WORSHIP THIS SUNDAY  

THIS WEEK AT SAINT MARK 

Saint Mark T-Shirts

Order Your T-Shirt the Next Three Sundays 

March 10, 17 and 24 

Atrium  (before and after Celebration Worship)

Narthex (after Traditional Worship)

     Cost: Youth M - Adult XL: $12.00 each

Adult 2XL-3XL: $14.00 each

Show your Saint Mark spirit!  The Saint Mark Evangelism Ministry Team will be taking orders for our brand new Saint Mark t-shirts the next three Sundays.  The new church logo will be located on the back of the shirt and Saint Mark UMC will be printed on the left front. (See the design above - gray shirt with designs in blue, red and black.) The Evangelism Team hopes many of our Saint Mark disciples will order and wear the shirt as a way of displaying their discipleship to the larger community . 

Payment is due when the shirt is ordered. You may pay cash for your shirt(s) or make your check out to Saint Mark UMC.  Next week, there will be a link to order your shirt online. 

 

For more information, click here to contact Faith Holley.

Housewarming Celebration  

for Donna Jaynes 

Sunday, March 10 

9:45 - 10:15 am 

Atrium 

 

Please join us as we show our love for Donna Jaynes, and celebrate with her the purchase of her first home. The celebration will be in the Atrium on Sunday, March 10 during the fellowship time between Sunday School and worship. During this time, you will have the opportunity to congratulate Donna, and share cake and special refreshments with her. There will be baskets available for a love offering, gift cards like Lowes or Home Depot (since Donna wants to make some improvements), and congratulatory notes and cards for her to enjoy.  

 

Donna Jaynes does so much for Saint Mark.  Let's give back! Help her turn her house into a home!!

Cookies for Kairos Prison Ministry

Cookies Are Needed at the Church Office

by Monday, March 11

Kairos is an ecumenical Christian ministry designed for use in state and federal men's and women's correctional institutions in the United States and throughout the world. Kairos is conducted in cooperation with the chaplains and wardens of correctional institutions, by teams of laity and clergy who are qualified by their experiences in Christian renewal programs.

The strategy of Kairos is to establish a strong Christian community among the residents of correctional institutions. There, they become Christ's agents for change in their environment that ultimately can bring about change in the attitude and quality of life for the entire institution. The primary goal of the Kairos ministry is to teach those who attend the weekend to become part of a share and prayer group. This allows them to share their lives on a deep spiritual level and pray for one-another.

An important part of the Kairos weekend is lots and lots of homemade cookies!! Our Saint Mark UMW invites you to bake cookies for the upcoming Men's Kairos weekend that will be held at McCormick Correctional Institution March 14 - 17. Please have the cookies at the church office by Monday, March 11.

Click here for important guidelines about cookie preparation and packaging.

 

If you prefer to write than bake, we invite you to prepare "Dear Friend" cards of encouragement.  Simply prepare a greeting card or note card with encouraging words such as, "Dear friend, remember that God loves you!" or "Dear friend, I am praying for you this weekend."  Or put these words on a handmade placement.   

 

During this season of Lent, as we focus our prayerful attention to the Visiting Prison With Our Prayers, what better way than putting your prayers into action through the giving of cookies, cards and encouraging words.

 

The Women's Kairos weekend will be April 25-28.  You will have the opportunity to provide cookies, "Dear Friend" notes and placements for the women at Leath Correctional Institute.   

The Seven Last Words of Jesus

Sermon Series

Week Two

Wednesday, March 13 at 12 noon

Ann Hope UMC

bringing the message

W.C. Honeycutt

pastor, Ebenezer Baptist

"Today, You Will Be With Me in Paradise"

Luke 23:32-33, 39-43  

 

LOOKING AHEAD  

An Elderberries Event

Anderson Senior Follies

"A Class Act"

NEXT WEEK!!!

Reserve Your Tickets SOON!

Since we will be attending the Anderson Senior Follies on Thursday, March 14, a few days before St. Patrick's Day, we plan to enjoy supper (before the show) at McGee's Irish Pub located in Anderson.  We will plan to arrive at 5:30 pm

Then, we will head to Anderson University for the Senior Follies. We have reserved 20 tickets for the show and there are only 7 tickets left.  Click here to make your reservation(s) online, or call Marla Fuller at the church office (864) 882-2603.  Please indicate whether or not you plan to dine with us at McGee's Irish Pub.

Transportation on our bus is available for this event. The bus is half full, so there is still room to ride.  If you plan to ride the bus, the cost will be $5 per person.  

