Update on the Davis Family

 This coming week is significant for the Davis family. On September 16, our son Luke was the chef for “Erika’s Feast,” as our Deacons welcomed and celebrated the leaders of the service organizations that we support. It is a beautiful event every year. Then, on Wednesday, Luke drove off to a new adventure. After spending some time in Iowa visiting his brother Nic and connecting with some churches in the Des Moines area, Luke will be heading down to El Salvador to work with a ministry that I was part of for many years when we lived in Iowa. “Our Sister Parish” is a mission of the Presbytery of Des Moines that works in solidarity with the people in the rural communities of the Municipality of Berlín, Usulután, in El Salvador. You can visit the website here.  Luke will become part of the “Pastoral Team” at “La Casa Pastoral” in Berlín, where he will organize delegation visits from the US and enable churches in the US and communities in El Salvador to communicate in between visits. Luke’s fluency in Spanish and his commitment to justice and bringing good news to the poor will enable him to do this work well. After three months, Luke and the Pastoral Team will consider extending his stay long term. 

 

It is a joy to see our church family thriving and it is a particular joy to see my own children embrace and live the values of God’s Reign in their lives. This will be a joyous week indeed.

 

See you in worship,

Mark of St. Mark

Theseus' Ship and the Ever-Changing Church

 Friends, 

 I’m musing about our identity as St. Mark these days. And I can’t get out of my head an old philosophical conundrum about “Theseus’ ship.” Theseus was a mythical hero, known for defeating the Minotaur on the island of Crete. After he returned home to Athens, Plutarch said the Athenians preserved Thesus’ ship over many years by replacing every worn or rotting plank with an identical one. That description raised questions about identity for philosophers: Is this the same ship through the years, even while it constantly changes? Or, is it different when the first plank is changed? Or, when a majority of planks are changed? What is the relationship between the ship’s identity as Theseus’ ship and its parts? 

 

Years later, Thomas Hobbes played with another possibility. What if every worn or rotting plank that had been removed from the ship were preserved and over time re-assembled, eventually reconstructing the original ship? Now we have two ships. One is the functioning ship that has been constantly renewed piece by piece, while the other is not a sea-worthy ship, but entails all of the original components of the ship, disassembled then reassembled over time. Now we ask, “Which of these ships is actually Theseus’ ship?” 

 

We can muse about this conundrum at a personal level, if we think of ourselves as children and ourselves as we are now, through constant changes in body and mind. For now, I am focused on the question of our identity as St. Mark. We were established in 1962, with only a very few of the original pioneers still with us. I am the fifth senior pastor, with numerous other pastors on the staff along the way, but I believe the identity of the church has always been our calling, as it has been embodied in our members. The “Our History” page of our website says, “Our founders chose the name of St. Mark because the Gospel of Mark has always been a radical call to discipleship – how you grow in Christ, how Christ is formed in you and in all aspects of your life.  The Gospel of Mark gives a new vision of the present, limitless, redeeming power of Christ.” What an inspired and inspiring beginning! Fueled by way the present, limitless, redeeming power of Christ, we are called to be disciples in the fullest sense imaginable. 

 

So, circling back to the conundrum of Theseus’ ship, particularly as Thomas Hobbes described it, I’m leaning toward this response. The original planks of the ship, after being 

disassembled then re-assembled, might be called “Theseus’ ship” if the purpose is to create a museum exhibit honoring the mythical history. But the purpose of a ship is to sail on the sea. For that to happen, it needs constant renewal to be seaworthy. In that sense, “Theseus’ ship” is the constantly renewed ship, wisely and skillfully being refurbished for the purpose of seaworthiness. Likewise, if our call is to create radical disciples by the redeeming power of Christ, change is a constant part of who we are. We built a new campus when the former one was no longer able to accommodate our ministry and outreach; we have retired beloved traditions when hearing a call to different ways; we have honored those who move “from the church militant to the church triumphant” just as we welcome the gifts of those who newly join. Driven by the present, limitless, redeeming power of Christ, we try to take each step deliberately and wisely, living into our call to be radical disciples. 

My hope is that each one of you feels invested and empowered in this call to radical discipleship. Whether you are, or have been, elders, making critical decisions and taking on the responsibility of curating how we respond to our calling; Deacons, taking the energy of our call and reaching out to our community in works of care and compassion; part of our Care Team, Choir, commissions, and other groups, you have been empowered by Christ to the call of radical discipleship. And if you have ever thought of yourself as “just a member” because you have not been part of our organizational structure, I invite you to think of “just” as a four-letter word. Every plank in the ship is needed, every member of a body has purpose, and if a regular part of your life consists of gathering for worship to glorify God and enjoy God forever you are achieving what the Westminster Catechism calls “the chief end of humanity.” You are not a passenger, along for the ride. You are the ship, however minor you feel your role is. 

 

So, yes, I am musing about our identity, and it fills me with joy. The redeeming power of Christ continues to enable us to be radical disciples. Thanks be to God. 

 

See you in worship,

Mark of St. Mark

 

 

Ahab, Jezebel, and Elijah

 Friends, 

 

Two quick announcements: 
1. The Christian Century is offering an opportunity to join people of faith from across the US on Wednesdays from September 2 through October 7 from 11:00-11:45am for film screenings of Caring for the Earth: Stories from Faith Communities. The stories will be educational, inspirational, and offer opportunities for responsive action. You can click here to register and find out more. 

2. Our Adult Education Commission invites you to attend a discussion of our presbytery’s Anti-Racism policy this Sunday at 11:00am in the Fellowship Hall. The PCUSA has instructed each church to adopt an Anti-Racism policy, and we are beginning the process by looking at the Presbytery of Los Ranchos’ policy to see what questions or concerns you may have about it. You can find the presbytery’s policy here.  

……..

