On Lion - St. Mark`s Episcopal Church

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
Connecting Spirits
Engaging Minds
ON LION
Welcoming All
November 2015
Sacred Sounds at St. Mark’s Concert Series Begins
Sunday, November 15, 5:00 p.m.
David Baskeyfield, organ
Among the most exciting and insightful organ virtuosos today, British native David
Baskeyfield has won three of the world’s most prestigious international
competitions, including the St. Alban’s Competition and the Canadian Competition.
Known for his flair and sensitivity as well as for his brilliant improvisations, one
reviewer noted that Baskeyfield’s performance left him “choked up and unable to
speak for quite a while after the last notes faded away.” This varied program will
feature St. Mark’s magnificent 57-stop J.W. Walker organ. Don’t miss this very special
free event!
The Right Rev. Whayne M. Hougland
9th Bishop of Western Michigan
Clergy
The Rev. Brenton H. Carey, Interim Rector
The Rev. Susan York, Associate for Pastoral Care
The Rev. Dr. Hugh Dickinson, Priest Associate
Ministry Support Team
Dr. Gregory Crowell, Music Director
Brandon Hollins, Organ Scholar
Lauren Davidson, Children’s Choir Director
Mary Heintzelman, Office Manager
Jane Stidolph, Dir. of Christian Formation
Jeff Brown, Dir. of Youth Ministries
Pam Stevenson, Finance Manager
David Hawley, Facilities Manager
Julian Medrano, Facilities Assistant
Officers and Vestry Members
Jennifer Julius, Sr. Warden
Leigh Eicke, Jr. Warden
Mark Stoppels, Treasurer
Laura Roy, Secretary
Through 2015: Leigh Eicke, Jennifer Julius, and
Mark Stoppels
Through 2016: Chuck Bocskey, David Kidd, and
Catherine Frerichs
Through 2017: Vijay Dillet, Laura Roy,
Debbie Weinrick, Dan Mc Donald, and Jackie Taylor
St. Mark’s Ministries
Fellowship Ministry - Judy Fetterhoff
Communications Ministry — Leigh Eicke
Formation Ministry
Children - Jane Stidolph
Youth - Jeff Brown
Adult - Fr. Brent Carey
Library - Charles Brown
Healing Racism - Becky Bocskey
Health Ministry - Mthr Sue York
Radical Welcome Ministry - Catherine Frerichs
Worship - Fr. Brent Carey
Altar Guild - Margaret Stretton
Ushers - Tom Burr
Stewardship Ministry
Finance & Facilities - Sharon Buursma
Endowment Board - Wendy Stock
Stewardship Committee - Roger York
Outreach Ministry
Outreach/Christian Justice - John Bosserman
Breakfast Café - Jennifer Julius
Connecting Spirits Engaging Minds Welcoming All
On Lion is published eight times a year by
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
134 North Division Avenue
Grand Rapids, MI 49503-3103
(616) 456-1684 fax (616) 456-7506
www.stmarksgr.org
https://www.facebook.com/
From Fr. Brent
Jesus sat down opposite the treasury,
and watched the crowd putting money
into the treasury. Many rich people put
in large sums. A poor widow came and
put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then he
called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow
has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury.
For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out
of her poverty has put in everything she had, all that she had to live
on.”
Mark 12:41-44
Everything she had. All she had to live on. Two small copper coins.
Seems foolish, doesn’t it? Maybe it was a mistake. Maybe she
was suffering from some form of dementia and didn’t know what
she was doing. She gave all she had to live on to the temple
treasury; to the place where God resides; expecting nothing in
return.
Two small copper coins. The equivalent of a penny; a Roman
quadrans. The smallest denomination of Roman coinage. It was
valued at roughly one sixty-fourth of a laborer’s daily wage. A true
pittance. Not worth a darn.
And yet Jesus lifts up her contribution as the ultimate in
generosity. Why? After all, the rich folks were giving huge sums to
the treasury, enough to pay for the best of everything. Surely their
generosity far outstripped what others could give, especially the
poor. What good is a penny from some poor widow anyway?
I don’t think that Jesus disparages the gifts from the wealthy as
much as he appreciates the selfless sacrifice made by the poor
widow. With next to nothing to give to support the work of the
temple, she gave all her wealth to God. From her heart. From the
depth of her soul. Out of boundless thanks to God. Out of love for
God’s generosity in giving her the penny which she gave back.
The poor widow gave back to God out of her poverty because she
understood the nature of trust in God. She knew God as the
Creator – her creator – the one who would sustain her life against
terrible odds and frequent misfortune. She trusted God, because
she knew God to be generous and her only way to appropriately
thank God was to give back to God what God had given to her.
And she knew that God would always be with her. She didn’t have
worldly abundance, but she did have an abundance of gratitude,
trust, and love. And she gladly returned all of it to God.
Father Brent+
616-456-1684 (Office)
[email protected]
From Mthr Sue
From the Healing Racism Ministry
Our next Women's Spa Day will be held on
Thursday, December 10, from 9:30am to
2:30pm. We will be posting a signup for
volunteers to assist on that day in the near future.
In the meantime, while you are getting ready for
Winter and find that you have extra jackets,
coats, scarves, hats and mittens, for women,
please consider donating them for our guests to
wear during the cold Winter months. We also will
ingather Men's coats , hats and gloves for the
Veteran's Home. Bring your items to church in a
plastic bag and we will hold them . See Marissa
Lee or me with questions.
Did You Know? Institutional Racism exists when laws
and practices discriminate against certain groups of
people because of the color of their skin. While perhaps
subtle, the effects on those affected are destructive and
far reaching for them and for society. Two books which
highlight institutional racism in the criminal justice
system are:
If you are someone who would like to make soup
or a meal for a fellow parishioner, who is
recovering from illness, surgery, or other need,
please let Holly Stoneman Green or me know. We
are hoping to be more effective in providing this
ministry to our parishioners and we know that a
delicious bowl of Chicken Soup made by loving
hands from someone in the parish is the best
medicine.
With Thanks and Blessings for all that you do to
grow and nurture our faith community of St.
Marks,
Sue
Mthr Sue York
Associate for Pastoral Care

