The Lutheran Community Services Hunger Walk/Run is back and all of us — runners, walkers, volunteers and givers — are invited to participate in this event, which supports the ministries of LCS in our community.
The funds raised and food collected from this 5-kilometer event go directly to LCS’ food pantries.
This year’s event marks the 30th anniversary of the Hunger Walk/Run. Though the 2020 event was “virtual,” allowing everyone to choose the place and time of their participation because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year we return to an in-person event on Saturday, September 18 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church at 1530 Foulk Rd., Wilmington, Delaware 19803. Registration starts at 9 a.m. The run/walk starts at 10.
Afterward, stick around for the Family Fun Fair. Games, rides, music and food all are on the agenda.
You can contribute to the success of this day without lacing up any sneakers by supporting those who hit the streets . Register and/or contribute to the individual or team of your choice by visiting LCS’ website here.
The past two weeks have brought devastating news concerning the people of Haiti and Afghanistan. I am overwhelmed with the enormity and desperation of the people involved. If you would like to respond as a faithful member of the ELCA, please consider these two opportunities sent from the Delaware-Maryland Synod.
Thank you!
Kitty Dombroski
President, St. Mark’s Leadership Council
Haiti Earthquake Relief
A devastating 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck southwest Haiti on Aug. 14. Hundreds of people were killed and relief efforts continue for the survivors and the thousands who were injured. Damaged roads have delayed the delivery of vital supplies to hospitals, which are overwhelmed. Thousands of homes were damaged or destroyed.
To learn more about this crisis, what the ELCA is doing to assist in recovery efforts and how you can offer support, visit the Lutheran World Relief website here.
You can assist this work by donating to the Disaster Relief Fund web page here.
Afghanistan Crisis Relief
In the midst of the ongoing political unrest and humanitarian crises in Afghanistan, you are invited to support the work of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services.
Through its Neighbors in Need: Afghan Allies Fund, LIRS will provide food, housing assistance, clothing and other basic needs for our Afghan friends as they await official services available to them. To learn more and support this fund, visit the website here.
Have you seen the restaurant commercial using the theme song for Welcome Back, Kotter? It’s a great song and used really well. If you don’t remember the show, you are young enough to look it up on the internet. It’s a sitcom from the 1970’s.
Welcome back, St. Mark’s! At our last last meeting on May 23, Council approved re-opening St. Mark’s following State of Delaware guidance. We have been worshiping in person since the fall, but with many restrictions. What this broader re-opening means, specifically, is this:
If you are vaccinated you are no longer required to wear a mask or social distance at worship if you choose not to do so.
If you prefer to continue masking up and socially distancing — that’s OK, too! It takes awhile to adjust to the new normal.
If you are not vaccinated, please consider getting the shots. You will be required to wear a mask at St. Mark’s and maintain physical distance.
The re-opening also means our choir and contemporary praise band can sing in the sanctuary again, instead of pre-recording all of the music every week. It was amazing to hear live voices again in our sanctuary. As is our normal tradition, live music will take a break for the summer and start again for our Homecoming/Rally Sunday. We’ll be sending more information on that when we are closer to September.
In other news, the roofers are waiting for supplies and I hope they are able to start very soon. The construction industry has taken a big supply hit and prices for materials are extremely high.
Have a wonderful summer! Church Leadership is working hard to get St. Mark’s “back to normal.” I welcome feedback and would love to hear from you with concerns and suggestions.
If you were with us for the special worship service and 50th anniversary celebration of Interim Pastor David Mueller’s ordination on Sunday, June 13, you know how special it was to hear about God’s work in and through him. If you missed that event, the livestream is archived on our YouTube channel.
Friends and family from far-flung places have thanked God for Pastor Mueller’s ministry and the way God has used him over this half century. The St. Mark’s family has special gratitude for the way he and his wife, Gigi, so willingly answered God’s call to serve as interim pastor here for the past two years.
We thought it would be great to sit down with Pastor Mueller, giving him opportunity to share insights from this extended period of service to our Lord. He agreed to this and John Lasher made it possible. The interview now is available on our YouTube channel, which you can reach by clicking on the image below. We hope you’ll listen in!
Our next-door neighbor, Presbyterian Church of the Covenant (503 Duncan Road), is hosting a Creative Arts Camp on weekday mornings through July 30.
More than 60 children have signed up for the camp, which started Monday, June 21. The camp runs from 8:15 a.m. through noon each weekday. Drama, art and music are all on the agenda.
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs to God.” — Colossians 3:16
It has been more than a year since St. Mark’s worship has included in-person singing. Instead, because of the COVID-19 virus and the need to slow the spread of the pandemic, prerecorded music has been part of our worship. Those worshipping at home by way of St. Mark’s YouTube channel could sing along with gusto, but we haven’t sung together in the sanctuary since March of 2020.
