Sunday, July 23, 2023

The news reminds us that maintaining healthy relationships, with countries and people across the world, is complicated. This Sunday, at St. Mark’s, we are fortunate to lean into the experience of nurturing international friendships, one relationship at a time. We welcome our Operation Friendship (OF) youth and adult guests from France and Hungary, and look forward to learning from one other. The youth and families of St. Mark’s OF Chapter are hosting our new friends from Europe. Our youth will be hosted by others, as they travel abroad next summer.

Operation Friendship has a strong connection to St. Mark’s. It began in 1964 by Rev. Wallace A. Shaw, an American minister in Scotland, who was the brother of, longtime St. Mark’s member, the late Tully Shaw, and sister-in-law, Trudy Shaw who has been an active member of St. Mark’s for over 60 years. It was Rev. Shaw’s desire to develop a youth exchange enabling the youth of one country to learn the different cultures of other countries and develop friendships around the world. Youth and adults from St. Mark’s have been blessed to form deep friendships as part of these experiences, for over 50 years.

The scripture passage this week (based on Luke 10:38-42) shares a story of Jesus with some of his friends, sharing a meal, engaging in conversation, and spending unhurried time with one another. Jesus reminds us to welcome the stranger- who may become a new friend, to travel and sit at table with those we meet in new places, and to share sacred hospitality.

Our OF hosts and guests will be with us on Sunday, with a number participating in worship leadership. All are encouraged to greet our OF guests and hosts in Garton Hall, following worship, for a light reception. Contact Mary Beth Morgan is you can bring an item to share for the reception (no nuts or nut-products, please). OF Alumni are encouraged to stop by the table in Garton Hall and make a nametag. We will recognize you during worship.

After we gather and greet one another on Sunday morning, the children are invited to ring us into worship, with the bells. There will also be a Children’s Moment. The Chancel Choir, accompanied by Ilze Akerbergs, will be leading us in music. We will pray and reflect. One of our OF participants will read our scripture passage. The sermon is titled “The Grace and Possibilities of Friendship.”

If you have been part of the St. Mark’s community for a long time, a short time, or will be joining us for the first time, we look forward to connecting with those of you here in-person or joining on the livestream.

Sunday, July 16, 2023

Sunday, July 16, we will explore the story of two brothers, Jacob and Esau, and what we might learn about Christian discipleship from their tale. While pastors Jimmy and Mary Beth are both away this week, Brenda Bailey Hughes will share her thoughts on finding a balance of hope and reality. Brenda has been worshiping at St. Mark’s for over two decades and is a Certified Lay Speaker with the UMC. She is a teaching professor at Indiana University where she specializes in communication, empathy, and leadership. Brenda lives in Bloomington where she enjoys yoga, hiking, and hanging out with her two darling grandchildren.

We are grateful to Annette Lemond who will be also participating in worship leadership, including guiding us in our liturgy. After we gather and greet one another on Sunday morning, the children are invited to ring us into worship, with the bells. There will also be a Children’s Moment, led by Brenda. We will sing hymns, accompanied by Ilze Akerbergs. Theo Harrah will also offer a solo. We will pray and reflect. Mary Wheeler will read our scripture passage. The sermon is titled “A Both-And Kind of God”.

If you have been part of the St. Mark’s community for a long time, a short time, or will be joining us for the first time, we look forward to connecting with those of you here in-person or joining on the livestream.

Sunday, July 9, 2023

What comes to your mind when you hear the word “grace”? Perhaps, words of thanks shared before a meal; the way someone moves through the world or in dance or swimming; what we hope for when we have made a mistake; or a gift of self for another. The Message version of this passage, in verse 28, translates Jesus’ words as “Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.” Our world could use a little more grace. How might we be ambassadors of these unforced rhythms of grace, so that God’s love flows seamlessly to us, and through us to others? We will explore this together in worship.

After we gather and greet one another, the children are invited to ring us into worship, with the bells. There will also be a Children’s Moment. The Chancel Choir will lead us in music, accompanied by Ilze Akerbergs. We will pray and reflect. This Sunday we will be celebrating the Sacrament of Holy Communion, where all are welcome to the table. Dan Hughes, one of our Lay Leaders, will be part of leading the liturgy. We are grateful for those who prepare and serve communion. Patti Wright will read our scripture passage. The sermon is titled “Leaning into the Rhythms of Grace”.

