The Lion's Pause 🦁

WE SEEK TO UNITE ALL PEOPLE WITH GOD AND EACH OTHER IN CHRIST THROUGH WORSHIP, FELLOWSHIP, EDUCATION, AND SERVICE

Rector's Ramblings

Every Ash Wednesday in the Episcopal Church, we pray the Litany of Penitence. For reference it is found on pages 267-269 in the Book of Common Prayer. It is a good tool for an examination of our lives. It enumerates many sins that we do not often think about. One paragraph mentions false judgments, uncharitable thoughts toward our neighbors, and our prejudice and contempt for those who differ from us. Most of us are sensitive to our prejudice and contempt for those who differ from us, but how often do we consider false judgements and uncharitable thoughts?

A few years ago, I attended a seminar on Narrative Psychology. It is a theory of psychology that asserts that our thinking is at least partially controlled by narratives we create in our thinking. For example, if we see someone who appears able to work holding a sign that says, “Homeless. Need Help. Anything is appreciated,” we might create a narrative that says, “This person could get a job if they wanted to get one. This is just a lazy way to get some money.” That narrative will cause most people to have some uncharitable thoughts. It might also be a false judgment.

A number of years ago, I met a homeless man who had been the manager of a convenience store. The chain of stores owned by his employer was purchased by a larger chain. When the new ownership found out he had been convicted of a felony more than two decades earlier, his employment was terminated because the company had a policy that convicted felons could not be in any position that handled money. He became homeless within a few months before he could find another job. Understanding his story might lead to a more accurate judgment and fewer uncharitable thoughts. It might change our narrative about his situation.

When we have uncharitable thoughts about another person, it might be helpful to ask what our narrative about that person is. Are we making a false judgment? Perhaps the best way to avoid this particular sin is to remember that the narratives we create might be entirely incorrect. Then, we can move toward fewer false judgments and more charitable thoughts.

Fr. RJ+

Sunday, March 16:

Services at 8 and 10 a.m.

Lessons

Bulletin

Live Stream

Tuesday, March 18:

Yoga, 6:30 p.m. in the undercroft.

Cost is $10 per session. Cash, check, Venmo or PayPal accepted. Reserve your spot by texting 330-705-4359 or emailing yogabeth63@gmail.com

Wednesday, March 19:

Zoom Evening Prayer, 4 p.m.

Bulletin | Zoom

Lenten Potlucks:

Wednesdays March 12, 19, 26, and April 2 at 6:00 p.m.

March 25:

Lunch Bunch, 1 p.m., John's Bar

View the full St. Mark's calendar HERE.

A Blessed Visit from Bishop Jolly at St. Mark's Church

This past Sunday, we were honored to welcome Bishop Jolly to St. Mark's Church. It was a day filled with joy, reflection, and blessings. Photos courtesy of Bruce Hixon and Bill Rand.

SOMEBUNNY will be collecting items for the baskets for the 32 women and their custodial children housed at the Y.W.C.A. homeless shelter over Easter. Our marked container will be in the narthex. Please bring your new toiletries, emery boards, razors, small paper items, playing cards, snack food, children’s toys to the church. We will be packing on Tuesday, April 15, at 1pm. Check donations accepted. Please write “Outreach” on the memo line. Thank you for your donations. E.C.W.

St. Mark’s 70th Anniversary

May 18, 2025

Invitations are in the mail! Please mark your calendars for Sunday, May 18 to celebrate St. Mark's 70^thanniversary. There will be one service that day, at 10:00 AM. A special service is being planned with the Sunday School classes, beautiful music, and a delicious catered luncheon will be served.

If you are interested in donating to the celebration, checks can be made out to St. Mark's with 70^th anniversary in the memo line and dropped in the offering plate or the office.

Book Club Updates

April 14 - The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams

May 12 - The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson

Newsletter Additions

If you are adding something to the Lion's Pause, please submit it here by the Monday prior to Friday publication.

