THE INFORMANT is published monthly by St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 417 Main Avenue – Suite #401, Fargo, ND 58103. Published on April 26 2018, this is the May 2018 Informant, Issue No 5.

St. Mark’s Lutheran Church is an inclusive fellowship of God’s people centered in Word and Sacrament and dedicated to serving our urban neighborhood and the wider community.

Charlie Axness Serving as Interim Pastor St. Mark’s is grateful to have Pastor Charlie Axness as our part-time Interim Pastor while Pastor Joe is on medical leave. Here’s a snapshot of his road to the ministry in the ELCA and where he has served: Charlie was raised in Minot, ND. He attended Minot Model Grade and High School on the campus of Minot State College. After graduating from high school, Charlie moved to another part of the campus of Minot State College and graduated with a double major of History and Economics. After teaching for five years in the Kenmare, North Dakota, school system, he then accepted a position in the insurance industry, where he worked for ten years. In 1989, he followed a lifelong call and enrolled at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. Charlie was blessed to take part in a term study in Israel in 1990. At graduation ceremonies he received the Roy Harrisville Award for excellence in academics and homiletics. He has served on many synod and churchwide committees. Charlie has served:

The Lemmon Rural Parish, SD (Solo Pastor for Three Point Parish)

Concordia Lutheran in Crosby, ND (Solo)

Assistant to the Bishop of the Western ND Synod - (Stewardship Specialist – Charlie has lead numerous congregational stewardship efforts)

Senior Pastor of First Lutheran in Mandan, ND

Senior Pastor of First Lutheran in Fremont, NE

Associate with the Bishop of the Eastern ND Synod (Rostered Leaders) Charlie has co-taught a number of Senior Pastor Courses.

Charlie and his wife, Linda, live in Moorhead. We thank them both for their partnership and support of our ministry during Pastor Joe’s recuperation.

IN THIS ISSUE…

SEMI-ANNUAL

MEETING

SYNOD ASSEMBLY

MUSIC NOTES

“What If Our

World…”

MOSAIC

SERVING FOR CUFH

MUSIC NOTES

FOOD PANTRY SUNDAY

FM GAY MEN’S

CHORUS CONCERT

RECONCIING

WORKS ASSEMBLY &

RIC CONFERENCE

“GIFTS AND INTERESTS”

May Schedule USHERS 6: Stan Franek 13: Bill Roeszler 20: Charlie Jordan 27: Brian Buteyn LECTORS/CANTORS 6: TBA /Tammy 13: Becky/Becky 20: TBA/Elna 27: TBA ALTAR GUILD 6: Tammy Lanaghan 13: Naomi Franek 20: Mary Jane Haugen 27: Elna Solvang NEW OFFICE SCHEDULE: The church office hours will be extended during Pastor Joe’s medical leave. Hours will be 9 – 4:30, Monday thru Friday. Thanks! SUNDAY SCHEDULE: Sunday Worship/Communion: 10 a.m. Coffee Fellowship: 11:00 a.m. DATES TO REMEMBER May 4: Serving at Churches United: 3:30 p.m.

May 6: “Food Pantry” Sunday

May 6: Choir Rehearsal, 9:15 a.m.

May 20: Semi-Annual Meeting, 11 a.m.

May 20: FM Gay Men’s Chorus Concert, 2 p.m.

May 24: Council Meeting, 6 p.m.

May 24: Newsletter Mailing, 9:30 a.m.

Memorials

In Memory of Shirley Rourke Undesignated Memorial: Mary Barton In Memory of Melba Hagen Undesignated Memorial: Linda Graf

Sing OUT! Sunday, May 20, 2018

2–3 p.m.

Bethesda Lutheran Church

Moorhead, MN

Join the Fargo-Moorhead Gay Men's Chorus as they present: Sing OUT! under the direction of Angel Lira. This year’s spring concert includes music that observes all spectrums of the LGBTQ+ community. Rainbow music of celebration and parody as well as works of hate, defiance, and suffering encompasses the many definitions of what it means to be a gay person in 2018.

This performance will include LGBTQ+ anthems such as Cyndi Lauper's “True Colors” and Holly Near's “Singing for our Lives”, as well as Stephen Schwartz's “Testimony”, which lays out the hardships of coming out.

Local instrumentalists and soloists from the F-M Metro will be joining the chorus in this year’s seasonal performance. Tickets are $15 and are available online at fmgmc.brownpapertickets.com, at the door or from any FMGMC Member.

