Office Hours & Contact Info

Elly Swartz, stmarks@smluth.org

Mon (office) 9:00 am—2:15 pm

Tues.-Thurs. 9:00 am—3:00 pm

Karin Lindell karin@smluth.org

Tues. 9:00 am— 11:30 am

Wed. 1:00 pm — 4:00 pm

Thurs. 9:00 am—11:30 am

Deb Neiderhiser

Tues. 12:00 pm—3:00 pm

Wed. 9:00 am—12:00 pm

Thurs. 12:00 pm—3:00 pm

Mary Johnson, Financial mary@smluth.org

Thurs. 1:00—4:00 pm

*Friday by request only

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you

are mine.” Isaiah 43:1

Everyone can get scared; fear is an unavoidable aspect of the human

experience. Fear saves our lives if we flee or react to danger. Often we

let fear guide us and many people in positions of power and influence

know how to play on our fears.

Neil Strauss writes about fear in an article in Rolling Stone entitled

“Why We’re Living in the Age of Fear,” According to Lewis & Clark

College president Barry Glassner, one of the country’s leading sociolo-

gists and author of The Culture of Fear, “Most Americans are living in

the safest place at the safest time in human history.” So how is it possi-

ble to be living in the safest time in human history, yet at the exact same

time to be so scared? Because, according to Glassner, “we are living in

the most fearmongering time in human history. And the main reason for

this is that there’s a lot of power and money available to individuals and

organizations who can perpetuate these fears.” For mass media, insur-

ance companies, Big Pharma, advocacy groups, lawyers, politicians and

so many more, your fear is worth billions. And fortunately for them,

your fear is also very easy to manipulate. We’re wired to respond to it

above everything else. If we miss an opportunity for abundance, life

goes on; if we miss an important fear cue, it doesn’t.

Strauss also quotes Neuroscientist Joseph LeDoux, “What we’re talking

about is anxiety, not fear,” LeDoux says. Where fear is a response to a

present threat, anxiety is a more complex and highly manipulable re-

sponse to something one anticipates might be a threat in the future. “It is

a worry about something that hasn’t happened and may never happen,”

says LeDoux. So if someone opens fire at a concert you’re attending,

you experience fear. But if you’re at a concert and you’re worried that a

shooting attack could occur there, that’s anxiety.

During Lent we are going to name the fear and anxiety that dominates

so much of our lives and remember all the ways and times God/Jesus/

God messengers showed up with words “Peace be with you” and “Do

not be afraid.” The expressions themselves reflect that fear is real but

the promise and presence is that God is more real. Throughout Lent we

will be reminded that we were created to trust and we can daily reclaim

this prime identity. I agree with Maya Angelou, “Have enough courage

to trust love one more time and always one more time.”

Peace,

Pastor Lori

_THE SERVANT_ A monthly newsletter for St. Mark’s Lutheran Church

February 2020

__FEBRUARY CALENDAR __

Events and Activities February 25: Fat Tuesday Party 5:30pm—8:30 pm

February 26: Ash Wednesday Worship 7pm

_____WORSHIP TIMES_____

SAT 5:30 pm Worship

SUN 8:30 am & 10:45 am Worship

mailto:stmarks@smluth.orgmailto:karin@smluth.orgmailto:mary@smluth.orghttps://www.rollingstone.com/t/media/

Fat Tuesday Party! Tuesday, February 25 from 5:30-8:30pm

Pancakes, sausage, ice cream with a host of toppings Please bring an ice cream topping to share!

LIVE JAZZ MUSIC

MAKING OUR OWN MASKS TO WEAR FELLOWSHIP AND FUN!

A free will offering will be taken to help with hosting

Church on the Street Laundry with Love

If you can help set up, serve or clean up please sign up this weekend or call the office to let us know

how you can help.

SUPPER: March 4, 11, 18, 25 and April 1 beginning each night at 6:00 pm

WORSHIP: 7:00 pm

THEME: Created to Trust

We will deal with fear by naming all the ways it impacts our lives and is used to create isolation by so many peo-ple. We will not stay in that dark space but we will name the ways God, light and others remind us of the way we were created to trust.

We will hear from wise preachers in our community (especially St. John Lutheran): Pastor Paul Matchan, Pastor Dennis Hansen, Bishop Emeritus Andrea DeGroot-Nesdahl, and Rebel Hurd. Even with such an esteemed group they will let Pastor Lori have a turn as well!

