Online community

"What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,

nor the human heart conceived,

what God has prepared for those who love him."

1 Corinthians 2:9 (NRSV)


Ways to connect

ONLINE WORSHIP

We invite you to join us for virtual worship each Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m. (Or at a time that is convenient for you.) 


We encourage you to create a worship space at home with a bowl of water, a cross, and a candle. You will also need elements for Communion: wine or juice and bread or cracker for each person.  

SOCIAL MEDIA

Check out us out on social media!


St. Mark's Facebook page

St. Mark's Instagram page


St. Mark's YouTube channel is a great resource for our music, Bible Study, and Evening Prayer videos, 

RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES & KIDS

The St. Mark's Family Group on Facebook offers lots ways to help your kids during this time. (If you're not already a member of this Group, click "join" or email our Director of Youth and Family Ministries if you have questions.)


Plus, St. Mark's YouTube channel has a great "Fun Faith Songs for Kids" playlist that teaches kids a song and a music lesson each week.

  • St. MARK's RETURN POLICY

    August 2020


    We so look forward to the day when we can freely welcome you back to the St. Mark's building! 


    In preparation, the St. Mark's Return Team has developed a Return Policy that describes our guidelines for returning to the St. Mark's building safely during Illinois Phase 4. You can view the summary chart or read the complete document. These guidelines are a fluid document that we will update according to the phases and recommendations in Illinois.


    If you have specific questions, please email the church office or call 630-897-6891, 





  • LETTER ABOUT REOPENING THE ST. MARK'S BUILDING

    June 2020


    Dear St. Mark’s Family,


    We hope you are well, safe, and enjoying the beginning of summer. We are writing today to let you know about plans that are in the works for returning to the St. Mark’s building while living with the COVID virus.


    Phased Return

    At the beginning of COVID, many of us had mental images of all returning at once to our church building in celebration, but we are now recognizing that returning will happen in phases.


    What future we will find ourselves in depends not only on the behavior of the virus, but on the actions of people—as individuals, as churches, communities, and governments. The way forward will not be a matter of following a timetable, but of faithfully discerning the signs of the times and responding accordingly. It has always been that way for the church: “You have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown….”


    Return Team

    Please understand that, for at least the next year, we anticipate our lives will be shaped by the timeline set by COVID-19. With that as our basis, our new Return Team met for the first time this past week to review the Chicago Metro Synod’s document on physically returning to our building. Based on the Synod’s recommendations, plus the Center for Disease Control and our state and federal government guidelines, we have begun to outline what returning will look like at St. Mark’s. We have been in conversations with medical experts and local pastors, and we are developing a specific plan for St. Mark’s that we will share with you when it is complete.


    Guidelines

    In this first of many regular communications about re-opening the building, we want to highlight the four primary areas of concern for which we are writing guidelines:


    1. Sanitation/Cleaning Procedures (ensuring the building is safe)
    2. Plan for Entry, Flow, Seating and Exiting Measures
    3. Worship & Liturgical Modifications
    4. Training in Oversight Procedures (i.e., contact tracing, screening, compliance)


    When we have these four areas of the plan in place, you will be hearing more from the Return Team. Having these key plans will also allow us to consider inviting outside groups and meetings back into the building.


    Prayers

    We pray for a spirit of discernment, for wisdom and patience. We pray for researchers and medical professionals; for the planners; for the ill and recovering; for those grieving and struggling with the weightiness of these times. We pray for the watchers and the wonderers, and all those who wait upon the Lord.


    May the Holy One, our Hope, our Teacher, our Redeemer and Truth guide our decisions, keep us in good health and give us patience.


    Pastor Charisse and Pastor Patrick

    Return Team

    St. Mark’s Church Council