CONGREGATIONAL MEETING

SEPTEMBER 15, 2024

St. Mark is stepping forward into bold adventures and unstoppable unity! 

On Sunday, September 15, Pastor Adam Sharp led a congregational meeting to talk more about the new campus at College Park Missionary Church.

College Park recently made the difficult decision to close their doors and write a new chapter in their church's history. The church will now become an extension of St. Mark. 

“We're going to do a hybrid church model meeting,” Pastor Adam explained. “We're going to have Live worship over there. Whoever is speaking here will be projected over there, and then, just like we do, they will end with a Live worship song. They will have a campus pastor who will be going over there to help do the discipleship and help run the ministries as we grow from there.”

Pastor Adam has a vision of unity in this new chapter for St. Mark and College Park.

“I look at the book of Acts, and I see this fiery birth,” Pastor Adam described. “I see this bold adventure that the church started, and I see unstoppable unity inside the book of Acts. That's what we're praying for here today—unstoppable unity—something that's going to be born, something new with bold adventures going up before us.”

This transition involves not only spiritual growth but also practical stewardship. Pastor Ryan Busse provided insight into the church's financial situation, explaining how their offerings, general funds, and investments have been carefully managed. 

“College Park has been incredible stewards with what their people tithe and what God has given them,” Pastor Ryan explained. “The general fund investments and lease property funds all generate income. That income gets folded into the overall bank account and budget, and then finally, other restricted net assets. Each year, they've stewarded this money incredibly well. Present day, because of some utilities, upkeep, and maintenance, the money that's in the bank account that would be coming our way to help address renovations and things of that nature is somewhere just north of $72,000.”

Jeff Clay, the chairman of the church board, further clarified the logistics surrounding property ownership and obligations. 

“The region owns these properties at College Park, no different than they own our property at St. Mark,” Jeff explained. “The properties that are at College Park would basically be entrusted to us. The only obligations we have are to pay taxes on the houses, keep up the property, keep up the houses, and that sort of thing.”

As this new venture for St. Mark was put to a vote, the congregation agreed with a unanimous “yes.” 

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Q & A

How many people attended before the church closed?

Pastor Ryan: On an average Sunday, from what we've heard, attendance was around 14 people. On the higher end, it could reach the mid-20s, and on low days, especially during bad weather, it could drop to around 10. So, overall, the average was about 14 to 17.

Will the finances of both churches be kept separate moving forward?

Pastor Ryan: Yes, we’ve discussed this, and while we’ll be functioning as one church with two campuses, we want to track the finances separately. This isn’t set in stone, but we’re writing things in pencil, as this is a new venture for all of us. Separating finances will help us monitor how much money is coming in, how much money is going out, and allow us to budget and forecast accurately. We don’t want everything to be lumped together, so while it’s essentially one big bucket, we’ll keep some distinctions so we can assess how things are going. That way, when we ask if it's working, we’ll have concrete evidence.

Are the houses rented?

Pastor Ryan: Two of the three are rented. The third one has been reserved over the years for missionaries coming into town, so it was more of a short-term stay arrangement rather than a long-term rental. The other two houses have leases: one runs until December of this year, and the other until May 2025. Both rent for around $1,000 a month—one is a four-bed, two-bath, and the other is a three-bed, one-bath.

How long will it take to know if this is working?

Pastor Adam: After three years, you can typically see how things are progressing, but it usually takes around seven years to fully change a culture. With the healthy culture that we have at St. Mark, our plan to renovate, and bringing some of our people over to the new campus, we believe that in three years, we’ll have a good idea of whether it’s healthy and sustainable.

Is there any debt or loans?

Pastor Ryan: No, it’s debt-free. Everything’s paid off.

Will the buildings and houses become part of St. Mark’s assets or the Missionary Church’s?

Pastor Adam: They’re part of the Missionary Church’s assets. It’s under the region’s ownership and will stay there.

You mentioned sending people from this church to the other—can you explain more?

