Pastoral Priorities

April is shaping up to be a huge month in our life together.  I’m confident you already have Holy Week on your calendar (see article for
details).  Things will most certainly not grind to a halt after Easter morning.  Here are some additional events for your calendar:

Chalice Meetings
One of the things we’re doing in this Jubilee Year is not only celebrating, but also reflecting upon the ministry we share.  One of the best ways to do this reflection is in small group meetings.  Formerly called ‘Cottage Meetings’,  this year we are renaming them ‘Chalice Meetings’.  As a chalice holds communion wine, these events
will hold our community,  centered in Christ.  They will include an informal celebration of Holy Communion.

There will be four Chalice Meetings:
April 21 at the Wallman’s
April 22 at church
April 29 at Miriam Schrock’s (tentative)
May 3  at the church

The evening meetings will begin at 6:30; May3 will begin following worship.  Please attend one of these gatherings.  It will be a gracious opportunity to reflect upon and strengthen the ministry of St. Mark
Lutheran Church.

St. Mark Day--Speaking of the ministry of St Mark – on April 25 we will celebrate
“St. Mark Day”.  It is the day of the church year appointed for the festival of Mark, Evangelist.  Seems like a good day for a special  event!  We are planning an event for that morning which will include the congregation and neighborhood.  One part of the event will be our annual Easter Egg Hunt (celebrated after Easter Day because Christians celebrate Easter for eight weeks)!  Other activities are being planned.
  A brief meeting will take place after Evening Prayer on April 1.

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These are new things.  During this season of Lent, we have been exploring the covenant God made with God’s people.  We have spent more time in Scripture, more time in prayer – even praying aloud!  All these things recenter us – bring us back to God.

So what do we do during the season of Easter?  Does it involve more than eating chocolate?  I’ll let theologian N.T. Wright answer:  “Easter is the time to sow new seeds and to plant out a few cuttings. 
If Calvary means putting to death things in your life that need killing off if you are to flourish as a Christian and as a truly human being, then Easter should mean planting, watering, and training up things in your life (personal and corporate) that ought to be blossoming, filling the garden with color and perfume, and in due course bearing fruit.” 
Surprised by Hope, p. 256 – 257

I look forward to the ways our ministry bears fruit, in our lives during Holy Week, and in our ministry through the Easter season.

In Christ,

Pastor Julianne