Sunday, June 2, 2024

An article by Nadia Bolz Weber introduced me to Suleika Jaouad. She is a noted and award-winning author, artist and advocate for many. In her article “Consider the Lilies” she shares that, as a child of immigrants, she felt called to honor her parents’ sacrifices by making something of herself. She earned a full-ride to Princeton, and graduated with honors, while holding down two jobs.

A year later, at age 22, Jaouad was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, with a 35-percent chance of long-term survival, She began four years of treatment, and said “I decided rather than living every day as if it’s my last, I’ve shifted to a gentler approach of living every day as if it’s my first. I want to wake up and meet the day with the wonder of a newborn, to cultivate childlike qualities like curiosity and play.” She was also guided by the words of Jesus, in the Gospel of Matthew “Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They don't toil, neither do they spin.”

This Sunday, we enter into the story of Samuel, then a boy, living in the Temple. He was to be present for Eli, the priest, whose vision had faded. Yet, it is Eli who helps Samuel see that it is Yahweh who is calling him. Where might we, as individuals and as a community of faith, cultivate the wonder of faith, love and possibility that may lead us to discovering and embracing our Call?

When we gather for worship, we are invited to greet one another, and then the children will ring us into worship, with the bells. The Chancel Choir, directed by Gerry Sousa and accompanied by Ilze Akerbergs, will lead us in music. There will also be a Children’s Moment, and a Moment of Sharing from the Reconciling Ministries Team. We will pray and reflect. Beth Rosales will read the Lesson from the Hebrew Scriptures (which arises from 1 Samuel 3:1-10). We will also share in the Sacrament of Holy Communion, where all are welcome at the table. We are grateful for those who prepare and serve communion. The sermon is titled “Cultivating our Call, to Self and Community”.

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.

https://open.substack.com/pub/thecorners/p/considering-lilies-with-suleika-jaouad?r=192fw9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

To connect to our livestream worship Sunday morning, click the link on our website www.smumc.church. The service starts at 10:30am. Livestream starts at 10:25am.

Sunday, May 26, 2024

Father Greg Boyle, who works with gang members in Los Angeles as they seek to change their lives, tells the story of Moreno. Moreno walked into Greg’s office after being released from a nine-month incarceration. After some initial playfulness, Moreno started to weep. His home and family life were still quite rough. Greg said to him, “I know you think you are in a hole, but really, you are in a tunnel leading toward the light. I can see it because I am taller than you.” I love the image, that there is a kind of comfort that helps us realize we are not in a hole, but rather, in a tunnel. There is a way through.

As we approach Trinity Sunday this week, in which we in Christian tradition reflect on the nature of God, I am reminded of a quote from the 14th century mystic and theologian, Meister Eckhart. He said, “It is a lie--any talk of God that does not comfort you." Many of us remember times of crisis when any comfort would have felt lifesaving. At the same time, most of us have found it is only at the point of discomfort that we begin to grow. So what is comfort after all?

In the Gospel of John, Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit as “another comforter.” In other words, the coming Holy Spirit will be a presence like Jesus. The word sometimes translated “comforter” means “one called along beside.” And this “comforter”, Jesus said, will guide us into all the truth, and that truth may not always feel comforting. Jesus calls us to take up the cross, to forgive our enemy, to be willing to leave the familiar and the safe for the sake of the Gospel. So, just what kind of comfort are we being invited to embrace?

Let’s chat about this on Sunday, as the sermon is titled, “Holy Comforter: The Grace of a Broken Heart.” It arises from Isaiah, 40: 1-5, to be read by Eleanor Lahr, and John 15:26-27; 16:4-13, to be read by Mike Sonneborn. The Chancel Choir, under the direction of Gerry Sousa, will lead us musically. We’ll have a moment for children as well.

We look forward to seeing you in the sanctuary at 10:30 on Sunday. If you wish to join online, visit www.smumc.church, and click on the Live Stream Banner.

