23
Jun 2023
Our family just returned from an epic three-week trip to Paris and England. One of the things we noticed was how inclusive everyone was. It wasn’t some political statement; it just was. Vegetarian? Got you covered. Have a veggie burger or some vegan sausage. From somewhere else? Here are falafel and fried rice and avocado and vegetable samosas on the breakfast buffet. Gluten-free? Try this beer or that dish or just ask and we’ll do what we can. This inclusivity continued in signs that were in English and French. In waitstaff who......
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Join Us for Service Sunday!
We have 175 people signed up for our first Service Sunday. That’s fantastic news! We are addressing Priority No. 4 in our church’s stated priorities: “St. Mark’s United Methodist Church will become physically involved...
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The Hard Work of Change
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,...
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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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‘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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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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Denominational Update
What’s happening with the United Methodist Church? If you watch mainstream media, you might have seen articles about the church splintering or splitting. This isn’t entirely true, but it has some truth in its...
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Making a Difference
This month in worship we have focused on those small things that can make a big difference in our world. Gratitude. Perseverance. Humility. Prayer. Faith. These seemingly small things, in the hands of...
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Who Will You Invite?
When people hear our church’s name, what comes to mind? This is the question the United Methodist Church asked decades ago, so it did research. It discovered the general public didn’t have a good...
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Charting a Course
Thank you for your responses to the questions from Ministry Architects! We had more than 150 people respond, from all walks of life. In addition, we have listening groups meeting in person this weekend,...
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