For your thought:

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your loving-kindness; 

in your great compassion blot out my offenses.

- Psalm 51:1



Study this Sunday's Readings.

Important dates:

• Sunday, Sept. 11 at 11:15 a.m., Youth Pilgrimage to Ireland 2022 Presentation
• Sunday, September 11, 5-7 p.m. - St. Mark's Social/Potluck Dinner in the South Valley.
• Sunday, Sept. 18 at 11:00 a.m., Youth Formation Classes Commence
• Saturday, Sept. 24 from 8-Noon, All-Parish Work Day

COVID-19 Update: The CDC has Bernalillo County in the GREEN (LOW) level, so masks are OPTIONAL indoors.

Useful links:

• Fill out a form to volunteer, donate altar flowers, fill out a new member/visitor form, and more!
• Access and/or edit your Member Directory information.
• Access previous sermons.
• To check CDC COVID-19 Risk for Bernalillo County, click here.

Sunday: Ireland Pilgrimage Presentation (for ALL), then Older Teen/Young Adult Discussion & Luncheon

Ireland Pilgrimage Presentation (all ages)

Sunday, September 11th at 11:15 a.m. - In Person and one Sunday only

Facilitators: Pilgrims of St. Mark's who went to Ireland this Summer

​All are welcome to attend the Ireland Pilgrims' Presentation after worship.  

THEN

Post-Ireland Pilgrimage Presentation for Older Teens & Young Adults (ages 15ish-35ish)

Sunday, September 11th at ~12:15 p.m. - In Person and one Sunday only - in the church Library

Facilitators: Fr. Christopher+, Deacon David+, Mo. Sylvia+

Join Fr. Christopher, Deacon David, and Mother Sylvia for Lunch on Sunday, September 11th (~12:15 p.m., immediately following the Ireland Pilgrims' Presentation after church, who all are welcome to join) to discuss how St. Mark’s can best support you in your own unique life and spiritual journey. We need your input! What current offerings for worship, work, and growth at St. Mark’s most interest you? What other offerings might you like to see (or help lead) in the future? When/where/how often/for what you might like to gather together with other teens and/or young adults at St. Mark’s in the coming year for fellowship and/or formation?

Please click here to RSVP and let us know whether or not you can join us for lunch on 9/11/2022. 

Youth & Adult Formation Classes Are Coming

Sunday Youth and Adult Formation time is coming back to St. Mark's for the Fall and we are excited about our offerings. All are invited to read up on our current and near-future offerings anytime by going to our website here. Check it out and discover ahead of time the classes that interest you and register (if applicable). We're looking forward to the gift of your participation.

Hospitality Coffee Hour Volunteers Needed

Our Coffee Teams need extra volunteers to help with set-up and clean-up one week per month. To volunteer, please contact the church office by phone or fill out this form and we'll get you connected with the team leads.

Sunday Evening: St. Mark's Social - All Are Welcome

Everyone is invited to a St. Mark's Social! Join Aric, Rachel, Tug and Robin at their home in the South Valley for a potluck supper this Sunday, September 11, from 5-7 p.m. Bring your favorite "international dish" to share, and/or your favorite beverage. Their address is 824 El Serrano Ct SW 87105. 

All-Parish Work Day

Join us from 8-Noon on Saturday, September 24th for our All-Parish Work Day! Bring your mops, vacuums, dusters, weeding cloves, trowels, hand rakes, and other cleaning & gardening tools to help spruce up our communal house-of-worship campus and grounds.  More hands make less work for all. We look forward to seeing you there!

Safe Church at St. Mark's: A Follow-Up 

Don't Forget: St. Mark's expects all members to complete Safe Church Training (and renew that training at least once every 3 years). Training may be completed via participation in St. Mark's annual Condensed Safe Church Training (each Fall, in-person or on Zoom), by viewing a recording of that training and following the steps below, or by completing the online modules offered through the Episcopal Church.  

To view the recording of St. Mark's Condensed Safe Church Training (September 5, 2022) 

1. Click this link. 
2. Register: Enter your name and your email address.
3. Enter Passcode: *o%Bu41+ 
4. Record your completion of this requirement: Email the our Parish Admin, Jennifer Lind, and Mother Sylvia with your full name, the date you completed your viewing of the recording, and 3 bullet point “takeaways” from the presentation that were meaningful to you: 1) One thing you learned 2) One question you want to continue thinking or learning about 3) One action step you’re committed to take.