Sunday, May 19, 2024

Have you witnessed a time of despair (read: desperation) in yourself or another, and to your surprise, saw it unfold in more hopeful ways? I wonder if you noted what was the first sign of that hope. Nicholas Wolterstorff is a theologian and philosopher who is best known for his book, Lament for a Son, written as he mourned the tragic death of his twenty-five year old son, Eric. He would write the following in that book: “I own my grief. I do not try to put it behind me, to get over it, to forget it. I do not try to dis-own it. If someone asks, ‘Who are you, tell me about yourself,’ I say–not immediately, but shortly, ‘I am one who lost a son.’ That loss determines my identity; not all of my identity, but much of it. Every lament is a love-song. Will love-songs one day no longer be laments?” It is as though, and maybe is exactly as though, that this despairing father moved toward hope as he allowed himself to embrace the love song that is grief.

That may seem an odd reflection to introduce a sermon for Pentecost Sunday. Indeed, we will look at the often-told story from Acts 2, where the disciples are gathered, and the Holy Spirit descends upon them. While the story is full of dramatic elements, one of the most dynamic is the observation that people of deeply diverse backgrounds can hear others speaking in their own languages.

The lectionary readings for Sunday, however, include a passage from Ezekiel in which the prophet is placed in a middle of a field full of very dry bones. The Lord asks the question, “Mortal, can these bones live?” The prophet is told to “prophesy” to the bones, calling on them to “hear the Word of the Lord.” What follows is a two-stage response in which, first, the bones begin to assemble, and are covered with flesh, and secondly, the breath of life comes into them. As the Lord continues to speak to Ezekiel, he learns that this is a testimony that against all odds, the people who are in exile will return to the land God gave them. In the face of despair, the story is a marker that the people are called forth to cherish a hope that God is not finished with them.

We’ll chat about this in worship at St. Mark’s on Sunday as we remember the Day of Pentecost. The sermon, “Can Dry Bones Live?: A Sermon of Pentecostal Hope”, arises from Ezekiel 37: 1-14 , which will be read by Chris Haynes, and Acts 2: 1-21, to be read by Cooper Tucker. Theo Harrah will sing a solo, and the Chancel Choir, accompanied by Lois Leong, will lead us in hymns. There will be a moment for children, prayers and hymns.

We look forward to connecting with you, whether you are a newcomer to St. Mark’s, or a long-time member. Service begins at 10:30 in the sanctuary. You may also choose to connect online by visiting www.smumc.church and clicking on the Live Stream banner.

Sunday, May 12, 2024

For the last few years, singing the hymn “Draw the Circle Wide” (by Gordon Light; Arr. Mark A. Miller) has become a familiar response to both General Conferences and Annual Conferences of the United Methodist Church. Some have lifted their voices as expressions of joy and hope, others with tears and feelings of lament and loss, and others, still, with mixed feelings that tumble over each other in the heart. As part of a global denomination, an Annual Conference, and a local church (all with great and complex diversity), how might we draw the circle wide?

How might we draw the circle wider, still, in our call to nurture, love, and care for all of God’s children, and the whole of creation? For, if we feel we deserve it or not, God still continues to have faith in us. This Sunday is recognized as Ascension Sunday. In Acts 1:1-11, Jesus assures his disciples, that even if he is not physically with them, God’s Spirit will come upon them and be with them. They must be patient and wait in Jerusalem.

It can be hard to wait, but they do. Then, before their eyes, a cloud appears and takes Jesus up to heaven and out of their sight. They are still gazing up at the sky, when suddenly two individuals in white robes are standing by them. They say to the disciples, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven?” (Acts 1:11) As Biblical scholar, F. Scott Spencer notes “Their focus is to be outward, not upward.” That is to be our focus, as well.

We will explore this more in worship, on Sunday. Early in the worship service, we will greet one another, and children are invited to ring us into worship with the bells. We will pray and reflect, sing hymns, and share a Children’s Moment. The intergenerational Chimes Choir (directed by Lois Leong) will play “Jesus Loves Me”. Jonathan Michaelsen will lead our Call to Worship and Jeff Huber will offer a Moment of Sharing about CASA. The Chancel Choir will lead us in music, accompanied by Lois Leong. Stephanie Conklin with share a solo. The scripture passage (Acts 1:1-11) will be read by Grace Hillman. The sermon title is “Draw the Circle Wide, and Draw it Wide Still”.

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 live stream.