If you have been part of the St. Mark’s community for a long time, a short time, or will be joining us for the first time, we look forward to connecting with those of you here in-person or joining on the livestream.

Sunday, July 2, 2023

This Sunday, we will spend time with only three verses from the Gospel according to Matthew (10:40-42). They speak of what it means to be a disciple, including our call to be welcoming, and the importance of giving even a cup of water to a little one. On the surface, that may seem simple. However, this scripture invites us to go deeper, and be open to perspectives other than our own.

Bonnie Pattison helps us consider this from the context in which Jesus lived. “Jesus mentions a “cup of cold water” to indicate not only hospitality but sacrifice: to offer cold water required drawing water from a deep well and often carrying it uphill in a heavy jar to the family home.” (1) How might Jesus be calling us to be welcoming as individuals, church, community, a nation and a world? Are we willing to both embrace sacred hospitality and sacrifice, even if it turns our world a bit upside down?

We will explore this together in worship. After we greet one another, the children are invited to ring us into worship, with the bells. There will also be a Children’s Moment. The Chancel Choir will lead us in music, accompanied by Ilze Akerbergs. We will pray and reflect. Lisa Miller Maidi will offer our congregational prayer this week. Dian Ludlow will read our scripture passage. The sermon is titled “What Cup of Water are We Willing to Share?"

Just a note: We will be celebrating the Sacrament of Holy Communion next Sunday, July 9. If you have been part of the St. Mark’s community for a long time, a short time, or will be joining us for the first time, we look forward to connecting with those of you here in-person or joining on the livestream.

1 Bonnie L. Pattison, “Matthew 10:40-42, Theological Perspective” in Cynthia A. Jarvis and E. Elizabeth Johnson, Eds., Feasting on the Gospels, Matthew, Volume 1 (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2013).

If you have been part of the St. Mark’s community for a long time, a short time, or will be joining us for the first time, we look forward to connecting with those of you here in-person or joining on the livestream.

Sunday, June 18, 2023

This was Vacation Bible School week at St. Mark’s. This year’s theme was “You are the Light of the World!” (based on Matthew 5:13-16). Children and youth & adult leaders spent a great four days building community, caring for others, and learning from the stories of Jesus. They open us up to ways each of us can be the “Light of the World.” As Biblical scholar, Karoline Lewis reminds us, “It is not enough to know about God. As disciples, we have to be the activity of God in the world. We are called to live out our identity as salt and light.“

The children (if they were part of VBS or not) are all invited to ring us into worship, with the bells, after the time of greeting. Following the Children’s Moment, they will also lead us in singing “This Little Light of Mine”, along with instruments. Craig Stewart will be sharing the sermon this Sunday, as well as the Children’s Moment and other parts of our worship service. Eric Metzler will lead our Gathering Prayer and read our scripture passages, Mark Cox will also be leading us in liturgy and our Call to Giving. The Chancel Choir, accompanied by Ilze Akerbergs, will offer an anthem and lead us in hymns. The sermon is titled “You are the Light of the World!"

If you have been part of the St. Mark’s community for a long time, a short time, or will be joining us for the first time, we look forward to connecting with those of you here in-person or joining on the livestream.

Sunday, June 11, 2023

This Sunday, Reverend John McFarland will return to our pulpit to lead us in worship. John shares the following about this Sunday's theme and the subject of his sermon, titled "The Strange Calling" and based on Romans 8:31-39.  “If you trust and never doubt, he will surely bring you out…” That’s a hymn line from the great Charles Alfred Tindley. But who can trust without doubting? Sometimes it seems like God isn’t there, doesn’t even care. What are we to do? Well, the hymn continues: “Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.” For not even our doubts will separate us from the love of God. [Romans 8:31-39.]

In worship this Sunday, we will pray and reflect, and have a Children’s Moment led by Holly Nedelkov and Annette Lemond. Dan Hughes will share a report from this year's Annual Conference and Lisa Kurz will read our Scripture. The Chancel Choir, accompanied by Ilze Akerbergs, will offer an anthem and lead us in hymns.