In addition, please review and bookmark these Important Links:

Slides for St. Mark's Condensed Safe Church Training

https://www.episcopalchurch.org/safe-church/

• Read the rationale behind the Episcopal Church commitment to Safe Church
• Download and review Episcopal Church Model Policies on Ministry with Children, Youth, and Vulnerable Adults
• Consult the most current list of required and suggested online training modules

https://dioceserg.org/safeguarding

• Register via the Diocese of the Rio Grande website to access online training modules

Wednesday: St. Mark’s Catechesis Small Groups Start

St. Mark’s catechesis program is a flexible and individualized program 

open to all adults and teens interested in exploring baptism or confirmation, or simply learning more about the tradition, faith, and practice of the Episcopal Church. 

Note: We will not be meeting on Monday, Sept. 14.

Small group and/or independent study (September & October)

Starting on Wednesday, September 7th: Small Group Zoom Sessions (Mon/Wed, 7-8:30pm on Zoom): A series of topical small group sessions will be held on zoom, facilitated by St. Mark’s Clergy, using group course materials and videos from ChurchNext  drawing insights from three books: Walk in Love: Episcopal Beliefs & Practice, Taking the Plunge: Baptism and Parenting, and Godparenting: Nurturing the Next Generation. Participants are welcome to attend any sessions that interest them. In addition to (or instead of) these small group sessions, participants are welcome to design their own course of study including readings and/or online courses and materials of interest.  

For each class topic, please click here.

For more details, including links to Register and links to join Zoom sessions, click here

To Register, click here

Zoom Link for Small Group Sessions is here

Watch the "Video" Intro here

For a printable version, click here.

New Scared Arts Gallery Exhibit: Portraits

Shown in this photo are some of Heather Gaume's watercolors and works by silk artist, Deborah Bentley.

Come and check out all of the new amazing artwork!  The St. Mark's Gallery retains a 20% commission of all sales.  

LGBTQ+ Potluck Cookout & Worship

Forum on Immigration Courts 

Sunday, Sept. 11, 3:00 p.m. on Zoom 

Sponsored by First Congregational Church (UCC) 

Jasmine McGee (managing attorney, New Mexico Immigrant Law Center) and Sophia Genovese (asylum/detention senior attorney, New Mexico Immigrant Law Center) – see photos -- will speak on Sunday, Sept. 11 at 3:00pm at a Zoom forum on immigration courts and the case for reform of these courts. The event is sponsored by the Immigration Justice Team at First Congregational Church (UCC). The FCUCC Zoom link for this forum is here.

Please see the entire statement here.

“Soul Songs for Every Season” Three-Day Retreat

Date: October 13-15, 2022

Location: Santa Maria de la Vid Abbey in Albuquerque

Join Music That Makes Community for a spacious, three-day/two-night retreat at the Santa Maria de la Vid Abbey in Albuquerque, New Mexico from October 13-15, 2022. As we enjoy the beauty of autumn in the desert, we’ll sing and reflect on the theme “Soul Songs for Every Season.” Recognizing the rapid change and constant pivoting in our lives the past few years, we'll lean into a spacious time for rest and rejuvenation, tune ourselves to the rhythms of the land, and listen for songs and spiritual practices that can sustain us through every season of life.

The retreat will be led by a dynamic team of musicians and clergy from the United States and Canada, including Sylvia Miller Mutia, David Poole, Patti Powell, Emilie Teresa Smith, and Paul Vasile. There will be regular opportunities for communal worship and reflection, as well as time for personal rest and renewal.

Individual and shared housing options are available for overnight guests, including Hermitages and new guest rooms with private bathrooms. All rooms are comfortable, accessible, and simply furnished. Capacity is limited, so RSVP early to guarantee a place.

A special commuter rate is also available for participants within driving distance.

Register here.

Church Women United:  A Call to Act

Church Women United, an ecumenical Christian women’s group, will gather on Friday, September 9th at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, 5301 Ponderosa Ave. NE, for their Human Rights Day celebration, acknowledging the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948. The theme, “A Call to Act”, is based on 1 John 3:18. The speaker will be Kristen Bowre, Director of Justice for Our Neighbors (JFON), a United Methodist Immigration Ministry for West Texas and Southern New Mexico. A CWU Human Rights Award will also be presented recognizing an individual working in the field of human rights. Coffee fellowship will begin at 9:30, followed by the program at 10:00. Come join us! For more information, contact Shirley Nilsson at 884-2467.