Sunday, May 5, 2024

In the life of faith, one of the great callings of our lives is the art of dealing with fear. Fear is a human reality we cannot escape, and for long ages has usefully served to warn us of impending danger. Frankly, there are frightening things that really happen. Listening to fear in those moments wisely allows us to take vital, lifesaving action. At the same time, giving over to fear as the dominant motivating force in our lives can lead us to run into hiding, engage in unholy fights, or freeze dead in our tracks. How can we allow our fear to guide us to more sacred places?

Gareth Higgins grew up in Northern Ireland during the “Troubles,”, that period of violent conflict between Catholics and Protestants. Years later, long after he lived in more peaceful times, he found himself dealing with issues caused by PTSD reactions to events from his youth. Working with this, Gareth tells us in his book, How Not to Be Afraid, he realized that there was a way to allow the fear to help us tell more loving and sacred stories.

In the Christian Scriptures, the First Letter of John was written to a community in need of deeper connection with God and each other. In particular, the community’s fear was encroaching upon its loving connection. The writer of the letter wanted to be clear that in real love, there is no fear. In fact, “perfect love casts out fear.” Fear is overcome in the power of community. And as Mary Oliver wrote, when fear lifts its thumb, “We are so alive.”

We’ll talk about this in worship on Sunday, as the sermon is titled “Lifting the Thumb of Fear.” It arises from I John 4: 11-21, which will be read by Sue Sgambulleri. The Chancel Choir, directed by Gerry Sousa and accompanied by Ilze Akerbergs, will lead us musically. We will celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Communion, and have a time for children.



If you are new to St. Mark’s, or a long time member of our community, we look forward to connecting with you. We worship in person in the sanctuary at 10:30.

Sunday, April 28, 2024

This week at St. Mark’s, we are keeping in mind and heart our Appalachia Service Project team that has travelled to Johnson City, Tennessee. There they are working with a local family to make their home warmer, dryer and more accessible. ASP got its start through the inspiring work of a United Methodist pastor named Glenn “Tex” Evans. During his thirteen years as director at Henderson Settlement in Frakes, Kentucky, Tex witnessed a deep level of poverty. In 1969, he recruited fifty youth and adults volunteers to help repair homes in Barbourville, Kentucky. By the end of the summer, four families had warm homes in which to live, and fifty individuals had experienced the power of loving connection and useful work.

Serving challenges old assumptions, and creates new worlds. In the case of ASP, Tex was able to challenge prevailing myths about the kinds of things that interest young people, and to confront myths that surround people in poverty. It is, in fact, that the greatest creativity occurs in the intersection of seemingly contradictory realities. As Wendell Berry has taught us, “It may be that when we no longer know what to do, we have come to our real work and when we no longer know which way to go, we have begun our real journey. The mind that is not baffled is not employed. The impeded stream is the one that sings.”

Jesus clearly saw a future for the disciples in which they would be creatively blessing the world around them. He told them that they were to be salt, taking away the blandness that they encountered. He also said that they were the light of the world, and were to bring rays of hope to all around them. On Sunday at St. Mark’s, we’ll engage this, as the sermon is titled, “Serving as an Act of Creation,” arising from Matthew 5: 13-16. The text will be read by James Thomas, who has taken leadership for the ASP team this week. He and other ASP volunteers will bring a report about the work that they accomplished this week. We’ll also receive our latest class of new members into the full fellowship of the Church. We’ll be led musically by the Chancel Choir, under the direction of Gerry Sousa and accompanied by Ilze Akerbergs. One of our choir members, Ashley Ruckman will sing “My House” from “Peter Pan”, written by Leonard Bernstein.

If you are new to St. Mark’s, or have connected with us for a long time, we look forward to having you join on Sunday. Worship starts at 10:30 in the sanctuary. To connect online, visit www.smumc.church, and click on the Live Stream banner.

Sunday, April 21, 2024

One day, a farmer spied a little sparrow lying on its back in the middle of the field. The farmer stopped his plowing, looked down at the frail bird and asked, “Why are you lying upside down like that?” “I heard the sky is going to fall today.” replied the bird. The old farmer chuckled. “And I suppose your spindly little legs can hold up the sky?” “One does what one can,” replied the sparrow. This little story evokes some questions as we approach Creation Care Sunday at St. Mark’s: What is our role as people of faith called to be stewards of creation? Can we do enough to make a difference in our world?