Lent 2020

February 26

7:00 pm worship

Baptism

Anniversaries :

February

Connie Kinstad

Amy Douglas

Ruth Huber

Christy Schweitzer

Ray Laurila

Kent Alberty

Donna Hirsch

Dustin White

Joey Bohlen

ADULT FORUM:

Feb. 2: View and discuss part 1 of Episode 5 "Why Does Evil Exist?" from the Story of God series. Feb. 9: View and discuss part 2 of Episode 5 "Why Does Evil Exist?" from the Story of God series. Feb. 16: View and discuss part 1 of Episode 6 The Power of Miracles" from the Story of God series. Feb. 23: View and discuss part 2 of Episode 6 "The power Miracles" from the Story of God series.

LUTHERANS OUTDOORS

SERVANT CAMP

GRADES 9—ADULT

Combine service with cultural learning as

you walk alongside the Lakota people of

Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Spend the

week listening to Native American speak-

ers, playing with Lakota youth, working on

a service project, worshipping together,

and learning about issues of poverty, di-

versity, multiculturalism, and Lakota spir-

itual belief and practice. Make new friends

as you become immersed in Lakota cul-

ture.

We are looking at July 12-17 or July 19-24

SERVANT CAMPING PRICING:

Before February 15: Price—$475

Between February 15 and April 15: Price—$575

Register after April 15: Price—$625

Let Pastor Lori know if you have any

questions.

St. Mark’s Global Encounters

The first trip I took

to Cameroon was

the first trip spon-

sored by St.

Mark’s, and was

because this

congregation

wanted to take

seriously that we

are part of a world-

wide Christian

community.

I want to share

with you one

memory from that

trip which was in

1995—25 years ago. We had flown into the Douala, a port city, on a world class airline.

The next day we were on Air Cameroon to go up country to N’Gaoundere where the Lu-

theran Church headquarters was located. We got a wonderful air tour of Cameroon and

sandwiches passed on a tray; but we did not arrive at the scheduled airport because that

day there was a dust storm which made the landing impossible in a city without a radar

tower. So we went by van from one city’s airport to the other. The drivers of the 2 vans in

our caravan were followers of Islam. This meant they stopped at the times they were to

pray since Muslims pray 5 times a day. As our drivers put their prayer mats on the ground,

John (my late husband) got out his harmonica and started to play Sweet Hour of Prayer. I

realized then that we had not only come to a far-away place to connect with Christians but

also were connecting with other God - believers, though they called God Allah.

On this trip the six of us from South Dakota including a farmer from Corsica, a man from

the synod office and a former missionary couple, traveled many roads to visit the

Lutherans in Cameroon and in Central African Republic. Many of these roads were so

rough we had bad cases of tired butt and we thought this first trip to Cameroon certainly

would also be the last. But some of you know that the next year we had answered an ad in

an ELCA newsletter for house parents in Garoua Boulai, Cameroon, and at the

end of 1996 we were back for the sake of the mission in Cameroon. -Cathy Larson

St. Mark’s Lutheran Church Annual Meeting

January 26, 2020

President Dawn Hartigan called the meeting to order.

Pastor Lori Hope led in opening devotions.

MSC to approve the agenda.

Duane Andersen was appointed as parliamentarian.

Minutes: MSC to approve the 2019 Annual Meeting minutes.

Nominations: Vice-President Lorie Laurila presented the 2020 slate of nominees. MSC to elect

the nominees by unanimous ballot.

Audit Report: Kent Alberty presented the Audit Report. Our accounts are accurate and

complete. Kent thanked Mary Johnson, financial manager, for her excellent work.

Treasurer’s Report:

Chris McCallum presented the 2020 Proposed Budget. He explained certain 2019

expenses and corrected the proposed 2020 Current Offerings Income line to read

$299,351.68.

A litany of thanksgiving for mortgage debt retirement was read and a copy of the

canceled mortgage was shredded.

Kyle Alberty reported on the newly-formed Long Range Task Force which will address payment of the remaining member loans, consider upcoming property and building

needs, and continue our tradition of reaching out beyond our walls. Whatever projects we undertake

with the money freed up by debt retirement will include 10% dedicated to

some type of benevolence focus. If anyone has ideas for needed projects or wishes to

contribute to member loan debt reduction, they may talk to one of the task force

members: Kyle Alberty, Dawn Hartigan, Dave Hokanson, Doug Larson, Lorie Laurila,

Dan Luke or Pastor Lori.