 

I don’t know about you, but I have been loving our summer series, “Living the Great Stories.” For the next two weeks we will hear stories about two of the “oral prophets,” a term that speaks of prophets who are not featured in books that bear their names, like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and so forth. Most prominently among the oral prophets are Elijah and Elisha. Their names look quite similar, and they are succession stories, with Elisha very deliberately desiring and becoming Elijah’s protégé. Elijah has a wild set of stories that include escaping violence, living in exile, performing miracles, having severe doubts, and an ongoing feud with Ahab and Jezebel. Ahab was the king of Israel and was married to Jezebel, the daughter of the king of Tyre and Sidon. Ahab is described unremittently as the worst king in Israel’s history, even worse than his father who was worse than his predecessors. I Kings 16 31-33 says, “Ahab son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD more than all who were before him. … Ahab did more to provoke the anger of the LORD, the God of Israel, than had all the kings of Israel who were before him.” Among the evils that Ahab did, was to marry Jezebel, as the description of his evil continues, “And as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of [another horrible king], he took as his wife Jezebel daughter of King Ethbaal of the Sidonians and went and served Baal and worshiped him. He erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal that he built in Samaria. Ahab also made a sacred pole.” 

 

The storytellers fluctuate between blaming Ahab for his sinfulness and blaming Jezebel for exacerbating his sinfulness. Namely, she brought the worship of Ba’al (a common term for a god, perhaps in this case a god of rain or fire) and Asherah (the goddess often accompanying Ba’al, whose symbol was the aforementioned “sacred pole”) into Israel. By the time our story for this weekend takes place, the altar to the God of Israel was in shambles, but the House of Ba’al had 450 priests of Ba’al and 400 priests of Asherah. Jezebel also was responsible for the slaughter of many of God’s prophets and Elijah often complained about being the only prophet of the true God left in Israel. 

 

The real challenge of preaching in our series of “Living the Great Stories” has been knowing what to say and regretfully having to leave too much material on the cutting floor. I keep telling myself that we can always circle back and walk slowly through these stories at a much more leisurely pace, savoring them more deliberately. For now, I can only invite you to join me in listening to these great stories, not merely as curious or interesting in themselves, but as the stories by which “the Word of the Lord” continues to speak today. 

 

See you in worship,
Mark of St. Mark

The Work of Anti-Racism

Friends, 

 

Quick Announcement: If you are interested in understanding issues around Homelessness better, you can sign up for a one-hour online Homelessness 101 class next Thursday at noon here. And, if you want to improve your advocacy skills, you can sign up for a one-hour online class on Tuesday, August 25 at noon here. Both classes are free and very well done.

 

Last Sunday’s worship was especially electric as we received 11 new members into our church family. And the quartet’s anthem was stunning. Many thanks to Pastor SueJeanne for enriching the story of Ruth and challenging our perspective of how we demonstrate our own value system when we identify the “good immigrant.” It was a lovely weekend all around, with contributions to so many people working behind the scenes as our Membership Commission, Session, Ushers and Greeters, Childcare workers, and so forth. 

 

As I mentioned last week, we will have a gathering on Sunday, August 23^rd, at 11:00am to discuss adopting an Anti-Racism policy here at St. Mark. The impetus for doing so comes from the Presbyterian Church (USA) Book of Order, part of our constitution, which says, “The unity of believers in Christ is reflected in the rich diversity of the Church’s membership. In Christ, by the power of the Spirit, God unites persons through baptism regardless of race, ethnicity, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, geography, or theological conviction. There is therefore no place in the life of the Church for discrimination against any person. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) shall guarantee full participation and representation in its worship, governance, and emerging life to all persons or groups within its membership.” [Foundations of Presbyterian Polity -1.0403]

 

This bold statement has been the source of many conflicts in our denomination’s past and recent conversations. It is a faithful, but challenging vision. It urges us to move beyond simply being “nice” or saying, “All are welcome.” Being nice and welcoming are wonderful qualities, without a doubt. But anti-racism is deeper work than that. It calls us to look at the ways we have historically and systematically held practices that did not welcome the gifted contributions that the diversity of the church offers. Let me give a small example. 

 

Our Presbytery meetings aspire to have an equal number of “teaching elders” (pastors, chaplains, other involve in ‘validated ministries) and “ruling elders,” such as the elder representatives that we send to each meeting. Each year we count the teaching elders and try to adjust the number of ruling elders that we need to keep that balance. In previous years, if we needed more ruling elder representation, an invitation would be offered to larger churches, under the presumption that they represent more people, so they should be able to have a larger voice. It is a common practice in many presbyteries. A few years ago we changed that practice. The larger churches have typically had plenty of representation and a large voice over the years, but our “racial/ethnic churches” (the phrase our denomination uses) are often smaller and, as a group, underrepresented. So, we changed our process. Now, when more ruling elders are needed, racial/ethnic congregations are invited first to send more elders. I was a big advocate for that change, even though it meant that St. Mark lost a representative slot. It was a nice awakening for our presbytery that we had fallen into a “those who have lots get more” mentality, rather than looking for ways to ensure that racial/ethnic voices are heard. That’s a small sign of adopting an anti-racism mentality. Still, we have a long way to go. 

 

So, I invite you to go to the Presbytery of Los Ranchos’ website and read our recently adopted anti-racism policy. Please read it appreciatively and critically, noting the questions you may have or the suggestions you would recommend. We will begin our approach to St. Mark’s anti-racism policy with the presbytery’s policy and see where it takes us. It’s all about being faithful to the God whose expansive love was given to us in Jesus Christ. 

 

You can find the presbytery policy here.  

 

See you in worship, 

Mark of St. Mark 

"God Is Good"

 Friends, 

 

I want to continue the mode of thought that I began in last week’s Extra, but before that I want to offer an apology.

 

Apology: Two weeks ago, I left out a crucial adjective when describing St. Mark. I was picking up on the phrase “white, relatively well-to-do congregation” that I had been using to make a point and referred to St. Mark as such. I ought to have said, “historically” or “mostly” white, relatively well-to-do congregation instead. If my choice of words left any of you feeling unseen or left out, I apologize and promise to try to do better. 

 

Back to last week’s Extra. I wrote about how many of the biblical stories that we have been reading contain so much violence (e.g. Jael and her infamous tent peg) that I know of pastors who refuse to preach from the books of Joshua and Judges. It is my contention that the violence in these stories is not prescriptive but descriptive, and rather courageously so. It is one thing to say, “God is great” in a time of relative ease and comfort. It is quite another to say the same in times of war, famine, and loss. One form of this question entertained in the Psalms is, “Does the steadfast love of God endure, even in this moment?” Another form from Genesis through Ruth is, “Will God keep the promise that God made to Abraham?”  