Pastor Adam: Right now, we’re not sure of the exact number, but we might ask 20 to 40 people from here to commit to going over to the other church. They’ll form a core team, pray, and volunteer as the church grows. As we evaluate the progress, we can decide when to transition leadership to those who are regularly attending and volunteering there. We’re still developing this plan, but the idea is to take some of our health here and use it to build up that church.

How many people can fit inside the church?

Pastor Adam: We can probably fit about 140 people in the pews.

Will there be programs for kids?

Pastor Adam: We won’t start kids' programs right away. Initially, we’ll just have the 10:30 service, and we’ll evaluate to see when to add more. Typically, the first thing to add in a setup like this is a children’s ministry.

Will there be any study groups?

Pastor Adam: Yes, probably as we grow. We’ll be using the building a lot and will evaluate the need as we go.

How will the approach for College Park be different this time around so its doors won’t have to close again?

Pastor Adam: This time, we want to bring solid leadership and a clear plan. We’ll shut down the church temporarily, renovate, and build a core team to pray and plan. 

Do you see any potential drawbacks?

Pastor Adam: Yes, we do see drawbacks in this. We know that  we're going to be extending ourselves because this is something that we've never done before. Multi-site churches are difficult to manage. We can manage this by taking some of our volunteers from here and bringing them over there. Then that brings up the fact that if we're going to take some volunteers from here and move them over there, we want to make sure that we can fill these volunteers back in at St. Mark. So we have to cast a good vision, recruit, and train.

Another drawback would be finances. Right now, financially, we’re in a healthy spot, but we need to stay cautious to maintain that health as we expand. Of course, we’re going to be getting gifted some finances, but we have to make sure that we're staying healthy and in really, really good place so that we can continue the ministries that we have.

What kind of renovations are planned?

Pastor Ryan: College Park has great bones, but it needs some cosmetic updates. The bathrooms, light fixtures, and ceiling tiles are outdated and need sprucing up to be more inviting. 

The rental properties were built in the late 1940s and early 1950s, so obviously, they're not brand new homes. Two of the rental properties are currently occupied, so we haven't knocked on the door and asked to come in to see what might need renovated. The one that isn’t currently occupied, we went into, and they actually renovated a few things in that one last year.

Will volunteers from St. Mark handle renovations, or will they be hired out?

Pastor Adam: Probably a mix of both. If people here have the skills and can save us money, we’ll have volunteers help. For larger projects, we’ll probably need to hire professionals.

Will there be a marketing plan for when the church opens?

Pastor Adam: Absolutely. We’ll plan months in advance if we can. We've got some pretty fun ideas in mind already.

Do you believe this is God’s will for the church?

Pastor Adam: I do, hands down. Four years ago, I wouldn’t have been interested in doing this, but God has slowly changed my heart. It's about reaching more people for Christ, and we can bring some of the health that we have here to minister to this neighborhood. 

What’s unique about adding this new location?

Pastor Adam: We often see people who are overwhelmed, especially at our 10:30 service. They're looking for something smaller, or they’re missing the traditions, the pews, and the hymns. Many want a place where they can feel known and needed. College Park offers us a chance to bring the discipleship and strong culture of St. Mark to a smaller, more traditional setting. I think that people are walking in here looking for something different that we can't offer here in this space, that we will be able to over there in that space.

What key metrics, beyond financials, will you track over the next three years?

Pastor Adam: Right now, we track about 14 different metrics here at St. Mark, including attendance, volunteer involvement, growth, etc. For College Park, we’ll be looking at retention, involvement, and especially conversion growth—we want to reach people who are far from God and bring them into the church. We’ll track how many new people are coming, how involved they are, and how many are conversions.

How does the Hispanic church that’s currently using College Park factor into this plan?

Pastor Adam: We want them to stay and continue using the building. We’ve had discussions with them, and we want to support them as much as possible.

Do we have a timeline as to when we will open the doors?

