PDF St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church The Lookout

St. Mark¡¯s Evangelical Lutheran Church

The Lookout

February, 2018

START WITH WHY

It is now February and most people¡¯s New Year¡¯s resolutions have gone by

the wayside. In 2018, it is my hope for St. Mark¡¯s to rediscover why we

exist. Two years ago, our Building Missional Capacity (BMC) team discovered a beautiful resource in the book, ¡±Start with Why¡± by Simon Sinek.

(You can YouTube his Ted talk for a brief explanation). In the book, he

distinguishes the difference between the ¡®what¡¯, the ¡®how¡¯, and the ¡®why¡¯.

His argument is that organizations usually know ¡®what¡¯ they do, sometimes

¡®how¡¯ they do what they do, but rarely do they know ¡®why¡¯. He says that

¡®starting with why¡¯ is about discovering your purpose.

St. Mark¡¯s Church

424 Hyde Park Avenue

Waukesha, WI 53188

262-547-8213

Worship Services

Wednesday¡ª7 p.m.

Sunday¡ª9:30 a.m.

Office Hours

Monday¡ªThursday:

8:30 a.m.¡ª3:30 p.m.

Contact Info

Pastor Andy Fetters

262-337-3755

Marcia Marquardt,

Discipleship Coordinator

262-784-2062

Laura Goralski

Council President

262-719-3360

lgoralski@wi.

Mark Stiles, Council VP

262-547-3486

fuelmarks@

Lookout Editor

Sue Beranek

lookout@

Website



I have combed through this book a few different times in hopes of understanding more and more about why THE church exists. Sinek¡¯s argument

is that oftentimes we start with the most tangible things: the ¡®what¡¯ and

the ¡®how¡¯, but miss the reason and purpose of our existence. One of my

pastoral coaches used to say ¡°we are married to our mission not our methods.¡± Starting with our mission is to understand our ¡®why.¡¯ The problem is

that our mission is often more complex than our methods. Methodology

helps us understand our ¡®what¡¯ and our ¡®how¡¯ but never our ¡®why.¡¯

Here is an example. Read Psalm 150¡ªgo ahead, break open your Bible

and read the entirety of the Psalm. Psalm 150 is about worship. The purpose and the mission of Psalm 150 is worship. However, if you read Psalm

150 and hear all the what and hows in which we can worship God (with

drums and lyre, with trumpets and clanging cymbals), and if these become

the mission every time we worship, then when there¡¯s no trumpet we feel

as though we have not worshipped. This would be mistaking the what and

how with the why. Or simply put, it is mistaking our methods of worship

(instruments, time, day, or location) for the mission: to worship God.

I am growing more and more convinced that the why is more important.

Jesus knew this as well. The Pharisees asked him why: ¡°Why don¡¯t your

disciples follow the traditions taught by our ancestors? They are unclean

because they don¡¯t wash their hands before they eat!¡± (Mark 7:5) Jesus

told them, ¡°Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites in

Scripture: ¡®These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far

from me.¡¯¡±

¡°Their worship of me is pointless, because their teachings are rules made

by humans.¡± (Mark 7:6-7 with reference to Isaiah 29:13) Translation: You

have forgotten why washing hands was important and it has become

something simply done because you believe it is what and how you follow

God.

So church, why do you exist?

Pastor Andy

Gathered together by God, to Grow and Go Out!

RUTH CIRCLE

Sharing Our Bounty

FEBRUARY

SPECIAL REQUEST: The Food Pantry needs ¡°ready to

make¡± canned and boxed meals (Hamburger Helper,

pasta meals that are canned or boxed, instant rice,

Spam, beef stew, etc.)

Ruth Circle will meet on

Wednesday, February 14 at

1:00 p.m. in Fellowship Hall.

We will discuss pages 47 thru 54

in our book, Moments of Grace

for a Woman's Heart.

Our hostesses are Nancy Alt and Karen Handford. Please

let them know if you plan to be there.

Please contact Carole Wolter @ 262-542-8807 if you

are interested in joining us! All are welcome!

Can we stock the shelves of the Salvation Army and

Food Pantry?

THANKING YOU in advance!

RESTORE & RENEW

¡°RESTORE & RENEW¡± - ALLELUIA! AMEN!

WALK WITH JESUS: A Bi-Lingual Good

Friday Family Experience

Experience the Holy Week story as a family on Friday,

March 30 at 6:30-7:30 p.m.! Travel to Jerusalem for

Palm Sunday, sit down for the Last Supper, pray in the

Garden of Gethsemane, discover the sacrifice of Good

Friday, and celebrate freedom from our sins at the

empty tomb that first Easter morning.