John Lasher, director of music and worship arts, had an idea that resonated with many: He would organize an outdoor hymn sing.
Rain washed away the first date, but gorgeous sunshine smiled on Sunday, April 18 and almost two dozen people turned out to St. Mark’s parking lot for the event. Most everyone sat in camp-style chairs. Some sat on a nearby curb or in their car.
John set up his keyboard just outside the main entrance and placed several large speakers nearby.
He had prepared a booklet with 16 hymns, most of which were requested in advance by the congregation. It took almost an hour to sing through all of them, but the time flew by. It was good medicine to worship together, to see each other and to sing the songs we love so much.
“Many of those hymns bring emotion welling up in me that is so strong,” said Cheryl Powell, who attended with her brother, David McClure. “I can’t get through them without choking up.”
Among the hymns she noted: “Precious Lord, Take My Hand” and “There Is a Balm in Gilead,” the Navy Hymn “Eternal Father, Strong to Save,” the timeless “Jesus Loves Me” and, of course, “Amazing Grace.”
Other beloved hymns included “Blessed Assurance,” “Beautiful Savior,” “Great is Thy Faithfulness” and “I Love to Tell The Story.”
Click on the image below for a quick sample:
Music is a treasure to many at St. Mark’s, which has had an active choir for generations and also — in pre-pandemic times — has had a less formal second service that includes a worship band.
“What sealed my membership in the Lutheran Church was the consistent use of music throughout the service,” Cheryl said, “and the story I heard about Martin Luther himself, urging another priest/churchman to ‘sing to the glory of God!’ as he played what is known as ‘the Lutheran hymn,’ [A Mighty Fortress].”
Thanks to John and all who came out to make a joyful noise!
This week’s Midweek guest is the Rev. Jason Churchill, pastor of St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church in downtown Wilmington. He and Interim Pastor David Mueller discuss the challenges (and opportunities) presented to a church in a city (with no off-street parking!). He also briefly discusses his experiences as a gay Christian and pastor. Click on the image below to watch the conversation on our YouTube channel.
Clarence Pettit, senior pastor of Unity Church in Wilmington, joins us for a third conversation with Interim Pastor David Mueller in this week’s Midweek Extra. In previous conversations, these pastors have discussed race and pastoral issues anecdotally. This week, they pursue a more theological discussion of these matters.
Click on the image below to listen in.
Previous conversations are available at these links:
Interim Pastor David Mueller is joined in this Midweek Extra by the Rev. Gordon Simmons, director of the Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Delaware.
The office serves as a state public policy office of the ELCA and represents its strategic commitment to “step forward as a public church that witnesses boldly to God’s love for all that God has created.” This office works with congregations and individuals in Delaware to become better advocates for justice. You can connect by email.
Listen to the conversation by clicking on the YouTube link below:
UPDATE: Because of rain this morning, John Lasher has postponed this. We will try again on Sunday, April 18.
Music will always be a big part of life at St. Mark’s. We love the time-honored hymns of our faith, we love the choruses and the new music our worship band brings. We love our choirs, our special vocalists and our concerts. We just love to worship our Lord with song!
The pandemic punched a hole in a lot of our singing over the past year, but all was not lost. John Lasher, director of music and worship arts, and the Worship & Music Committee have worked hard to provide music each week that was both meaningful and accessible. Our faithful “virtual choir” and other musicians led us in worship and many of us sang along with gusto at home as we participated by way of YouTube.
Sunday we get to sing together again as St. Mark’s hosts an outdoor hymn sing, starting at 1 p.m. in the parking lot.
This will be good medicine for all of us and you’ll be part of something that has been part of our Christian tradition for centuries.
“There are hundreds of Bible verses about singing,” said John Lasher, who has a degree in music composition from Cairn University. “We are commanded in Psalm 98, ‘Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises!'”
God loves the praises of his people! And he deserves to hear them!
“One thing the Protestant Reformation accomplished was the re-establishment of congregational singing as a central part of Christian worship, after it had been banned in the Catholic church,” John said. “Our denomination’s namesake, Martin Luther, wrote many hymns himself. We are even told in Matthew’s Gospel that Jesus and his disciples sang a hymn at the Last Supper. So, outside and socially distanced, we will once again engage in this vital form of worship.”
John has prepared a booklet with the songs we will sing. Almost 40 hymns were requested — too many to fit into this one event — so John says there may be a sequel! All hymns requested by more than one person have been included in the booklet.
You’re welcome to sing in your car or sit outside (bring a chair, if you want one).
If the weather gets cranky, we’ll move it back a week.
We hope you’ll join in! We think you’ll be glad you did!
