April 18, 2016
Traditional Service:
Sundays 8:30 & 11:10 a.m.
Contemporary Reflective Service:
Saturdays 5:00 p.m.
Contemporary Service:
Sundays 10:00 a.m.
Pastoral Staff
Senior Pastor
Rev. Dr. Michael Foss
Senior Ministries/Pastoral Care
Pr. Dick Hutton
Pastor Emeritus
Pr. Roy Nilsen
Administrative Staff
Church Administrator
Chris Wirth
Director of Communications
Karin Ogden
Executive Administrative Assistant
Karen Scribano
Media & Tech Specialist
Stephanie Masumura
Program Staff
Minister to Children & Families
Kendra Heidt
Director of Community Care
Vicki Hertko
Minister to Youth & Young Adults
Andrew Karrmann
Worship and Music Leaders
Choir Master/Organist
Christopher Ellerston
Director of Contemporary Worship
Matt Sammler
Director of Children’s Choirs
Brianne Schildberg
Buildings & Grounds
Facilities Manager
Leo Booth
And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good
deeds… Hebrews 10:24
We don’t usually think of the church
as being provocative. But that is
what the author of the Book of Hebrews suggests. The Christian
Church is not an institution as much
as a movement to expand the blessings of God. That means that provoking one another to love and
good deeds is not secondary to the
Church but is a primary way the
Church can be identified. Recently I
borrowed a phrase from a good
friend of mine (with his permission)
in worship: No one can do everything but everyone can do
something. What’s your something? That’s the church! Everyone
is gifted by God and called by the
Holy Spirit in order to do something
for the sake of the kingdom. When
we understand this truth, then life
takes on purpose and meaning that
transcends our present circumstances.
her. Her world expanded to the
needs of people she would never
know in places she would never go
because she prayed.
What’s your something? At St. Mark
we are dependent upon the work of
the Holy Spirit to activate the hearts
and lives of our member disciples.
Without your something we cannot
accomplish what God is calling us
to; we cannot become the church
Jesus wants us to be. If you know
your something and are sharing it,
thank you. If not, let us help you
find it so that you can help grow
Christ’s Church in a time when so
many are spiritually seeking.
Which leads me to a question I have
been asked a lot lately: Why should
we grow? The answer is two-fold.
First, the Savior calls us to bear fruit
– and a growing congregation quite
simply bears more fruit. Interestingly enough, the first Christian
When a woman I knew suffered the
Church was a mega-church after
debilitating aftermath of disease, she
Pentecost. I am not suggesting we at
could have easily slipped into deSt. Mark are called to become a
pression and isolation. After all, she
mega-church. I am suggesting that
was now housebound with limited
numbers are never the test of fruitmobility. Instead she prayed and
fulness – the lives those numbers
asked God what her purpose was
point to are always the fruit that God
(what her something was!) and God
seeks. So, when you see someone
called her to prayer for others.
you don’t know standing by themWhenever someone in our commu(Continued on page 2)
nity needed prayers, they thought of
Page 2
Pastoral Acts
Discipleship Community Wednesdays!
The funeral for Dennis Hedlund was held on March 31.
Please remember the Hedlund family in your prayers.
5:15—6:00pm: Wednesday Meal— (4/20) Meal—hot dogs/chili dogs,
fruit, and salad. (4/27) pizza and breadsticks, fruit, salad, dessert.
The baptism of Finnegan Francis Harris
was held at St. Mark on April 3.
The baptism of Nora Constance Hartbecke was held at St. Mark on April 10.
The funeral for Lindsey Bruinekool was
held on April 12. Please remember the
Bruinekool family in your prayers.
The baptism of Grace Kathryn Grotha
was held at St. Mark on April 17.
6:00—7:10pm: Teaching Service Series with Pastor Mike Foss
Worship Center, Sanctuary
6:00—7:30pm: WoW (ages 3—grade 6)
Discipleship Center, upper level
6:00—7:30pm: CREW (grades 7 & 8)
Discipleship Center, lower level
Serve at Connection Café
Tuesday, April 26 at 12noon
St. Mark is serving 160 noon lunches to needy and homeless individuals at the Connection Café in the Cathedral Church of St. Paul's, downtown DM.
You can support our ministry in these ways:
(Continued from page 1)
selves at St. Mark, for our Lord’s sake, go
greet them, find out their name and welcome them. Whether they ever return is
beyond our control. Whether they are
made to feel welcome is the command of
Jesus Christ.
The second reason we should grow is
that the Church belongs to the Savior,
Jesus, and only he can determine who
should become a part of it. When Jesus
Christ brings someone to St. Mark the
Holy Spirit is provoking us to demonstrate the welcome of God to them. The
greatest criticism that Jesus gave the religious leaders of his time was that they
only wanted people like themselves
whereas God had sent the Lord to invite
all.
The issue is never growth. The real question is whether we will be provocative in
grace: welcoming and engaging all who
the Holy Spirit brings to us. Thank you
for being the provocative people of God.
You make me a better Christian.
Pastor Mike Foss
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bake bars/cookies
work 1 hour at St. Mark with 5 others to make sandwiches that
morning and/or serve lunch from 11:45am-1:00pm on site
make a special donation of $2.50 to cover the cost of one meal
To help, contact church office or Kim Krog at [email protected] or
Ronda Pierce at [email protected]
Congregational Meeting
April 23 and 24 after All Worship Services
All members of the congregation in good standing are hereby notified
that there will be a congregational meeting starting at 5:45pm on Saturday, April 23 and continuing at 9:15, 10:45, and 11:55am on Sunday,
April 24, 2016. Agenda items will include the approval of next fiscal
year's spending plan and the election of Council and Foundation team
members.