Pastor Adam: We’d love to aim for Easter if possible. Typically, there are three good times to start a church: at the beginning of the year, in September, and around Easter. Now, one thing we’ll need to keep in mind is that when we start opening up walls and doing renovations, timelines can get longer. If construction starts and things get delayed, we may need to adjust the timing. I don’t want to set a specific date yet, because I don’t want to have to keep pushing it back. This is still in the planning phase, but once we get into construction, we’ll have a better idea of when we can open.

Do you think there might be an open house, or some opportunity for the rest of us to see the inside?

Pastor Adam: Absolutely. One of the first things we’ll do is start going over there and praying on the property. That will be only the beginning. 

What are we going to call it?

Pastor Adam: Right now, the idea is to call it the Liberty Drive Campus. The original name was Liberty Drive Missionary Church, and we want to bring that back. 

ONE SERVICE 2024

ST. MARK ONE SERVICE & OUTDOOR BAPTISM 2024

On the beautiful Sunday morning of August 25, 2024, the families of St. Mark gathered for the annual ONE Service and Outdoor Baptism. With lawn chairs spread across the church grounds, everyone prepared to witness a significant spiritual milestone for six individuals: Cambria Schwartz, Charlee Littrell, Jessica Casper, Kaitlynn Brenneman, Casen Jaques, and Linnea Lehman, who were all set to be baptized at the conclusion of the service. 

The service included worship and a brief, inspiring message by Pastor Adam. But it was the personal testimonies shared by three of the baptism candidates that truly touched the hearts of those present. 

Cambria Schwartz’s Story

Cambria Schwartz has spent her whole life in a Christian home. When she was only about four or five years old, she decided to follow Jesus, though, at the time, her understanding was simple. 

“I thought it just meant you followed a bunch of rules so you don't get in trouble with Mom, Dad or your teacher at school,” Cambria shared. 

As she grew older, Cambria began to realize that following Jesus was about much more than adhering to rules. Through conversations with her parents and reading spiritual books, she came to a deeper understanding of her faith. 

“I learned that the point of my life is to love God and love others, not just follow rules,” she said. “By following Jesus’ teachings and actually putting them into my life, I've become more joyful and loving, and I'm beginning to experience the kingdom of Heaven right here on Earth, which is just so cool.” 

At first, Cambria was uncertain about participating in the baptism. She sought clarity about the meaning of baptism by asking questions, listening to podcasts, and reading Bible passages. This exploration led her to make the decision to be baptized. 

“I want to put a stake in the ground that I can always look back on,” Cambria said. “I want to tell all of you that I'm into this following Jesus thing. Following Jesus is the best way to do life, and as the years go on, it'll continue to bring out the best version of Cambria Schwartz that God intended for me.” 

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Linnea Lehman’s Story 

Eleven-year-old Linnea Lehman lives in a Christian household with her parents, brother, and cat. She was born in Texas and lived in Missouri and North Carolina before moving to Indiana the summer of 2022, when she attended Prairie Camp, a Bible camp in Goshen, for the first time. But it was during her second year at Prairie Camp that she first felt — or heard — a spiritual call. 

“One night, a lot of people gave their hearts to God. I wasn't one of them,” Linnea admitted. “That night, while everyone was giving their heart to God, I was in the cabin trying to go to sleep. I heard my name being called — the only other person in the cabin was asleep. I didn't know who it was, but I just did the wrong thing and ignored it and went back to sleep.” 

However, during her third year at Prairie Camp, something changed. In the midst of worship and prayer, Linnea felt a powerful movement of the Holy Spirit and made the decision to give her heart to God. 

“Since then, I’ve read the Bible more and maybe even understood it a bit better because of this experience and the help of my parents and a lot of other people,” she said. “Now, I'm ready to be baptized. Throughout my life, I know that I will be uncertain of things, but I know right now that I'll always be a servant of God.” 

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Jessica Casper’s Story 

Jessica Casper, a 39-year-old mother of four, was raised in the Catholic Church and always considered herself a Christian. Yet, despite this, something felt incomplete in her faith journey. 