The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of
Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander. Challenging
the notion that with the election of Barack Obama
that the country began a new era of colorblindness,
Alexander argues, “we have not ended racial cast in
America; we have merely redesigned it.” While it
formally adheres to the principle of colorblindness,
she maintains that “the U.S. criminal justice system
functions as a contemporary system of racial
control” by targeting black men through the War on
Drugs, which has decimated communities of color
relegating millions to a permanent second-class
status.

Just Mercy-A Story of Justice and Redemption by
Bryan Stevenson, an award winning, highly
acclaimed bestseller and true story about the
author’s legal practice of defending the most
desperate and needy. He provides “an inspiring
argument for compassion in the pursuit of true
justice”.
--Recommended by Healing Racism Ministry Members
Meet Kate Pyles
(part of a series of informal portraits of people at St. Mark’s)
Kate is a steady regular at St. Mark’s. She’s down front
every Sunday, videotaping the sermon, then editing it,
and posting it on our website. Kate also helped to
design our attractive, easy-to-use new website—a skill
she brings from her position as an Account Manager at
Grand Office Supply.
Kate, her partner Jerome, and their son Alexander
moved back to Grand Rapids just over a year ago.
Besides working full-time, Kate is finishing up a
Marketing degree at Davenport University. Jerome is a
project manager for a warehousing and logistics
company. Kate knew she wanted to attend St. Mark’s,
where she had been confirmed. Both Alexander and she
were warmly welcomed—more so than at any other
church she’s attended, she says.
“The welcome still exists. I needed something that
centers me,” which Kate gets at St. Mark’s. She
describes herself as a “traditionalist” in worship. She
likes traditional hymns, but has found herself enjoying
the new liturgical forms in use this summer and fall:
“They help me to really listen.” She deeply appreciates
the “joyful” music that Greg Crowell brings us.
Kate says Alexander, a third grader, loves Children’s
Formation. Besides making new friends, “He’s getting a
spiritual dimension I can’t give him on my own.”
In the next five years, Kate would like to see St. Mark’s
continue to build on its strong foundation. It will change,
but she knows she can trust the change.
Catherine Frerichs
Snoxell Library News
A timely and important book, just published, has
been added to the parish library: The Relevance of
Religion: How Faithful People Can Change Politics,
by John Danforth. An ordained Episcopal priest
and a lawyer in St. Louis, he served in the United
States Senate from 1976 to 1995. A graduate of
Princeton, Yale Divinity School, and Yale Law
School, he sees religion and politics on different,
but related, levels of life. This is his second book
on the subject. Citing the Love Commandment —
“Love your neighbor as yourself”—as the link
between faith and politics for Christians and Jews,
he observes that its application in public policy in
a diverse and complex society like ours, with
different interests and values, requires
compromise, particularly in the halls of Congress.
A lifelong Republican, Danforth calls his own party
to task for its part in creating a political milieu in
which loud and polarizing voices threaten wise
and balanced governance. Religious humility, he
suggests, can improve the tone of politics. This
book is in the ‘N’ section.
Also new on the shelves is a splendidly illustrated
edition of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, introducing
Middle Earth in his three-volume epic The Lord of
the Rings. This particular volume appeals to all ages,
parents often reading it to children. It’s in the ‘V’
section.
Two corrections of last month’s issue of On Lion
are here underlined: (1) The Oxford Book of Prayer
is in the library’s ‘T’ section, (2) A key sentence in
the paragraph about Harvey Cox’s How to Read
the Bible should read: “Cox...presents the case for
approaching Scripture in a way that is grounded
both in reading the biblical texts and in studying
their historical contexts and literary forms, taking
both tasks seriously in order to understand the
Bible and its meaning.”
Charles Brown
Librarian
Advent Devotionals
Thanks to all who prepared
meditations for the Advent Devotional:
John Bosserman,
Angie Brown,
Fr. Brent Carey,
Doug Karsen,
Cathie Rogg,