Semi-Annual Meeting Sunday, May 20, 2018

11 a.m.

Make plans to attend St. Mark’s Semi- Annual Meeting on Sunday, May 20, after

worship. What does your vision for the coming year include for our congregation?

Come, listen, share.

http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Ffmgmc.brownpapertickets.com%2F&h=ATOBRPvLPzXsB2faDZZXBN6R0JB9Zko-hnDNwmx61971SSOJdFNXztwQXkk6iJcS2sQzmkEde0krwbx9x6FqEpM5THMjIqkptW-h1elQlw8-hnPX&s=1

What if our world was more like this… This past week I received the Urban Servant Corps (USC) monthly newsletter. I was a volunteer with the USC from September 2003 to August 2004. Briefly, USC is a faith-based organization in Denver, which brings volunteers together from all over the U.S. to live in intentional community and work for non-profits providing services to people in need. In my case, I provided case management services to homeless individuals and persons who had just been released from prison. The experience was one I will never forget and would encourage others to consider. Back to the newsletter… One of the stories in the newsletter really made an impression on me and I thought I would share it with you:

Enough said. Stan Franek

Music Notes*

A hymn chosen for the Seventh Sunday of Easter, May 13, is I Come With Joy. It was written in 1968 for a congregation that Brian Wren was serving in Hockley, England, to sum up a series of sermons on the meaning of communion. However, in 1977, he revised it because of the sexism in the language. For example, “man’s true community of love” and “As Christ breaks bread for men to share” was revised. Again in 1995, he revised that present version to yet another one which is found in our ELW hymnal. He said the hymn now moves from the individual to the collective – from ‘I Come’ to ‘we’ll go.’ Stanza 4 describes Christ’s ‘real presence’ in the faith community and in the communion meal. The tune, DOVE OF PEACE comes from The Southern Harmony using a pentatonic melody (one of 5 tones). Most of our music is based on a major or minor scale of 7 tones – a European tradition. Pentatonic scales were used especially in the Asian countries as well as in other early cultures. This tune has the character of a jubilant little dance expressing the lilt of joy within its text. Sing with joy on May 13 for our Hymn of the Day!

Alpha Roeszler , Music Director

*Excerpts from ELW Hymnal Companion

The choir will be singing on the first Sunday of

May, the 6th. In order to learn this anthem, I am

scheduling a rehearsal both April 29th and May 6th

at 9:15. Anyone is welcome that loves to sing. --

Alpha GOSPEL READINGS FOR MAY

May 6 – Easter 6: John 15.9-17

Christ the friend and lover

May 13 – Easter 7: John 17.6-19

Christ’s prayer for his disciples

May 20 – Day of Pentecost: John 15.26-27; 16.4b-15

Christ sends the Spirit of truth

May 27 – Holy Trinity: John 3.1-17

Entering the reign of God through water and the Spirit

Worship Night: Pastor Brian Rossbert

“USC was joined by Pastor Brian Rossbert to discuss advocacy through the lens of ‘ubuntu’, a term which is often translated to ‘I am because we are’, and is used in the theology of Desmond Tutu. Pastor Brian illustrated ubuntu by telling the story of an anthropologist who was living with an African tribe, and one day filled a basket with candy and placed it by a tree. He drew a line in the dirt and told the children of the tribe that whoever reached the basket first would win the candy. The children lined up, then linked arms, walked together to the tree, and shared the candy together. The anthropologist asked one girl why they had done this, and she replied, ‘If one of us is happy, we are all happy.’ In the world of social service and social justice, this example shows why connection and community is so important: if we all support one another, we can ensure that each and every one of us is happy and fulfilled.”

Emergency Food Pantry

Starting Sunday, May 6, St. Mark's will begin collecting donations for the Emergency Food Pantry in Fargo the first Sunday of every month. Donations

can include non-perishable food items, personal hygiene products, diapers (any size, but sizes 4-6 are most needed), empty egg cartons (one dozen size), toilet paper, and grocery bags. If you would prefer to make a monetary donation, make checks payable to “St. Mark's Lutheran Church” with Emergency Food Pantry on the memo line. Some facts about the Emergency Food Pantry: ⦁ An average of 58 households request a food basket from the Emergency Food Pantry every day, Monday through Friday. ⦁ The Emergency Food Pantry serves Cass and Clay Counties and surrounding area. ⦁ The Emergency Food Pantry has provided help to hungry families and individuals with one week's supply of healthy food for 45 years. Ways that we can help: ⦁ Donating items (see the list above) ⦁ Making a monetary donation ($21.00 provides a week's worth of food to a family) ⦁ Donating time as a volunteer (see article on opportunities for volunteering) Information on volunteering ⦁ Two daily shifts - Morning (9:30 to 12:00) and Afternoon (1:00 to 4:00) ⦁ At least 2 volunteers are needed for the morning shift and 4 volunteers for the afternoon shift. ⦁ I volunteered St. Mark's to help with the morning shift the week of June 18. However, if you would like to volunteer at some other time, please contact Christina at 701-2377-9337. Jane Radig

amazonsmile:

