St. Mark's Weekly News

Friday, July 10th, 2026

7th Weekend after Pentecost

Saturday, July 11th, 5 pm

Sunday, July 12th, 10 am

"Seeds and Good Soil"

The parable we hear this coming weekend likens the word of God to seed that Christ sows into the field that we are. Come to worship, to receive the seed of the word, and at the table, to be nourished for a fruitful life. 

Order of worship click here

Watch live on YouTube (Sunday) click here

This Weekend

“Holy Grounds”

“Holy Grounds” is a mission-based coffee ministry that debuts at St. Mark’s this weekend. Everyone is invited to come and enjoy a delicious cup of coffee and fellowship!

The coffee for “Holy Grounds” is being purchased from Equal Exchange (Fairly Traded). We will be serving Organic Mind, Body, & Soul regular coffee. It is a blend of light and dark roasts with mellow smooth tasting notes of milk chocolate, vanilla, and nutty. We will also be serving Full City Roast, which offers a rich taste without caffeine. It is smooth and balanced with flavor notes of sweet, brown sugar, and golden raisin.

Please know that the coffee at “Holy Grounds” is free, but a coffee can will be set up for free will offerings until the ministry is fully up and running. We thank you for your support.

PADS Dinner

Saturday, July 11th, 6-9 pm

Hesed House

More Volunteers Needed

Our menu will still include sloppy joe's. As before, it is best to put the sloppy joe into zip lock bags so it is easy to transport and dump into the baking pans. Please make sure it is unfrozen if you bring it or drop it off at church on Friday, July 10th before 4 pm. We need at least six volunteers to prepare and serve the meal so please sign up online here or at the Welcome Center. 

St. Mark's has served meals to the guests at Hesed House consistently for decades thanks to your dedication. Thank you all for sharing your love for those in need.

Next Week

VBS Registration

VBS is next week, July 13-17 from 9:00 am-noon each day. Registration for children ages 3 (potty trained) thru 5th grade IS STILL OPEN! Click here for the registration link. You can also scan the QR code to register online for VBS. Walk-ins are welcome on Monday as well! 

Things we could use for VBS:

brightly colored plastic table clothes

brightly colored small paper plates

large puzzle pieces 

any lego or puzzle decorations

pencils

markers

ribbon

washable paint

kleenex

wet wipes

decorative, artificial vines (with or without flowers)

Thank you for all the donations you have given so far! We have plenty of boxes!  

Please stay to help decorate for VBS after worship on July 12th at 11:30 am.

If you have any questions, please call the church office.

Evening Adult Bible Study

Every 1st & 3rd Wednesday starting in July

Wednesday, July 15
6:30-7:30 pm

Community Room

The Evening Adult Bible Study, led by Dave Gibson, will now meet every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month. We will be continuing our conversation about Mark. Feel free to join us whenever you can!

Contact Dave Gibson with questions.

Coming Soon

Exploring Labyrinths in Naperville

Wednesday, July 29 6:30 pm 

Meet at Labyrinth (outside near door C) at

St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church

1500 Brookdale Rd. Naperville
Click here to sign up or call the church office.  

In our quest to explore and learn more about the great spiritual tool called the labyrinth, you're invited to join Deacon David and Pastor Krista at two labyrinths in Naperville. We will meet at the outdoor labyrinth at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church.  Click here for more information. When we are done there, we will drive 10 minutes to the outdoor labyrinth on the Naperville Riverwalk which is at Eagle and Jackson Streets.  Click here for more information. After we walk the labyrinths, join us for ice cream at Cookie Dough Creations, just a 6 minute walk away. Questions? Contact Pastor Krista or Deacon David.

We had a great group of folks join us at our first labyrinth event on June 25! Hope you can join us on July 29! All ages are welcome!  

Widow's Support Group

Tuesday, August 4th, 10 am - 12 pm

Narthex

The Widow's Support Group will meet at St. Mark's on Tuesday, August 4th. Contact Irma Larson or Sandy Bauer with questions.

