January 2008

Bus to Consecration on Feb. 2, 2008

Leaving St. Mark’s about 10:30 am - Returning about 5pm

A Great Day to be an Episcopalian: Sat. Feb. 2^nd

This may be a stretch for some people, but I hope many will consider coming to the consecration service on Sat. Feb. 2^nd when Jeffrey Lee becomes the 12^th bishop of the Diocese of Chicago. You’re not likely to have another chance to attend such a service in the next few years. To come to a service like this is to be reminded of what a great fellowship actually constitutes the Episcopal Church. We’re hoping to have a good number from St. Mark’s attend. We’re hoping to have a bus take us to the church where this grand event occurs: The House of Hope Arena, 752 E. 114th St in Chicago. We’d like to have enough people to fill half a bus because St. Michael’s parishioners will be joining us. It’s the GREEN thing to do. We’ll keep the cost way down this way. We’ll have a good time on the ride to and from the consecration, making new friends along the way. It will be a privilege to represent St. Mark’s at this historic event.

Please call the office if you’d like to put your name on the list. We’ll probably leave about 10 in the morning, and be back close to 5:00 p.m. that afternoon. Please use the form below to let us know that you intend to come, and if you’d like to be on the bus. We need to order tickets from the diocese and therefore we need an accurate count of those planning to attend. There is plenty of room, by the way, for all to come, but we still need to use tickets as that helps those planning for this worship service. A consecration is one of those rare events which is something like an ecclesiastical circus. We’ll even have two Presiding Bishops of our church in attendance, as the former PB and bishop of this diocese, Bishop Frank Griswold, will be present. The current Presiding Bishop, Katharine Jefferts-Schori will be the chief-consecrator. It promises to be a most memorable and fun day. ghm

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Consecration of the 12^th Bishop of the Diocese of Chicago Feb. 2, 2007

_____Yes, I’ll be there for the consecration.

_____Yes, I’ll ride the bus.

$10.00 per person will be collected on the bus.

Name:____________________________________Phone____________

Email______________________________________________________

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From the Interim Rector’s Desk…

On Purpose With God

In the church world there are two kinds of interim ministry. Some churches have been known to do a search as quickly and as inexpensively as possible, and then after making a call they hope for the best. The result can be a new pastor who is an unintentional interim. If that is the case, such a pastor leaves the church in a big or bigger mess. At St. Mark’s the leadership took a different path. They called for an “intentional interim” [that’s me] and then put together a Search Committee to take the necessary time to look for the right person to be the church’s next rector.

The important element in our current process is “intention” which is the desire to accomplish something that is meaningful and which has purpose. The concept applies to our faith. Do we have an ‘unintentional faith” or “an intentional faith?” In my experience we find far more meaning in our faith, when we work at it, and when we resolve that our faith needs our attention. This is the thinking that will be in the background when I offer all of you a chance for a deeper walk in faith starting this month. It will be part of our season of Epiphany, when we hear stories about the ministry of Jesus. I’ll be asking you to think about the ways you might dedicate yourself to let your faith grow. Usually there is some evidence showing when an intention is real.

At my local YMCA I’ll see more people in the gym in the first weeks after the New Year because of some resolutions that people will be making about matters affecting their health, their weight, and their life-style. I also know that their ranks will thin out through the year. I won’t let that worry me, though, for I’ve been there myself. Perhaps many have done the same. We have the best of intentions, and then we fail to achieve our goals. So it is that sometimes we simply have to make a new intention and start all over again. The same thing can happen in our faith walk.

To be a disciple isn’t about having a perfect track record. It isn’t about having made a promise once and then sticking to it through thick and thin. To be a disciple is simply to be one who follows Jesus and intends to follow him daily. And when we fall away, we can make a new intention to get back on the path of following the Lord. That’s all I’ll be suggesting that we all do as we start the New Year. Let us intend a more purposeful dedicated walk with God. In so doing, chances are we’ll discover more about God and more about grace than we ever thought possible. That is my hope for all of us in the New Year.

