St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Grand Rapids

Many thanks to all the volunteers and donors who supported last week's joint musical, Jesus Christ Superstar, with our siblings at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church. Special thanks to Discount Home Improvement Inc. for their generous support.

We want to give a huge shout out and THANK YOU to Discount Home Improvement Inc. for their generous support of our performances of Jesus Christ Superstar last week!

Discount Home Improvement offers affordable kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities. If you're thinking about a home remodel, be sure to check them out!

It takes a lot of work and resources to offer these shows and wouldn't be possible without generous sponsors. Thank you, !

Friends, we're back to using the front entrance gate off Division Ave! There may be barriers at Pearl St and Lyon St, but you will be able to go around them. + While you're out front, check out our landscaping, which is extra stunning right now!

Chains at the back of our lot will only be down on Sundays.

If you find yourself in the Wi******er 'alley' with chains up during the week, you may ring the buzzer on the delivery door or call the office for assistance.

What was your favorite thing about Jesus Christ Superstar last weekend at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church?

Kate's was watching her kids feel like a real part of the story. They kept whispering to me about how Judas was making bad choices, how Jesus should get to have friends and Mary Magdalene seemed nice enough, and why were all the 'priests and kings' so mad at Jesus, anyway? Ani said they should change the end of the story to where the 'priests and kings' went to Jesus to tell him their concerns and ask if he could negotiate. Hank said no one should be killed and especially not Jesus, who was all their friend and helped them. Many thanks to Molly Bosscher for encouraging us to sit right up front!

Congrats to Mark, Sophia, Thalia, and Freya Rozeboom and all the rest of the cast and crew! Sophia, your solo was excellent! (And thanks to Laura for the reminder that the 5 y.o.s might do better leaving after intermission.)

Thank you to Dr. Monique Salinas for directing, St. Andrew's for hosting, and all the other volunteers who put this together in an impressive two weeks.

It was also great to see Jan, Wendy, their granddaughter, several other friends, and a friend I brought with me. Community theater really does bring out the community.

A lovely story by the poet Naomi Shihab Nye, about finding little pockets of hope. Finding little pockets of the world we want to live in, right there at our fingertips, if we're willing to pause for a moment and risk making a new human connection.

I've read this story a few times. It warms my heart each time. Like at St. Mark's, when you don't know who will walk in the front door during the week. Travelers who passed by and want to see the architecture inside. A woman who could see our towers from her a meeting in a downtown building and came to pray in St. Mary's Chapel. An unhoused gentleman whose day is changed by a PB&J (we always keep on hand) or a hot tea, and then he starts coming to Cafe every Saturday. Some kids who just needed to use the restroom and then got interested in a 400 year old Bible...

-Kate

"Wandering around the Albuquerque Airport Terminal, after learning my flight had been delayed four hours, I heard an announcement: "If anyone in the vicinity of Gate A-4 understands any Arabic, please come to the gate immediately." Well - one pauses these days. Gate A-4 was my own gate. I went there.

An older woman in full traditional Palestinian embroidered dress, just like my grandma wore, was crumpled to the floor, wailing. "Help," said the flight agent. "Talk to her. What is her problem? We told her the flight was going to be late and she did this."

I stooped to put my arm around the woman and spoke haltingly.

"Shu-dow-a, Shu-bid-uck Habibti? Stani schway, Min fadlick, Shu-bit-se-wee?" The minute she heard any words she knew, however poorly used, she stopped crying. She thought the flight had been canceled entirely. She needed to be in El Paso for major medical treatment the next day. I said, "No, we're fine, you'll get there, just later, who is picking you up? Let's call him."

We called her son, I spoke with him in English. I told him I would stay with his mother till we got on the plane and ride next to her. She talked to him. Then we called her other sons just for the fun of it. Then we called my dad and he and she spoke for a while in Arabic and found out of course they had ten shared friends. Then I thought just for the heck of it why not call some Palestinian poets I know and let them chat with her? This all took up two hours.

She was laughing a lot by then. Telling of her life, patting my knee, answering questions. She had pulled a sack of homemade mamool cookies - little powdered sugar crumbly mounds stuffed with dates and nuts - from her bag - and was offering them to all the women at the gate. To my amazement, not a single woman declined one. It was like a sacrament. The traveler from Argentina, the mom from California, the lovely woman from Laredo - we were all covered with the same powdered sugar. And smiling. There is no better cookie.

And then the airline broke out free apple juice from huge coolers and two little girls from our flight ran around serving it and they were covered with powdered sugar, too. And I noticed my new best friend - by now we were holding hands - had a potted plant poking out of her bag, some medicinal thing, with green furry leaves. Such an old country tradition. Always carry a plant. Always stay rooted to somewhere.

And I looked around that gate of late and weary ones and I thought, This is the world I want to live in. The shared world. Not a single person in that gate - once the crying of confusion stopped- seemed apprehensive about any other person. They took the cookies. I wanted to hug all those other women, too.

This can still happen anywhere. Not everything is lost."

Credit: Naomi Shihab Nye

How did our teachers', your kids' and your grandkids' first days go?