 

Yet even if we were able to yield our fortunes and our travesties to the sovereignty of God by maintaining that “God is great,” another question comes up. If God is great and calamity happens, can we also say that God is good? So the question is not just “Is God sovereign?” but “Is the sovereign God also the loving God when calamity strikes?” That question has been raised anew among liberation theologies, post-holocaust theologies, and even in popular reflections, such as Rabbi Harold Kushner’s When Bad Things Happen to Good People. 

 

This question is further complicated when we say that one expression of God’s love is that God gives us the gift of freedom. We are free to return God’s love by being faithful. Or not. We are free to embody God’s love by loving our neighbor. Or not. We are free to reflect God’s love by loving ourselves as God’s creation. Or not. Even Presbyterians, with our historic understanding of predestination, honor human freedom. It’s a messy situation, because, if God is loving and God’s love is expressed in offering us the freedom to return that love (or not), then that make God vulnerable in a way that we don’t associate with “sovereignty.” The prophets even depict God as an aggrieved spouse, whose lover cheats openly and repeatedly. It is a profound thought that God’s sovereignty is expressed, not by forcing us to mechanically love and serve, but by allowing us to err, even as God calls us back in the vulnerability of unrequited love. 

 

I attended a panel discussion on Psalm 82 once that had biblical scholars from both Presbyterian and Lutheran seminaries. The first speaker said, “When I saw the composition of this panel, I knew exactly the trajectory of our conversation. The Presbyterians would speak from the perspective of God’s sovereignty, while the Lutheran’s would speak from the perspective of God’s love.” (There’s a lot of history behind that astute observation). One of our driving aims this summer is to find ways to read violent biblical stories and disarmingly honest psalms, not to mention manifest brutality of the cross, through the lens of God’s sovereign love, or God’s loving sovereignty. That’s why those of us who preach rely on your prayers. 

 

See you in worship,

Mark of St. Mark

 

"God Is Great"

 Friends,  

This week during worship we will hear the story of Deborah, Barak, and Jael from the book of Judges. I had a pastor friend who refused to preach from Joshua or Judges, dismissing them as not being the gospel that Jesus Christ preached and too much trouble to try to redeem. Having grown up in a strict Baptist tradition, it was a very courageous approach for him to take and one that did not come easily. I share his concerns, but I still listen for the Word of God in these stories. To be sure, we have interpretive choices to make regarding how to read them and yet more interpretive choices to make when trying to understand and live into them. It helps me to approach the Scriptures as a series of ongoing conversations about life before God, rather than as a series of “chapter and verse” final answers. 

 

Violence is a real part of the biblical stories, not just in the Old Testament, but also in the gospels – the crucifixion story being chief among them. We struggle with how such a violent world fits within God’s good creation. The story that we will hear this week, begins – as many stories in the book of Judges do – with the note that “The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD,” so God gave them over to an oppressor. That simple beginning points to a common but contested presumption in the Scriptures – the nation that is faithful will be blessed; the nation that is unfaithful will suffer. While that formula doesn’t always hold in the stories, the question behind it is an enduring one, namely the question of God’s sovereignty. 

 

Some friends recently reminded me how the Dutch theologian and politician Abraham Kuyper once said, “There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, Mine!” When we say, “God is great,” declaring that God is the almighty sovereign over all the earth, then the ebb and flow of life bring hard questions. When a nation is defeated, when people are oppressed, when the able-bodied are taken away in exile and the feeble are left to suffer – Is it God’s doing? Is that what it means to say, “God is great”? 

 

One person in US history courageous enough to address God’s sovereignty was Abraham Lincoln. In his First Inaugural Address, facing the prospect of a civil war, Lincoln urged patience and to trust that “If the Almighty Ruler of Nations, with His eternal truth and justice, be on your side of the North, or on yours of the South, that truth and that justice will surely prevail by the judgment of this great tribunal of the American people.” Four bloody years later, in his Second Inaugural Address, he quoted the 119th Psalm saying, “Fondly do we hope — fervently do we pray — that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondman's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said, ‘the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.’” Lincoln was wresting with what it means to say God is great in the context of violence, just like the bloody stories in Joshua and Judges. 

 

While some of the actions, presumptions, and even conclusions in Joshua and Judges are hard to accept at face value – Jesus will contend with some of them – I think we are missing the point if we just bypass the books altogether. I do not see them prescribing violence as God’s way of exercising sovereignty in the world but insisting that God is great even in a world filled with violence. Even in the US, where we are usually shielded from the violence of bombings and invasions pertinent to war, we are daily exposed to violent stories of school shootings, racialized and sexualized violence, as well as a plethora of violent imagery through gaming, streaming, and movie-going. We carry anxieties about the grids on which we depend and the controllability of the artificial intelligences that we create. Within our own context of violence we ask, along with the communities of the books of Joshua and Judges, “What does it mean to say, ‘God is great’ in such a world?” 

 

Next week we will explore the accompanying statement, “God is good.” 

 

See you in worship,

Mark of St. Mark

 

 

 

Living the Great Stories

 Friends, 

I hope you have found our summer series, “Living the Great Stories” to be as interesting and challenging as I have. I’ve been amazed at how these stories are layered with meaning, far beyond the simple narratives themselves. And I’ve appreciated how our other preachers on staff have been able to show the connections between the human experience that gave rise to these stories and the challenges that you and I face in a world that continues to resist God’s love and justice. Judging from your comments, I know that many of you are either discovering these stories for the first time or rediscovering them anew also. What a joy this journey is. 

 

The temptation that I face, when re-visiting stories like these, is to get absorbed into the curious features or memorable surprises of the stories more than to the role that such storytelling plays when God’s people are listening for God’s word in a world filled with noise. Last week, in the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and  … Abednego, Nebuchadnezzar comes across as a narcissistic bozo with his ridiculously Freudian gold statue (90 feet tall and 9 feet wide) and his demand that everyone bow to it. His retinue of followers – the list of which is repeated again and again – come across as sycophantic yea-sayers. The idea that one can make a fire “seven times hotter than usual” is suspect as a measurable possibility, but delightful as a way of showing Nebuchadnezzar’s inane fit of anger, especially when the fire only consumes his strongest warriors as they toss the three Hebrews in. The details are all so delicious and humorously disproportionate – even in the end when Nebuchadnezzar threatens anyone who blasphemes the God of the Hebrews with tearing them limb from limb and destroying their houses forever. 