Thanks from Aladdin Cast & Crew
Thank you to all who supported and encouraged the youth musical this
year! We had our largest cast ever with 26 kids, plus 6 more students
working on crew. Your participation, whether as a volunteer, parent,
or audience member, helps build confidence in our young people to
develop their God-given talents and share them with the broader community. Your affirmation of this ministry is so appreciated!
Page 3
Plant Sale Orders Arrive
April 30
Remember to pick up
your plant order on
Saturday morning,
April 30 from
10:00am—Noon.
Thank you from the
St. Mark Garden
Team!
Primetimers—Art Center
Thursday, May 5 at 11:00am
You are invited to join us for lunch and a
tour of the Des Moines Art Center. We will
begin with
lunch at the
Gaston Café (at
the Art Center).
It will be followed by a tour
of the Art Center with Pastor Roy and Docents leading
us on an amazing discovery of this awesome Des Moines resource.
The cost will be $20 per person – which
includes lunch and the Art Center’s fee.
Lunch will be Chicken Salad Croissant,
side salad, beverage, and tip plus the fee
for our tour as well. You’ll be asked to pay
us at the art center, because they want
only one check, not multiple tickets. So,
we’ll collect the fee when you arrive.
E-mail your reservation to Pastor Dick by
Friday, April 29 at [email protected]
or call the church office at 223-4208.
Giving Statements
First Quarter 2016 giving statements were
mailed last week. If you have questions
regarding your statement, please contact
Chris in the church office.
DMARC Food Pantry
April & May Community Outreach
Cash-In April, cash donations to DMARC
marked “Challenge Hunger” gifts will be
matched 50 cents on the dollar up to a total
of $20,000 as part of the Douglas M. Wood
“Challenge Hunger Campaign.” DMARC can
purchase 2-6 more times the food because
they buy at wholesale prices & in bulk.
Food-Red Barrels will be available in the
Worship Center and the Discipleship Center
for the collection of non-perishable food
items in unbreakable containers.
The most needed items include : canned fruit
(in water or 100% juice), tomatoes, green
beans, mixed vegetables or sweet potatoes (no salt added) and beans
(dry or canned in water—not Pork & Beans)
Our Young Families Need Your Help!
from Kendra Heidt, Minister to Children and Families
I remember how difficult it was to enjoy worship when my children
were very young; I was so distracted that I often left the sanctuary
without knowing what the sermon had been about! My children are
older now, but we are blessed to have many young families attend our
various worship services. We're currently experiencing a shortage of
nursery attendants to provide quality and loving care on Wednesday
evenings, Saturday evenings, and/or Sunday mornings. Specifically,
we are in need of several Nursery Attendants. If you are a responsible and caring individual who happens to love children under 3 years
of age, I invite you to prayerfully consider applying. Contact, Kendra
Heidt, at [email protected], for more information.
Sunday Adult Education
Adult Bible Study—10:00am in Fellowship Hall
Please join the Adult Education class as we begin a new video series,
Hazardous Saints: Christians Risking All, Changing Everything by
C.K. Robertson.
The six week series will explore the lives of people that are not the
names we usually hear, nor the people we most often study or celebrate. This study encourages the “ordinary” to consider the importance of the work we are called to do on a daily basis, and the impact
of the small act which may seem irrelevant, but in truth, changes everything. What do you know about Francis of Assisi?
1105 Grand Avenue
W. Des Moines, IA 50265
Phone: 515-223-4208
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.stmarkwdm.org
UPCOMING EVENTS
April 23/24
Annual Meeting after worship
April 26—12noon
Serve at Connection Cafe
April 30—10:00am
Garden Group Plant Sale Pickup
May 1—8:30 & 11:10am
Traditional Worship with Vivaldi’s Gloria
May 4—6:15pm
Last Adult Study and WoW Programming until fall
May 13—5:00pm
Scrapbooking/Craft Night
May 14—5:00pm
May 15—11:10am
Worship with Special Children’s Music
Kids2Camp Rummage Sale—June 10-11 Important Children’s Programming
Dates for Your Calendar
Donations welcome! Items will be
collected and sorted Sat, June 4 Thurs, June 9. Donation receipts will be available. Here
are some ideas and guidelines for donating.
The last day of Worship on Wednesday
(WoW) programming for children 3
years old – 6th grade is May 4.
• Children’s sporting and play equipment—bicycles,
scooters, strollers, clothing, books, toy—anything taking
space that your children have outgrown.
The last day of Kids Club Sunday (KCS)
programming for children 3 years old –
6th grade is May 8.
• Furniture not in use—dressers, tables, chairs, dining
sets, sofas, recliners, desks. Household items—bedding
and bath linens (stain-free in good repair), dishes,
utensils. Collectibles, collection sets, art and antiques,
flea market finds, holiday décor.
This year’s Vacation Bible School is June 26 – June 30.
• No storage space, but you have a great item that needs
to move out now? We can help with a sale on Craigslist
and direct the payment to the camp fund.
Join us for oceans of fun as
we experience the different
ways God is with us wherever we go! This year’s
Vacation Bible School
(VBS) is scheduled for June 26 – June 30 from 6:00 –
8:00pm. Registration information will be available
soon….stay tuned for details!
Do you have extra space in your garage? We could use
extra space until the items can be brought to the church
on Sat. June 4. Questions? Contact Linnea Stockwell
(515-779-3330), Jackie Niemeyer (515-850-1120), or
Katherine Young.
Vacation Bible
School