St. Mark's Weekly E-blast

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

How is your imagination?

When our daughter was 3, she had an imaginary friend. Oh-Ga-Gee was both boy and girl, someone she met at a church a long time ago. Thor was the daddy, Black Widow was the mommy. They appeared in family drawings Kate made at the time and Kate's first time to Disneyland was a long time ago with Oh-Ga-Gee. There was also something about the attic and a dead family member but we didn't talk much about that!

Our son, on the other hand, never had an imaginary friend but would tell himself stories of all his toys and all his experiences. His imagination was fun to watch as be blended Thomas the Tank Engine with Lightning McQueen. "Time is of the essence," I remember him crying out many times during his play.

We lose our sense of imagination as we let life dictate what is proper and correct. It's easy to stop being creative, to just do what we've always done.

I don't want to be that person. I want to be like our God, who created a world with all the colors of the rainbow, a world with a duckbilled platypus and a beautiful swan, a world with the imagination of a three-year-old. I want to dream dreams of a world with no war, a world with everyone fed, a world where all feel loved, a world where we have a friend named Oh-Ga-Gee who takes us to Disneyworld.

What can you imagine today?

See you soon,

Pastor Lynn

Don't forget the ANTI-FRAUD workshop on Saturday! Details are below.

Need a mid-week pick-me-up? Want a meal you don't have to cook, paired with friends to talk with? Join us at Soul Station!

Dinner this week will be Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup, bread, salad and cookies for dessert; serving begins at 5:30 pm. The program begins with prayer and communion at 6 pm in person or online.

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

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department will be leading a Fraud Prevention Presentation at our Magee Campus on Saturday, March 22 from 3 pm - 6:30 pm. Join the fraud team and take an in-depth look at the trending scams occurring within Pima County and around the world. There will be real-time demonstrations on how these scams are executed, as well as an opportunity to voice any fraud related questions and/or concerns directly to The Pima County Sheriff’s Department Financial Crimes and Fraud Unit. Invite your friends and neighbors.

Sunday is a busy day!

Check out all that is happening!

Worship at 8:30, 10, 11:30 on the Magee Campus

Worship at 10 on the Sanctuary Campus

Adult Sunday School - Seekers Sunday School - kids and youth Sunday School

PLUS all of this...

Lenten Missions Projects

Did you know we are one of the first churches that began to support TIHAN? Each year, we host one of ther monthly lunches where those living with HIV/AIDS and their caregivers receive a care bag of goodies. As we prepare for St. Mark's month to host, we are gathering our portion of the care bags. We are collecting 120 deodorants,120 shaving creams—NOT travel sized-and 360 disposable razors. With funding currently being cut for many services, you can imagine that our Care Partners are especially in need of our help at this time. Bring your items to church on Sunday!

Contact Pat Small at 520-429-4453 or patriciawsmall@gmail.com if you can volunteer at the lunch on April 17th or have other questions.   

Need Help with Breeze or Zoom or Navigating our Website?

We are planning a class or two to help you figure out Breeze and the online directory and how to navigate our new website. We are looking forward to helping you out with all of your questions. Fill out the form at the link below to let us know your availability. https://umcstmarks.breezechms.com/form/TechWorkshops

Tea Gathering for Breast Cancer Support

The Counselor in Residence Program invites breast cancer survivors and those currently undergoing treatment to join us for a special tea on March 25th at 2 pm in the Fellowship Hall. The intention is to connect those who have gone through treatment or are currently going through treatment for breast cancer, to explore interest in forming an informal group.

St. Mark’s UMC Book Study

Mark LeVine and Gershon Shafir Struggle and Survival in Palestine/Israel (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2012).

Led by Sean Tomlinson, University of Arizona PhD Candidate in Middle Eastern and North African Studies and History

Meeting dates/times via Zoom https://dscumc.zoom.us/j/87049962476?pwd=IOFg33AjjXGbfXWYlYUjnM4TgKltrT.1

● 6PM on: March 18, 25 and April 1, 8

For more information, please contact Pastor Deb at Deborah@umcstmarks.org

St Marks Hard To Recycle Plastics initiative began a year ago on Earth Day. So far in 2025 we have removed 225 bags of plastics from the landfill. Plastic can take anywhere from 20 to 500 years to decompose and it never fully disappears. It just breaks down into smaller pieces. As an example of the plastic we are removing from our environment – plastic bags take 20 years, plastic straws take 200 years, six pack plastic rings take 500 years to break down.

If you wish to join this St. Marks initiative to help care for our earth stop by the table outside the office on the second Sunday of each month.

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 child care

11:30 a.m. Modern service at the Magee 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. 

March 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