Here's our first day of school backpack pics, from Sunday's Blessing of the Backpacks.

We know her!
Congratulations, Rachel!
What a neat description - "a relationship counselor for organizations."

What's the buzz? Tell me what's happening
What's the buzz? Tell me what's happening
What's the buzz? Tell me what's happening
What's the buzz? Tell me what's happening
What's the buzz? Tell me what's happening
What's the buzz? Tell me what's happening
What's the buzz? Tell me what's happening
What's the buzz? Tell me what's happening

Why should you want to know?
Don't you mind about the future
Don't you try to think ahead
Save tomorrow for tomorrow
Think about today instead

What's the buzz? Tell me what's happening
What's the buzz? Tell me what's happening
What's the buzz? Tell me what's happening (I could give you facts and figures)
What's the buzz? Tell me what's happening (When do we ride into Jerusalem?)
When do we ride into Jerusalem?
Even tell you where I'm going (When do we ride into Jerusalem?)

When do we ride into Jerusalem?
When do we ride into Jerusalem?
When do we ride into Jerusalem?
When do we ride into Jerusalem?

Why should you want to know?
Why are you obsessed with fighting
Times and fates you can't defy?
If you knew the path we're riding
You'd understand it less than I 🙌

Jesus Christ Superstar is what's happening.
The music! The message! You really won’t want to miss this exciting production by St. Andrew’s and St. Mark’s VERY talented kids and adults.

Two shows: Friday, Aug 16 at 6:30p and Saturday, Aug 17 at 2p and 6:30p. There is no admission charge, but freewill donations will be accepted and appreciated.

Kiddos and teachers, good luck as you head back to school in the next week!
***Bring your carry-all this Sunday for the Blessing of the Backpacks.***

Darn, we all would have won this Gerald R. Ford quiz question!

In honor of the 50th anniversary of his inauguration, there is going to be Ford night at the West Michigan Whitecaps, a new exhibit at the The Gerald Ford Presidential Library & Museum, and local churches like ours with ties to the Ford family will be ringing their bells just after noon.

"🚨 IT’S TIME FOR OUR FIRST FORD NIGHT ENVELOPE!! 🚨
Here’s your clue: Love is in the air ❤️ Jerry and Betty Ford tied the knot at this beautiful and historical East Grand Rapids church in 1948.
Make sure to tag us if you find the envelope, which has two tickets for the August 9 Whitecaps game and a parking pass! Good luck 🍀"

Update: WOW THAT WAS FAST! The answer to the clue was Grace Episcopal Church! Congrats to our winner and we'll hide another lucky envelope tomorrow!
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🚨 IT’S TIME FOR OUR FIRST FORD NIGHT ENVELOPE!! 🚨
Here’s your clue: Love is in the air ❤️ Jerry and Betty Ford tied the knot at this beautiful and historical East Grand Rapids church in 1948.

Make sure to tag us if you find the envelope, which has two tickets for the August 9 Whitecaps game and a parking pass! Good luck 🍀

Congrats to Yes Ready by Five!

Congrats to the St. Mark's and all the other Together West Michigan teams! All those Childcare Voter postcards, Commission meetings, door knocks, and conversations paid off.

And especially - congrats to families in every Kent County zip code! Early childhood healthcare and education will be there for our kids, as part of a bright future for all.

How are our other Episcopalian cats doing today?

Today is 🐱

Hodge takes his job as Cathedral cat at Southwark Cathedral very seriously.

[📸: Bridget Davey]

Have you voted yet? If not, make a plan now.

Hear directly from each candidate in the link below: representatives, mayor, judges...

Plus now is your chance! Childcare voters, Vote Yes to the Ready by 5 millage renewal. These early childhood education programs are vital. It's the best $3 each homeowner can spend each year for our community's children, and it's a renewal, not a new tax. Our Together West Michigan team thanks you.

VOTE411 Election information you need. Brought to you by The League of Women Voters Education Fund.

Great joy and gratitude!

For Mother Sue's sixteen years with St. Mark's.

And for all our Family in Faith who helped honor and celebrate Sue in this season... leading up to many beautiful moments together this Sunday.

Celebration of Life for James “Jim” McClain
Thursday, August 8th
10:00 a.m. visitation, 11:00 service, luncheon afterward
Metcalf & Jonkhoff Funeral Home at 4291 Cascade Rd SE

Mother Sue will preside. Memorial Contributions may be made to Camp Henry. Prayers are welcome for his wife Chris and their friends and family. Read about Jim's life here: https://obits.mlive.com/us/obituaries/grandrapids/name/james-mcclain-obituary?id=55732480 .

Staff took Mother Sue out to lunch. What did her fortune say, as she approaches her (third) retirement from being clergy?

Jim McClain passed Saturday and now rests with the saints in light. Our prayers are with Chris, friends & family.

There is a knowing deep within your spirit of belonging. 🫶

The BLESS Appeal challenges us as members of the church to be a beacon of hope and transformation.

Get involved ➡️ episcopalchurch.org