3051 Putnam Blvd. Pleasant Hill, CA 94523

St. Mark’s Lutheran Church July 2015

THE MARKER

Dear members and friends,

Can you say, “Haiti”? I can now say I’ve been there following my recent mission

trip to that island country. I was with more than a dozen other members of the

national speaker’s bureau for Food for the Poor. We traveled each day in a Toyo-

ta bus of some sort that could hold perhaps 20 people. We went to remote vil-

lages, orphanages, an elder care living center, a clinic and hospital, a large fish

farm, tree farm and agricultural operation, and much more. I will always re-

member this week as one centered on the holy notion

of “THE MINISTRY OF TOUCH”. Just as Jesus

touched Jairus’ daughter and the woman with a 12

year hemorrhage of blood – raising one from the dead

and healing the other, so too was ours a week-long minis-

try of touch Everyone every- where wanted to touch those

of us in the group. Touch, we soon came to realize, was for

them evidence of that for which they had been needing and hoping. Touch be-

came the cornerstone of trust. Touch became the proof of much needed reas-

surance. To those who had been promised homes (there were over 200 folks

like this in one mud and thatch village) by Food for the Poor. These people were

reassured that their new, secure homes will be built soon; actually within the

next 4 months! I’m well aware that in our culture touch can be a green light or

red light word, so one needs to be careful here. At the same time, the touching

we engaged in was all healthy and green light, but that’s not the point. The

point is that Touch represented something far beyond itself for these desperate

people. It represented hope, transformation and a new life. Our presence and

our touch was enough to help them believe that there are others in this world

that will do what is needful for them. Please help others when you can.

Peace to you from

Pr. Marv Abrahamson

Council News: Highlights from the June meeting

Call Committee is still in the interviewing stage, so there was no update

Treasurer’s Report was received – our finances are in good shape

Feedback on Sunday School indicates the children are really responding to Alec & Anna’s en-gagement

Council gave the Social Ministry more leeway when discussing options for the Endowment Fund Distributions (Council still to approve)

Property Committee has been busy:

Repairs to the termite/dry-rot on the Sanctuary’s west wall were completed for $4700

Air Conditioning & new furnace for Cunnison Hall were installed for about $8100 (funded by the Crafty Ladies)

Hearing Loop for the Sanctuary has been temporarily postponed due to the workload

All old bulbs & fixtures from the Sanctuary lighting project were donated to Habitat for Humanity

Watering for the front lawn has been discontinued due to the drought. Council felt this is good stewardship, and a sign will be placed to indicate a dedica-tion to conserving water

Puppets of Praise is engaging with local seniors for some of their dynamic performances

A Memorial/Benevolence donation policy has been established. Council will make the determi-nations on how all donations are used

Synod Assembly was reported as very spirited, with high energy and a lot of hard work. The Council President was our voting member and is to provide each Council member with a summary

A schedule was established for the preparation of the 2016 Budget

May Financials

Monthly Budget YTD Actual YTD Budget

Giving 18,855 14,935 81,799 74,675

Monthly Outreach Giving 445 1,385

Total Expenses 12,704 14,977 68,575 74,885

Current financial statements and council minutes are available in the

binder on the shelf in the back of the sanctuary.

Sharing Social Ministry - Outreach Emphasis for July

The Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County

The Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County is a local organization committed to supporting the reli-

gions and communities of our county, it seeks to be an agent of peace.

“Peace is not just the absence of war. It is the result of attitudes and mindsets that seek resolutions before

conflict, that desire the wellbeing of all people, that understand the maxim’ perfect love casts out fear’.” *

*From Reverend Brian Stein-Webber’s correspondence

(Pastor Stein-Webber was the Executive Director of IC until June 2012)

Human Trafficking Workshops and showing the film "In Plain Sight."

Sunday, August 2nd from 3:00 to 6:00 pm.

Walnut Creek United Methodist Church--1543 Sunnyvale Ave.,

Walnut Creek

Meet East Bay ministries addressing Human Trafficking. Tabling begins at 3:00 pm with speakers

beginning at 4:00 pm and the showing of "In Plain Sight at 5:00 pm.

================================================================= Letter from Lutheran Social Services, St. Mark’s June outreach;

“We recently received a grant from HUD to provide services to an additional 55 individuals – including the

chronically homeless and transition age youth between the ages of 18-24. HUD funds the housing and support-

ive services but provides no funding for household essentials such as beds, sofas, or kitchen and bath supplies,

though we are required to provide these items.

We need the support of the community and ask for your help! Please consider donating monetary or in-kind goods so

we can partner to get 55 individuals off the streets and into homes of their own. Please feel free to contact me at any

time at jkennedy@lssnorcal.org or by calling 916-453-2900 x 105. Our tax ID number is 94-1659687.

Sincerely, Julie Kennedy, Development Manager”

Needs: Comforter (New), Blanket (New) ,Sheets (New), Pillows (New), Pillow Cases (New)

Towels (New), Shower Curtain (New), Dish Soap, Vacuums, Laundry Baskets

Trash Bags, Sponges, Cleaning Rags, Laundry Detergent, Brooms/Dust Pans

Mops, Toilet Plungers, Trash Cans, Paper Towels

__________________________________________________________________

This congregation has supported the Interfaith Council and its goals for many years, we will continue to do just that by

keeping this ministry in our prayers. During the month of July we intend to show our support through monetary dona-

tions as well - in order to further the work of the Interfaith Council. Please issue your check to St. Mark’s, designate: In-

terfaith Council. A forum about the Interfaith Council is in the planning stages for July 19th, 9:40am Participate, learn,

get involved!

