The Lion
Our patron is the First Gospeller, St Mark the Evangelist, one of whose symbols is the Lion. The lion is noble, strong, fearless and resourceful. At St Mark's, Chesley, though we are a small congregation of ordinary folks in a small rural town, we do our best to emulate our patron's symbol, for the sake of Christ.
Our congregation was founded in 1895, under the pastorate of the Reverend CJ Maas, who functioned much like a missionary. Arran-Elderslie township was primitive in those days, and the St Mark's congregation was determined but without many resources. Nevertheless, family by family it grew, until after several temporary homes, it was able to construct a new church in 1936 during the pastorate of the indefatigable Reverend Harry Bates, and then, in 1953, the charming parsonage next door.
St Mark's enjoyed the post World War II church boom, but from the 1970's on experienced the same gradual decline in numbers as other mainline congregations, until in 2007, the church council, at the end of a careful. fulsome and prayed-over process fully supported by Pastor Terri Ann Mattiasson, came to the decision that St Mark's could not afford a full-time pastor much longer. Fr Ed Wagner, a retired Anglican priest and a specialist in intentional interim ministry, followed Pastor Terri Ann. During his first year, he heard all too frequently, "Well, Pastor, how does it feel to lead a dying parish?"
Fr Ed's response became, "But I face you Sunday by Sunday, and what I see isn't a dying parish-- it's actually pretty normal." Yes, in the 1980's the average Sunday congregation numbered 100 or so, and today it's half that size. But it's a healthy mix of older, younger and children, a happy, affectionate crowd that doesn't seem afraid of the future, or thinking out of the box (an Anglican priest for a pastor, for example, and it goes from there).
What Fr Ed realised was that St Mark's, having accepted its eventual death, had been freed to live in joy-- and he kept telling the congregation that. Isn't this what following Jesus is all about? he tells us over and over. Didn't Jesus say whoever loses his life for the Gospel's sake will find it? In Baptism, don't we drown the old life and rise up from the waters fresh and new?
So St Mark's has been faced to answer the profound question-- What happens when you're told you're terminal, and you're going to die ... and then you don't?
The answer has been St Mark's Lions. Instead of waiting until the last hydro bill can't be paid, St Mark's has trusted Father God, let Holy Spirit lead, and stepped forth into a future. It has begun looking outward, raising money not for itself, but for the community and its needs. Deciding it has much to offer seminary students, it has dipped into its capital to fund an intern pastor. In response to the failing mechanisms of its old pipe organ, it has raised enough funds to build a new instrument from historic parts and hundreds of hours of volunteer labour that is re-energising our worship and providing an ornament to the town.
Energy, imagination, love, Christ at the head of the church-- this is what makes the Lions of St Mark's!
St Mark's enjoyed the post World War II church boom, but from the 1970's on experienced the same gradual decline in numbers as other mainline congregations, until in 2007, the church council, at the end of a careful. fulsome and prayed-over process fully supported by Pastor Terri Ann Mattiasson, came to the decision that St Mark's could not afford a full-time pastor much longer. Fr Ed Wagner, a retired Anglican priest and a specialist in intentional interim ministry, followed Pastor Terri Ann. During his first year, he heard all too frequently, "Well, Pastor, how does it feel to lead a dying parish?"
Fr Ed's response became, "But I face you Sunday by Sunday, and what I see isn't a dying parish-- it's actually pretty normal." Yes, in the 1980's the average Sunday congregation numbered 100 or so, and today it's half that size. But it's a healthy mix of older, younger and children, a happy, affectionate crowd that doesn't seem afraid of the future, or thinking out of the box (an Anglican priest for a pastor, for example, and it goes from there).
What Fr Ed realised was that St Mark's, having accepted its eventual death, had been freed to live in joy-- and he kept telling the congregation that. Isn't this what following Jesus is all about? he tells us over and over. Didn't Jesus say whoever loses his life for the Gospel's sake will find it? In Baptism, don't we drown the old life and rise up from the waters fresh and new?
So St Mark's has been faced to answer the profound question-- What happens when you're told you're terminal, and you're going to die ... and then you don't?
The answer has been St Mark's Lions. Instead of waiting until the last hydro bill can't be paid, St Mark's has trusted Father God, let Holy Spirit lead, and stepped forth into a future. It has begun looking outward, raising money not for itself, but for the community and its needs. Deciding it has much to offer seminary students, it has dipped into its capital to fund an intern pastor. In response to the failing mechanisms of its old pipe organ, it has raised enough funds to build a new instrument from historic parts and hundreds of hours of volunteer labour that is re-energising our worship and providing an ornament to the town.
Energy, imagination, love, Christ at the head of the church-- this is what makes the Lions of St Mark's!
We Love Sundays!
When you come to St Mark's on a typical Sunday morning, you'll be joining over 50 other men, women and children. Many are from families that have been coming here every Sunday for generations-- but many are not, and this is one of the most open, inviting, welcoming, forward-thinking and engaging congregations you'll ever experience!
Worship at St Mark's is traditional, but never rigid-- every Sunday is special. Except during Eastertide and other festive occasions, we always begin worship with the rite of Confession and Forgiveness. We celebrate a fully-sung Communion on at least two Sundays a month, and at all major festivals of the church year. Hymn, praise song, and liturgical singing is particularly energetic and varied; the vestments we use are rich in colour and design; worship patterns are those of the 2006 Evangelical Lutheran Worship; but we're never afraid to adjust our worship style to whatever seems most appropriate, and however we celebrate, it's always vigorous and genuine, never stiffly formal.
Preaching at St Mark's is powerful, Biblical, and down-to-earth, customarily from the centre aisle without notes, close to the congregation. From the Festival of Michael and All Angels ("Back to Church Sunday") in September, through Trinity Sunday in June, we follow the ELCIC lectionary. During the summer months, the preachers offer sermon series, recently a study of the Book of Acts and a study of the Ten Commandments as they can be applied by contemporary Christians. As appropriate, preaching is aided by audio-visual technology, and each sermon series is published in book form upon its completion.
Worship at St Mark's is traditional, but never rigid-- every Sunday is special. Except during Eastertide and other festive occasions, we always begin worship with the rite of Confession and Forgiveness. We celebrate a fully-sung Communion on at least two Sundays a month, and at all major festivals of the church year. Hymn, praise song, and liturgical singing is particularly energetic and varied; the vestments we use are rich in colour and design; worship patterns are those of the 2006 Evangelical Lutheran Worship; but we're never afraid to adjust our worship style to whatever seems most appropriate, and however we celebrate, it's always vigorous and genuine, never stiffly formal.
Preaching at St Mark's is powerful, Biblical, and down-to-earth, customarily from the centre aisle without notes, close to the congregation. From the Festival of Michael and All Angels ("Back to Church Sunday") in September, through Trinity Sunday in June, we follow the ELCIC lectionary. During the summer months, the preachers offer sermon series, recently a study of the Book of Acts and a study of the Ten Commandments as they can be applied by contemporary Christians. As appropriate, preaching is aided by audio-visual technology, and each sermon series is published in book form upon its completion.