar” comes to my mind—Hosanna, hey sanna, sanna sanna ho/ Sanna hey, sanna hosanna. The crowd sings, celebrating Jesus as he comes into town....
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On Decisions and Voting
This past week, the Covenant Council met at St. Mark’s for its regular meeting. As you know, this is the committee in the church tasked with keeping us on target with our ministries and...
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On Trust and Love
My husband and I celebrated our 22nd anniversary this week. It seems like yesterday that we were in Madison, Florida, taking our wedding photos at the gazebo downtown, surrounded by bright pink azaleas,...
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‘All in,’ But Which Way?
At last Sunday’s Town Hall meeting about the potential merger with Sanctuary UMC, we were asked why a merger and why not just a shared ministry, a partnering, a cooperative model. This is an...
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Potential Merger Update
Guest writer: Marsha Dean What does the future hold for St. Mark’s and Sanctuary UMCs? I wish I knew the answer. I have been serving on the Merger Task Force for a couple of...
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Welcome to Lent!
This is our first Sunday in Lent. Lent began with Ash Wednesday this week and continues until Easter Sunday. It’s 40 days, plus Sundays. This season, we invite you to read through the Gospel...
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Happy Anniversary!
What were you doing 20 years ago? 20 years ago, I was appointed to my second churches, a two-point charge just south of Marshall, Illinois. Ron and I had been married almost two years,...
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Welcome!
Several times over the last few weeks, I have been in discussions with people who ask about advertising and about reaching new people. Let me share with you some best practices and some reminders...
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