Saint Mark Child Development Center

Sponsoring

Parents Night Out

Friday, March 15

5:30 - 9:30 pm 

 

Parents, are you due for an evening of adult conversation? Our Child Development Center (CDC) is once again offering an evening of childcare.  If you are interested, click here to contact Becca Williams, Director of our CDC.

Let's Help Alleviate Hunger!

 

The next session in this five-part series is:   

   

"Our Stories (aka Our Truth) Matter"  

Sunday, March 24

11:30 am - 2 pm

Commons Room 

 

To learn about

...what racism is

...how racism has evolved

...what white privilege is

...behaviors that contribute to racism

...how to be a disciple of racial justice

 

There will be a light lunch and door prizes!  

 

It's not too late to register.  Click here.  

 

Contact Stacy Keelor at (914) 217-8092 with any questions about the series.

Are You 50+?

Lunch Bunch

Fraud against older Americans is a serious problem affecting thousands every year. Don't be one of them! 

Join us on Tuesday March 26 at Ye Olde Sandwich Shoppe for lunch and a discussion about how you, as a senior adult, can take steps to avoid being scammed.

It's That Time Again!!

Our Wings for the Lord youth choir is gearing up for their summer tour in July.  One of their biggest fundraisers is their annual ginormous garage sale. But they need lots of items to sell.  Chances are that you have stuff you don't want or need any more.  Start putting these items aside for the sale. Watch for more details.   

 

We continue to collect jewelry for the Wings Garage Sale. A drop box is located in the Church Office.  

 

We will start receiving all other items starting Sunday March 24 from 9 am to 12 pm and the week of March 25 - 28 from 9 am to 2 pm.

 

Volunteers are needed to help price and organize Garage Sale items. Just show up and we will get you plugged in Monday March 25 through Thursday, March 28 from 9 am to 2 pm.  

 

For more information, click here to contact Cara Davis or click here to contact Donna Poston.

Homeless Period Project

Collection Drive

 

The Manibus Christi UMW Circle has adopted the Homeless Period Project as an ongoing mission. This circle of young women invite you to donate feminine hygiene products (pads, pantiliners, tampons, and individually wrapped non-alcohol wipes) that will be sorted into "kits" and shared with school girls and homeless women in Oconee County through Grace's Closet and Our Daily Rest.

 

Designated white plastic bins for your donations are located in both of the atrium entrances.

 

For more information about the Homeless Period Project, click here. 

 

This drive will last through April 1. Thank you for your generosity!

Save the Date! 

First Annual Spring Auction for Missions

Sunday, April 7 

 

We have moved our annual mission Auction to Spring! April 7 to be exact. With that move we are also planning on expanding to include baked goods, services provided by the congregation, and Pie the Pastor contest in addition to our regular auction items. If you would like to donate anything, please click here to contact Rachel Smith, or sign the signup sheet that will be in the atrium each Sunday between now and March 31.  

It Is Time To Order Your Calla Lily(s)  

for Easter Sunday

 

We invite you to purchase a Calla Lily stem or stems in memory or in honor of a loved one. These beautiful lilies will be placed in our two worship spaces on Easter Sunday. Next week, there will be a form in your bulletin that you can fill out. If you are ready to reserve your stem(s) now, click here to place your order online. The cost is $6 per stem.  We need your order by no later than Monday, April 8.

Mark the Date On Your Calendar!

 

Let's gather together at the front of our church property for a celebration of spring!  Our entire community is invited to attend so we will need lots of help to make this outreach event a huge success!  Watch for details to come.

Florida Mission Update

We have some additional information relative to a Saint Mark mission experience in the hurricane Michael recovery efforts in the Florida panhandle; the trip is slated for May 4 - 11, 2019 to one of 3 areas: Marianna, Panama City, or Port St. Joe, sites of Long Term Recovery offices. Our projects will likely include home repair work, so that could involve demolition, roofing, etc.; they will try to match whatever skill sets we bring to a specific project. We will

 

 Based upon lodging costs of $20/person/night, we've not done any detailed planning but believe the cost per person might be in the $300-400 range. Several have indicated interest in this effort - if you are interested in joining this relief effort, contact Bob Dobson at (864) 723-1854 or Lynn Dobson at (864) 247-1320. Click here to send an email.

LENT 2019 

Our annual Community Lenten services provide weekly opportunities to gather together as the larger Body of Christ for midweek observances of Lent.  This year, the messages each Wednesday will be based on the seven last words of Jesus from the cross.    

Our Saint Mark Prayer Room  

Is Open For You 

 

During the holy season of Lent, you may want to consider spending time in our Saint Mark Prayer Room for prayer and reflection.  As you enter the Narthex that leads into the sanctuary, you will find the prayer room off to the right.  

