Let me first say, Happy 80th Anniversary!! On October 14th we celebrated our anniversary with worship and a pig roast. Former Florida-Bahamas Synod bishop and St. Mark’s pastor, William Trexler, joined us as our special guest to preach. It was an incredible event and I am so thankful to not only everyone who volunteered their time and energy to make the event a great success, but to all of you who made the trip to be with us as well. It was joy to see old friends reunite, share stories and memories, and honor St. Mark’s history in this community. St. Mark’s has a rich history and we excitedly look to the future as we continue to grow, learn, and serve. May we always be asking, “What is God up to in this place?”
In preparation for the 80th anniversary, I reviewed the history of leadership at St. Mark’s. You can read a brief synopsis of our history on our website under the “history” tab. And as I reread our history, I noticed that under the tenure of each pastor we lift up not only the flourishing ministry and mission during their time, but also significant changes and additions to our physical building. From the beginning, during the tenure of Pastor George Hart, our history notes purchasing our first property as well as constructing the original church building at our current location. During Pastor Nordsiek’s tenure history notes new plans for a Fellowship Hall and Education Building. During Pastor Biemiller’s tenure renovations were made to the education facility and faceted glass was added to the chapel. During Pastor Trexler’s tenure a new nave was built. During Pastor Scholl’s tenure, the church expanded to include a new fellowship hall, music suite, kitchen, and offices.
This observation made me reflect on why building renovations are important to our history. Why take the time to honor and record renovations and updates within our church’s history? Is it that building renovations and additions are the most tangible result of a pastor’s tenure? Or, perhaps, building growth is a parallel to membership growth and mission outreach.
Perhaps a thriving congregation necessitates updates and renovations and, therefore honoring those physical changes honors our congregation’s vitality. After all, it is the continual update, improvement, and modernization that allows St. Mark’s to have such an impact in the community. The Nordsiek building is home to 120 preschoolers and more than 30 staff. The music suite and nave ensure safe venue for not only worship, but Bach Vespers, San Marco Chamber Music Society, Organ Concerts, guest musicians, clinicians, and other artists. General repairs and updates exemplify our commitment to being a warm and inviting, albeit temporary, home for Family Promise. Additions and renovations like Hart Hall and the Fellowship Hall allow us to host groups and partners in ministry like Lutheran Social Services, yoga, community band, chess tournaments for kids, and more.
I am excited that 80 years later, renovations and updates continue still today. Most recently the library and office (rooms used for hosting Family Promise) received a fresh coat of paint and new flooring. Over the next six months the catalog and content of our library will be updated. As our new collection grows, I invite you to check out a book, offer a review, share with a friend, or start a book group. The library is an incredible resource and we are working hard to restore its relevance. In the weeks to come, we will be replacing our Nave roof, which is our oldest roof. As we look to the future, plans are in being put in place for the installation of a fire protection system and grants are being written for updates the St. Mark’s Ark playground and kitchen.
I never imagined that my first year at St. Mark’s would involve so many conversations regarding facility maintenance, renovations and upgrades. I am beyond excited that they are happening because these conversations are a testament to the Spirit’s movement here and now at St. Mark’s. God is always forming and reforming us.
It is an exciting time to be a part of this community of faith, and if you have ideas, interests, or a heart for handiwork, please contact me.
© Pastor Daniel Locke, originally printed Nov. 2018 in the St. Mark's JAX Messenger.
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