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Our Voice
Don Leonard

Back in early April of this year, a friend of mine (a retired science teacher) and I took a two-evening astronomy course offered by Main Line School Night and held at Lower Merion HS. While the nights were cold, the telescopes we used were fascinating. Unlike the one I used as a kid where I could never hold an image for more than a second or two, these telescopes were programmed to focus steadily on the target specified by the computer program. What a delight to see Jupiter as a round disk rather than a point of light, and to see the Milky Way, the (relatively) dense cluster of stars near the center of our galaxy, as a hazy white band of light. 
The night sky (the heavens) always prompts in us the contemplation of how marvelous creation is, and how omnipotent the Creator must be. We feel humbled before Him. As Psalm 8 speaks to us: “When I consider Your Heavens, the work of your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, What is man that You are mindful of him.” I sometimes think this way; how can our Creator care about me, an insignificant being in a vast cosmos? But then I am reminded that God loves all of us, as he even counts each hair on our head (Luke 12:7).


Greetings, Rev.

August kicked off with my trip to Los Angeles. I took my two toddler girls to LA to spend time with my side of the family but also to attend a conference I'd been longing to attend. And this was to be a gathering of Korean American clergy in the UMC, which made me anxious to meet new people and share our experiences of doing ministry. Despite the small struggle being outnumbered 2:1 by the kids on the flight, it was a very worthwhile trip. I can now look forward to meeting familiar faces at the next gathering!
While I was gone, my wife stepped up to the challenge of both leading worship, preaching, and leading communion in English for the first time in her life! Ever! Many left with teary eyes, touched in their hearts--  or so they said. We actually have no proof of what actually happened, as no video was recorded due to technical difficulties. What happens at St. Mark's, stays at St. Mark's?


On August 14, we kicked off the first of our restaurant fundraisers, this time at Uno's in Newtown Square. In celebration of our church's 75th anniversary, the leadership team thought that having social gatherings like this would be great for fellowship but also to support the church. I personally loved seeing our members there. For all those that came out in your own way, thank you! And for those who couldn't make it this time, we hope to see you at the next one.