Faithfully in Christ,

The Rev. Dr. George H. Martin

Rector’s Schedule Changes

Caroline fell on January 12 and broke her hip. She is OK, but will be in the therapy process for a while. I will not be at St. Mark’s on January 20^th, but will be returning for the services and the Annual Meeting on January 27. The following week, I will make a quick trip to Texas to help my father who was diagnosed with congested heart failure. Together, we will make some decisions concerning his future welfare.

Thanks for your Cards and Invitations

I thank all in the parish for your cards and invitations at Christmas. I feel so blessed to have come here, and know I’ve made many friends that I’ll keep long after this interim is past. I’m pleased that we could spend this Christmas together. George

Kids Welcome at the Consecration

Attention all Parents! The consecration of the new bishop will be a great event for your kids. What’s really cool is that they will get their own bulletin and have GREAT seats up front. You can go along, but you’ll have to sit with the rest of us. The kids are really included this time. Believe me 70 or 80 years from now they’ll be telling their grandchildren (and your great grandchildren) about the time they saw Jeffrey Lee become the 12th Bishop of Chicago.

Good Old Jeffrey

As some of you know, along with the learning opportunities I provide for adults at our annual diocesan convention, I run both a parallel children’s and junior high program. Since this past convention was a convention of election for a new bishop, I built in special times in the kiddo program for prayers for the election. We had talked about bishops and what they were and about some famous bishops of the past, like Peter and Augustine and Thomas Becket, and they had in fact, experienced some of the flavor of the medieval Church, created stained glass windows, learned a little about sandal-making and archery and bread-baking and decided that, on the whole, they thought they preferred the 21^st century to, say, the 12^th.

On the morning of the election, I gathered them in a circle so that we could pray for their parents and for the others who were down the hall electing and we prayed for each of the eight candidates, by name and LOUDLY. When I asked them what they wanted to say to God about all of this, they had plenty of prayer: “Let the new bishop be as kid-friendly as Bishop Bill,” said one. And another – the child of 2 priests – popped up with “That’s important, God. But even more important, let the new bishop be somebody who has vision and who will know how to lead us to be the church we should be.” He’s 8 and that’s what he prayed. We had one 4 year old who prayed every time we prayed, for those who had no food or clothes to wear “...and it’s cold outside”. And a little girl, all of 5, prayed for the 7 others who would not be elected “because they might be sad and cry and they need you, God.” They asked if they could have an election too, and when they cast their voice votes, like the good Chicagoans they are, they voted often.

So, in the early afternoon, when I learned that an election had been confirmed, I brought them back together into the prayer circle. I lit a candle for each of them. We had a moment of silence. They asked if they had elected the one their parents had and – given their multiple ballots of the morning – I was able truthfully to tell them that they had. I suggested that now was the time for a prayer of thanksgiving and since the election is such a happy occasion, perhaps this time we could sing our prayer. I started them with “Thank you, God, for Jeffrey Lee” which they dutifully and tunefully repeated and then one of the girls chimed in with “Good old Jeffrey,” arm pumping the air for emphasis. And we sang a prayer about those without food or clothes and one for the 7 who were sad and one for new leadership and vision and, inexplicably to me anyway, for window-washers who have it hard, according to one of the 5 year olds.

On the second of February – fittingly the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple – the Diocese of Chicago will gather in celebration on the far south side of the city, to ordain and consecrate Jeffrey Dean Lee twelfth bishop of Chicago. I don’t know how many of you have been to an ordination. It’s a wonderful occasion, whether the ordinand be a candidate for deacon, priest or bishop. There’s lots of ceremony, lots of color and music, canons to be followed and details aplenty. All of it surrounded and girded by the prayer of the community gathered as we say in effect: “This is the one we have called from among us to serve God and to lead all of us” in a particular way.

