Rev. Mark Harkness
(Pastor Mark)
Welcome to First United Methodist Church of Dixon!
Mark Harness is 58 years old. He grew up in the Peoria area as the oldest of three children and first grandchild on both sides.
He married his wife, Susan, on April 21, 2007. Together, they have three children: Caitlyn (married to George) and Aaron and Colin, who both live in Bel Air, Maryland.
Mark was ordained a deacon on June 6, 1999 and an elder on June 9, 2003.
Pastor Mark believes that the primary purpose of the Church is to extend the saving/healing grace of Jesus Christ to each and every person in the world.
To that end, Mark believes that church leadership should contain a mixture of older and younger, longer and newer members, that the primary purpose of worship is to praise God and that the worship service should strive to enable each person regardless of age or status to offer their praise.
He encourages all members to involve themselves in ministry, and sees himself as a permission giver for new ministries that persons feel called to begin.
He keeps the daily office (prayers). During his daily prayer, he prays for each member of his congregation by name at least one time a month. To that end, he creates a schedule by which he can pray for different families on different days.
Mark was a founding member of the ICER (Illinois Christians Encountering Racism), the anti-racism team for the Illinois Conference of Churches. After being recommended by the Northern Illinois Conference Committee of Religion and Race, he has served with ICER since its founding in 2005.
The past few years, Mark has served as a lead recording secretary at Annual Conference, after having served for several years with the technology team when he was a member of the Annual Conference Committee.
Mark believes that his ministry does not stop within the church doors or official church programs.
While serving as an associate pastor at Bethany of Fox Valley UMC and then at First UMC – Belvidere, Mark’s primary responsibilities included children and youth ministry. In that capacity he worked with lay persons to lead Sunday School, Vacation Bible School and youth programs, in addition to leading retreats and mission trips with older youth.
He has served as pastor at the United Methodist churches in Mount Carroll, Kaneville, Walnut, and his previous appointment included Cherry Valley and New Milford while arranging preachers for Davis Junction. In those settings he worked to help church leadership grow through “apprenticeships” in chich incoming leaders continue to serve on a committee with the current leader for a year before beginning their term. Two of the congregations he has served began serving free meals (Mount Carroll – weekly; Walnut – monthly) to the community as an outreach to community members who may be in need, lonely, or just seeking more fellowship.