A Whole Lotta Good!

 Friends, 

This weekend is going to be a busy and productive one. On Saturday we will baptize two children during worship, Wally and Ellie Daniels, with their parents Ben and Tessa, grandparents John and Mary, and aunt Leanna in attendance. The Daniels family are new to St. Mark, but have long-term connections with Faith Presbyterian Church in Sioux City, IA, where a friend of mine serves as pastor. Pastor Dave Koehler has invited his congregation to watch the livestream so they can be part of Wally’s and Ellie’s baptism. It delights me that our livestream enables this kind of connection. 

On Saturday and Sunday, we will address the first of the twelve Phoenix Affirmations. “We love God by … “Walking fully in the path of Jesus, without denying the legitimacy of other paths God may provide humanity.” Many churches preach a directly opposite way of approaching other faiths, by insisting that the Christian faith is exclusively the only way that God is at work redemptively in our world. And many of us have been raised to think that way, so this weekend’s Affirmation is going to present a challenge and/or an opportunity to expand our way of thinking. More importantly, it is my hope that it expands our way of living faithfully in God’s world. 

On Sunday afternoon we will host the screening and a panel discussion of the documentary, “True Believer.” This film will also present a challenge to some popular presentations of the Christian faith, with regard to women’s rights, public education, racial justice, as well as the freedom to exercise or freedom from the imposition of religion in the public square. 

Please note: The topics addressed in this film are thought-provoking and can be controversial. We also have a significant number of people attending who are not part of our St. Mark community, so are not easily recognizable. As a result, we are taking extra precautions regarding security, so please don’t be alarmed if you see signs of security on the campus. I am trying to be abundantly cautious. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me here. 

Then, on Wednesday June 12, at 10:00 AM, we are going to begin a weekly study of The Phoenix Affirmations: A New Vision for the Future of Christianity, by Eric Elnes. You can order the book here. This this first week, we will discuss the Introduction and Chapter One. If you are interested in being part of this discussion, please contact us here. I will send out some discussion questions and a zoom link for those who cannot join us in person on Mondays. 

Well, that’s a lot! See you in worship,

Mark of St. Mark