We will ordain and consecrate Jeff beside a baptismal font flowing with water, and we do it there and not at an altar or on a stage because baptism is where it all begins for those of us who understand ourselves to be Christian. When Jeff appears that afternoon in the arena, he will be clothed only in an alb, the long white garment that recalls baptism. The alb is not, as many suppose, a vestment for priests or deacons; it is the outer garment worn by any of us to represent our baptism, to remind us that in that sacrament we were once named and claimed for Christ, called to act in his name in the world. Baptism is ordination for all of us. Although as a duly ordained priest of the church, Jeff often wears other items of clothing that mark his priesthood – the stole he wears around his neck when he acts as chief celebrant at a sacramental rite, for instance – when he presents himself for ordination to this new order in the church, he will go back to basics. He will appear among us as one of us, clean and new, empty in a way, in preparation for taking on this new service in our name and in the name of God.

So it’s very fitting to me that it’s the voices of children – those most often closest to the moment of their own baptism – who ring in my memory as I prepare to celebrate with Jeff and the rest of the diocese his becoming our 12^th bishop. And it’s fitting that at his ordination and consecration all of us in attendance will renew with him the baptismal vows that were made for us when most of us were too young to walk, much less understand the promises that were being made in our brand new names.

“Good old Jeffrey,” indeed. Good old us. Thank, you God. – Vicki Garvey

Remember your Baptismal Promises

Particularly the ones you made when witnessing the baptism of any of our kiddos. They need you, your expertise and your passion now. The Rotation Model Church School which we’re running this year for our 3^rd – 6^th graders, is popular with them and with the volunteer adults who have been facilitating the lessons thus far this year. Everybody’s learning. But we need more adults. We have very few adult facilitators for the rest of the year and without your help, there is no program. Not good. Please consider giving one hour of your time to our kids. See Anita Mathewson or Vicki for more details. Thanks.

Tour of the Fermi Lab-Tuesday, Jan. 22

Come with us to the edge of the universe! Come with us to peek inside an atom, at a curious mixture of quarks and electrons! Come with us to wonder about anti-matter, which can’t be seen but which does exist! We will have a tour of the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory where distinguished scientists study high-energy physics leading us to know more about the beginnings of our universe, as well as the complexity of the atomic world. An old friend of the rectors, Nancy Lanning, leads tours at the Fermi Lab which is located in Batavia, south of Barrington. We’ll car pool from the church leaving around 11am, and then have lunch at the Fermi cafeteria before beginning our three-hour tour at one in the afternoon. Please tell others and welcome your friends to come. We need an exact count ahead of time, however, and ask that you call the office if you want to come. ghm

A Trip to Fermi Lab

Name________________________________Phone____________

________Yes, I (we) plan to join the St. Mark’s group tour of Fermi Lab. on Jan. 22.

# attending _____________________________

_________I can drive a group to Fermi Lab.

Annual Meeting on Sunday, Jan. 27^th

9:00 am and 11:30 am.

How can it be that we’re having a two-part Annual meeting? What we’re gong to do is have the business part first at 9am and then the party part after church. We’ll have a light lunch, and offer some important recognitions in the second part of our meeting. The reason to come to the annual meeting, though, isn’t because we make it convenient and easy to attend (which we do), but because this church (The Episcopal Church) is at its roots, the church of the people, by the people and for the people. (The words are not original to me, but they are fine words.) We’re a democratic church centered in an annual meeting required by our canons. We’re also a representative democracy electing our leaders to serve us on the vestry at this meeting. The vestry, in turn, has a fiduciary duty, as spelled out in the canons of the church, to report to the congregation how the money was spent in ministry in the previous year. While we may report our intentions as shown forth in a budget for the new year, that is not what is voted on. The annual meeting is asked to accept or reject the Treasurer’s Report for the previous year. Were we faithful or weren’t we? Only by coming and attending and participating are you demonstrating that you belong to the church. I hope we’ll have a huge attendance on this Sunday simply because this is what Episcopalians do when we love and honor our church. (I wish I could tell you that there might be a conflict between this Annual meeting and the Chicago Bears being involved in postseason football, but I can’t. Sadly, you can’t use as an excuse for missing the Annual Meeting that the Bears are still playing football. Maybe next year!) ghm