Let’s first acknowledge that biblical interpretation matters. In Genesis 1:26-28, where we read that we are created in the image of God, the word to describe human relationship to creation is “dominion,” For centuries, this was understood to mean that humanity could exploit creation in any way it chose. More recent and more wise translation sees the relationship as being more a matter of stewardship. We cultivate and responsibly care for creation, and we thereby realize its vast ability to nurture and sustain human existence. We are still learning what this stewardship will really mean for all of us.

After the birth of his son in April 2020, Bill Weir began writing a series of Earth Day letters for his child to read in 2050, weaving concern and wonder into a resource for other parents. This conversation with his child inspired his book, Life As We Know It (Can Be). He especially wants his son to know that opinion polls that show people do not care about the environment are wrong. In fact, there are many allies “out there.” They just do not know how to start conversations or evoke change. That sounds familiar.

In 1991, New Zealander Shirley Erena Murray wrote the hymn “Touch the Earth Lightly”, in part, to address the negative environmental impact that French nuclear testing in the Pacific would have in the region. The hymn’s title, taken from an Aboriginal phrase, speaks to the way native people viewed creation as being in partnership with humanity. We’ll take this phrase as a titled to the sermon Sunday in the service which witnesses to the call to be good stewards of creation. The sermon arises from Genesis 1: 26-31, which will be read by Charlie Matson. Charlie will also tell the congregation about a budding project for solar power at St. Mark’s. We’ll be led musically by the Chancel Choir, which is led by Gerry Sousa and accompanied by Lois Leong. We’ll have a moment for children, hymns and prayers.

If you are new to St. Mark’s, or have connected with us for a long time, we look forward to having you join on Sunday. Worship starts at 10:30 in the sanctuary. To connect online, visit www.smumc.church, and click on the Live Stream banner.

Sunday, April 14, 2024

This year, St. Mark’s United Methodist is seventy years old. We’ll be reflecting on different themes as we move through this year, and it is fitting, that in April, we are concentrating on “creation”. The eclipse this past Monday surpassed the expectations of many, even those of us who knew this was going to be a remarkable moment. It was a time in which creation offered a stunning surprise, as we saw the sun and moon dance together. During those moments, all of creation, from the sounds of birds to the cries of coyotes, offered to us a witness of the power of connection and transformation. The fact that this occurred during the Easter season, which already harmonizes with the greening of the earth, reminds us that there are many kinds of transformational times and spaces. Some of these even involve suffering.

In the resurrection narrative in Luke 24, the disciples were told that the Risen Christ must first suffer. That is, resurrection is necessarily preceded by suffering. In the eighth chapter of Romans 8, the Apostle Paul observes that creation itself groans with all of us, even as it eagerly awaits the longed-for resurrection. Our faith does not proclaim that goodness and resurrection magically happen. Rather, we learn that the Divine One is working even in our suffering, and even in the midst of creation’s groaning, to bring about the grace of the new creation.

Jan Richardson is a contemporary poet and pastor in the United Methodist Church. On December 2, 2013, she lost her husband, singer and songwriter Garrison Doles. In the midst of her grieving, she continued her longstanding custom of writing blessings. These were published in her book, The Cure of Sorrows, and her reflections continue in her book, Sparrow: A Book of Life and Death and Life. She would write, “I have found the most compelling repairs are the ones that make themselves visible, that leave evidence of the breakage and also of the imagination by which the breakage becomes transformed. Such repairs are always provisional, imperfect, and ongoing. Like a nest, they involve continual mending. They ask for a willingness to keep remaking what is perpetually at risk of falling apart. It is this remaking by which a home, and a life, may come: not in spite of what has gone before, but because of it.”

We’ll talk about this in worship on Sunday morning at St. Mark’s, as the sermon is titled, “The Groaning of Creation and the Promise of Resurrection.” The sermon arises from Luke 24:36b-48, which will be read by Jerry Arvesen, and Romans 8:18-25, which will be read by Laura Baich. We will be led musically by the Chancel Choir, under the direction of Gerry Sousa, and accompanied by Lois Leong. We’ll sing, pray and have a moment for children.

We look forward to connecting with you whether this is your first time with us, or if you have a long connection with St. Mark’s. We meet in the sanctuary at 10:30. If you choose to join online, visit www.smumc.church and click on the Livestream banner.