 

The reality behind this story, however, was no laughing matter. The southern kingdom of Judah was defeated by the Babylonian Empire, with many of the youngest, strongest, and brightest were taken away into Babylon itself, while “the remnant” were left to gather themselves and struggle to survive. A puppet king was put in place, who would later conspire with Egypt to escape Babylon’s grasp, only to have Babylonians re-enter Jerusalem and destroy the temple. The experience of the captives living in a foreign land and the remnant living in Judah are tragic realities. It is in those tragic realities of humiliation and suffering that stories like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego arise. They are humorous stories that pillory the presumptions of the powerful.

 

So, the challenge for us is how to hear these stories and the grim reality behind them as the word of God today. It is the tendency of many white, relatively well-to-do Christians to imagine that the challenges of white relatively well-to-do Christians are comparable to the faithful Hebrews staring down the fire. Realistically, the geopolitics of our day would suggest that white, relatively well-to-do Christians are more like the suburban Babylonians in these stories than the oppressed Hebrews. White, relatively well-to-do Christianity is not treated as a foreign oddity in the US. It has such a place of privilege in our day that even to say “white, relatively well-to-do Christianity” will provoke some people to cry “foul!” 

 

A better approach for us, as a white, relatively well-to-do congregation of Christians, is to hear these stories as stories that are told from the underside of power. Most of the Hebrew Scriptures were written during or about a time when Israel and Judah were living in the shadow of a foreign empire. And the entire New Testament was written under the shadow of the Roman Empire. My hope, as we visit these stories of heroism, tragedy, and even comedy, is not merely to re-visit old nostalgic stories, but to marvel at how God is at work in the world. The God we gather to worship is this God, ever on the side of the oppressed and captives, through stories of heroism, tragedy, and comedy. When we begin to hear these stories as liberation stories, we begin to hear the Word of God in them. 

 

See you in worship, 

Mark of St. Mark

Presbyterian Church (USA) General Assembly

Friends,  

From June 27 – July 2 many of our fellow Presbyterians gathered in Milwaukee for the 227^th General Assembly (GA) of the Presbyterian Church (USA). I will offer some (only some) of the things that took place there, with links if you want to explore anything further. 

 

1. Structure: Over the last four years, a “Unification Commission” has been working to unify two branches of the church that were previously separated: The Office of the General Assembly and the Presbyterian Mission Agency. The new, unified entity will be called “Presbyterian Life & Witness” (PLW). PLW will be led by the Rev. Jihyun Oh, Executive Director and Stated Clerk of the General Assembly, to support synods and presbyteries, leader development, reparative justice, life of the communion, and strategic partnerships. For more information, visit this portal. 

 

2. Mission: Going into the GA meeting, there were a lot of deep feelings about actions that led to the elimination of the PCUSA World Mission program and the termination of all appointed Mission Co-Worker positions back in March of 2025. Both the decision itself and the execution of the decision were under strong criticism by former mission co-workers. In the end, the GA passed a motion 396-98 to form a 7-person Commission to review the decision-making process dating from 2018 that led to the actions of March 2025. The group will offer an interim report in 2028 and a final report in 2030 GA meeting. (You can read the full motion here.) The purpose of the commission is “to be restorative, not punitive” but it may contain recommendations to appropriate bodies about terminating employees.  The PCUSA now has an office of Global Ecumenical Partnerships, which you can explore here.

 

3. Israel/Palestine: After hearing the impassioned testimony of Palestinian-America, Fahed Abu-Akel, Moderator of the GA in 2002, the GA voted 454-15 declaring that the government of Israel has violated the international law prohibiting genocide in its war in Gaza. If you do not have a subscription to The Presbyterian Outlook, you can read 3 articles for free, and I recommend this one to see what this action entails. 

 

4. Christian Nationalism: By a vote of 458-18, commissioners approved a motion asking the denomination’s 164 presbyteries to ratify new Book of Order language affirming the church’s commitment to justice, peace, mercy, and human dignity while rejecting “any ideology that seeks to establish Christianity as a privileged or dominant force through the power of the state, or that conflates religious identity with national, racial, or ethnic supremacy.” The GA also directed the denominational leadership to take an active role in making sure the ideology is truly understood by issuing “a joint statement calling attention to the dangers and distortions of Christian Nationalism as an urgent theological and social concern of our time.” The San Jose Presbytery authored the resolution describing Christian Nationalism as “a dangerous and increasingly pervasive ideology that seeks to merge national identity with Christian identity, distorting both faith and politics” that “contradicts the foundational commitments and public witness of our church: love, equality, inclusion, peace, religious freedom and the imago dei [image of God] of all beings.”

 

5. LGBTQIA: There were several actions taken by the GA and appropriate groups regarding LGBTQIA matters. The GA voted to support gender-affirming healthcare and to let congregations signal their openness to calling an LGBTQIA+ pastor on their Ministry Discernment Profile when searching for a pastor. 

 

Of course there were many more motions, referrals, heated debates, affirmative conversations, and worship moments throughout the GA meeting that space will not allow me to cover (and the breadth of which does not allow me to comprehend.) Some of the links I have provided can lead you to more information and I’m happy to explore other things with you if you want. Overall, the work of GA is passionate and difficult, but I found this GA to be particularly focused on speaking prophetically, both outwardly and inwardly, as God moved them. For that I am thankful.

 

Mark of St. Mark

What to the Christian is the Fourth of July?

 

Friends, 

 

This weekend will be quite the celebration throughout the US. It is not my intention to be a wet blanket, but I must confess my ambiguity over the 250^th birthday of the US’s declaration of Independence from Great Britain. A few years ago, on the weekend of Independence Day, I spoke about Frederick Douglass’ astounding reflection, “What, to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” After worship it turned out that one of Douglass’ descendants was visiting with us and he thanked me for it. Since that time, I have made it a discipline to read it annually. Again, it is not for the purpose of being a killjoy, but because a key part of the Christian journey is to be committed to truth, especially when it is easier to be swept up with enthusiasm. 