Adult Fellowship

NO OUTING FOR JULY

Adult Fellowship for July is cancelled due to a scheduling conflict. If anyone has any questions please contact Sandy Matile.

Pops Concert Thank You!

Dear Kristin, Musicians, Volunteers, Staff and Everyone Who Helped Make the Imagine! Summer Pops Concert a Success,

Thank you for sharing such a beautiful evening of music and fellowship. The concert was inspiring, uplifting, and a wonderful reminder of the power of peace, love, and true community. The performance brought joy to all who attended and showcased the remarkable talents and dedication of everyone involved. It was also a special privilege to hear St. Mark’s new Steinway B piano and celebrate this exciting addition to our music ministry. The ice cream social that followed provided a warm opportunity for fellowship and connection.

We are grateful for the many hours of preparation, practice, hospitality, and service that made the evening possible. Thank you for helping our congregation and community experience the gift of music in such a meaningful way.

Stats: 157 in person, 69 streamed (averaging about 138 persons viewing)

Thank you to everyone who attended online or in person. Thanks to your generosity, we covered the cost of the concert!

With gratitude,

Randy Steinheimer (on behalf of the entire Church Council)

If you missed it, click here to watch the recording!

Movies on the Lawn

Saturday, July 18th, 7 pm

St. Andrew Lutheran Church,

West Chicago

At St. Andrew, we believe there is nothing quite like the joy of coming together as a broader body of Christ to share in fellowship, laughter, and community.

With that in mind, we would love to cordially invite your congregation, families, and friends to join us for our upcoming Movies on the Lawn event!

Event Details:

• What: Movies on the Lawn (A fun, family-friendly evening of community fellowship!)
• When: July 18th at 7:00pm
• Where: St. Andrew's Lawn – 155 N Prince Crossing Rd, West Chicago, IL 60185
• What to bring: Blankets, lawn chairs, and your favorite movie snacks (we will have some snacks available as well)!

We are so excited to open up our doors to our neighbors, and we truly hope to use this evening to strengthen the bonds between our local churches and community. Whether you bring the whole family or just want to come hang out and meet new friends, there is a spot on the lawn waiting for you.



For more details, updates, or to RSVP, you can visit our official event page here: Movies on the Lawn

Reminder: Articles are normally run for two consecutive weeks and no more than two to three weeks prior to the event. After being run for two weeks, articles may appear in the section below at the discretion of the Communications Manager.

Sign Up to Help in Worship

All in one link!

Click here for sign up sheet.

Adult Bible Study

Click here to learn more.

July 13-17 - VBS

July 11 - PADS Dinner (6-9 pm)

July 12 - Tumaini Swahili Chapel (3 pm in the Sanctuary)

July 15 - Evening Adult Bible Study (6:30 pm in Community Room)

July 29 - Exploring Labyrinths in Naperville (6:30 pm at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church)

August 4 - Widow's Support Group (10 am in the Narthex)

August 6 - Columbarium Memorial Service (7 pm in the Columbarium)

We remember in our prayers . . .

Jean Bauman, Richard Brackett, Lynnette Brent, Annie Craig, Rose and Jerry Downing, Shirley Eggers, Jim and Angel Frank, Marge Gugerty, Roald Haase, Dan and Sue Hawks, Sue Hilderbrand, John Lankers, Cora and Ralph Lienert, Priscilla Offhaus, Bob Pokorny, Bonnie Shields, Janet Spears, Wayne and Edie Standorf, Kevin Stockwell, Lois Swan, Pat Walters, Joe W.

Comfort for Phoebe Bergh, Deb Arcilla and family on the loss of Pastor Al Bergh.

If you have prayer requests you would like named or listed here, email them to Joni or leave a message on the church phone: 630-897-6891. Names will be kept on for 2 weeks and then removed unless you request it to stay on longer. Thank you!

Lydia’s Piecemakers Ministry: The Prayer Quilt

Know someone who could use a prayer quilt? Click here to learn more.