Sunday, April 7, 2024

When was the last time you saw something that filled you with wonder? By all counts, an opportunity is upon us, and many are intrigued. People will be coming to Bloomington in large numbers on Monday, April 8, to witness four minutes of a total eclipse of the sun. We are told that so many people will be coming that schools and many businesses will be closed. We anticipate crowded roads, and local residents are encouraged to travel as little as possible, and to keep gas tanks filled. We also are told to expect interruptions to internet and cell phone service. All of a sudden, landline phones will be popular again, at least for a few hours. We humans go to great lengths to see something wonderful.

Eclipses, as unique as they are, are hardly new. Thousands of years ago, a Hebrew prophet named Joel spoke of a “Day of the Lord” that would come to Israel. On this day, people would see “the sun turn to darkness and the moon to blood.” The Day of the Lord refers, in part, to a time in which consequences come to Israel due to covenantal unfaithfulness. But more positively, the “Day of the Lord” also refers to a unique divine movement which brings salvation and blessing to all who call upon God’s name. Prophets like Joel, Walter Brueggemann notes, see an alternative future to the existing broken social reality, and the Day of the Lord signals the arrival of that new future. For Joel, these signs were full of wonder.

Ancient people of varied religious traditions had long noted eclipses and, like the Hebrews, interpreted them in two distinct ways. For some, the eclipse meant something ominous coming to the earth. For others, the eclipse was a time to become deeply reverent, and to connect with the divine energy that was bringing sacred moments to the world. On Monday, we’ll be invited to see how we will respond.

Let’s talk about this Sunday at St. Mark’s, on the day before the eclipse. The sermon is titled “The Sun Shall Turn to Darkness.” It arises from Joel 2: 21-32, which will be read by Tom Shafer. We’ll be led musically by the Chancel Choir, led by Gerry Sousa and accompanied by Lois Leong. We’ll have a moment for children, sing together, and pray for local and global concerns. As a gift, we’ll also have protective glasses for all who attend so that they may more safely view the eclipse.

Whether you are new to St. Mark’s or have a longstanding connection with the church, we look forward to seeing you at 10:30 on Sunday in the sanctuary. If you choose to connect online, visit www.smumc.church and click on the Live Stream banner.

Sunday, March 31, 2024

Has life ever felt “heavy” to you? Has your personal story or the story of the world around you, felt so weighty that it seemed impossible to move in lightness and love? Mary Oliver, reflecting on a loss she had experienced, penned the poem, “Heavy.” In it, she writes that she felt she could not get closer to grief without dying. She was bent over, she wrote, and her laughter was “nowhere to be found.” In her own story, she received wisdom from a friend that became a resurrection moment. She learned that how one carried the weight made all the difference.

We read in the Gospel of Mark that on the day of resurrection, women who knew Jesus went to his tomb to anoint his body. They were carrying questions about how to move a heavy stone covering the entrance of the tomb. They also were surely carrying the weight of their own grief. But when they arrived, the stone has been rolled away, and an angelic messenger told them that Jesus was risen, and had gone out into the Galilean world, where they would find him. These early seekers went to the tomb with their concerns for their own heaviness, including their grief, but left carrying both fear and amazement. As we move through Easter, like them, we are watching to see how our heaviness can be transformed, and the ways we can discover the Risen One in our world.

Let’s talk about this on Sunday at St. Mark’s, as we gather for our Easter Celebration. The sermon, “On the Moving of Stones,” arises from Mark 16: 1-8. We will have two services, one at 8:30 and one at 10:30, with a continental breakfast served in Garton Hall between the services. There will be joyful congregational singing, accompanied by pipe organ, and brass instruments. We will be led musically by the Chancel Choir, under the direction of Gerry Sousa, as well as the Chancel Ringers, under the leadership of Lois Leong. We will have a moment for children, with Sunday School for children during the 10:30 service. We will conclude our service with the singing of the Hallelujah Chorus. We hope you join us.

If you are new to St. Mark’s or you are connected to our community, we look forward to your joining us. Both the 8:30 and 10:30 services will be available online by visiting www.smumc.church and clicking on the Livestream banner.