Holly Stoneman-Green, and
Aleta Wells,
If all goes as planned, the devotionals
will be available November 22nd.
The 2016 Lent Devotional still needs 3
people to volunteer to write their
meditations in response to a Scripture
verse. Because Lent begins early next
year, we’ll be sending out the verse
assignments in early January. Call Mary
at 456-1684, ext. 30 to volunteer or
email her at [email protected].
Bible Study Returns
for
Adult Formation
on Sundays!
Beginning on Sunday, November 8,
Bible Study will be offered in the
Canterbury Room, 9:15 - 10:15am.
All are welcome!
Children’s
Formation
All Saints’ Day Celebration
All Saints’ Day is when the Church honors all Holy Ones, known and unknown. On this All Saints’ Day, the
middle/high school will make a special presentation during the 10:30 worship service.
Christmas Eve & Christmas Pageant
Make note in your calendars now that this year our Children’s Choir will lead music during our family
service at 5pm Christmas Eve. Also our Christmas pageant will take place on Sunday January 3 during the
10:30am worship service. (Dress Rehearsal will be Saturday January 2.)
Eastern Standard Time … Again!
Don’t forget! — Daylight Savings ends Sunday November 1st. It’s fall, so we gain an hour. Remember to
turn your clocks back one hour.
October Outreach - Kids Food Basket
Sunday October 25th, we gathered to mix and bag over 600 bags of trail mix for the Kid’s Food Basket
organization. The children have been working since July, preparing for this event. We will be using the
other food items we collected as part of our November outreach project.
November Outreach - Giving Tree
Each year we collect outerwear, underwear, and toiletries for area charities on our “giving tree.” In an
effort to more directly involve the children, as well as answer their call to learn, we will be sewing simple
fleece hats and scarves. We will gather Sunday November 15 after the 10:30 worship service for a light
lunch and to sew as many scarves and hats as we can or until we run out of fleece!
Not into sewing? That’s okay. Come and help us make snack packs for Kids Food Basket using the food
we collected during October, or we can begin making toiletry kits for area homeless organizations.
Important Dates:
November 1: Children’s Choir in 10:30 service
November 15: 12pm Sew Sunday (Outreach)
November 22: Children’s Choir with adult choir in 10:30 service
November 29: NO Children’s Choir (Thanksgiving weekend)
December 6: St. Nicholas Celebration
December 13: Cookie Walk
In Community,
Jane Leacock Stidolph
Director of Christian Formation
GRAND
RAPIDS
EPISCOPAL
YOUTH
Grand Rapids Episcopal Youth (G.R.E.Y.)
is a joint youth program between St.
Mark’s and St. Andrew’s Episcopal
Churches for 6th-12th grade youth, which
also welcomes youth from other
Episcopal churches in the Greater Grand
Rapids area. Please contact Jeff Brown,
Director of Youth Ministries, to receive
more information on our G.R.E.Y.
activities: [email protected]
Outreach/Christian Justice
in Action Mode
The OCJ steering committee has been working through
various groups and ministries to promote acts of Christian
justice within the community. Here are some of the
highlights of our work.
Recently Completed:

Sock Drive: With the help of Christian Formation, a sock drive
brought in 1000 pairs of socks to support a community foot
clinic.

Women’s Spa Day: In September, thirty women from the
neighborhood were treated to a day of foot care, movies,
crafts and fellowship.
Upcoming:

Kids Food Basket: On October 25, there will be a “Trail Mix
Party” during coffee hour. This program helps feed 7000
hungry children each week.

Diaper Drive: Plans are underway to collect thousands of
disposable diapers for low-income parents who struggle to
provide this costly but necessary item.

Justice Sundays: We are inviting service agencies we support
to speak to our congregation during adult education and
services. The Rev. Andy DeBraber of Heartside Ministry will be
speaking and preaching at St. Mark’s on November 15.

GRPS: We are working to put a “school adoption” program
together with East Leonard Elementary School to provide
volunteers in this school, which is two miles from St. Mark’s.
We can make a real difference in the lives of young children.
Other Outreach & Justice Activities
This event is open to all 6th-12th graders,
but we do need RSVPs by Wednesday,
November 11 to be sure we have enough
snacks and chaperones. Thanks to Bill
and Sallie Bowie for opening up their
"movie room" to us for this!

