St. Mark's Weekly E-blast

We gather, connect, and serve so all may experience the love of Christ.

Human Relations Day is this Sunday! Human Relations Day is a special Sunday across The United Methodist Church, focused on fostering better relationships and supporting community and youth outreach. On the Sunday before Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, we take up a special offering to help bring his vision of a “beloved community” to life. Your gifts support important programs like Community Developers, United Methodist Voluntary Services, and Youth Offender Rehabilitation. We invite you to give through our church or online, helping us continue this vital work together.

Thanks to the generosity of churches like St. Mark's, over $250,000 was raised last year to support these vital ministries through the Human Relations Day Sunday offering:

• Fifty-seven percent of the funds received support the Community Developers Program (CDP) that strive to maintain, and strengthen racial-ethnic minority congregations through local United Methodist churches and engage based on community needs.
• Thirty-three percent of the funds received support The United Methodist Voluntary Services (UMVS) that serves as a resource to congregations and volunteer working to challenge unjust political, social, and economic systems. 
• Ten percent of the funds received support youth rehabilitation programs, empowering young people through church-based activities, mentoring programs, and boys' and girls' clubs.

For over 50 years, United Methodists have observed this special Sunday to honor the message Jesus lived out: that every one of God's children matters. One of the beautiful things about The United Methodist Church is that, together, we can accomplish far more than we could on our own. Our collective gifts help build "the beloved community."

Thank you for your faithfulness and generosity as we work together to make the Beloved Community a reality.

St. Mark's Church and Society Committee

Finally, Soul Station meal and worship has returned! Join Kathy Narney this week for a great program, beginning at 6 pm in person or online. Dinner begins at 5:30 pm. Dinner tonight will be chicken and rice casserole with strawberry shortcake for dessert

Prefer to join us online? Use the zoom link below. Bring your own communion elements! 

https://dscumc.zoom.us/j/81074485416?pwd=QBaxQm2tB3AhW9ot1aSqW6ov2WOlhe.1

Meeting ID: 810 7448 5416

Passcode: 016308

TOWN HALL MEETING

Everyone is invited to a Town Hall Meeting on Sunday, January 19th at 11:30 am in the Sanctuary Campus worship space. During this meeting, our Location Task Force will share their work in determining next steps after our lease on the current building expires at the end of April. We will share the recommendation we will make to Covenant Council this month and discuss what this means for the future of the campus. Another email will be sent on Friday with some additional details.

Reach out to Pastor Tu'ulauena if you have questions.

Join the Wed. Morning Study, 10-11:30 am,

rooms 17/18,

beginning Jan. 8 for the 6-week study



The Message of Jesus: Words that Changed the World by Adam Hamilton. Purchase a study book from your favorite vendor. Read Introduction and Chapter 1 for the first class on January 8.

Join us for prayer on Inauguration Day, Monday January 20, 2025 at 6:30 pm on the Magee Campus. This is a chance for us to foster and encourage unity of spirit as we pray non-partisanly for our government, our community and ourselves.

February 1, we are hosting a mental health workshop for teenagers and those who love them. Our goal is to give teenagers and the people who love them information about mental health and substance abuse in today’s world. Do you have questions for an expert in this field? Do you have concerns for a family member, a friend, for yourself, or just want to know more? This is a space for you to learn and ask questions. Teens will have their own workshop, separate from adults. RSVP at https://umcstmarks.breezechms.com/form/LetsTalk (includes a light lunch). Friends and their families are welcome. This event is open to the community.

THANK YOU, St. Mark's!! Together we packaged over 17,000 meals in just a few hours!

"Ending hunger is challenging work, and work that we could not do alone. Rise Against Hunger is incredibly fortunate to have the countless hands of volunteers young and old pitching in day in and day out not only to package meals, but to raise their voices to spread the message that a world without hunger IS possible when we come together.

On behalf of Rise Against Hunger and our beneficiaries worldwide, thank you for all that you do for those in need!"

Maggie Luckadoo, Rise Against Hunger

Ladies of St. Mark's ~ Join the Mark-a-ritas for Bunco on Friday, January 17 at 2:00 in Room 17/18. Please R.S.V.P. to Susan Putt no later than Wednesday, January 15th, so we can plan appropriately.

January 19 - Tucson Little Big Band

Little Big Band is an eight-piece instrumental group playing all styles of high-energy music, including hits from the 60’s, 70’s and beyond! Original arrangements feature songs from popular groups like Chicago, Elton John, Earth, Wind and Fire and many more.

January 26 - Skyline Flutes

Journey with Skyline Flutes as we travel to the moon, stars, planets, and other celestial bodies. Music by Debussy, McMichael, Beeftink and Schocker will be presented, as well as works by other composers. Skyline Flutes is Southern Arizona’s only professional flute quintet.

Interested in helping out in response to the fires in California? Here are some resources that are available:

Give to UMCOR

The United Methodist Committee on Relief is responding. You can find out more here: LINK

A UM News article about the fires - LINK

Our own Conference response - LINK

From Church and Society

Human Relations Day - Being in community is more than being in a group. In a community we genuinely care for each other so members feel seen and heard. They feel welcomed and that they belong. Human Relation Day is about building communities. This Sunday we will join other United Methodist around the world by collecting an offering to help build communities.

SUNDAY WORSHIP SCHEDULE

8:30 and 10 a.m. Traditional service in Magee Campus sanctuary and child care in Rm 15

10 a.m. Modern service at Sanctuary Campus with Children's Sunday School and childcare

10 a.m. Magee Campus youth and children's Sunday School (except fifth Sundays) and childcare

11:30 a.m. Traditional service at the Sanctuary Campus

Both 10 a.m. worship services are live-streamed on Sundays on our website or on YouTube UMC St. Mark's AZ. You can also watch the service at a later time. 

January Messenger is available here.

Office Hours – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mon-Thurs, closed Friday - Sunday

Staff may be available by appointment at other times; email them using their first name followed by @umcstmarks.org