March Anniversaries

2 Tony and Beverly Kovacevich

4 Richard and Marcia Tirpak

13 Geoff and Bobbi Gordon

21 Christopher and Tasha Smith

22 Carol and John Hayn

27 Sara Strattan and Tom Burns

March Birthdays

1 Ken Jaeb

4 Sandy Paradis

6 Charlie Kiesling, Chuck Violand

7 Leslie Redmon

8 Beth Bletzacker

10 Kathy Sloan

11 Brooks Deuble, Colin Jenkins

12 Geoff Gordon

13 Carol Hayn

14 Jonathan Wise

18 Emmett Arnold

19 Beverly Kovacevich

21 Brad Kaustinen

26 John Werren

28 Joe Hoot, Sue Little

*Please note: Your birthday/anniversary will only show up if you've completed your profile on Instant Church Directory.

Need to log in? Go here.

Notable with Bob Morrison

All this talk about St. Mark's 70th fills me with information about the church I never knew. Of course, starting with my Canton sojourn in the Fall of 1951, my attention was on my Methodist employment, but I was interested in the general state of other churches, including St. Paul's downtown. The MacDowell Music Club asked me to play a recital there. That church with its cobalt blue windows is so lovely and the organ was an Ernest M. Skinner of four manuals but limited pipes. One of the pieces I played was "To A Wild Rose" by MacDowell and I think I also did Virgil Fox's setting of "Come Sweet Death." With various organists over the years, each tried new ideas for improvements. One was a small organ made in Switzerland for the balcony. I remember telling one of the St. Paul's folks they should contact Charlie Kegg and his organ firm in Hartville to update the Skinner which, finally they did.

But an e-mail from Charlie Kiesling, St. Mark's treasurer, has filled me in with details of his youth at St. Paul's and told me things I never knew. It's fascinating to hear of those good old days and I intend to delve into this history in my feeble way with St. Mark's anniversary coming up, and my starting place is Craig Jaynes, a young fellow I met shortly after I arrived in Canton who came from Wichita Kansas to work in the A. R. Schopp's Son organ factory in Alliance. It didn't work out.

Prayer Concerns

Have compassion on: Vonda Temelkoff, Jim Weaver, Jane Schutrum, Ron Brooks, and all those who suffer from any grief or trouble.

For those who have died: Ten Gall

Family & Friends: Allison (cousin of Sandi Kaustinen) + Crosby Allyn (grandson of Jan Hudson) + Bobbie Lenzie, Lucas Anderson & family, and Clarice Lough (sister & friends of the Watters) + Katheleen Philippsborn (sister of Tom Turner) + Machelle Wells (friend of Jaime Heinzman) + Father Jon Conventry (Trinity Episcopal Church - Alliance) + Jimmy Little (son of Sue Little) + Alison (friend of the Willoughbys) + Jane McBride (mother of Beth Crowl) + Tom (brother-in-law of AnJane McConville) + Gail and Judy Shumway (friend, sister-in-law, & co-worker friend of the Rand’s daughter) + Dr. Mallamaci (acquaintance of Bobbi Zollinger) + Jolonda Mull & Pam Lagodich (sister-in-law & friend of the Mulls) + Scott Jones, Val Hiner-Donlon, Rick Ciminelli, & Harold Freedman (cousin & friend of the Gordons) + Larry Aclaska & Judy Heisser-Turner (acquaintance & sister of Bert Heisser) + Lee, Theresa, & Chuck Boone (friends & cousin of the Hixons) + Melanie & Trish (friends of Paulette Frech) + Pat Walter & family (friend of Barb Whitehouse) + Alycia Geis (Karen Violand’s friend’s daughter) + Don Siegfried & Janet Sheatzley-Morgan (husband and sister of Barb Siegfried) + Allison Cornell-Hood & Anne Higgins (daughter & friend of Diane Cornell) + Finnigan Savage (friend of Pam McCarthy) + Tony Donahue (friend of the Boyds) + David (acquaintance of the Nadels) + Those in the Armed Forces.

PRAYER CHAIN:

St. Mark's has a group of prayer warriors who pray for the specific needs of those on the prayer chain. If you would like to place yourself or a loved one on the prayer chain, please contact Bobbi Gordon at ggordon24@sbcglobal.net

Prayer requests may be placed on the private Prayer Chain or on the Prayer Concerns list appearing in The Lion's Pause and Sunday bulletin or in both places. Please let Bobbi know your preference. Unless otherwise instructed, names will be listed as we receive them. Please update Bobbi or Katie on the status of your friends or family members as to when they may be removed from the prayer lists.