“I went through the motions, but something always seemed to be missing,” Jessica recalled. “It felt as though other Christians understood something that I didn't.” 

In early 2021, Jessica felt a strong pull to attend church, largely due to her daughters’ prayers. She even began listening to Christian music, something she had never been interested in before, and it suddenly resonated with her in new ways.

“At that time, it felt like God put new glasses on my face that made me see everything differently, and more clearly,” she explained. “The words of Scripture made sense and came to life, in a way they never had before. I could feel the Holy Spirit start moving in my life, and realized that was the biggest missing piece. I had been missing the personal connection with God and Jesus and the Holy Living Spirit inside of my heart.”

Now, with a deep sense of purpose in loving others and leading them to Jesus, Jessica feels called to live her life differently. 

“I don't have anywhere close to all the answers, but I do have a deep knowing in my soul that I was created and I am loved by a good and living God,” she said. “I know my purpose is to love my family, friends and all people I encounter like Jesus does and to lead people to him through my life. I will choose to live differently than the world. My wish is that, through me, at least one person can see the hope that we all have in Jesus.” 

Jessica decided to get baptized and take the next step in her faith journey. 

“I want to publicly acknowledge and share everything God has done in my life and what he continues to do, so that it might be a seed planted for someone else,” Jessica said. 

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The service concluded with the joyful celebration of the baptisms, as the congregation shouted and cheered in excitement. This day marked a new chapter in the lives of Cambria, Charlee, Jessica, Kaitlynn, Casen, and Linnea, as they publicly declared their commitment to following Jesus.

LEAH'S STORY

Episode 007: Jesus Changes Everything

Leah found herself turning to prayer and faith during her pregnancy, seeking comfort and guidance in a time that felt overwhelming. The act of surrendering her fears and anxieties, and placing her trust in Jesus, opened the door to a newfound sense of peace.

MARY'S STORY

Episode 006: Jesus Changes Everything

Jesus's influence in Mary's life can be seen as a beacon of hope and clarity. It's a reminder that sometimes, the answers we seek about our purpose and career are intertwined with our spiritual journey.

Jesus changed everything for Mary!

THE PERRY'S STORY

Episode 005: God's grace, love, and forgiveness

The Perry’s share their story about how God turned their marriage around. They know without God’s grace, love, and forgiveness they wouldn’t be together today.

THE ENGLE'S STORY

Episode 004: Stewardship Lifestyle

The Engle’s planned to be good stewards with both their finances and their family. They had planned to pay off debt and get to a spot a healthy spot prior to starting their family, but God threw a couple wrenches into their plans. God had different plans for Taylor and Katie. They needed to fully surrender and trust God down to their very last penny!

CARLA'S STORY

Episode 003: The Miracle of Healing

In May of 2022, Carla came down with Covid. She got over it in the typical 2 weeks time span. But some of the symptoms persisted. Fatigue and brain fog were continually hanging over her. She eventually found out this was called “long haul” covid.
She was always very tired. She could make it through work and basic daily activities but had hardly any energy left over or mental strength to do paperwork or anything else that required a lot of focus.

For several weeks now, the family would get together most nights, spending their time in prayer and worship.
On New Year’s Eve, the family specifically spent that evening seeking the Lord for healing. Not just for Carla, but other family members as well.

After going to bed, Carla was awakened at about 1:30am by a gentle tingling sensation that covered her body. It lasted about a minute or so then ended.
She asked the Lord, “Is this a healing?” and she heard Him say, “Yes.” She had a sense that this was a healing of the long haul covid, as opposed to other physical ailments she had been praying for as well.

The next morning, as she was getting ready, Carla continued to process with God.

A few days prior to this, Carla had started taking herbal supplements that were supposed to help with the symptoms. This would usually take about 2 weeks to start working. As she was taking her morning vitamins she began taking these herbs. But the Lord interrupted her saying, “You don’t need that anymore.”