$40,000 in the 2020 Proposed Budget has been set aside for property projects. This is

close to the amount that would have been spent on mortgage payments.

MSC to approve the Treasurer’s Report. Page 1 of 2

2020 Proposed Budget: MSC to adopt the 2020 Proposed Budget.

Pastor’s, President’s and Standing Committee Reports: MSC to approve the reports as

printed.

Resolutions: Dawn read the 2020 Proposed Resolutions. MSC to adopt the resolutions.

Old Business:

Internship: We have filled out our application to be an internship site and will hear if we

have been accepted in February. It is expected that we will be accepted.

St. Mark’s 2019 ELCA World Hunger giving totaled $4,686.67. This averages $9.38 per

baptized member – short of our $16 goal. We will try again this year for $16 per baptized

member.

New Business:

Sound absorption: Terry Phillips presented plans for sound absorption panels for the

Fellowship Hall. We have had acoustics issues since the carpet was replaced by the new

flooring. The 64 panels will be 4 ft by 1 ft and hang from loops two inches from the

ceiling. They are made of recycled plastic. The $4,000-$4,200 cost will come from the

remaining Thrivent Choice Dollars, Floor Covering, and Property Improvement lines in

the Dedicated Accounts. Donations will also gladly be accepted. A request was made for

the Long Range Task Force to look into sound amplification in the sanctuary.

Snow Removal: The Unzelman family has provided free parking lot snow removal for St.

Mark’s for more than thirty years, a gift for which we are extremely grateful. Now that

they have sold their company, we have contracted parking lot snow removal with Paul

Snaza and increased the budget line to $5,000.

Margaret Blume thanked everyone who worked so hard to make this meeting happen. Dawn

stated that it has been an honor to serve as president.

MSC to adjourn.

Pastor Lori offered a closing prayer.

Karin Lindell,

Secretary Page 2 of 2

St. Mark’s Lutheran Church Council Minutes

January 21, 2020

Present: Kyle Alberty, Todd Goldammer, Dawn Hartigan, Pastor Lori Hope, Cathy Larson, Laurie Lau-rila, Karin Lindell, Dan Luke, Chris McCallum, Terry Phillips, Shari Smith

Cathy gave the Mission Committee report as she needed to leave early. The committee is recommend-ing the first $1,000 of the Lenten/Easter offering go to our commitment to LSS refugee services as is our custom, and the rest be split between Augustana’s new program of financial support for Native American students and the post-flood rebuilding of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Canova. The offering designation will be decided at next month’s Council meeting.

Devotions: Pastor Lori led devotions with a reading on “Belonging” from Bless the Space Between Us. She thanked everyone for giving their time to be on Council and their committees. The council thanked Dawn for her leadership.

Minutes: MSC to approve the December Council minutes.

Old Business:

We made our final mortgage payment at the end of December.

Discussed spending the $1,000 received by St. Mark’s earlier this year from a drawing after Pastor Lori filled out a survey for the Lake Institute on Faith and Giving. It was decided to give half to Church on the Street’s emergency fund and half to Pastor Lori’s discretionary fund.

A group planning to start holding Protestant services on Sunday afternoons at St. Francis House has invited us to help. Dawn will get further information and pass it on to the Mission Committee for their consideration.

Internship -- We will hear in early February if we have been approved as an internship site.

Sound absorption – Terry presented a new idea of vertically hanging panels. The Council gave its consensus to order the panels.

Treasurer’s Report: We ended the year behind budget, but are not in too bad shape. MSC to approve the Treasurer’s Report.

Pastor’s Report:

We will be working together with St. John Lutheran for our Lenten series this year with preaching by Pastor Lori, Pastor Paul Matchen, Rebel Hurd, Pastor Dennis Hansen, and former Bishop Andrea DeGroot-Nesdahl. The theme will focus on our culture’s current climate of fear and how we are cre-ated to trust.

Deb Neiderhiser and family will be gifting St. Mark’s with a selection of percussion instruments as a memorial to Deb’s son Joel.

New Business: The task force for upcoming building and property needs has met and will make a re-port at the Annual Meeting. They will continue to meet and seek input from the congregation.

Committee Reports: The other committees did not have any items to bring forward apart from their printed reports.

The meeting adjourned with the Lord’s Prayer.

Karin Lindell,

Secretary

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St. Mark’s Lutheran Church

2001 S. Elmwood Avenue

Sioux Falls, SD 57105

The Servant February 2020