All ages are welcome! Invite friends to come, too!

Interested in helping? We¡¯ll need people to lead and

prepare stations, deliver fliers in the neighborhood, and

welcome guests. Contact Pastor or Marcia for more

information.

Sunday, December 17th saw an incredible outpouring of

love and generosity as gifts and pledges were dedicated

for the ¡°Restore & Renew¡± campaign.

Over $77,000 was given and/or pledged that morning!!

No gift was too small or too large, as 76 individuals/

families gave gifts and pledges ranging from $2.50 to

$10,000! And at this writing, a total of $83,417.50

has been given and/or pledged towards the projects¡¯

cost of $250,000. Thank you! Thank you! Thank You!

Gift card forms are available at the Welcome Center if

you would like to contribute. Watch the weekly bulletin

and postings in the Narthex for updates on the project!

ASH WEDNESDAY

is February 14!

Worship at 7 p.m.

TOGETHER IN MISSION

On February 10, our Synod is offering a time of learning together. For more information go to https://

event/together-in-mission/.



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Funerals

The comfort of Jesus is shared with our members and

their families who lost loved ones:

Baptisms

?? Nolan Henrik Manvilla¡ª12/10/2017

?? Ellinor Susan Froeming¡ª12/17/2017

?? Ron Myers and family in the death of his wife,

?? Eric Gabriel Schopf¡ª12/17/2017

Dorothy

Lookout Mailing

?? The Fiebrink Family in the death of Mary

Thank you to the following volunteers:

?? Tracy Glover and family in the death of her father

Mary Jo Christensen, Roger & Darlene Bjerke, Delores

Grulke, and Barb Ruhe

Special Gifts

Special gifts given this month by: Coffee Hour & Faith

Fermentation.

CUP OF COMFORT

Restore & Renew Giving Campaign

Greg Wagner, Ron Myers, Larry & Jennine Szwalkiewicz,

Tom & Sue Beranek, Elwyn & Sandra Bischman, Sharon

Rand, David & Joan Hojnacki, Richard Schmitz, Christine

Zastrow, Darwin & Minda Portz, Wayne Haylett, Marie

Custer, Sandra Solberg, Brian & Julie Baumler, Rodney

Brandenburg, Timothy McElmeel, James & Cheryl Glisch,

Barbara Varsik, Kevin & Ginger Laveau, Jeff Hoeft, Charlene Brandenburg, Avis Beranek, Gene & Barb Geiger,

Wendy Vehanen, Eric & Lynn Delzer, Jim & Bobbi

Husak, Lisa Garber, Jim & Lynne Plaster, Tom & Barb

Kehoss, Jeff & Rene Bjerke, Kyle Domnie, Elizabeth

Hoffmann, Fred & Rockie Matson, Debra Gerner, Kevin &

Laura Goralski, Debra Gracyalny, Linda Stark, Tammi

Boehm, John & Betty Thompson, Susan Patrick, Durward

& Janice Nimmo, Michael & Mavis McGrath, Charles &

MaryAnn Sindelar, Thomas & Kathryn Graf, June Egan,

Barbara JoAnne Payne, Jerry & Jill Ristow, Al & Anne

Link, Chris & Mary Jo Christensen, Tom & Lorry Badger,

Marilyn Timper, Stan & Eunice Indermuehle, Jean

Weber, Frank & Suzanne Remfrey, Bob & Mary Johnson,

Sue Snyder, Luanne Watkins, Delores Grulke, Lana

DeCoto, Tony & Kelly Colgrove, Jon Schrantz,

Robert Haschke, Chuck & Barb Helling, Barb Ruhe,

Kathleen Dennig, Luis & Cathleen Hernandez, Robert

Solberg, Keith Bailie, Christine Fenner, Mary Foley,

Roger & Darlene Bjerke, Gordy & Jeannie Stickles, Terry

& Donna Inman, Brittany & Jed Froeming, Herbert

Geiger, Thomas Hicken, Dewey Schiele, Nancy Rather,

Don & Nancy Neitzel, Reinhard & Carole Wolter, Carl &

Cleo Smith

Thursday, February 8, 2018

Memorials

10:00 A.M.