If you have been part of the St. Mark’s community for a long time, a short time, or will be joining us for the first time, we look forward to connecting with those of you here in-person or joining on the livestream.

Sunday, June 4, 2023

This Sunday, June 4, our friends at the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center will be recognizing their most important holy day of the year. They pray and strive to live with compassion and peace with all peoples, and whole of creation. The Dalai Lama says “Each one of us is responsible for the whole of humankind. My dedication is to serve the 7 billion human beings on this planet and the other creatures with whom we share it. If you can, help and serve others, but if you can’t, at least don’t harm them.”

This week, we will spend some time with Psalm 8. Biblical scholar, Rolf Jacobson notes that this psalm reminds us that "God may hold the whole world in God's hands, but God has entrusted everything under our feet to our care." How are we living out that call to us as individuals and as a community of faith? To help us reflect on this, we welcome, Lesley Levin this Sunday. Lesley is a Para Rabbinic, and has served as the President of the Board of Directors at Congregation Beth Shalom. Guided by her Jewish faith, Leslie has been active in community throughout her life. This included being part of the March to Selma, led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., when she was only 18.

In worship this Sunday, we will also recognize graduates! We will have a Children’s Moment, pray and reflect. The Chancel Choir, accompanied by Matthew Gemmill, will offer an anthem and lead us in hymns. Mary Beth Morgan and Lesley Levin will share the sermon, which is titled “Sacred Connections and Wisdom Shared”. If you are able, stay after worship for some light refreshments, in Garton Hall, and to congratulate and sign cards for our graduates.

If you have been part of the St. Mark’s community for a long time, a short time, or will be joining us for the first time, we look forward to connecting with those of you here in-person or joining on the livestream.

Sunday, May 28, 2023

Have you ever tried to hold your breath longer than anyone else can, just to show you can do it? We used to have contests to see who would have to exhale, and then gasp for air first. It was just a fun little harmless game and no one passed out from it, so we were all good. There’s another way to breathe and I love doing it. Just breathe. That’s all, just breathe. In and out, in and out, feeling each breath of life as it enters your body and fuels your soul. Once you start mastering breathing (not like we don’t breathe everyday) and can control each breath, in and out, in the release of each breath, there’s freedom in knowing you can do it! That’s called meditation: breath meditation. I meditate and pray like this multiple times a day. Sometimes it’s a quick breath or two to calm myself. Other times it’s 20 minutes or more of focusing on my breath, praying to God and speaking to the Universe. Mighty things happen when we focus, breath and pray!

That’s what happened on the day of Pentecost. The disciples had been primed that the Holy Spirit would come to them, empowering them, and they weren’t disappointed! Flames, a dove, and the breath of the Spirit engulfed them! They were doing things they never dreamed possible, speaking in all the languages represented there and people understood them!

As we worship this Sunday, I invite you to reflect on how the breath of life has reached your heart. I’ll be sharing my own perspective.

Blessings, Peggy Good Hoyle

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Rev. Peggy Good Hoyle will be leading us in worship this Sunday, and will share the sermon. The Chancel Choir will lead us in music, accompanied by the Wind Ensemble. Rev. Mary Beth Morgan will share a Children’s Moment and the Pastoral Prayer. Stephanie Conklin will read our first scripture passage (based on Acts 2:1-21). Eric Metzler will read our second scripture passage (based on 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13). The sermon is titled “Breathe, Just Breathe: because you’re free now”.

If you have been part of the St. Mark’s community for a long time, a short time, or will be joining us for the first time, we look forward to connecting with those of you here in-person or joining on the livestream.

To connect to our livestream worship Sunday morning, click the link on our website www.smumc.church.

Sunday, May 21, 2023

As you read this, where would you say your focus is today? It may be about something deeply personal, or connected to your place as part of a larger community. Either way, it is important that we step back, from time to time, and reflect on what is capturing our attention. In this week's scripture passage (based on Acts 1:6-14) tells the story of Jesus’ Ascension into heaven. Even after Jesus is out of the sight, his followers continue to stare up into the sky. Two individuals, in white robes, appear, and ask them “Why do you stand here looking up toward heaven?” They are called to be Jesus’ disciples here on earth, as are we, in the time and place in which we find ourselves.

