Worship Focus

"No Ifs, Ands, or Buts!"

Excuses are a part of our everyday lives, and whether we want to admit it or not, each one of us has used an excuse at some point in life. Right or wrong, excuses have and will continue to be used for missing homework or work, to explain a delay, or to get out of a commitment.

But, what happens when excuses are given to Jesus? 

How does Jesus respond and can we use Jesus' words to turn our excuses into action?

Download the Order of Worship here to join in the singing, readings, and prayers.

St. Mark’s welcomes all to the table!  We hope that you will join us.

Worship Focus

"Mission Trip: Telling the Story"

Join us for worship on Saturday or Sunday as we hear from the youth and adults who were in Louisville, KY this week on a mission trip!

The theme for the week was: Dust: Follow Jesus Closely. They explored what it can look like to respond to God’s love and follow Jesus closely, just like his disciples.

As we learn to follow closely, we will start to look like Jesus in the ways we love and serve others. May we follow Jesus so closely that we are covered in his dust.

We can't wait to hear their stories!

Download the Order of Worship here to join in the singing, readings, and prayers.

St. Mark’s welcomes all to the table!  We hope that you will join us.

Holy Trinity

Worship Focus

"Mysterious God: Three in One"

The weekend after Pentecost is celebrated each year as Trinity Sunday, a day on which the church meditates on the mystery of our God, one divine unity of three distinct presences.

Each way that we speak about the Trinity is inadequate. Indeed, a God we could understand wouldn’t be much of a God.

Join us this weekend as we are gathered into the life of our unfathomable God!

Download the Order of Worship here to join in the singing, readings, and prayers.

St. Mark’s welcomes all to the table!  We hope that you will join us.

Day of Pentecost

Worship Focus

"The Spirit's Power"

In Acts 2:1-21, the promise and hope of Pentecost is that the gift of God's Spirit bridges human division. It gives the capacity to communicate across language and race. People from different cultures and religions, with different values and worldviews, were given a common language.

It is a gift for prophecy that is poured out on all, women and men, the young and the old, enslaved and free, the straight and LGBTQIA+, black and white. The Spirit empowers us to transcend our differences and come together as one to spread the good news of the Risen Christ!

Download the Order of Worship here to join in the singing, readings, and prayers.

St. Mark’s welcomes all to the table!  We hope that you will join us.

7th Weekend of Easter

Worship Focus

"A Summertime Christmas Gift"

During the season of Advent, “preparing” becomes a constant in our every day lives. We’re purchasing gifts, getting ready to travel or to welcome family, and of course, we are reminded that Jesus’ birth is near when we hear the words “prepare the way” in worship. But now, it is June and the season of Christmas is just a memory. How do we keep close the lessons of the Christmas season? How can we keep “preparing the way” not just in Advent, but every day of the year?

Hope to see you at worship this weekend as we are reminded of that abounding grace!  

Download the Order of Worship here to join in the singing, readings, and prayers.

St. Mark’s welcomes all to the table!  We hope that you will join us.

6th Weekend of Easter

Worship Focus

"Saved by Grace"

One of the tenants that we as Lutherans hold dear is that we are saved by grace, not works. The saving work of Christ is already done. We can set our sights on doing our best and moving through the world unafraid of failing or getting it wrong. 

Hope to see you at worship this weekend as we are reminded of that abounding grace!  

Download the Order of Worship here to join in the singing, readings, and prayers.

St. Mark’s welcomes all to the table!  We hope that you will join us.

5th Weekend of Easter

Worship Focus

"The Next Thing on My List"

Simeon had a very unusual "bucket list" request: he wanted to see the Messiah before he died. Simeon's desire bears the question: what is on OUR bucket lists? 

So many times, we focus on what we NEED to do before we die, instead of recognizing the day-to-day blessings that are right in front of us. 

What can we learn from Simeon's example? 

Deacon Tracy Katschke-Goss returns to the pulpit this weekend.

Download the Order of Worship here to join in the singing, readings, and prayers.

St. Mark’s welcomes all to the table!  We hope that you will join us.

Worship Focus

"Jesus Welcomes the Rejected"

This weekend, as we continue the celebration of the 50 days of Easter, we hear a story from the early church. Phillip is called by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to meet an Ethiopian Eunuch. 

When the Eunuch learned from Philip that Jesus was the Messiah the prophet Isaiah was talking about, he asked to be baptized. Filled with the Holy Spirit himself, the Eunuch goes on his way rejoicing. The formerly rejected Eunuch is now welcomed and embraced as a Child of God.

Hope to see you in worship this weekend as we are reminded of Jesus expansive sense of belonging endowed to us in baptism!

Download the Order of Worship here to join in the singing, readings, and prayers.

St. Mark’s welcomes all to the table!  We hope that you will join us.

Worship Focus

"LSSI Good Shepherd Weekend"

St. Mark's will join ELCA congregations all over Illinois in lifting up the ministries of LSSI! 

Please join us for worship as we hear from several St. Mark's members who are involved in LSSI ministries.  

Download the Order of Worship here to join in the singing, readings, and prayers.

St. Mark’s welcomes all to the table!  We hope that you will join us.

2nd Weekend of Easter

Worship Focus

"Traveling with Jesus"

In the Gospel story for this weekend, two disciples encounter Jesus while walking on the road to Emmaus. Encompassed with grief, they fail to recognize that they are walking with their friend until much later. 

How many times in our travels down the road of life do we fail to recognize that we TOO are walking with Jesus? 

As we pause to celebrate the First Communion of four children, in what ways can WE pause to remember the various ways that Jesus walks with us? 

We welcome Deacon Tracy Katschke-Goss back to the pulpit.  

Download the Order of Worship here to join in the singing, readings, and prayers.

St. Mark’s welcomes all to the table!  We hope that you will join us.

Worship Focus

Easter Sunday

 "Jesus is Risen! It's a New Day!"

On Maundy Thursday, Jesus says, remember me when you eat this bread and drink this wine, it is my body and blood given for you. 

When Jesus is arrested, the disciples scatter. 

A few of the women watch as Jesus dies on a cross on Good Friday. 

On Easter, upon hearing the angels proclaim the tomb is empty because Jesus has risen, they remember what Jesus foretold about his own death and resurrection. 

On Easter Sunday, we re-member, as in we gather again, as members of Christ's body to experience the power and promise of a new day. We proclaim "Alleluia!" as we also celebrate a new day and a new chapter at St. Mark's and beyond! 

We hope you will come and re-member with us!  

Download the Order of Worship here to join in the singing, readings, and prayers.

St. Mark’s welcomes all to the table!  We hope that you will join us.