Christian Caregiving: A Stephen Ministry program is being
developed, completing one of the tasks of the Radical
Welcome project. More than a dozen volunteers are being
trained to provide caring visitation with St. Mark’s shut-ins
and others who need this special attention.

Diversity Lecture Series: We are asking the congregation to
attend Grand Rapids Community College’s Diversity Lecture
series which is free of charge. The next event is on November
11 at Fountain Street Church. The speaker is Matthew
Crawford, author of: “The World Beyond your Head.”

Partners for a Racism-Free Community, through the Healing
of Racism Ministry, St. Mark’s is advancing its studies and
activities to further its commitment to becoming racism-free.
Jeff Brown
Director of Youth Ministries
If you would like to volunteer to serve in any of the outreach and
justice missions of St. Mark’s, please contact John Bosserman at
[email protected].
John Bosserman
Chair, Outreach/Christian Justice Ministry
Meet Carmel Gardner
(part of a series of informal portraits of people at St. Mark’s)
Elizabeth (Betty) Sullivan,
a former member of
St. Mark’s, passed away in
Hickory NC on July 2, 2015.
She is survived by her
ex-husband, Mike
Krushinsky and their son,
Michael Colin Krushinsky,
former acolyte and
Children’s Choir member,
now of Salt Lake City.
Carmel has been coming to St. Mark’s every Sunday for breakfast since
July. She learned about it through Dégagé, where she felt comfortable
after some difficult times elsewhere, and where worked to build her faith.
She came because of hunger and the name—she grew up Catholic, and she
thought St. Mark’s would be a Catholic church. “People here didn’t look
down on us and they had things to say to us. Mother Sue sat with us. Then
she said, ‘Now you know I’m gonna keep track of you,’ and she has.”
After time in Houston and New Orleans, Carmel returned to Michigan to be
closer to her son and her four-year-old and expected grandchild, but she
didn’t want to burden her son as he was starting a family. Her purpose is to
feel established with God, home, income, and kids. She now has a voucher
and an apartment and she has started babysitting for her son. Reaching
this goal feels like a miracle to her, “but it doesn’t surprise me because it’s
God.”
Carmel would like St. Mark’s to maintain the welcoming of all, the
activities, and the encouragement for everyone to use their gifts.
Leigh Eicke
Income as of September 30, 2015
Category
Happy November Birthday!
Martha Stoppels, Nita DeGraaf,
Megan Anderson, Cara Cassard,
Bobbie Harrison, Kelley Stoppels,
Nancy Slade, Anne Todd, Julie Haan,
Claire VanDeusen, Livia Powers,
Ros Stuart, Larry Manglitz,
Krista Eapen, and Wendy Muma.
Happy Anniversary!
Larry & Sandie Snellink
and
Barb & Victor Balser.
Sunday Breakfast
Prior Yr Pledges
Current Yr Pledges
Loose Plate Offerings
Offerings Not Pledged
Easter/Christmas Offerings
Parking Lot Rents
Misc Income
Endowment Allocation For Operations
Expenses as of September 30, 2015
Category
Pastoral
Facilities
Administration
Diocesan Giving
Christian Education
Music
Outreach
Actual
4,881.00
4,804.50
221,658.03
3,167.31
23,850.51
2,822.66
3z1,328.50
156,043.95
59,429.30
507,985.76
Actual
91,223.51
79,943.12
86,684.97
46,472.22
22,351.80
42,608.53
10,126.77
379,410.92
Budget
9,000.00
2,000.00
231,556.50
3,937.50
33,750.00
4,500.00
41,250.01
2,591.68
33,954.75
362,540.44
Budget
106,787.49
72,477.54
85,245.06
46,470.01
23,721.98
41,145.50
9,000.00
384,847.58
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
134 Division Ave N
Grand Rapids MI 49503-3173
Ph (616) 456-1684
Fax (616) 456-7506
www.stmarksgr.org
https://www.facebook.com/stmarksgr
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
December Highlights…
6 — A Visit by St. Nicholas
13 — Cookie Walk —a tasty way to support Children’s
Formation (If you have the time, plan on doing
Newsletter articles for
the December issue of
the On Lion are due by
5pm on Monday,
Nov. 16th. Space
requests for the month
are due then, too!
some baking to help)
20 —
Sacred Sounds Concert
24 —
Christmas Eve Services:
at 5pm
“Shepherds, Tell Us Your Story: Christmas at
St. Mark’s.
5pm
10pm
25 —
Family Holy Eucharist with Children’s Choir
Solemn Celebration
Christmas Day Service
at 10:30am.