Vestry Nominations

A Nominating Committee, as provided for in the parish by-laws, will place the following names in nomination during the Annual Meeting on January 27, 2008: Eric Anderson, Dick Resseguie and Don Svec for a three year term on the vestry; Bill Setterstrom for a one year unexpired term; Jill Meyer for a two year term as Junior Warden; and Ned Loughridge for a two year term as Senior Warden.

Additional nominations by any member of the parish qualified to vote at the annual meeting may be submitted in writing, with the consent of the nominee, to the Clerk of the Vestry, Linda Gray The by-laws provide for nominations, with the consent of the nominee, to be made from the floor of the meeting. Biographical sketches for the nominees follow.

Eric Anderson

Eric Anderson married Alison Davis in 1997 at St. Mark’s. Eric and Alison have two daughters, Madeline, born June 3, 2003, and Olivia, born April 22, 2006. Alison is the daughter of Heath and Jane Davis, and she has been a long-time member of St. Marks.  Alison, Madeline and Olivia were all baptized at St. Marks. Eric is a lawyer. In addition to his other areas of practice Eric is general counsel to not-for-profit agencies, such as Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois.

Ned Loughridge

Ned Loughridge, a native of northeastern Ohio, completed his undergraduate studies in music at The College of Wooster and earned a masters degree in advertising from Northwestern University.

He is currently President and Chief Operating Officer of Globe Marketing Partners, Ltd., a strategic marketing and branding firm located in Chicago. Formerly he served as Executive Vice President and Corporate Development Officer for Zurich Life.

At St. Mark’s, Ned is a member of the choir, men’s club, foyer group and a former vestryman. He served on the FIGS committee which conducted our church survey and developed our current tagline, Believing, Belonging, Becoming. He and his wife Jo were married at St. Mark’s Church in 1999. His hobbies include golf, reading and Northwestern football during the fall season.

Jill Meyer

Jill is what is known euphemistically as a “cradle Episcopalian” having grown up at St. Thomas Church in Port Clinton, Ohio. After graduating with a B. S. Degree in Business from Miami University, Jill lived and worked in New York City where she taught Sunday School at St. Thomas Church on Fifth Avenue. Jill moved to Chicago, then Barrington where she served as Vice President, Direct Marketing Production with the Signature Group. In 1987, Jill moved to Million Dollar Round Table where she was Director of Membership and International Services. This allowed Jill to visit 50 countries and every continent except Antarctica (not many insurance agents in Antarctica). Jill retired from MDRT in 2006. At St. Mark’s, Jill has served two three-year terms on the vestry and has been a lay reader, member of the choir, member of the rector search committee and, most important (to Jill), director of the Youth Choir. Jill serves on the Bishop’s Associates Committee and volunteers at Good Shepherd Hospital where she was recently inducted as Finance Secretary of the Good Shepherd Auxiliary. Jill is a proud great aunt to her sister’s grandchildren Kyle (4), Colin (3) and Kendall Jill (1) and her late brother’s darling two-year old granddaughter Annika. Jill lives in Lake Barrington Shores.

Dick Resseguie

Dick Resseguie has been a member of St. Mark’s since 1992. He served on the Vestry from 1996-1999. Dick also served as Senior Warden, Junior Warden and as Treasurer. Dick has also been active on the Finance Commission, Men’s Group, Lay Eucharistic Minister and Acolyte.

Dick lives in Fox River Grove with his wife, Kristi, and their three children – Megan (age 18), Adam (age 16) and Mauri age 14). Adam and Mauri are also graduates of St. Mark’s Day School.

Dick has been with Harris Bank for almost twenty years and is the Regional President of Harris Barrington.