On this Sunday, which is also “Heritage Sunday,”we will also consider where our focus has been as a community of faith in the past, and where we are being called to focus today. What is capturing our attention now? We are grateful to Gloria Emerson who is going to be part of the Children’s Moment, followed by a brief conversation with Maria Schmidt about the early days of St. Mark’s. Gloria’s husband, Rev. Joe Emerson, was the second pastor of St. Mark’s, and we are fortunate they are back here, and help guide us from their history and experiences here.

In our time of worship, we will also pray and reflect (including sharing a Pastoral Prayer written by Rev. Joe Emerson), sing hymns, and share a Children’s Moment. The Chancel Choir will lead us in music. Lisa Miller Maidi will read our scripture passage. The sermon is titled “Where is Our Focus?”  If you have been part of the St. Mark’s community for a long time, a short time, or will be joining us for the first time, we look forward to connecting with those of you here in-person or joining on the livestream.

Sunday, May 14, 2023

Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel is quoted as saying that “Faith is not the clinging to a shrine, but an endless pilgrimage of the heart.” In the scripture passage we will explore this Sunday (based on Acts 17:22-31), the apostle Paul is preaching, in front of the Areopagus, to the Athenians and some foreigners who are gathered. There are differences among them in terms of philosophy, background, age, practices and beliefs.

This passage not only speaks to these, but also invites us to reflect upon how we interact with one another, while recognizing our differences. Will we respond in a way that is over and against one another, or seek common ground and engage in respectful dialogue with each other? The sermon is titled “Place to Place & Generation to Generation”.

In our time of worship, we will pray and reflect, sing hymns, and share a Children’s Moment. The Chancel Choir, accompanied by Ilze Akerbergs, will lead us in music. If you have been part of the St. Mark’s community for a long time, a short time, or will be joining us for the first time, we look forward to connecting with those of you here in-person or joining on the livestream.

If you have been part of the St. Mark’s community for a long time, a short time, or will be joining us for the first time, we look forward to connecting with those of you here in-person or joining on the livestream.

Sunday, May 7, 2023

Have you ever had an unexpected conversation, perhaps on a shared journey, with someone who opened you up to a new perspective or understanding? It may not have been an epiphany in the moment, but a seed was planted and grew within you, perhaps subtlety over time.

This Sunday we spend some time with the story of two individuals, who were followers of Jesus, walking on a road towards the village of Emmaus. They are overwhelmed with grief and confusion, having just experienced Jesus’ death. As the two try to make sense of this, they joined by someone else on the road. He asks them questions, and opens them up to a deeper understanding of the scriptures. They implore him to come stay with them in Emmaus and to share a meal. It is in the breaking of the bread, they recognize it is Jesus.

In our time of worship, we will explore how this scripture passage (based on Luke 24: 13-35) might be speaking to us. We will also share a Children’s Moment and Craig Stewart will lead us in our time of prayer. The Bell Choir will share a Prelude, and Ella Torres will offer a solo. We will sing hymns led by our Chancel Choir, accompanied by Ilze Akerbergs. We will also share in the sacrament of Communion. The sermon is titled “Sharing a Journey, Sharing a Meal & Unexpected Grace”.

If you have been part of the St. Mark’s community for a long time, a short time, or will be joining us for the first time, we look forward to connecting with those of you here in-person or joining on the livestream.

Sunday, April 30, 2023

In all of life, there are many comings and goings. On June 17 in 2012, Greensburg United Methodist Church held a lovely service in which they said goodbye to Jimmy as their pastor. They had a loving and productive connection for the three years of that appointment, and that day, they said some kind things, offered him some meaningful gifts, and enacted several farewell rituals. In one of them, they had helped the children learn a song to sing to him. Knowing he was a diehard Cubs fan, the song was a playful rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame”, with alternate lyrics. It was all very clever, but the ending was especially fun. The children sang, “…and it’s one, two, three years, you’re out, at Greensburg Methodist Church.” When they sang, “You’re out”, they all raised their thumbs, mimicking an umpire calling someone out at home plate. Everyone laughed out loud, including Jimmy. He found it delightful that the leaders who worked with the children allowed them to be “Bishop” for a day, sending him merrily and lovingly on his way to the next appointment.