In Memory of Dorothy Myers:

Eric & Lynn Delzer, Roger &

Darlene Bjerke, Chris & Mary Jo

Christensen, John & Pat

Gennerman, Debra Gerner,

Stan & Eunice Indermuehle,

Terry & Donna Inman,

Ken & Lana Matchett,

Ron Myers & sons

ST. MARK¡¯S SENIOR CONNECTION

Tuesday, February 13, 2018

11:00 a.m. ¡ª 1:00 p.m.

MARDI GRAS CELEBRATION

Music, Beads, Mardi Gras King

FAT TUESDAY

Pancakes, sausage, fruit, and the King¡¯s cake

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Prepare to follow the Lenten Cross.

Create your own cross.

Music, scripture, prayer. Everyone is welcome!

PRAYER CHAIN

Do you have a Prayer Chain request? Others will pray for

you! Contact Sharon Collins at 262-385-7401 or email at

prayerchain@.

All are welcome!

You are invited to receive God¡¯s comfort, feel the

support of this fellowship, prepare your heart for Lent,

and hear God¡¯s word.

Come and rest for a moment.

Enjoy a cup of coffee and a cookie, too!

Questions? Call Anne Link at #262-542-6517.



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PICS FROM BLUE CHRISTMAS

December, 2017

FLUTE CHOIR

December 3, 2017



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FAITH FERMENTERS

It is FeBREWary! Join our Faith Fermenters as we

explore the ¡®Banquet Feast¡¯ of Isaiah 55. Faith

Fermenters meets at St. Mark¡¯s on February 3 at

10:00 a.m. (¡®til around 12:30 p.m.). Bring a beer to

share and enjoy a feast prepared for you!

COACHING OPPORTUNITY

HELP WANTED!!

¡°THE LOOKOUT¡± NEWSLETTER EDITOR

After six years as editor of THE LOOKOUT newsletter for

our church, it¡¯s time to pass the torch to someone new.

This is a wonderful opportunity for someone who wants

to support our mission¡ªand wants the flexibility to do

the work at home. You will need access to Microsoft

Publisher to do the work. Training will be provided.

Please contact Sue Beranek or Pastor Andy if you are

interested. It¡¯s a very rewarding position with a tangible

outcome each month!

It¡¯s been an honor to serve the church in this capacity.

Thank you.

Sue

LITTLE LIBRARY

Our ¡°Little Library¡± is in need of books and children¡¯s

DVDs. There is a box in the cloak room to put them in.

There has been a lot of usage in the last several weeks.

ABOUT COMMUNION

You may have noticed that we did

not have Holy Communion offered on

December 31st. This happened as a

rare circumstance. The Rev. Paul

Erickson, our bishop of the Greater Milwaukee Synod,

does not allow non-ordained rostered leaders to preside

at the table of Holy Communion. This means our Discipleship Coordinator can no longer provide Communion

during times Pastor Andy is away. It also means that an

ordained minister must be available to preside at the

table when Pastor Andy is away. This did not happen on

December 31st. We invite the continued conversations

if you ever have any questions concerning why things

happen or don¡¯t happen in the life of our community.



I have been given an opportunity to provide some

coaching for pastors in transition. I have asked permission of our council to move forward with this opportunity

(like I do with other opportunities to serve in God¡¯s kingdom). Council has approved. If you have any questions, please ask pastor or any member of council.

Pastor Andy

FROM DEACON MARCIA MARQUARDT

Psalm 40:2-3 ¡°He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out

of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid

ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has

given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our

God. Many will see what he has done and be

amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord.¡±

Dear St. Mark¡¯s Family and Friends,

I¡¯m leading a Women¡¯s Retreat March 9-11 at Camp

Timber-lee in East Troy. The theme is Flip Flop and we¡¯ll

explore God¡¯s perspective, grace, and strength when life

flips and we flop. We¡¯ll discuss the hurts and disappointments when God doesn¡¯t answer our prayers in the way

that we hoped, and lean into God for the trust and

strength in the midst of our weaknesses. It will be a

time to listen to presentations and faith stories, share

conversation and discussion, worship and pray, and

relax with new and old friends.

Do you know a woman who needs to hear this message

and connect deeply with God? Invite her to the

Women¡¯s Retreat! You can pick up a yellow registration

form at the sign-up station in the church lobby or email

me for a copy. Women can come for the whole weekend

or just for Saturday. Whatever is best for each woman

is good for us! Everyone is welcome! Registration is

due by February 24.

As always, I¡¯d love to get to know

you better. Stop me at church or

contact me to sit down for a

conversation.

In His Service,

Marcia

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