Sunday, March 24, 2024

Have you ever played the game of “telephone”? (I imagine it is more familiar to those of us who grew up with phones that had cords and dials.) However, in the game of “telephone”, a group of friends would sit in a circle. The first person would whisper two sentences into the ear of the person next to them. That person would then whisper, what they thought they heard, into the ear of the next person- and so on. The last person in the circle would share the message they heard- which rarely resembled anything like the first two sentences. However, there were often seeds of truth and meaning in each of them.

In each of the four Gospels, there is a reference to Jesus traveling to Jerusalem, a donkey. and crowds joining him. Only three of the Gospels mention palms. Fortunately, the suggested Gospel reading for this Sunday is based on Mark 11:1-11, which includes the palms. Hence, we can freely wave palms this Sunday. More importantly, we are reminded that each Gospel version invites us to enter into the story with a slightly different lens.

A number of years back, I started a Palm Sunday tradition here, at St. Mark’s, called “Sit Somewhere Else Sunday.” It seems to be our human proclivity to sit in generally the same seats, or area/sanctuary neighborhood, each week. “Sit Somewhere Else Sunday” is an invitation to get to know some other people, and take in a different vantage point or perspective. (The only thing I ask is that current neighborhoods not go as one group to sit somewhere else. :) This is completely voluntary, but you may find that there is grace in connecting with different people, hearing new stories, and seeing from a different view.

Early in the worship service, children, youth, and the young at heart (of all ages) are invited to be part of the Parade of Palms. Also, in our time of worship, we will pray and reflect, sing hymns, share a Children’s Moment and have a Moment of Sharing from Kaianne Mooradian. Our Chancel Choir, directed by Gerry Sousa and accompanied by Lois Leong, will lead us in music. The Chancel Ringers will offer a musical selection and Stephanie Conklin will sing "The Holy City" The scripture passage will be read by Tim Fort. The sermon title is “The Grace of More than One Story”.

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 live stream.

To connect to our livestream worship Sunday morning,

click the link on our website www.smumc.church.

The service starts at 10:30am. Livestream starts at 10:25am.

Sunday, March 17, 2024

I wonder what comes to your mind when you hear the term, a “clean heart”. One thing that comes to mine is a story about the swimmer, Florence Chadwick, who on July 4, 1952, attempted to swim the channel that lies between Catalina Island and the California coast. Florence was an accomplished swimmer who had already swum across the English Channel twice. But on this foggy morning, as she moved through the chilly waters, she became discouraged. Even though her coach was encouraging her to continue, after more than fifteen hours, she asked to be taken from the water. Soon afterward, she learned that she was only one mile from the shore. She said, “…if I could have seen the land, I might have made it.”

Perhaps this is like a prayer for a clean heart. It seems so out of reach. In our conflicted and contentious world, it is hard to imagine that our hearts could be clean. In Psalm 51, the singer moves through a lyrical confession of sin, leading to a prayer that they might achieve a clean heart. The ascription of the psalm suggests that it arises from a time in David’s live when he had sinned egregiously. Perhaps the ascription is accurate, though few believe it was part of the original text. What is more clear is that this psalm takes us to the center of our moral selves, inviting us to say what is deeply true in the most essential parts of our being.

The experience of confession of sin in the history of the Church, and indeed, in human history, is varied. Many of us remember vivid televised confessions of politicians and clergy persons that were deeply dramatic, and which were often met with considerable cynicism. On the other end of the spectrum is the attitude expressed by one of John Wayne’s characters, Captain Nathan Brittles, in the movie, “She Wore a Yellow Ribbon.” Wayne’s character says, “Never apologizer, mister; it’s a sign of weakness.” But surely somewhere between self-aggrandizing displays of contrition, on the one hand, and stubborn refusals to own responsibility, on the other, lies a third path. Could it be that honest, brave, faithful owning of deeply true reality is our best path to a clean heart?

We’ll discuss this in worship on Sunday at St. Mark’s. The sermon arises from Psalm 51: 1-14, and Mark 1: 1-5. The sermon is titled, “The Grace of a Clean Heart”. Ashley Ruckman will offer a solo. The Chancel Choir, directed by Gerry Sousa and accompanied by Ilze Akerbergs, will lead us musically. We’ll have a moment for children, sing and pray together.

If you are new to St. Mark’s, or you connect with us consistently, know we would be honored for you to join with us on Sunday. The service begins at 10:30 in the sanctuary. To view online, visit www.smumc.church and click on the Livestream banner.