 

When Douglass asked what the Fourth of July meant to a slave, he leaned on the important issue of perspective in our observance. The irony of an enslaved person hearing their owners and taskmasters celebrating independence is thick. It is part of the enduring power of sin that those who are set free easily become oppressors. It was a temptation that God addressed repeatedly when the People of Israel were entering the Promised Land. In the words that will be part of our focus for the month of July, God says, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (Deut. 6:4-5).  Then God commands the people to bind those words on their hearts and their heads – making it both part of their thinking and their feeling. Then, comes this warning: “When the LORD your God has brought you into the land that he swore to your ancestors … and when you have eaten your fill, take care that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” For the next four chapters, God recounts the ways that God had been faithful in bringing the people through the wilderness to the good land, and how they had repeatedly put God to the test. Now, the challenge would not be their scarcity and fear, but their abundance and forgetfulness. 

 

“Remembering” is not just a sweet feeling in the heart. It has ethical teeth, such as when God says, “You shall also love the alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt” (Deut. 10:19). God was not being a wet blanket, but was urging them to see their prosperity as “blessings” – gifts to be received with thanks and shared with joy. 

 

So, to paraphrase Mr. Douglass, “What to the Christian is the Fourth of July?” It is certainly a cause for celebration. It is a time to be thankful that we have freedom of expression and can practice faith without restraints from the state or an “official” religious body. It is a time when we can look around us and see the diversity of cultures, languages, histories, and journeys that gather in the US as a bouquet of beauty. There is much to celebrate. But there is much to remember. 

 

We remember the displacement and massacre of Native Americans, sanctioned in part by the “Doctrine of Discovery,” whereby the church blessed taking land, forcing migrations, coercing conversions, and sanctioning executions.  We remember how, in 1619, the first African slave ships came to Comfort Point, off the coast of my hometown of Hampton, VA, starting a three-centuries-long practice of slavery that was supported by the “founding fathers” and given license by the church. We remember the “Trail of Tears.” We remember the appropriation of lands that were once considered part of Mexico and are now the hotspots of immigration enforcement. We remember the era of Jim Crow laws that tried to institutionalize separation based on racial identity. We remember segregated schools, water fountains, and the lynching tree. We remember the exploitation and oppression of Chinese railroad workers. We remember Japanese internment camps. We remember exceptions to workplace and minimum wage standards when applied to farmworkers. We remember the Tulsa massacre. We remember Stonewall Inn and The Pulse Nightclub shootings. We remember neo-Nazis marching in Charlottesville and repeated school shootings. We remember George Floyd and the cloud of witnesses victimized for being black. Rather than trying to erase these hard truths about the American story, we should teach them to our children, bind them on our head and heart, to remember in hopes of achieving “Never again.” 

 

What, to the Christian, is the Fourth of July? Unlike the triumphalistic “will to power” that is espoused by so many Christian Nationalists, this weekend calls us to two things. It is a time to celebrate what is good and noble; and to remember what is difficult but still true about our nation’s brief history. Remembering our ambiguous history is the key to living into a future of doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly before our God. 

 

Mark of St. Mark 

World Refugee Day

 Friends, 

 

Tomorrow, June 20, is “World Refugee Day,” an international day designated by the United Nations to honor people who have been forced to flee their native home due to conflict or persecution. 

 

Consider the precarious nature of a refugee. Our history has shaped us so that much of our identity lies in the nation-state of our birth. Upon birth, we get “birth certificates” – official papers distributed by the state. We have “citizenship,” with all the consequent rights and protections, based on where we live. We apply for “passports” that offer us recognition as we travel abroad. Simply telling someone that we are “American,” or “Indonesian,” elicits presumptions about what we might be like, simply because of that identity. 

 

A refugee is someone for whom that system of protection and identity has broken down. Last week, Kate Forer told us the story of how her family came to the US fleeing the Armenian genocide. After worship, I heard from several folks who had similar stories in their families – refugees who made their way to the US often with little more than hope to survive; refugees who arrived utterly dependent on a different country to recognize them, welcome them in some way, and to permit them to make a new life here. Since their “Civil Rights” have been taken away, the question becomes whether other countries would honor their “Human Rights.”  

 

Being a refugee is one kind of challenge; responding to refugees is another. When the People of Israel left Egypt, they were landless, so everywhere they went posed a danger. If they passed a field of wild oats, could they harvest some for themselves, or would local folks consider that robbery? If they encountered a spring of fresh water, could they fill their water skins without being attacked? The stories of God providing manna from heaven and water from a rock are specifically tied to that period when the people of Israel were in between a situation in Egypt that they could bear no longer and their own land with their own fields and cisterns. The first challenge they faced was survival, and God provided for them. 

The second challenge was equally difficult. It was the challenge of forgetfulness. As they were preparing to enter the Promised Land, God warned them, “When you have eaten your fill, take care that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.  (Deuteronomy 6:10-12). “Forgetting the Lord” is an ethical and spiritual challenge for secure folks. When God commanded the people to leave the edges of their fields unharvested for the sake of the widows, orphans, and aliens, that command was always punctuated, with the reminder, “For you were once aliens in a foreign land.” 

 

Much of the “Christian Nation” mythology that many advocate today mishandles remembering. When God commanded the People of Israel to remember, it was not “Remember you are special, not them.” It was “Remember, I blessed you, so you bless them.” World Refugee Day invites us to remember that when a people’s identity and consequent civil rights are broken, we still honor their inherent identity and human rights as God’s children. 

 

So, allow me to make a plea. Since seeking refuge is a subset of immigration more broadly, I want to invite you to consider joining our October 2-4 trip to the US/Mexico border. We need informed and compassionate voices in our public conversation about immigration, and this trip offers us a way to join that conversation more fruitfully. You can find information here. And if you are interested in being part of the trip, I need to know by July 12, so please send me a note here. And please note that the Mission Commission has set aside money for anyone who is interested but would welcome financial assistance. I cannot think of a better way for us to observe World Refugee Day than to commit to learning more about the challenges facing those at our own borders. 

 

See you in worship, 

Mark of St. Mark

 

 

Women in the Pulpit - an Emphatic "Yes!"