 

The room has been prayerfully prepared with symbols of the Lenten season.  There is an altar and a kneeling bench, as well as a prayer quilt and a prayer shawl that you may use during your time of prayer and meditation. Consider bringing your Bible and a journal with you . . . or an inspiring book or a hymn book.   

 

The Prayer Room is open whenever the church building is open, including Sunday mornings, as well as 9 am - 5 pm Monday through Thursday.  During the week, enter through the atrium doors, then go up the steps to and through the sanctuary into the Narthex.  The Prayer Room will be on your left. 

Gallery of Crosses Lenten Project

During the six weeks of Lent the Aesthetics Committee will be collecting crosses for the Ministry Wall in Saint Mark's Gallery of Crosses. This wall is dedicated to ministries that Saint Mark has supported since the beginning. Last year over 39 missions were recognized and are represented with small wooden crosses surrounding the large cross in the gallery. Hopefully, you have been impacted by one or more of the missions and would consider honoring the mission with a cross.

Personally, the small group study, Companions in Christ, made a real difference in my life, and I plan to place a cross on the wall to commemorate that mission. Our goal is to commemorate as many missions as possible during Lent. After Easter the Aesthetic Committee will place the crosses on the wall and prepare a book with all the special memories of the ministries that Saint Mark has supported through the years.

In addition, the Aesthetic Committee is continuing to collect crosses for the other cross walls in the Saint Mark Gallery of Crosses. We invite you to contribute crosses for the other two walls. These will be hung after Easter when the crosses for the Ministries are hung.

Joyce Carney

Aesthetics Team Leader

Which Ministries Have Impacted Your Life?

Feeding Ministries      Ann Hope, Feeding the      Homeless, Food Box      Ministry United Methodist Women Wesley Service Guild Caring Ministry Marvin's Kids Child Development Center Special Friends Missions with Eleuthera Salkehatchie Summer Service Senior Ministry      METS, Elderberries Men for Christ United Methodist Men Wings for the Lord In His Eyes MYF - Methodist Youth Fellowship SMURF - Saint Mark United Repair Force Adult Music Ministries      Chancel Choir, Bell      Choir, Gospel Choir,      Celebration Worship      Team Vacation Bible School Wednesday Night Programs      Church Family Night,      Church Fellowship Night,      Recharge, Renew, and      the Gathering

Scouting Ministries Bible Studies Covenant Groups Local Outreach Ministries      Golden Corner Food      Pantry, Our Daily Rest,      Our Daily Bread,      Wilderness Way Girls'      Camp, Habitat for      Humanity, Presbyterian      Fund, Rosa Clark Clinic Stephen Ministry Quilters for Christ Wednesday Morning Prayer Group Sunday School for All Ages Confirmation for Youth Saint Mark Library Rise Against Hunger MAD Camp (Music, Art, Drama) KITS - Keep in Touch Support KITES - Keep in Touch Every Student National and International Relief Ministries      Katrina, Red Bird,      Mexico Prison Ministry - KAIROS Military and Veteran Mission - Honor Flight UMCOR - United Methodist Commission on Relief Epworth Children's Home

OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS 

ELDERBERRIES EVENTS (FOR 50+)   

CHURCH AND SOCIETY    

General Conference 2019 Is Behind Us

 Now What?

 

Disagreeing Well . . .

"It's no secret that people disagree, sometimes vehemently. When our opinions match, it is easy to have a conversation. When we are on opposite sides of an issue, talking can be far more challenging, but often more fruitful. In a time when opinions are strong in both our public and church lives, learning to disagree well is important."

           from Disagreeing Well: Keep Your Spirit In Shape

Click here to listen to a podcast with the Rev. Bo Sanders, a United Methodist pastor who leads his congregation in weekly conversations about a variety of topics. Bo shares great tips for getting out of our "echo chambers," and learning to listen and talk to those with whom we disagree.

IN THE COMMUNITY 

FOR YOUR INFORMATION   

A Memorial Service for Saint Mark disciple, Faye Kennedy will be held in the Saint Mark sanctuary on Saturday, March 23 at 3 pm. Rev. Jeff Childress will officiate.

Faye was an active member of the Lydia Bible Class and attended worship regularly until recent years.

 

The family cordially invites all to join us as we celebrate a life well and purposefully lived.

Thank You Saint Mark!! 

 

Thank you, Saint Mark disciples, for all who were able to come and enjoy the WINGS-FM Lunch Theater this past Sunday, March 3.  We enjoyed our time with you and hope you were blessed by attending.  Through ticket sales and donations, we raised over $1400 for our upcoming summer tour.  We appreciate so much your continued love and support. We couldn't do it without you!!! 

 

Wings for the Lord Youth Choir