Information

FROM PASTOR CHIP

“A person will worship something, have no doubt about that. . . . That which dominates our imaginations and our thoughts will determine our lives, and our character. Therefore, it behooves us to be careful what we worship, for what we are worshipping, we are becoming.”

—Ralph Waldo Emerson

is the opening quote in a book I’ve been reading about youth and their engagement in Christianity. One of my former pastors, Reverend R. J. Lavin, said essentially the same thing in simpler words, “What gets our attention, gets us.”

When I think about all the things competing for our young people’s attention, that can be scary. Academic endeavors are important—but not of ultimate importance. The same is true with athletic achievement, community volunteering and even healthy lifestyles. What is most important in our lives, what must have the top priority is our relationship with God. Our Lutheran tradition puts it this way: “We are to fear, love and trust God above all things.”

As adults, we have many things competing for our attention as well. In times of financial strain, we can become focused on making money. When we are lonely, our hearts can turn to finding other relationships. When things are going well, even then God gets tucked away into a dark corner—reserved for situations where we are overwhelmed or in need of rescue.

This book, Almost Christian: What the Faith of American Teenagers is Telling the Church, speaks a warning I didn’t like to hear. Author Kenda Creasy Dean, a professor at Princeton Seminary, says, “Young people seem to be barometers of a larger theological shift that appears to be taking place in the United States.” This theological shift has moved our expectation of God to Cosmic butler, counselor and vending machine. It reduces God the Father from a relationship to merely a source or supplier of our current needs. And in that move, we, too, are diminished.

What could happen if each of us did just one thing every day to live out our common mission statement—expanding faith through caring, helping, reaching out, interceding, serving, teaching? Could we find our attention more often directed towards our loving God and Father? Might we extend that love to just one person we encounter in our homes, our workplaces, our community? Is it possible that not only our faith would be expanded, but the faith of others in our lives?

Dr. Dean says that the best way for us to encourage the faith of our children and youth is to pay attention to our own relationship with God. As we begin a new school year, may we be open to God’s invitation to learn and grow in relating to him in all circumstances and places. May we become more like our loving heavenly Father every day.

-Received Special Congregational Vote for Youth Coordinator (103 Yes, 5 No). Human Resource Committee will start on job description and seeking candidates.

- Sanctuary accessible seating approved. Will make space for up to four places closer to the front. Movable chairs can be used when accessible seating not needed.

- Annual Meeting will be held on Sunday, October 10, 2010 following both worship service.

Faith Circle will hold their September 7th meeting in the Fellowship Hall. Once again, we would like to invite any and all to visit our circle. We meet on the first Tuesday of each month at 1:00 p.m. and always welcome visitors.

At this month's meeting, Pastor Chip will have a DVD presentation introducing our 2010/2011 Bible study plan, "The Prodigal God". Hostesses are Loretta Schulz and Darlene Brummels.

Where did the summer go?? By the time you receive this newsletter, our circle has probably met for our first bible study and evening of fellowship.

We were so excited to get started that we scheduled our Sept. meeting for Monday, Aug. 30th. Please know that you all have an ongoing invitation to join us for study on the first Monday of each month @ 7pm. With that said, we have a survey for you. l) Do you enjoy making people smile?? 2) Do you consider yourself a helpful person?? 3) Do you love activities that require no prep time....you just show up?? 4) Do you like making cupcakes?? If you answered yes to any of these questions...you may be the perfect individual (yes, man..woman...or child) to help us with bingo at Valhaven on the 3rd Thursday of each month. Call Bev Griffin (359-2734) if you are feeling God nudging you to help with this outreach....no circle membership required.

Have you ever noticed how many magazine covers have the word "breakthrough" on them? I chose one the other day about Dr. Oz's Diet Breakthrough and was curious so read on. Apparently, after answering some simple questions about your eating habits..you can then determine your DNA type and lose best according to the foods that match your type. The opening line grabs us with this statement....Ever since Dr. Oz introduced the world to a new DNA based approach to dieting, folks have been clamoring to know more......and it was true...I wanted to know more. They had my attention! Wouldn't it be great if we could reach the unchurched with this method? Just imagine this opening statement. Ever since Pastor Chip ,of St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Valley , introduced the community to a new faith based approach to living, folks have been clamoring to know more. Do I have your attention?? It's all about the "W" word that scares us....witness. So much easier to see it in print than to speak from our hearts. Anyway........another year of study and who knows what kinds of "breakthroughs" we will discover this year as we share ideas each month. Back in the swing of school.....Barb K.

