Upcoming dates for your calendar:

• Sunday, February 1 -- Food Collection Sunday at the service(s)
• Friday, February 6 -- Annual Oyster Roast at 5:00 pm. More details below
• Saturday, February 7 -- Richard Rohr Book Club at 3:00 pm
• Sunday, February 15 -- Broadway Musical Extravaganza! Please RSVP if you haven't done so. See below for more details!
• Tuesday, February 17 -- Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper
• Wednesday, February 18 -- Ash Wednesday Services at 12:00 pm and 5:30 pm & Ashes-to-Go

WEATHER ALERT

We are currently watching the weather and will make a decision on Sunday's service (2/1/26) by 3:00PM on Saturday.

Check back via email and on social media!

January Sock Update

Thank you for your generous donations! The total count was 1,020!

Food Collection Sunday

This Sunday, Feb.1st we'll be collecting food for HELP of Beaufort. They are always in need of the following: canned fruit, vegetables (spinach, collards, peas) and meat (tuna, beef, Vienna Sausage, chicken, salmon), canned soup (all varieties including beef stew), rice, oatmeal and grits, and bottled water. Thank you for giving!

Volunteer for Love Loaves

We are in need of some Volunteers to bake our Love Loaves for visitors. Please contact Suzanne Thompson at (843) 263-5260 to learn how to sign up!

Member Account Update

As many of you are aware, St. Mark's was hacked again this week when the password to the Members section of the church website was shared via e-mail by a parishioner who thought the response was to a fellow parishioner. The hacker requesting that password was able to gain access to the church directory, resulting in numerous parishioners receiving what they thought was a request for assistance from Jenny. What can you do to help us avoid that?

• A new password has been created for the Members only section. To obtain that password, parishioners MUST stop by or call the church office or call Carter at (404) 936-5695. We will NOT provide that information via cyberspace and we ask that you NEVER provide the password to anyone via cyberspace.
• Do NOT reply to any email that appears to be from Jenny or any other church staff which requests financial assistance of any kind. If you have questions about an email you have received, please call the church office.

Formation Opportunities during Lent

Sundays are essential to the care and keeping of our spirits. Week by week, worship gathers us back into God’s presence to be nourished, steadied, and reminded of who we are. But Christian faith is not meant to remain static. We are called to grow. Sometimes that growth comes through suffering or trial, when we find ourselves seeking God out of desperation. There are other ways to deepen our faith though, ways shaped by intention rather than crisis. (Thanks be to God!) One of those ways is through study and honest conversation.

During Lent, we invite you to consider a formation opportunity designed to support growth, curiosity, and deeper engagement with God and one another.

Formation - Spiritual Practice

Facilitator - Jenny



One of the formation offerings this Lent is a class on spiritual practices. This is not an academic course or a checklist of spiritual disciplines to master. Instead, it is an invitation to notice how the Spirit is already moving and to learn how we might attune our attention and align our lives to make space for encounter. We’ll explore classical practices of the Christian tradition, but we’ll also pay attention to the holiness hidden in ordinary moments—walking, breathing, listening, resting, paying attention. With curiosity, playfulness, and gentle discipline, we’ll consider how spiritual practices can become less about striving and more about opening ourselves to wonder, presence, and transformation.

Formation - Spiritual Poetry

Facilitator - The Rt. Rev. Marie Jerge

Bishop Jerge will join us in person for another exploration of spiritual poetry.

Please contact Tom Miller for more information.

Ashes-to-GO on Ash Wednesday!

We will offer two services at the church: noon and 5:30. In an effort to engage the wider community, we will also be offering Ashes-to-Go in a few spots around town. We will announce those times and locations ASAP, but if you are interested in supporting that effort, please contact Carter or Jenny.

We could use a few volunteers to support the clergy. It’s a really beautiful exchange to witness on the streets of our community, and a wonderful way to give witness to our faith!

Richard Rohr Book Club

The Richard Rohr Book Club met again on Jan 10th for another fantastic discussion, focusing on the two halves of life and the Hero’s Journey. 