 Friends, 

Last weekend we began our “Living the Great Stories” summer theme with a lot of interest and enthusiasm. This Weekend is going to be full, especially on Sunday with the Blood Drive, the choir’s last anthem and the handbell ensemble’s last offering before their summer breaks. And on both Saturday and Sunday we will see a delightful video that Bridget Duffin put together with the information Pastor Hayes collected, honoring our graduates. And Kate Forer will be preaching on the story of Hagar. It will be marvelous.

 

This week, the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) met and drilled down into nonsense. Back when I was in college, I served as the Youth Minister at a Southern Baptist Church in Georgia. They were a wonderful congregation and the pastor was a very good mentor for me, since I was an enthusiastic but not particularly wise. During that time, I learned how the SBC worked, as a “cooperative,” where individual church autonomy was respected within the collective work of the larger group (missions, seminaries, etc.). It was a way of organization that many Baptists deeply appreciated. Then came what some called “the Fundamentalist takeover” of the late 1980’s. Seminary professors faced the threat of losing their position if they did not ascribe to a certain, narrow view of biblical inspiration. Individual churches were ousted (in some way, I’m not sure how), because they did not hold to a certain standard of doctrine or practice. As many upset Baptists told me, the church they once loved had become unrecognizable, because of the insistence of a few leading voices. For some time it has been evident that the takeover has succeeded. 

 

The vote this week was to strengthen the SBC’s prohibition on women as church leaders and preachers, voting decisively to add language to its constitution clarifying that its churches do not “affirm, appoint or endorse” women as pastors. And it was not even close. The vote had to be a supermajority (66%) and was closer to 75%. 

 

Honestly, it is hard to believe that this continues to be a matter of conversation, much less that a 75% majority would vote to prohibit women from preaching or serving as pastors. After speaking with a number of delegates, Ruth Graham of the New York Times wrote, “Supporters of the constitutional amendment argued that firmer procedures were necessary, because the acceptance of women pastors often precedes broader theological and cultural shifts to the left, including the acceptance of homosexuality.” As one person put it, “You’re never more than one year away from drift.” 

 

It feels heroic and faithful to draw lines and say, “This side is God’s side; that side is the world’s side.” There are even times when lines should be drawn. It just seems odd to me that gender roles, sexual orientation, and gender identity have become in so many Christian people’s minds the topics on which those lines must be drawn. Jesus spoke so much more about hate, violence, hypocrisy, retribution, and self-righteousness as his topics of great concern. 

 

This year, October 26 will be the 70-year anniversary of when the Cayuga-Syracuse Presbytery ordained Margaret Towner as a minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA). Southern Presbyterians – a separate but sister organization until 1983 – ordained Rachel Henderlite at All Souls Presbyterian Church in 1965. I do not say this as a note of self-congratulations. As early as 1889 the Nolin Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church (another sister organization) ordained Louisa Woosley to be a minister, but the Cumberland denominational leadership refused to recognize her ordination. Women’s ordination has been a rocky and strongly deliberated journey for many Christian denominations, and of course the Roman Catholic Church continues to have robust conversations over it. 

 

It’s an interesting thing. Once we accept the ordination of women, of the LGBTQ community, of non-cis-gender persons, and begin to see how powerfully God equips and uses them, it is usually just a small matter of time before we begin asking, “What were we thinking?” And until our siblings are able to see a better light, we repent for all of those persons whose gifts and passions we will not be able to receive. 

 

When we attend worship at St. Mark, we are re-affirming your own commitment to being faithful to the God whose gifts were poured out on “each” and “all” on the day of Pentecost. Come, let us worship the God of abundance together.

 

Mark of St. Mark

Summer Series at St. Mark

Friends, 

 

And just like that, the summer months are upon us. Congratulations to those who have completed a year or an entire course of study. Congratulations to those who are getting a well-deserved break. Congratulations to those who continue to work but are taking some time off for rest and restoration. Everybody needs Sabbath rest, and there’s just something about the rhythm of summer that is delightfully different. 

 

The Rhythm of our church life is also different during the summer. Many of our commissions will take at least one month off from their usual meetings. Sunday School teachers have a break until mid-September. The choir will take a well-deserved break from June 14 until after Labor Day. And we will have a specific theme of Intergenerational worship that begins this week. I am pretty excited about it and I think you will be also.

 

We will also spend the summer exploring ways to invite children into worship more fruitfully. Starting on June 20, we will have two tables in “The Well” where children in kindergarten through 3^rd grade are welcome to come and find quiet ways to (let’s be honest here) … endure the sermon on Saturdays and Sundays. On Sunday mornings, children younger than kindergarten age are welcome to go to the nursery throughout the summer. And children and Youth are encouraged to participate in worship in various ways. They will have opportunities to work with our ushers and greeters; lead parts of our liturgy; help serve communion alongside of our elders; and occasionally help with an interactive way of telling the biblical story. (We’ll start that this week!) 

 

We will hear a lot of songs this summer that are less complicated, easier to sing, and sometime repetitive, so the younger portion of the church will have a better chance of joining in. We’ll also repeat some songs from week to week, in order to help each other build a repertoire of good music. We are aiming for simpler, more inviting ways to say important and meaningful things. It’s all part of being an inclusive church and a bit of a learning curve for those of us who plan worship. 

 

Our summer theme is “Living the Great Stories.” We will visit and revisit many of the great stories from the Old Testament, some of which will be very familiar to you, some less so, but all of them have great meaning that we will explore together. And for each month, we will have a key scripture text, which we will call a “lifeline,” that will express who we are called to be as the body of Christ. 

 

For June, our Key Scripture is Micah 6:8, “What does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God?” We will express that Key Scripture through songs and liturgy, as we will explore stories about Manna, Hagar, Balaam’s Donkey, and David and Goliath. So, for example, our closing song throughout the month of June will have the lyrics, “When you walk from here, when you walk from here: Walk with justice, walk with mercy, and with God’s humble care. 

 

What a wonderful aspiration for all of us to hold as we enter these summer months.

 

See you in worship, 

Mark of St. Mark  

PENTECOST!

 It's Pentecost, y'all! Wear Red! 

As many of you know, I was raised in a Pentecostal church, with heavy emphasis on the excitement and power the story in Acts, chapter 2. For many reasons, I stepped away from the Pentecostal church but I continue to find reasons to embrace the story of the Day of Pentecost and discover new meaning in it. 