So Carla stopped taking them right then and there. She thought, “I am just going to believe and trust what He said.”

Over the next few days and weeks, Carla had some things added to her plate that demanded more of her, but she wasn’t feeling as tired as she was expecting to. Carla began to suspect that she could handle more because of this uptick in energy. To verify this, she asked her family. They all agreed that she was able to take on a lot more than the previous months had allowed.

The true test came when Carla needed to tackle some paperwork she had been putting off due to the persistent mental fatigue. As she finished the form, she thought, “I made it through… my brain fog is gone!”

Since then, Carla and her family have been praising God and rejoicing in the fact that He healed her. There are still some miracles of healing they’re seeking for within their family, but they are choosing to learn of God’s sovereignty as they await His perfect timing.

GOLDSTEIN’S STORY

FOREVER FAMILY

Aaron and Jessica Goldstein are a small family with big hearts. When they married in 2020, it had already been in their minds to get into fostering. So when they had trouble conceiving, the Goldstein’s decided to begin the fostering journey with the intent to adopt. Shortly after, they got their first child. A toddler who was nonverbal autistic. They poured their all into caring for this little boy. When they began attending St Mark back in 2022, they were quickly plugged into the church’s Foster Care Group where they met families much like their own that supported and encouraged one another. Their journey with this little boy has carried much heartache. The Goldsteins were told that he was pre-adoptive, but then it was changed to reunification with his birth mom. Then again promises of adoption, only to be turned again to reunification. Sadly, this happens too often in the foster system. Aaron and Jessica Goldstein were left to deal with the ups and downs of their emotions while trying to create a stable environment for their son who was preparing to go back with his birth mom after nearly 2 years with them. But even as this was happening, God saw and was at work making plans for their family.

In mid April, they got a call from their foster agency saying that their home study had been pre-selected for a Safe Haven Baby. This baby was placed in what is known as a Safe Haven Baby Box. A Baby Box is a safety device provided for under Indiana’s Safe Haven Law and legally permits a mother in crisis to safely, securely, and anonymously surrender if they are unable to care for their newborn. These boxes are usually on the exterior wall of a fire station or hospital.

The Goldstein’s were surprised at this news. They were told that if they chose to go through with the process, to submit their home study, but not to get their hopes up since theirs was one of 2,000. They went on with life, still caring for their current child. Early May, they got an email asking if they could come for an interview in regards to the safe haven baby. Aaron and Jessica were honored to be asked and made plans.

Toward the end of May, the day of the interview arrived. After about an hour, they left having no idea as to when they would be notified after the choice was made. About an hour after the interview, they received a phone call asking if they’d be the safe haven baby’s “forever family”. To say the were overjoyed, would be an understatement. Baby Joseph came to their home the first of June and they have been enjoying this sweet miracle. The process to adopt is under way and they are overjoyed even as they walk the hard road of preparing to say goodbye to their older son. When I met with Jessica, she had some wise words to share, “You don’t always know the plan, but He (God) knows. You just have to put your faith and trust in Him. Even when things are super hard. You just know that He is going to take care of it all.”

CINDY ZOOK'S STORY

The Hole that God Filled

There are moments in our lives where the story unfolds in a way that seems to spiral out of control. But the truth is, God is with us, and we can trust Him - even in hard things. That is how Cindy Zook described her experience when this unexpected turn happened shortly after her third child was born. 

   Going into her son’s 3 month check up, Cindy had no concerns. Both she and her husband were prepared for a normal report from their Doctor. But what Cindy heard that day would send them on a very long and difficult journey to healing. 

   After listening to Cindy relay some minor concerns and examining the baby, their Doctor surmised that Chuck had a hole in his heart and referred them to a cardiologist. Cindy had come alone to this appointment. This news was both surprising and scary to her. She found a phone as quickly as she could to call her husband, Steve, and share the news. They would be walking down this road together with God leading them. 

