The Social Ministry Team is excited to announce we are supporting the Maine Township food pantry again this year during this season of Lent. This giving opportunity has been a wonderful way to help feed our neighbors in the Maine Township Northwest Suburbs and feeds over 300 families each month and the need increases every month.
In the verses preceding Mark’s Transfiguration passage, Jesus has just articulated what is arguably his most disturbing, difficult teaching of all: that he must suffer, die, and rise again – and that anyone who wishes to follow him must “deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me”. The Transfiguration’s light, then, acts as a kind of reassurance for Peter, John, and James (and for the rest of us!). It’s as if Mark is saying: We’re now making the turn toward Golgotha, and that means descending into the valley of the shadow of death. But fear not! Keep this astonishing, mysterious mountaintop story in mind as we go. Carry it like a torch, for it can help show the way – not least because it gives us a glimpse of where all this is headed…
Our Lenten Journey 2024 begins with Ash Wednesday on February 14 and culminates with the Festival of the Resurrection on Easter Sunday, March 31. Please, join us on this sacred journey for one or all of these services in remembrance of Christ’s Passion.
Ash Wednesday on February 14th marks the beginning of Lent, which is a season of preparation to celebrate the resurrection of Christ. Several opportunities for worship and fellowship are offered. All are welcome.
This year of the Lectionary is the Year of Mark and most of the Gospel lessons in this season come from this Gospel. I want to share an outline of Mark with you so that you can refer to it from time to time during the coming year. The Gospel of Mark is arranged in an outline of three sections, and in each section there is a seeing miracle.
In the Gospel for this coming Sunday we go to church with Jesus. “Jesus and his disciples went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught..”
Besides the usual group who assembled, with the scribes who were their teachers, there was also an unexpected guest who joined them for worship. “Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit.” Today we would say that the man was afflicted with a mental illness.
I have an “ecclesiastical daughter,” Gretchen, who is currently serving as a chaplain in a palliative care program in the state of Washington. I served as her mentor when she did her initial ministry field work in my parish more than 30 years ago. I am delighted she found her way into chaplaincy and we share this ministry experience.
On Saturday, January 27, you are invited to join the Sunday School Families for a trip to Feed my Starving Children at their Schaumburg Location to pack food products. Our time slot is 2-3:45 p.m.
During this week we will again celebrate the life and ministry of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It is especially relevant that we celebrate this modern-day prophet during the season of Epiphany. In his book, “Stride Toward Freedon,” Dr. King describes a key Epiphany of his life.
Open Arms Ministry has reached out to us for help. They have a large demand in the month of January to collect Winter Coats.
We are launching a Winter Coat Donation Drive to collect gently used or new winter coats for men, women, and children of all ages.