Sunday, March 10, 2024

At this time of year, in Bloomington and other college towns, many folks are paying attention to basketball. When I was in college, I went to both women’s and men’s basketball games (St. Mary’s and Notre Dame). I also bought student Notre Dame football tickets my freshman year, because it was the thing to do. I was then reminded how cold it could be, and let my tickets go the next year. However, I remember the energy at the football games with the crowd, the band, and the occasional person, in the end zone, standing and holding up a large sign with the Bible verse ‘John 3:16’.

I don’t know when end zones became favorite locations for these sign holders, but they do garner attention. John 3:16 (NRSV version) reads “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” This verse is interpreted in multiple ways, including by some as a threat and a warning. However, we are reminded that this scripture passage is rooted in the first words, “For God so loved the world . . .” In the midst of the complications in our world today (with wars, starvation, racism, climate change, acts of violence and complicated elections), how might we embrace our world, and all that live and breathe upon it? We are called to do so, and are reminded that it is still the world that God so loves.

We’ll explore this together in worship, on this 4th Sunday in Lent. The Chancel Choir, directed by Gerry Sousa and accompanied by Ilze Akerbergs, will lead us in music. We will greet one another, and the children with welcome us into worship with the ringing of the bells. There will be a Children’s Moment. We will pray, reflect, and give thanks. Craig Stewart will lead us in our Time of Prayer. Marcia Lloyd will read our scripture passage from the Gospels (John 3:14-21). The sermon is titled, More than a Sign and an End Zone: Discipleship in our Contemporary World.

Remember to Spring Forward with the time change early Sunday morning. Blessings to all who are away for Spring Break.

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.

The service starts at 10:30am. Livestream starts at 10:25am.

Sunday, March 3, 2024

Are there times when you have seen rage and anger, often disguised as a form of zeal, used for evil? Conversely, have there been times when you have experienced or witnessed zeal, or righteous anger, serving a sacred purpose?

Occasionally, when walking across a university campus, I have seen an evangelist “preaching” in the open air in a way that I considered offensive and harmful. The sermons have been comprised of rhetorical flourishes condemning the crowd to the fires of hell, calling the hearers offensive names, and obsessing about sexual sins. While the motives and strategies of the speakers are worth considering, I also am curious about my responses to these events. In every case, I have chosen to remain silent. I have not interrupted. Like most there, I viewed these folks as carnival barkers, and have left without saying a word. Where was my zeal? Were the evangelists simply more zealous than I?

In the story in the second chapter of John’s Gospel, we read that Jesus found people selling animals in the temple court to those hoping to make sacrifices. Jesus became incensed at the injustice and irreverence of the spectacle. He drove the animals out and overturned the tables of the money-changers. When he did so, the disciples, trying to make sense of his passion, remembered the scriptural sentence, "Zeal for your house has consumed me." Jesus, often appropriately understood as gentle and kind, also had another gear, and that gear became engaged in this story. That begs the question, “What are sacred ways our zeal, even our anger, may guide us in the life of faith?”

We’ll explore that in the worship service on Sunday, as the sermon is titled, “The Proper Use of Zeal.” The sermon flows from John 2: 13-22, which will be read by Malcolm Webb. The Chancel Choir, under the direction of Gerry Sousa and accompanied by Ilze Akerbergs, will lead us musically. We’ll have a time for children, pray for each other, and celebrate Holy Communion.

If you are new to St. Mark’s, or have a long connection with us, we look forward to worshiping together on Sunday. To join online, visit www.smumc.church at 10:30 and click on the Live Stream banner.

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

February 28, 2024

Dear St. Mark’s Family and Friends,

Tonight, Wednesday, February 28, we will gather for a contemplative service in our sanctuary as we reflect on this season of Lent. This is the second of our Wednesday evening Lenten services that help prepare us for Holy Week and Easter. This week, we will consider the theme of "The Grace of Stillness." Patrick Conklin and Lois Leong will provide music for us, Chris Haynes will offer our prayer, and Jimmy Moore will guide us in a brief reflection. Please join us for this meaningful meditative service, either in person or on livestream.



To connect to our Wednesday evening worship,

please click the link on our website www.smumc.church.

The service starts at 7:00pm. Livestream starts at 6:55pm.