 

One of the first large decisions one makes in interpreting, embracing, and proclaiming the story of Pentecost is how to contextualize it. 

- Do we read Genesis 11 and interpret the one-ness of Pentecost as an alternative to the confusion-and-diffusion of Babel? 

- Do we read Leviticus 23 and interpret Pentecost as the fiftieth-day celebration concluding the Festival of Weeks, so it becomes a story of God's abundance? 

- Do we read Leviticus 25 and interpret Pentecost as an expression of Jubilee, with all of the redistributive justice that goes with it? 

- Do we read Ezekiel 37 and interpret Pentecost as the Divine Breath, breathing new life into the dry bones of a tragic killing field? 

- Do we read Joel 2 and interpret Pentecost as a symbol of the 'last days,' as Peter does in his sermon that follows? 

- Do we read Acts 1:1-11, and interpret the power of Pentecost as the alternative to the disciples’ view of power when the ask about "restoring the kingdom" to Israel? 

- Do we read Acts 3 and interpret Pentecost through Peter's great claim, "I have no silver or gold, but what I have I freely give you - rise up and walk"? 

- Do we read Acts 6 and interpret Pentecost through the newly invented-by-necessity office of Deacons, as a recognition of the variety of spiritual gifts? 

- Do we read about Stephen's death in Acts 7 and interpret Pentecost as the power that the early church had to give new meaning to the Greek word martyr, or 'witness'? 

- Do we read Acts 10 and interpret Pentecost through the peculiar image of a giant net/sheet/whatever, also coming down from heaven, with all manner of clean and unclean critters mixing it up, and hearing the words, "Let's eat!"? 

- Do we read I Corinthians 12 and 14 or Romans 12 and interpret Pentecost through the "one body, many parts" language of Paul's letters? 

 

My goodness! It will take a lifetime to experience the many dimensions of this story! Let’s get our red on and start exploring.

 

Mark of St. Mark

A Message from Kate Forer

 Friends,

 As promised last week, I am happily giving my Friday Extra over to Kate Forer, to introduce herself and her ministry to you a bit more. 

Happy reading! 

Mark of St. Mark

What the heck is spiritual direction? ...You might be wondering….

In response, let me ask you a few questions:

When was the last time you sat down and honestly talked to someone about your relationship with God? 

About the state of your soul?

About ways to go deeper - to grow more fully into the person God has created you to be?

About what gets in the way, for you, of being your full, true self?

If you have someone with whom you have such honest and open conversations, then that is wonderful. But most of us don’t. And many of us have never even thought to ask those questions in the first place. 

Spiritual direction is an ancient Christian practice that allows an individual to explore their spiritual life with a seasoned companion. So much of our life is lived busily on the surface - we go to our jobs, we take care of our children or our parents, we try to find time for friends and recreation - and often the deeper questions of the heart are left unattended. Spiritual Direction is a chance to attend to these matters, to fully engage in one's life, to discern how the Spirit is moving and calling. 

A few months ago I let Pastor Mark know that I was starting a spiritual direction practice (something I had dreamed of doing when I left full-time local church ministry. Just a quick aside: being a full-time senior pastor, as I was, does not leave enough time and space for these kinds of conversations with congregants - not when you have close to 300 of them). Mark quickly asked if I was interested in having office space at St. Mark. “YES!” I responded. I have been attending St. Mark off and on for several years now, and the idea of being planted within such a wonderful congregation seemed like a dream come true. 

And so here I am! I am meeting people one-on-one in my office for such conversations as mentioned above. I am looking forward to working with the St. Mark staff at some point to plan retreats (something I have done for many years and for which I have a real passion) and I’m hoping to be more involved in this lovely community. 

From two decades of pastoring, I know how hard church communities like St. Mark work. I know you are busy with your commissions and your service work - not to mention careers, kids, parents, etc. To do the work of being God’s hands and feet in the world we all need times to replenish and nurture the soul. Remember, even Jesus escaped crowds to spend time with God. I hope that I can offer a sense of nourishment and encouragement as you continue your profound work of loving and serving this broken world.

If you’d like to learn more about working with me, I invite you to visit my website: https://www.thetendedpath.org/

You can also always email me at kate@stmarkpresbyterian.org if you have any questions or suggestions.

I am so very happy (and grateful!) to be a part of you!

Blessings,

Kate 

Catching Up, pt. 3

 Friends,  

For the last two weeks, I’ve been updating you on things that are happening here at St. Mark. Today, I want to share some news and then encourage you to consider something. 

 

First, the news. Many of you have commented on how much you appreciate Kate Forer, who has preached for us on two occasions and has been part of our worship leadership on other occasions. I mentioned some time ago that Kate has initiated a new ministry as a Spiritual Director, which I will invite for her to describe for us in more detail in next week’s Extra. On Tuesday, our Session has voted to offer Kate an office on our campus for her practice and in return she will become part of our staff. As such, Kate will participate in our worship services, help with our 20-30 Something Young Adult group, and offer opportunities for introductory consultations with anyone interested in the work of Spiritual Direction. Kate also has a passion for leading retreats and is open to doing so with us. I am very excited about this door that is opening for us. In some ways, I feel like our staff is taking shape in a beautiful way. 

 

With Kate working alongside of Ann Scott, our Parish Nurse, and Gretchen Carrilo, our Parish Counselor, we have a very strong team of holistic care of the body, mind, and spirit. While it is never possible, or even desirable, to fully separate the body, mind, and spirit, at times we tend to them separately and at times jointly. Anyone who has dealt with high blood pressure knows that the physical expression of our circulatory system can indicate a high degree of stress. We may take a pill to address the physical symptom and speak with a therapist to address the stress. The two actions are not exclusive, but complementary, because our circulatory, lymphatic, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems are not fully separable from our emotions, hopes, will, fears, and desires. Whether we need to name it, sleep on it, or pray about it, our trio of Parish Nurse, Parish Counselor, and Spiritual Director can provide resources and encouragement. Thanks be to God.   

