Saint Mark Lutheran Church

03 May 2013

Rescheduled: Earth Day Celebration now on May 11

The Saint Mark Care for Creation committee invites the congregation to an event in celebration of Earth Day on Saturday, May 11th.

Are you interested in birds or just getting outside and experiencing God’s creation? Then, please join us for a presentation on Birds of the Willamette Valley by Saint Mark member Phil Caudill. Along with slides of the beautiful birds of our area, Phil will discuss the basics of bird identification, where to go in the area for good bird watching, what field guides you might use to identify birds, and what might be the best binoculars for you.

The program begins at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 11th, in the fellowship hall. Please bring your own “bag lunch” and beverage from home. We will eat at the church immediately following the presentation. After lunch, about 12:00 noon, those who wish to continue the day outdoors will carpool to Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge (30 minutes away) for bird watching. We’ll stop at Eagle Marsh and Pintail Marsh. Then, we’ll walk the boardwalk at Rail Trail and Egret Marsh looking for spring birds. Bring your binoculars, if you have them, your family, and friends. We’ll spend about 1 ½ hours checking-out the observation spots at the Refuge, then return to the church in mid-afternoon.

Feel free to attend either the morning event or the event in the afternoon, or both! We hope that you will join us for a celebration of EARTH DAY!

24 Apr 2013

Outreach Coordinator Selected

At the annual congregational meeting, a one-quarter-time position of Outreach Coordinator was approved.  We have steadily been moving to fill that position.   Three individuals inquired regarding the position.  After an interview process the council is pleased to announce that Deaconess Debra Mantey has accepted the position.  We are fortunate to have such a well-qualified person for this position.

Deb holds a B.A. in Theology from Valparaiso University and is a consecrated deaconess of the Lutheran Church.  Deb has held parish positions in several Lutheran churches in Washington and Texas.  She has also served as a Congregational Resource Representative for Augsburg Fortress.  From 1997-2011 Deb served the Oregon Synod as coordinator for Congregational Resources reaching out to clergy and lay leaders from 116 congregations across Oregon.

Deb will start her new position in time to support our next new member class.  Her email address is outreach@stmarksalem.org.  Please join me in congratulating Deb on joining the staff of St. Mark. — John Anderson, Council President

14 Apr 2013

Young Organists’ Concert to be held Sunday, April 14th

St. Mark Lutheran Church will feature four students in its 13th annual Young Organists’ Concert.

The recital on the 57-rank Schantz pipe organ will be at 4 p.m. Sunday, April 14th, in the church, 790 Marion St. NE. Admission is free.

(please note that the date listed in the Statesman Journal is incorrect)

The young organists are taught by Pamela Miller, a longtime organ and piano instructor in Salem. They are: Meg Cutting, 16, a junior at South Salem High School; Paul Lim, 12, a home-schooled student from Corvallis; Athena Paraskevas-Nevius, 15, a freshman at South Salem High School; and Ariana Parks, 18, a home-schooled student in Salem.

The concert is sponsored by the church and coordinated by Tim Bibelheimer, longtime St. Mark organist. A reception will follow, sponsored by the Salem Chapter of the American Guild of Organists.

26 Feb 2013

Outreach Coordinator Position Now Open

The Saint Mark congregation at its annual meeting in January approved the funding of an Outreach Coordinator at Saint Mark. The church council has approved the position description and is looking for candidates who might be interested in applying.

• Outreach Coordinator Position Description »

The principal focus of the Outreach Coordinator position is to coordinate the congregation’s outreach and evangelism efforts. The Outreach Coordinator interacts with the broader community by raising the profile of Saint Mark Lutheran Church in the Salem community.

Review of candidates will begin April 2nd, 2013. The position closes when a suitable candidate is found.

If you are interested, please send a letter of interest responding to the duties, skills and requirements of the Outreach Coordinator and a resume. You may mail or drop your application off at the Saint Mark church office.