Your input please (read please)

Q:  When does adulthood start? 

A:  Generations agree that fully developed adulthood starts at 28. And because millennials are in limbo between adolescence and adulthood, they’ve been an easy target for misplaced blame. One of the factors that determined whether or not millennials gave up on Christianity was determining if the church was a safe place. When you create a healthy environment for younger generations to explore their feelings and ask intellectual questions, you help them see the church as a place where they want to be.

    -- author and generational expert Haydn Shaw

Your input needed:  What do you believe St. Mark needs to do that it is not doing or do better to reach Millennials (18-35 yrs) with the Gospel?  (john.parlow@stmarkpartners.org)

Riverside Childcare info:  http://www.riversidechildren.com/

2016 - A Year of Opportunities

Continued Growth – We continue to experience God’s great blessings of growth. Our efforts to counsel, disciple and equip our partners are being hindered by the need of additional staff. So, we are exploring the possibility of calling another pastor/staff minister to better serve our congregation. 

Improved Communication - We continue to improve communication by expanding the ways we make information available to you.  For example, the Scripture readings for the worship service are now displayed in the FIVE2 announcements before each service.  Prayer requests are now available on our web site and on our St. Mark app, underneath the “Announcements” menu. Our Church Library listings are under the “Resources” menu. (www.stmarkdepere.com)

Also, our current financial statements can be found in the Ministry Governing Board (MGB) meeting minutes, located in the kiosk in the partner information center at De Pere and in the narthex at Green Bay.

Summer Vicar – We’d like to call a summer Vicar who would serve from May 15^th to August 15^th, 2016.  St. Mark will once again have the opportunity to directly influence a future pastor, provide a great role model for our people and keep St. Mark young and connected to worker training.

Director of Digital Engagement – We want to hire a person or service who will create all our videos and artwork that we need for our worship, communication and education. This person or service will have oversight of all social media with an emphasis on expanding our online worship presence and media promotions. 

Worship Services & Schedules – We’ll be exploring changes in schedules and service formats to better meet the needs of our congregation and community as well as utilize our resources and staff better.

Expanding Christian Counseling – We will be exploring setting up another Living Hope Christian Counseling office at Green Bay.  We could offer the Green Bay community a licensed, Christian counseling option.  This will be a wonderful resource for our St. Mark school families, teachers and students.  We will also establish an Elementary School Guidance and Counseling curriculum to better serve our families.

Facilties Updates – We will be continuing to look at upgrading our facilities in Green Bay and De Pere. This could include things like upgrading bathrooms, replacing doors, updating lighting, upgrading seating options and adding window shades.

Please note that Sommerville Inc. has graciously offered St. Mark some options to consider for the De Pere worship center, which is now 14 years old.  The options include new carpeting and floor tile, a beautifully textured front altar wall, dimmable lights for better worship and an expanded altar area with greater emphasis on the Cross and the Word.  There will be opportunities for your input and insights as we continue to improve things at St. Mark.

 The new year – 2016 – fast approaches.  What opportunities will present themselves?  What new discoveries will you make?  What new ministry adventures will you undertake?