31
Mar 2023
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. Caiphas responds, imploring Jesus to quiet the crowd. Jesus asserts that if the crowds are quiet, the very stones will cry out. This Sunday, we will sing our own Hosannas. While we don’t have a Caiphas imploring us to be silent, we do hear that admonishment from the world around us. Why should we praise God when school......
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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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Grace / Sacraments
On Sunday as we join around the communion table, the pastors will pray, “Make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world until Christ comes in...
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Town Hall Meeting
What is our mission field? In worship a few weeks ago, Kelly Deyoe invited us to consider witnessing about our faith to other people. This is an important habit and spiritual discipline for every...
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