Dick’s interests are in watching his kid’s sport events, running, golfing and reading.

William N. Setterstrom

Bill Setterstrom, who is a life long Episcopalian and has been a member of St. Mark’s for the past 15 years, retired as Senior Vice President and Director of Human Resources for the Northern Trust Corporation, Chicago, in March, 2002. He received a BA degree in 1964 from Hobart College in Geneva, New York. He then served four years in the U.S. Navy, completing two tours of destroyer duty in Viet Nam. From 1968 to 1984 he was employed by J.P. Morgan & Company; he joined Northern Trust in 1984.

Bill serves as a Lay Eucharistic Minister and completed the Parish Chaplains Training Course at the Bishop Anderson House. He previously served a three year term on the Vestry from 2002- 2004.

He and Judee, wife of 42 years, live in Deer Park. Their three children, Suzanne, Kristen, and David are “launched,” and they have three grandchildren; they expecting a fourth in March. Bill is an avid golfer, reader, and Kansas Jay Hawk basketball and Dodger baseball fan.

Don Svec

My name is Don Svec. I’m 42 years young. I was born and raised in Mt. Prospect, IL. I attended St. Emily’s Catholic Elementary School and St. Viator High School. I attended the United States Air Force Academy from 1984-1986 and then DePaul University.

My wife Keri and I have 4 children with a 5^th on the way, due in April. We have attended St. Mark’s for 4 plus years. We came to St. Mark’s because we liked the small community feel. And after a heart-to-heart with George Hull, we made St. Mark’s our choice for a place of worship. We also utilize the wonderful Day School. We have 2 children enrolled with Jane and her excellent staff.

Professionally I have worked in the Futures Industry for almost 22 years. Presently I own my own Consultancy. My area of expertise is the software that accounts for about 80% of the processing of Futures Brokerages’ trading volume. My company provides Application Support, Business Analysis and Project Management services for those brokerages.

While not 100% familiar with the workings of the Vestry, I plan on learning from current and past leaders to provide quality help and leadership to and for the St. Mark’s Community.

Parish Luncheon

Sunday, January 27

The St. Mark’s Social Committee, Joan Bennett, Holly Dietz, Linda Gray & Anita Mathewson are planning an informal lunch following the Annual Meeting on Sunday, Jan. 27. You can help by bringing a hot or cold salad or a dessert. We will provide the entrée and beverages. Also, she could use some assistance with set-up beforehand, or clean-up afterwards. Send the info requested to eschoon@st-markschurch.org or drop in the Sunday offering. Questions? Call the parish office at 847-381-0596

Name: _____________________________Phone No. ___________

_____Yes, I will bring a hot or cold salad to the Annual Meeting Lunch.

_____Yes, I will bring a dessert to the Annual Meeting Lunch.

_____Yes, I can help set up.

_____Yes, I can help clean up.

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Votes Casted for Ash Wednesday Services

I happen to believe that Ash Wednesday is one of those days that needs to be part of our spiritual walk in faith, even though there are aspects of this day that are hard, difficult to fathom, and even downright strange in this do-your-own-thing culture of ours. So to encourage more St. Markians to join us here on that day, we voted for services times. And the end result cemented service times at 6:30 am, Noon and 7pm with Souper Supper beginning at 6pm. If you can’t remember it in terms of the liturgical calendar, just remember that it comes the day after Super-Tuesday. A little repentance may certainly be in order on such a day. ghm

Looking Ahead: Ash Wednesday on Feb. 6^th

As you may know Easter comes very early this year. It is on March 23^rd, which means that Lent gets an extra early start this year. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, a day that is strange and compelling. What is it inside hearts that welcomes the honest reflections about life and death which are offered on Ash Wednesday? I don’t know that I can explain why we know, almost intuitively, that this is an important part of our faith walk. It just is. We’ll have three services on Ash Wednesday, designed to welcome as many as we can. The times are 6:30am, Noon, and 7pm. (Actually we’ll start at 6:00pm on Ash Wednesday night with the first Souper Supper in Lent. A couple of different varieties of soup, with bread and crackers, will be offered. We’ll eat in silence, while someone reads to us. It is an old Monastic tradition. Then our worship follows at 7pm)

