St. Mark's Weekly E-blast

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

An invitation from the Counselor in Residence Committee

During the Holiday Season, many people feel pressured to be joyful and happy. For whatever reasons – job loss, financial or relationship stress, being away from family, a recent death or a death from long ago — people may not be as happy as our culture says they should be right now.

The Longest Night service at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church provides a quiet place for reflection, including a service of readings, music and prayers, with little need for interaction. People can acknowledge their grief, pain or simply acknowledge their stress in the season.

Those who partake say it provides relief from the social situations of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day where they feel the need to put on a happy face.

Join us on Sunday at 3pm for this service.

Blessings,

Your Counselor in Residence Committee

December 18

This week's dinner is a taco bar with ice cream for dessert!

Dinner starts at 5:30 and activities are from 6-7:30 pm. This is an all inclusive worship experience for all ages. Messy Advent will be a fun, interactive, hands-on way to experience Advent this year.

Sorry... the activities of Messy Church don't lend themselves to a zoom link. See you online in the new year!

This is our last Soul Station for the year! Then, we will take a break until January 8.

Christmas Eve Services

Invite your friends!

This year our service times have adjusted for simplicity and for our volunteers. Grab a postcard from the worship space to invite your friends, and plan to join us as we welcome the new-born King!

Magee Campus

11am Lessons & Carols

Let the story of Christmas be told with song and scripture. A soup and bread lunch will follow for anyone who would like to enjoy a meal around the Christmas table.

(Let us know if you want to bring a crockpot of soup or loaf of bread to share! Link here to sign up! Link here to sign up!

5pm Family Service

Join us for a family-friendly service including a no-rehearsal telling of the Christmas story. We will conclude with a blessing of our children and a gift.

7pm Traditional Service with Choirs

Our choirs will lead us in a traditional worship with candles and Silent Night. Childcare will be offered during the service, and children are welcome.

9pm Traditional Service with Communion

Our final service of the night will feature silence and candlelight, communion and music, ending with Silent Night on our patio with the guitar.

Sanctuary Campus

5pm Family Service

Join us for a family-friendly service, led by our Praise Band. We will conclude with a blessing of our children and they will receive a small gift.

7pm “Unplugged” Service

A more reflective, acoustic worship service with hymns and scripture.

Make room for others!

Would you consider carpooling or parking a little further on Christmas Eve? Doing so allows guests and those who can't walk far to park closer to our worship spaces.

Remember, "Nothing Says Welcome Like Moving to the Middle!" Once you find your seat, scooch towards the middle to leave the aisle seats for our guests.

Thanks!

Christmas Offering Invitation

Check out the video about our work at Nash Elementary School! WATCH VIDEO

Our Christmas Offering benefits our friends at Nash Elementary School and helps fund our Food Packaging Event on January 12. These ministries help us to be love in action - reflecting the light of Christ to those who are physically hungry in our world.

Ready to give? Click here!

Year-End Notice for Donors

Please wait until you’ve received your year-end statement of giving to file your income tax return. Some donors may not be able to deduct certain contributions if they file a tax return before receiving their church contribution statement.For contributions to be deducted in 2024, they must be received at the church by December 31, 2024. (Please remember the office is closed December 25 – 29.) This means that a check deposited in the church offering in January of 2025 cannot be deducted in 2024, even if it is backdated to 2024. This also includes on-line donations that are not processed prior to December 31, 2023. Please plan a couple of days ahead when making an electronic contribution for this year. One exception—checks that are written, mailed and postmarked in 2024 are deductible in 2024 even though not received until 2025. Thank you!

Coming Up

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.

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. 

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

Holiday Closure: We will be open regular business hours on December 23-24.

We will be closed December 25-29, and January 1-5.

Staff may be available by appointment during those days.

Our monthly Messenger newsletter (for December) is available here: LINK