Psalm 121 is one of the “psalms of ascent”, which pilgrims sang on their way to Jerusalem for one of their three festivals. The psalm declares the guidance and protection for the pilgrims on the way. “The sun shall not strike you by day nor the moon by night.” And it concludes with these lines: “The LORD will bless your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.”

We are at heart a pilgrim people, and in life and faith, we are always on journey. We are always, as it were, coming and going. Part of the way we enrich the life of our community is to bless these entries and departures. And we will honor that in the service on Sunday. Mary Beth and Jimmy will co-preach a sermon titled, “Meeting Ourselves Coming and Going,” arising from Psalm 121 and Luke 10: 1-9, 17-20. During the service, we’ll honor the “coming” of several new members. We’ll also welcome the return of our Appalachia Service Project (ASP) team who spent the week in Jonesville, Virginia. We’ll also include a blessing for Jimmy and the church as he commences his Clergy Renewal Leave, which is being funded by the Lilly Endowment. We’ll sing hymns, pray and have a moment for children. We will be led musically by the Chancel Choir, accompanied by Ilze Akerbergs.

If you have been a part of the St. Mark’s community for years, or if you are just discovering us, we look forward to connecting with you on Sunday. To join the 10:30 service online, visit www.smumc.church, and click on the Live Stream banner.

Sunday, April 23, 2023

Norman Wirzba, a theology professor at Duke Divinity School, grew up on a farm in Alberta, Canada, and had hoped to become a farmer himself. But events conspired to lead him on a different path, and he found himself studying philosophy and religion at Yale University and Loyola University Chicago. A chance meeting with Wendell Berry, organic farmer and poet, convinced him that he could weave his love of agriculture with his theological work.

In his book, Making Peace with the Land: God’s Call to Reconcile with Creation, Norman describes a drive in 1986, from Canada and through the United States, on his way to enroll in Yale Divinity School. He had been acclimated to the smells of Alberta, where the air was crisp and clean, and carried with it the scent of sweet grass. As he drove, he passed through Gary, Indiana, which he experienced as having “thick gray air, an unbelievably foul smell, a greenish-orange cloud in place of the horizon and smokestacks belching putrid poison into the sky”. He knew that the way plant, animal and human life was being treated in this region was deeply wrong. He discovered that when he got to Yale, no one was discussing the theological implications of this deep challenge, and the call to faithfully steward creation. Norman’s contemporary work seeks to join with others who are addressing this need.

The celebration of creation and the call to nurture even the very “ground” of our being are deeply woven in our Scriptures. In the creation story, humanity is formed from the dust of the ground. In the guidance in Leviticus, those who tend the earth are to allow land to lie fallow for every seventh year. In the teaching of Jesus, we read that grasses of the field are clothed with glory, and the birds of the air are cared for by their Creator. In the midst of such blessedness, we ask ourselves how we are to respond when creation is in deep trouble.

The theme of Sundays’ worship service at St. Mark’s, following on the commemoration of Earth Day the day before, is the Call to Care for Creation. The sermon is titled “For God So Loved the Soil: A Call to Reconcile with Creation.” The biblical texts for the day are Leviticus 25: 1-14, which will be read by Anna Capone, and Matthew 6: 25-34, to be read by Drew Capone. The service will also include a conversation with Drew Capone, Assistant Professor in the Indiana University School of Public Health. He will tell us a little about how faith has helped shape his concern for creation and his approach to matters of sustainability. Members of the congregation will also be given an opportunity, following the service, to express their interest in working with the St. Mark’s Creation Care Team. We’ll have a moment for children, sing together, and pray for one other and our world. Musically, we will be led by the Chancel Choir, accompanied by Ilze Akerbergs.

If you have been a part of the St. Mark’s community for years, or if you are just discovering us, we look forward to connecting with you on Sunday. To join the 10:30 service online, visit www.smumc.church, and click on the Live Stream banner.

Sunday, April 16, 2023

Rachel Held Evans was an Christian author, speaker and blogger, who died at the very young age of 38. Her writings are notable, and attracted a great deal of attention, as she artfully described some of the shifting in her spiritual life. When she was fourteen, Rachel and her family moved to Dayton, Tennessee, the setting for the 1925 Scopes Monkey trial. In this trial, a high school science teacher was accused of violating state law by teaching evolution to his students.