Bring your Palms Back to Church

Any Sunday in January

If you’ve saved palms from last year or any other previous years you are invited to bring them back to church. They will be burned on the Sunday, Feb. 3^rd as we prepare to have ashes to use on Ash Wednesday. Simply leave your palms on the table by the door to the Sacristy. Thank You.

Mysteries of the Faith Group

Mysteries of the Faith Group meets the first, third and fifth Tuesday of each month. All are welcome to attend and join the group discussion lead by Vicki Garvey.

Bible Study 101...

Come one, come all to this beginner's group led by Vicki Garvey held on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month, 7-8 pm in the Anniversary Room. Our next meeting will focus on Matthew (1,2), Luke (1,2 These readings are the beginning portrait of Jesus. Any questions, call Vicki or Mary Ann Roeser (815-353-7337). Please join us at our next meeting on January 21. Hope to see you there!,3) and John (1.1-18). This is an introduction to a "theme" reading in which we will start to learn how they told their story of Christmas.

Women’s Spirituality

Women’s Spirituality meets the 4^th Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Anniversary Room. All are most welcome. Contact Diane Beverley with your questions at 847-991-4022.

The Men’s Group – Noon Edition

You are cordially invited to join this distinguished group of men who meet the 2^nd & 4^th Tuesdays of each month at 10:00 a.m. in the Anniversary Room to discuss a variety of readings. All are most welcome.

Care ‘N Share

Care’ N Share will meet for the first time in 2008 on Saturday, January 19 at 6:30 pm at the home of Cary & Tom Doner for dinner, fellowship and discussion. Please call Cary at 847-462-0522 if you plan to attend.

African Team Ministries Feb. 3 - Feb. 10

You will have an opportunity to shop & save for Valentine’s Day at the annual African Team Ministries Sale on Sunday, February 3 as well as February 10. We’ll be open for business offering jewelry, carved items and more after each of the services in the Anniversary Room. Shop early. Shop often. Help farmers and kids help themselves.

Welcoming Cory Thompson

to the St. Mark’s Staff

Starting in January Cory Thompson will begin a transition in our music ministry. St. Mark’s has been truly blessed for the past nine years with the leadership of Nancie Tobison, who is also the Choir Director at Barrington High School. Everyone in the larger community knows what a fine musician Nancie is, and what success her choirs have had in competitions. St. Mark’s has benefited from Nancie’s gifts and there were many times when young people in her choirs, and some who had graduated from those choirs came to help us. As many know Nancie and her husband David also have a home in Arizona. They hope to eventually retire there, probably visiting Barrington in the summer.

Cory Thompson has been working with Nancie for the last few years as a voice instructor for some Barrington High students. She and her husband Matt, along with their 4 month old daughter Emma, call St. Mark’s their church home. As we move through this year, Cory will take over more responsibility for the choir, but she will ask Nancie to substitute for those practice times and Sundays when her school responsibilities prevent her from coming. In many ways we get the best of both worlds as Cory and Nancie work together as a team in this time of transition.

Congratulations to Nancie Tobison and the Madrigal Singers from Barrington High School

In case you missed the news story that was in the Pioneer Press on Thursday Dec. 13^th along with a great picture, we want you all to know that Nancie and part of her choir sang at the White House Staff party in December. The President was in his office, but heard them from his upstairs office. The choir sang other places around Washington D.C. and that included the main worship service at St. John’s Episcopal Church, right across from the White House. Pictures of the event are found on the Barrington High School page at http://bhs.cusd220.lake.k12.il.us/2007/Madrigal/singers.asp. The best thing to do is to ask Nancie to tell you all about it. They had a wonderful time!