From the Puppets of Praise: The Puppets are taking a couple of weeks break for the summer as our puppeteers enjoy some vacation, but plans will be laid to start to take the show back on the road for the fall. Thanks to the help from Guy and Marilyn, and Valerie we were able to transport 7 members of Windsor Rosewood Manor for the June 12th Friday evening show. Both Rosewood and Kensington residents invited family members as well. A great surprise was the attendance of 2 local families who attended because of the banner which was posted outside the church. Over 30 attendees total! A special thank you to Guy and Dayton who have spent countless hours getting air conditioning in to Cunnison Hall and trying to improve the effectiveness of the system and to the wonderful Crafty Ladies who raised the funds for the air condi-tioning unit.

The group will be experiencing a major loss inJuly when Mark and Wendy Burkhardt (the other adult leaders) and their 2 boys will be leaving for Bend, OR. They have been the sound, lighting, voices and controls along with Aeron being an awesome little puppeteer. This will be a difficult family to replace but efforts are being started to recruit additional support. If anyone 6th grade through adult is interested in being a narrator for the shows, light, sound, being a puppeteer or hosting the shows (greeting people and making sure provided snacks are set out after the show) please contact Mark Pitzlin.markpitzlin@comcast.net or (925) 286-8127. Our prayers go with the Burkhardts who already are checking out puppet opportunities in Bend. God’s work continues!

Please keep the ministry in your prayers that the loss of one family may open in-terest for more so that the ministry can continue to grow and flourish in His name and for His purpose.

Mark Pitzlin—director of the Puppets of Praise

The Ski Patrol will be using our facilities in late October for a wilderness first aid re-fresher class. If you are interested in learning more about wilderness first aid or just have some extra time they are looking for volun-teers to be “victims”. The victims will present the trainees with symptoms (given to them by the trainers) so that the trainees can practice assessing the situation and administering treat-ment. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact the office 925-934-6114 or of-ficeadmin@sm-lc.net or talk to Geoff Austin.

Thank You luncheon recap…

We shared fellowship and really wonderful food. Then we

spent time recognizing the work of the many hands that

contribute to the spirit and livelihood of St. Mark’s.

Our Thankful hands post-it poster is in the Narthex.

Read it, even add to it! We look forward to more op-

portunities to gather in thanks again soon.

Let us be thankful to and for one another!

Community Blood Drive at St. Mark’s

Friday July 31st 12pm-6pm

To schedule your appointment,

please log on to redcrossblood.org,

enter the Sponsor Code: SMLC

or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767)

There will be a forum on July 26th at 9:40 am in the meeting room to answer

any questions that you have about Red Cross and the blood drive.

From the Call Committee

A copy of our completed Congregational Profile available for review in the

narthex and in the office.

During the month of June we have narrowed down our slate of potential pas-

toral candidates from the Synod, and we continue to interview candidates as

we discern who our next pastor should be. To protect the confidentiality of

the candidates, it is important that our call committee not share any specific

details during this part of the process. As we have shared during announcements, any supply

pastors that we are currently using are not eligible to be considered as candidates for call to St.

Mark’s.

This is a very important time to keep the work of the call committee in your daily prayers. Please

pray for the members of our committee and the potential candidates.

The synod has provided the following estimated timeline for congregations in the call process:

Call Committee Members

Mike Doyle mikedoyle01@gmail.com h. 925-689-2373 c. 925-550-9003 Lisa Farnitano lisa.farnitano@gmail.com h. 925-935-9535 c. 925-408-1546 Brian Marrs brian.marrs@sbcglobal.net h. 925-372-7317 w. 925-788-3151

Olivia Mendez-Alm omendez@hnu.edu c. 510-589-4847 w. 510-436-1333

Rosalie Zablocki 925-945-1398

Activity Time to Accomplish Our Pro-gress

Nominate & Elect Call Committee 3-6 weeks Complete

Call Committee Forms Congregational Profile 3-6 months or more Complete

Call Committee Receives Names & Profiles of Candi-dates

1-2 months Complete

Call Committee Pre-Screens Candidates 2-4 weeks In Process

Call Committee Interviews Candidates 2 weeks - 3 months

Call Committee Decides on Final Candidate 2 weeks - 1 month

Congregation Meets Final Candidate 2 weeks - 1 month

Congregation Votes on Final Candidate 1 month

Candidate Discerns Sense of Call and Accepts 1 week - 1 month

Candidate Concludes Ministry in Current Setting 4-6 weeks

Candidate Moves & New Pastor Begins Ministry 2-4 weeks

Total Estimated Call Process Timeline 10-20+ months

Interim Pastor: Marv Abrahamson

(218) 205-1040 Email: pastor@sm-lc.net

Office Administrator: Karen Klingelhafer

Directors of 2nd Service Music: Sherry & Mike Doyle

Choir Director/Organist: Joyce Porter

3051 Putnam Blvd. Pleasant Hill, CA 94523

(925)934-6114 ▪ www.sm-lc.net ▪ officeadmin@sm-lc.net

If you would like to be included in the prayer chain or if you have a prayer request, you can

email the office at: officeadmin@sm-lc.net

We pray for Ann’s friend’s Jessica and Lotchana; Jan; Sean; Laurie’s cousin; Lupe’s wife

Judy; Geoff’s family; Lee; friends of the Waids).

Summer Women’s Retreat

On Tuesday, August 4, 2015, the Martha’s Circle Bible Study will be hosting a Summer Bible Study Retreat in St. Mark’s Center starting at 9 a.m. The focus verses are:

Matthew 5:14-16;

Luke 21:1-4;

2 Corinthians 9:7.

The theme in all is what motivates us to give to others.

The time of our Retreat will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. At noon, we will enjoy a potluck salad luncheon and time for fellowship. Please join us for this meaningful time together. Everyone is welcome to attend. Let Connie G. know if you will be attending so that we can plan the luncheon.