Peace Circle members are looking forward to the new study "The Prodigal God". Our first meeting of the season is Tuesday, September 7, at 700 p.m. Pastor Chip will be introducing this new serie4s, and we encourage any ladies to attend and bring a friend!

Our School Kit program is in full swing – as always, thank you for your generous support! Instead of storing "leftovers" this year, plans are being made to donate them to local schools.

Food Pantry needs for this month are: detergents, toothpaste, Kleenex, canned tomatoes and tomato sauce.

We are planning to meet the 2^nd Wednesday of each month at noon to knit and crochet our shawls. Please bring your sack lunch and join us as we will work during the Lectionary Lunch and remain afterwards to continue our meeting. If you can't join us at the Lectionary Lunch, please come at 1 o'clock for the meeting. We will start this schedule September 8^th.

St. Mark's Quilters met on July 28^th in the Fellowship Hall with a large group of ladies helping with tying 10 quilts. Thank you all those who helped and those who served refreshments.

Thrivent Financial members invited to join in $3 million Helping Haiti effort

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans members who want to make a financial contribution to support disaster response efforts in Haiti can have their donations to one of four Lutheran relief agencies multiplied by the fraternal benefit society. To participate, visit www.thrivent.com/helpinghaiti and make a contribution to one of the following:

Thrivent Financial will add $1 to every $2 its members donate, up to a total Thrivent Financial contribution of $1 million. That means a potential of $3 million or more to support relief efforts: $2 million + from its members and $1 million added by Thrivent Financial.

For questions or alternative ways to donate through this program, please call 800-236-3736. When promoted, say “directory” and enter ext. 83003.

A task force will begin a structured look at our worship practices and needs this month. We are using a design by Herb Miller, a church consultant who has worked with congregations and judicatories in increasing worship participation. This group has been asked by the council to engage in this process to strengthen St. Mark’s practices in attracting, retaining and spiritually enriching larger numbers of people in weekly worship. The process involves nine-months of work in discussing and planning ways to strengthen the effectiveness of our worship services. Please keep the task force in your prayers as they seek to expand faith in our communities through worship.

Several people have been working on a comprehensive confirmation program that takes into account the realities of busy families and the congregation’s responsibility to support parents in meaningful faith education as promised when their children are baptized. This program will be shared in the next few months and hopefully be ready to implement when confirmation resumes in the fall.

The Prayer Shawl Ministry would appreciate being informed of anyone who needs a Prayer Shawl. Please contact Eileen Bills at 359-5563 if you know of someone. They do not need to be members of St. Mark's.

If you have changed your phone number, be it to cancel your land line number and just use your cell phone number, please contact the church with that information. Correct phone numbers help in contacting individuals when needed.

Adult Childcare Givers Needed in the Nursery during the 10:30 a.m. worship on Sundays. If you are willing to care for little ones, please call Jan in the Church Office. The Nursery will be staffed again beginning September 6^th.

You are invited to visit our companion synod in Tanzania! As we continue to deepen our relationship with the Northern Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania, two Nebraska Synod-sponsored trips to Tanzania are planned for 2011.

Estimated costs range from $3,700 (February Trip) to $4,450 (July Trip) which covers all airfare, transportation, meals, safari fees, and visas. The trip includes visits to ministry sites of the Northern Diocese as well as a safari to the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater.

These trips flow from the relationship we share with our companion synod in Tanzania. The companion synod program enables the Nebraska Synod to experience the gifts and witness of the Northern Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania.

Interested? Please contact Pr. Martin Russell or Stephanie Lusienski in the Nebraska Synod office (402.896.5311). Space is limited.

A “help fund” for people in need in our community is being established as part of the memorial for Sherron Growcock. Sherron had a real heart for those who needed help. She was extremely generous. Memorials and/or contributions to the SHERRON FUND are always welcome. Anyone interested in being part of a small committee administering the funds, please contact Jan in the Church Office. Sherron’s son, Mike, has offered also to help with the fund. We have appreciated his help in the past as well. Please note the play on words of Sherron and Sharing as Sherron gave out of what she had to be a help to others. Finally, we give thanks for her great Christian example!

Faith Circle has decided to continue their clothes drive for the less fortunate. During the winter we had a wonderful response to our "Project Warmth", with two large deliveries to the Open Door Mission, two to the Cristo Rey and one to First Lutheran Church in downtown Omaha. Now we are simply requesting all types of clothing. We will continue to make occasional deliveries to Cristo Rey, but have added the COPE organization in Elkhorn.

As always, we are asking for gently used, clean and in good repair garments. There is such a need at this time in all communities, and we feel blessed to be able to share with those who have needs that are temporarily greater than their resources.

Worship Services

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LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF