St Mark’s Council Members met on June 28, 2026. This meeting was held on the 4th Sunday of the month rather than the usual third Sunday due to Father’s Day.
Council Highlights
Devotional Activity
The Devotional Activity was on Stewardship. At last month’s meeting, the Council approved the Stewardship Team’s request to initiate a “Our Vision, Our Future” financial campaign to retire the mortgage in January of 2028. The Stewardship team will unfold this initiative to all members as part of the Stewardship Season. Beth Benson was present to co-share with Randy Steinheimer a soft start-up of the initiative with the Council.
Metro Chicago Synod Assembly
Jeanne Flynn and Pastor Krista provided Council with an update about the Assembly and workshops attended.
Erik Christensen was elected as the new Bishop of the Metro Chicago ELCA. He was elected on the fifth ballot, with 234 votes. The bishop-elect was ordained extra ordinem — outside official church policy – in 2006 and received onto the ELCA roster in 2010 after the church decided in 2009 to allow partnered LGBTQ+ ministers onto the roster. He has served as pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Evanston since 2024. From 2017 to 2024, he served as pastor to the community and director of strategic initiatives at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, one of seven ELCA seminaries. Christensen also served as pastor of St. Luke Lutheran Church of Logan Square in Chicago from 2006 to 2017.
Christensen earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Macalester College in 1995, a Master of Divinity from Candler School of Theology at Emory University in 2002, and a Master of Sacred Theology from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (now United Lutheran Seminary) in 2004. United is another of the ELCA’s seven seminaries. Christensen will be installed on Sept. 19. The location has not yet been determined. The Rev. Wayne Miller has served as interim synod bishop since 2025.
Action Item
• The council approved an update to the Procedures of Fiduciary Practices at St. Mark’s.
An update to procedures for money counting for special events was also shared.
Committee Highlights
Property Team
• The concrete patio and walkway have been poured in the Courtyard. ESSE clients are enjoying being out in the fresh air! Estimates are being gathered for the remaining work.
• Estimates to replace the worn-out asphalt shingles on the steeple with permanent steel shingles are being gathered.
• Estimates for tuckpointing the brick courtyard walls and capping them with aluminum as a long-time solution are being gathered.
• Lawn treatment to abate invasive Creeping Charlie was discussed.
Children, Youth and Family Committee
• The VBS program, “#KidsConnect, has sufficient volunteers, but we are looking for more participants. It’s not too late to sign up for VBS, so please encourage neighbors, family members and others to sign their kids up for the program. Please see VBS information in the Friday email for details.
Stewardship Committee
• The Stewardship Committee is working on the completion of the annual update of the member roster.
Intergenerational Fellowship Team
• The Intergenerational Fellowship Team is ready to launch a new coffee ministry called “Holy Grounds” at St. Mark’s on the weekend of July 11 and 12. A commercial coffee maker was purchased through a Fund-A-Need Grant from the Endowment Team. The Fellowship Team plans to sell ground coffee and chocolate bars sourced from Equal Exchange to members to make the coffee ministry self-sustaining. This new team is also planning a “Chalk the Walk” event on Saturday, August 1. Please look for more information in the Friday email for details.
Constitution Update
• The Council approved the Constitution Review Committee’s update of St. Mark’s Constitution last October. It was then sent to the Synod for official review/approval. We received it back from the Synod in May asking for further explanation in one section. This is being addressed and the Review Committee will send it back to St. Mark’s Council for one last review before re-sending it to the Synod. It is our hope to have things ready for the congregation to vote upon the updated Constitution at the Annual Meeting in January.
Upcoming dates:
• Outdoor worship, Lutheran Contemporary, will take place on Sunday, July 5. See the Friday email for details.
• The summer pops concert, Imagine! will take place on Wednesday, July 8, @ 7:00 PM. An ice cream social will follow. Please see the Friday email for additional information. All are welcome to attend.
The Council is committed to open communication and ongoing transparency with the congregation.
Please feel free to reach out to a Council member with your questions.
2026 Council Members
Randy Steinheimer (President) president@stmarksaurora.net
Jeanne Flynn (Acting Vice President) --flynn64sq@sbcglobal.net
Julie Joerger (Congregational Secretary) julposada.60@gmail.com
Robert Creaney (Treasurer) rob.creaney@sbcglobal.net
Cassie Blickem blickem@mac.com
Gena Gerdin genagerdin@comcast.net
Matt Greising mpgreising@gmail.com
Mary Mandel marymandel610@gmail.com
Melvin Smith kg70gp@gmail.com
Gregg Kobliska grkobliska@yahoo.com
Pastor Krista Zimmerman (Pastor) kzimmerman@stmarksaurora.net
Deacon David Webb dwebb@stmarksaurora.net