 

-----------------------------------------

 

Now, the consideration. In worship, you have heard about our plans for an Intergenerational summer camp, August 10-14, called MARC: Music, Art, Rhythm, and Community. I believe this is going to be a marvelous week. We are planning ways for the young and the young at heart to work together for a week of learning, community, play, and worship. Have you ever wanted to ring bells, but don’t read music? We will learn how. Have you ever wondered why we call a room “The Bonhoeffer Room?” We will explore Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s life together. Have you ever sat in our Memorial Garden and wondered who this or that person was, whose name is engraved in one of the shutters? We will spend some time there and explore what it means to be part of the community of saints. And did you know that of the nearly one hundred varieties of lilies in the world (the genus Lilium), about twenty are native to California? We will “consider the lilies” during this week. All these explorations will be intentionally intergenerational, providing opportunities for young and young at heart to learn together. 

 

I encourage you to consider being part of our Summer MARC. You can contact SueJeanne Koh here for more information or to indicate your interest in helping. It has been a while since we have had a week-long summer event, so we don’t have either “the usual suspects” or “the usual process” to lean on. And I say that approvingly. This is a new opportunity, and I hope you will consider being a part of it. 

 

See you in worship,

Mark of St. Mark

 

Catching Up, pt. 2

 Last week I shared some of the things that are happening in our church life, with the promise to add more. This week we have some news from our Mission Commission. I will describe our Mission Commission first, then share the news. 

 Our Mission Commission “initiates, guides, and oversees the missional involvement of the church with regard to both local and broader mission relationships.” The Commission also “oversees the allocation of St. Mark’s mission spending.” This year, our elders designated $155,000 for the Mission Commission to allocate. $60,000 goes to the General Mission of the Presbyterian Church (USA); $30,000 goes to our Deacons; and $5,000 to our Peace and Justice Commission. The Commission then allocates the other $60,000 based on ongoing missional partnerships and specific opportunities to serve that arise. A good portion of those funds are left unallocated until the latter part of the year, in case there is a disaster or emergency that needs immediate attention (and there often is). Over the last few years, the Commission has tried to focus on deepening the relationships we have with our mission partners and maximizing the impact that our spending has on those in need. 

 

This month, we chose to fund a “50 for 50” campaign through Orange County United Way.  

 

Since its inception nine years ago, I have served on the Leadership Council and Executive Committee of United to End Homelessness, an arm of the United Way. Homelessness continues to be one of Orange County’s largest challenges, driven mostly by the lack of affordable housing in our area. Last year, 72% of people living in homeless shelters completed the application requirements to qualify for housing, but only 1 in 12 were able to obtain housing because of the lack of units available. Working with public and private groups like the Apartment Association of Orange County and the Orange County Continuum of Care leaders, United to End Homelessness is a leading voice in the county for housing justice.  

 

Among the houseless persons in our county, there are some identifiable groups: Seniors; Transitional Age Youth (who have aged out of foster care); and Veterans are the most common. The needs for each of these groups are different and the potential resources for them are also. This year Orange County United Way has initiated a “50 for 50” campaign, with the goal of encouraging 50 community leaders to house 50 Veteran households and provide a full year of support to ensure stability. For $25,000, the campaign will offer landlords incentives, such as deposits, holding fees, and risk mitigation funds; and offer Veterans housing navigation, furniture, and twelve months of case management with wraparound support services. Once the Veteran is housed securely, their case managers can help them secure additional avenues of support that will ensure that they stay housed. The one-time donation of $25,000 will get a houseless Veteran over the initial hurdle of securing housing. You can read more about it here. This month, St. Mark joined the campaign with a $25,000 donation. 

 

As far as I know, we are the first faith community to join this campaign and now I am using this action to encourage other faith communities to imagine ways of taking part. I also want to encourage you to consider if you should become part of the “50 for 50” campaign, either as an individual or within a charitable group that you are part of. If you have any interest in doing so or want to learn more, please let me know.  

 

There are so many needs and so many worthy organizations trying to meet those needs in our area and throughout the world. I appreciate how our Mission Commission endeavors to match our resources with those needs in ways that reflect our commitments to justice and compassion. 

 

See you in worship, 
Mark of St. Mark

 

Catching Up, pt.1

 Friends, 

 

Last weekend, we welcomed five new members into our church family and this weekend we will welcome four more. What a joy it is to welcome new members into our church. They bring gifts, wisdom, and curiosity. They have come to us by dint of God’s grace and calling, so now when we say, “St. Mark” we are speaking of them as well as those members who have been here for many years. What joy.

 

This week and next, I will lift up on a few things that are happening in our church life. 

 

We re-started our Brew Theology gatherings this week after a brief interlude, with a robust group and an engaging conversation around “My story, our story, God’s story.” 

 

Our Sunday morning worship continues to be powerful and meaningful, particularly with the music ministry under Ryan Yoder’s leadership and with Alicia Adams’ accompaniment. In addition, Debbie Fetterhoff and Alexei Rehorn have been leading our beautiful Handbell Ensemble. We always welcome new voices and ringers, so please feel free to contact the church office if you are interested in sharing your gifts. 

 

On Saturdays, our worship is very similar in its content but has a different vibe in its form. We have a smaller ensemble of musicians and singers, who show up faithfully each week to empower the music and liturgy with Ron Levy as our pianist and music director. Our “Life Together” gatherings and occasional “Meet Me at Muldoon’s” events (this Saturday!) have made this gathering more intimate and welcoming. 

 

Our Preschool is also doing exceptionally well. Under the excellent direction of Monica Heredia and Noemi Carrillo, we are operating at full capacity, offering tremendous opportunities for families and children to engage together in a wholistic, compassionate approach to early education. Our Governing Commission (5 church members with the director) and Parent Advisory Council (which also includes church members with parents) are doing great work are always exploring other ways of building our relationships. 

 

Another exciting thing that is happening these days is our exploration, with students at Cal-Poly, of ways to enhance and maintain our property. We love our canyon and our Facilities Commission have recently added Monarch butterfly habitats in its apron. Now, we are looking at more ways to lower fire risks, as well as ways to enhance the grounds surrounding the preschool. The process is early yet, but it has been wonderful to see landscape architectural students in conversation with our Facilities Commission about our commitment to environmental sustainability. 

 

There’s too much more to share, more to celebrate, and more to say, but for now I will just encourage you to read our 2025 Annual report and marvel at how faithful God has been among us as how faithful so many of our members have been in response. It is a joy to serve here.

 

See you in worship,

Mark of St. Mark