Rachel’s own home was deeply fundamentalist, and early in her adult life, this was the theological path she followed. But a few experiences started to lead to deep questions for her. To name just one, she travelled globally, and saw firsthand intense poverty and suffering. She could not understand how a loving God could send a woman to hell, who was combing the streets of her town trying to get food for her baby. Experiences like this ushered in a time of deep questioning, and inevitably, profound doubt. But as she continued to seek, she found a faith that was much more reliable, openhearted and openminded. “In the end”, she would say, “it was doubt that saved my faith.”

Sunday’s Gospel lesson is the well known story of one disciple of Jesus who is commonly referred to as “doubting Thomas.” Thomas was not with the disciples when the risen Christ first appeared to them. When they told him their news, Thomas was incredulous, claiming that unless he saw the wounds of Jesus, and touched them, he would not believe. Stories like Rachel’s press the point: Is Thomas a warning that we should be concerned about our doubts? Or, instead, is Thomas one whose story can encourage us to explore our doubts and questions openly? Was Shakespeare’s character Lucia correct in saying, “Our doubts are traitors.”? Or is Frederick Buechner closer to the mark when he said, “Doubt is the ants in the pants of faith.”

We’ll work with this in the service this week, the second Sunday of Easter. The sermon is titled, “Doubt Will Save the World: Heresy or Saving Grace.” The sermon flows from John 20: 19-31, to be read by Laura Baich and Bill Matthews. We’ll be led musically by the Chancel Choir, accompanied by Ilze Akerbergs. We’ll sing, pray and have a moment for children. We hope you join us.

If you have been a part of the St. Mark’s community for years, or if you are just discovering us, we look forward to connecting with you on Sunday. To join the 10:30 service online, visit www.smumc.church, and click on the Live Stream banner.

Sunday, April 9, 2023

I get a truly odd feeling when I remember the first Easter Sunday of the pandemic. As you recall, the world had pretty much shut down, and communities of faith searched for alternative ways of doing worship. So, that morning, in a service that typically draws the largest attendance of the year, the only ones present in the sanctuary were the pastors, singers, an instrumentalist, and those managing the live stream. I remember thinking to myself, though I knew the answer, “This is not Easter. Where are all the people?” Indeed, part of the Easter experience is asking ourselves where we are in the story.

A few years back, theologian John Dominic Crossan made an interesting observation about the iconography (devotional art) of the resurrection of Christ. The Western Churches, those in the Roman Catholic orb, tend to show Jesus rising alone. In the Eastern churches, those in the Orthodox communities, are more likely to show others with Christ, often with their arms being grasped by Jesus as he pulls them up from the grave. Here, for example, is one image of the Resurrection, called Anastasis (Greek, meaning “up/rising”), which is found on the outside south wall of the Church of St. George, at the Voronet Monastery in Bucovina, Romania. In it, we see Jesus lifting Adam, with Eve beside him, from the place of burial. The “people” were part of the resurrection story. Theologically, it is significant that in some of the most ancient imaging of the resurrection, the Risen Christ is reaching out to bring humanity to risen life as well. Rather than seeing the resurrection as simply a demonstration of divine power, this tradition sees the resurrection as God’s graceful determination to welcome us all into the goodness of abundant life. We are, in the language of the Apostle Paul, risen with Christ.

On Sunday morning, we will gather to sing our faith, to proclaim resurrection, and to hear the story of Christ’s triumph over death. At the conclusion of the service, we will sing the Hallelujah Chorus together. The sermon is titled “What We Love Knows How to Find Us,”, language taken from a poem by Jan Richardson. The sermon flows from Matthew 28: 1-10 read by Tina Irvine and Colossians 3: 1-4 which will be read by Kathy Scheid. We will have a children’s moment, sing and pray. We will be led musically by the Chancel Choir, accompanied by organist Ilze Akerbergs, orchestral musicians, and the bell choir as well.

If you have been a part of the St. Mark’s community for years, or if you are just discovering us, we look forward to connecting with you on Sunday. To join the 10:30 service online, visit www.smumc.church, and click on the Live Stream banner.