  Later on, the cardiologist was able to explain the entirety of the situation. This type of hole - which was also disrupting the correct blood flow - would require an extremely invasive surgery that could be done… after he was 2 years old. 

  Over the course of the next two years, Chuck grew to be a scrawny toddler. Cindy and Steve gave him all the extra nourishment his body needed to try and counteract the heart issues as they waited for their appointment with the surgical team at Riley Children’s Hospital. God had seen them through that waiting period. He was faithful in the waiting. 

      Finally, the day had come. Cindy recalled her struggle with not being able to prepare her son for what was next. How can you explain this to a two year old? His chest would be cut open, heart removed and stopped, a patch sewn over the hole, his heart re-started, placed back into his body, and his chest sewn back together. It was a huge procedure that would leave any parent unsure of what the next 5 hours would hold. But even then, the Zook’s were reminded that God doesn’t always lay it out for us. He doesn’t give us the whole picture. It would be too much for us to handle or comprehend. And even though Chuck wouldn’t understand, his parents did. They saw the whole picture and knew this needed to be done for Chuck’s good. Just like God does for us. Knowing this was for their son’s good, pushed them through the hardship of handing their son over and awaiting intermittent check-ins with the surgical team’s liaison. Steve and Cindy had already made up their minds that God is faithful, no matter the outcome. 

      As Cindy waited, her brother sat nearby with index cards that he handed to her whenever he felt she needed comfort. On the cards were scriptures he had written out. God’s Word and Truth that would counteract the lies and worries Cindy battled for the duration of her son’s surgery. 

    Inside the operating room, they found a leak after the initial patch was sewn, so the original 5 hour surgery turned into 9 as the surgical team fixed the leak and got him put back together. Cindy recalls the index cards being a crucial lifeline to her during those long hours of waiting. 

     When Steve and Cindy were able to see their son again, he lay there so vulnerable in his room. There were machines surrounding him - all attached in some way. When they were finally able to hold him, it took the nurse 20 minutes to maneuver the tubes and wires. 

    As hard as all this was for them, they could see how God continued to reveal Himself. A close family friend made the drive to see Chuck in the hospital - weeping with them over the hardship of seeing a child they loved so much in the ICU. Others helped care for their oldest two children back at home. Cindy also had their youngest child (a baby girl) with them through this operation. A nurse they knew at Riley would take turns caring for her so Steve and Cindy could go into the ICU where babies weren’t allowed. 

    They were also able to stay at the Ronald McDonald House during this time - relieving them of the burden of a hotel bill and driving time everyday. Cindy recalled that they were also “well prayed for”. All of these factors came back to mind easily as she relayed the story years later. 

  In fact, about 18 years after this operation, God, once again, proved His goodness. Chuck went in yearly after his surgery, to have his heart checked. This was standard procedure and was expected to be needed the rest of his life. When he was 20 years old, the doctor said that the heart repair was done so perfectly that these yearly checks were unnecessary and he needn’t schedule anymore. 

    And after all this time, Cindy still believes that “God is always wise and good, even when we don’t understand why we have to go through (trials). He faithfully walks beside us loving, providing, guiding, in  the midst of happy endings, like our Chuck story…and even in times of unspeakable sorrow, like our Bobby story. He is more than worthy of our trust!”   

*the “Bobby story” refers to the death of their older son Bobby on August 31st, 2002.

SENICA'S STORY

Episode 002: The Agape Love of God

In this story, you’ll hear how Senica was struggling with the trials of life and the burden she had for those around her that were suffering. Through counseling Senica was able to identify the lies she had been believing, but most importantly, she learned about God’s sacrificial and unconditional (or agape) love that shed light on how she could better love herself and others.

TERRY CHI’S STORY

Episode 001: When You Feel At The End of Your Road

Twice in Terry’s life he has battled a deep depression that caused him to think suicidal thoughts. Listen to his story of how he learned that his value isn’t based on performance, but rooted in Christ. How “We can have dark moments in life, but God is always with us”. And practical advice on how to love others who are feeling like they are at the end of their road.