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September 1, 2003
Dear Friends,
We are very happy to
introduce you to our new rector, Father Mark W. Kelm. Through
several meetings and phone conversations, we have come to know Father Mark
as a person, priest, husband, father, pastoral minister, and spiritual
leader. We feel blessed that he has accepted the call to love us and lead
us. We look forward to having him with us at
St. John’s
for many years to come.
A lifelong Episcopalian,
Father Mark was born and raised in Red Wing, Minnesota. As a senior in
high school, he joined the U.S. Army Reserves, serving from 1989 to 2000
as both an enlisted man and as an officer in the active Army Reserves and
Army National Guard. After his active duty training stint, Father Mark
received an A.A.S. in Law Enforcement and worked as a police officer in
southeastern Minnesota for three years while obtaining his B.S. in
Sociology / Criminology from Winona State University.
It was while serving as a
police officer that Father Mark discerned the call toward Holy Orders. He
studied at the General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church in
New York City,
where he completed his Master’s in Divinity. For his field education
parish, Father Mark chose to serve at Holy Apostles Church and Soup
Kitchen, a site that feeds on average 1,200 homeless/low income people a
day. Following his graduation, Father Mark returned to Minnesota and
served for a year and a half as the curate at St. Martin’s-by-the-Lake in
Minnetonka
Beach.
During the past three years, he has served as a canon for St. Mark’s
Cathedral in Minneapolis, Minnesota. There he worked as canon liturgist,
family pastor, and youth minister.
Father Mark is married to
Beth Hyduke-Kelm, and their family includes 16-month-old Grace, a Black
Labrador named Duke, and a son due in January 2004. They will join us
on Rally Sunday,
September 7, which this year is named “Rally and Celebration” Sunday
in their honor.
Join in the fun,
fellowship, hospitality, and festivities of the day -- morning and
afternoon -- with booya, beverages, treats, church tours, parish
ministries information, an all-parish photo, and games for the young and
young at heart.
It will be a wonderful
day to gather and to celebrate and to warmly welcome Father Mark and his
family to our faith family here at St. John in the Wilderness.
See you all day
Sunday, September 7!
Peace and joy,
Sherri and Dianne
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