If you are shopping on AmazonSmile, you can also

benefit our church. Amazon will donate 0.5% of the

purchase price to St Mark’s if you use the following

link: http://smile.amazon.com/ch/45-0236174

Opportunities to Volunteer in May and June… "St Mark's is an inclusive fellowship of God's people centered in word and sacrament and dedicated to serving our urban neighborhood and the wider community." Printed above is the Mission Statement for St. Mark's. You can help to fulfill that mission in both May and June.

Friday, May 6, you can help prepare and serve the supper meal at Churches United for the Homeless. Preparation begins at 3:30 and serving starts at 5:30. Please let Jane know if you will be able to help out, by either talking to her at church or calling her at 701-239-4386.

St. Mark's will be helping out at the Emergency Food Pantry during the morning shift, 9:30 to 12:00, the week of June 18. We need at least 2 people to volunteer for each shift. If you are interested in volunteering, please talk to Jane at church or call her at 701-239-4386.

If you do volunteer, it is recommended that you wear comfortable walking shoes. Also, please park on the street and go in through the side "donation" door. Jane Radig

Gathering Supplies for the Synod Assembly

The Eastern ND Synod of the ELCA will meet on June 2-3, 2018, at the Holiday Inn in Fargo. Each conference (we are the Fargo conference) is gathering different supplies for Lutheran World Relief kits. Our conference has been assigned the following:

Bath towels (dark colors recommended)

70-sheet spiral notebooks (wide or college-ruled)

Boxes of 16 or 24-count crayons

Bring your donations from now until June 1 and we will store them at the office. Monetary donations will also be accepted. The kits will be assembled during the breakout sessions at the synod assembly.

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Our Rainbow Journey

June 21-24, 2018

"Our Rainbow Journey," the ReconcilingWorks 2018 Assembly and Reconciling In Christ Conference, will be held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, June 21—24, 2018. Augsburg College will host most of the events. Participants will network with one another and explore ways to live out the work of reconciliation in the Lutheran tradition. Throughout the assembly, participants will explore justice issues, focusing on the intersection of LGBT people and racial justice efforts, political justice issues and strategy, and the work that still needs to be done in the Lutheran Church. Time will also be spent learning from each other about new organizing methods and strategies to take back to our communities. Participants will worship together and with the Twin Cities community. “Our Rainbow Journey” will employ a rich variety of traditions to provide a blend of the familiar and the unique, drawing on our Lutheran heritage and the wealth of liturgical practice in the area. Different options for registration include: full assembly, one-day, or gala event. Scholarships are available. Log on to www.reconcilingworks.org for more information.

Did You Know… …that representatives of Bethany’s sponsoring congregations formed the Bethany Auxiliary in 1964. Since then, these dedicated volunteers have provided countless hours of time and energy to conduct a variety of special fundraising events, assist at resident activities and help out around Bethany. Their efforts have generated thousands of dollars that have purchased items to enrich the quality of life for residents at Bethany Retirement Living. To find out how you can be a part of the Bethany Auxiliary, contact Maren at mjohnson@bethanynd.org or 701.239.3246 or Laurie at lschnabel@bethanynd.org or 478.8904.

NOTE FROM THE COUNCIL

You are invited to fill out the “Gifts

and Interests” insert in the newsletter

this month. Please bring it with you to

the Semi-Annual Meeting on May 20,

2018, which convenes after worship. If

you are unable to attend we ask that

you bring it on another Sunday or mail

it to the office. Thank you for all the

ways you share in the ministry of St.

Mark’s!

Congrats to the Crew!

It's up! The "Tree of Life" mosaic was installed on Tuesday, April 24, in the chapel at Churches United for the Homeless in Moorhead. It truly was a group effort! They just need to touch up some parts, add a frame around it, and install lighting. Pictured here are several members of the Mosaic team who donated hundreds of hours to this project. Details of the dedication ceremony will be announced soon…