The next meeting will be on Saturday, February 7th at 3:00pm in the Church. We will discuss Chapters 3 and 4 of Falling Upward by Richard Rohr and the short story, “Mr. Andrews” by E.M. Forster. 

If you’re interested in joining, you’re more than welcome no matter if you’ve read the book or not! To get a feel for the types of topics we delve into, see this link: https://cac.org/daily-meditations/a-brilliant-start/

Sound System Volunteers Needed!

We’re grateful to now have a sound system in our sanctuary, and we’re looking for a few volunteers to help operate it during services. This role is a wonderful way to support our worship experience and serve the congregation behind the scenes. No prior technical experience is required — clear, hands-on training will be provided, and the commitment is flexible.



If you’re interested or would simply like to learn more, please contact James Tetler at jtetler@gmail.com. We’d love to have you join the team!

The annual Oyster Roast is scheduled for February 6th at 5PM at Live Oak Park. Oysters are sold out, but you are still welcome to come have a hotdog! You may also bring something to share! Please contact the office or Beth Campbell. See below for original details....

Hot dogs will be served, along with a delicious selection of chili provided by parishioners. If you are able to provide chili or a dessert, please contact Beth Campbell at flbeth1@gmail.com. Water and hot chocolate will be provided. BYOB if you would like something else.

Entertainment will be provided by the Sometime Later Band—join us for a great night of food and fellowship!

**Friendly reminder to bring a folding chair!

St. Mark's Choir & Special Guests presents BROADWAY (OFF PARIS!) This Music Extravaganza will take place on Sunday, February 15 at 3:00 pm and the location has CHANGED to St. John's Lutheran Church to accommodate more people!

RESERVATIONS ARE STILL NEEDED (if you haven't done so!)

Please email office@stmarksportroyal.org to save your seat TODAY!

Make sure to add this to your calendar!

If you would like to help set up or clean up, contact Jane Frederick

at jane@f-farchitects.com.

February birthdays at St. Mark's

February 1 Cindy Klug, Cindy Leggett

February 2 Mark Gwynn

February 4 Paul Klug, Cheri Thayer

February 8 Dede Passeggio

February 9 Margy Anderson,

Jim Graham

February 10 Lee St. Cloud

February 12 Anne Marshall

February 15 Dave Olszewski

February 17 Jon Coffey

February 18 Cassandra King

February 19 Paula Guerry

February 22 Kit Bruce, Katey Seibels,

Ruth Weber

February 23 Jennifer Greaves,

Trudi Kissiah

February 25 Jim Gibson

February 28 Kim Rogowsky

WE ASK YOUR PRAYERS FOR: Mary Bryan, Connie Skok, Judy Parichy, Bonnie Connolly, Molly Wolford, Linda Jones, Tom Tull, Patrick Numier and Sarah Nutting, Duane and Jane Twenge, Joe Dawsey, John and Margaret Hidell, Kevin, Lettie Stoops, Neil Thompson, Molly Ferguson, Barbara Hauler, Stephanie Fields, Sandra Myrick, Lisa Westbrook, Kim Rogowsky, Mike Domby, Jim Sweeney, Hollis, Clydette McDaniel, Christian Buchmann, Kathlyn Gray, Ann Frias, Patti Teter, Alice Miller, Susie Kearney and Stacia Christie.

PLEASE PRAY ALSO for friends of St. Mark’s parishioners: Rhonda Adams, Nadija Peterson (our St. Mark’s scholarship recipient), Cindi and Steve Crane, Dan Snook, Charley Smith and family, Bridgette Skaggs, Sylvia and Ricky.

ONLINE GIVING

It's easy and convenient to keep up with your pledge online.

Just click the red box below and follow the prompts.

Sunday Worship

Holy Communion at 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.

(Livestream available at www.stmarksportroyal.org)

Children’s Sunday School and nursery care (for ages 3 and under) are offered in the St. Mark’s Center during the 11:00 a.m. service.

Midweek Worship

Join us for a Hope and Healing Service each Wednesday at noon.

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Parish Office

phone: 843 379-1020 email: office@stmarksportroyal.org

Office Hours

Tues., Wed., Thurs. 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Mailing address:

PO Box 761

Port Royal, SC 29935