Food, Fellowship, Faith and Fun for all ages!

Featuring food preparation and service by THE SWEET ADDICTION catering and St. Mark's United Methodist Men.

Menu for 1/15

Chicken pot pie, fruit salad, biscuits, salad bar, and blueberry cobbler

ADULT OPTIONS, 6:00 – 7:00 P.M., JANUARY 22

Forever Chemicals: The Problem with Persistence Room 402/404.

How much should we be concerned about PFOS and PFAS, a group of compounds known as “Forever Chemicals?” Greg Denton, a long-time environmental scientist, explains what these chemicals are, what we know about their dangers, and how likely it is that you’ve been exposed to them.  Greg will provide tips to help put these risks in perspective, considering other pollutants in the environment. 

Mission Trip Opportunities for 2025 & 2026 Room 407/409

Traveling away from home to participate in a mission trip offers Christians of all ages a chance to put their faith into action, learn about the needs of persons outside their community, and experience a different culture. Youth and adults are invited to join David Cowan, Hannah Pratt, and Rev. Martha Touchton to explore opportunities for mission trips in 2025 and 2026.

ADULT OPTIONS, 6:00 – 7:00 P.M., JANUARY 29

AI - What Does It Mean for You?  Room 402/404.

Every day we are hearing more and more about artificial intelligence, but what is AI and what does it mean for you?  This class will include a demonstration of new technological breakthroughs in artificial AI and discuss their legal and ethical implications. Come to see and prepare yourself for how AI will shape the future of our world. Led by Dr. Keith Gamble, MTSU’s Director of the Data Science Institute and

Professor of Finance at the Jones College of Business.

Church Hospitality 101 Room 403.

Every visitor to our worship service is a potential new member of our church family. But what can you and I do to make visitors feel welcome at St. Mark’s? Join in a conversation about church hospitality led by Butler Touchton.

THANK YOU FROM THE BEDFORD COUNTY JAIL

Before Christmas, Robin Stone delivered 350 pre-stamped Christmas cards assembled at Wednesday Night Together to inmates at the Rutherford County Juvenile Detention Center and the Bedford County Detention Center. Lt. Gentry said the inmates at Bedford had been asking if they were coming! 

A beautiful hand-drawn thank you note was received from the jail, which said, “Thank you for bringing the light of Christ into a dark place.  Merry Christmas from all the guys at Bedford County Jail!”

Look for the artwork from the card to be featured on the front of St.Mark's worship bulletin during the January sermon series!

New Adult Studies in 2025

As a disciple of Jesus Christ, do you seek to:

- Deepen your spiritual walk with Christ?

- Grasp the Gospel story of Jesus and his disciples?

- Listen to and respond to God’s call as an individual, a family, and a church?

In the year ahead, as a means of deepening our mutual walk with Christ, our personal, daily spiritual practice, and our faithfulness, mission, and ministry as the Body of Christ, you are invited to read and study through the scriptures in an intentional, systematic, and devotional way. 

We will be offering 8-week studies on each of the Gospels, which will allow us time to savor and enjoy the stories of Jesus and his disciples more fully. These studies, called “Books of Faith,” will include:

           Matthew in February and March

           Mark in April and May

           Luke in August and September

           John in October and November

Each study offers a guide for reading a few chapters of the Gospel each week and continues the devotional focus we have enjoyed with The Grand Sweep. To participate as a reader or serve as a reflection group leader, please sign up in the Foyer or email martha@stmarkstn.org. 

We are also offering the opportunity to read through the Bible using The Grand Sweep, especially for those who are new to our congregation or who missed out on reading in 2024. To participate in a small group or serve as a reflection group leader, sign up in the Foyer, or send an email to martha@stmarkstn.org.

The number and times of reflection groups for both studies will be determined by your interest, so register today!  

St. Mark's Brings Christmas to Reeves Rogers

Just before Christmas break, Santa's elves from St. Mark's delivered 23 mesh bags full of playground toys to Reeves Rogers Elementary School (one per class). Because of the generosity toward this ministry, we were also able to give to the CDC classes! We also distributed gift cards to all the teachers and full-time employees, and delivered 30 snack bags to be taken home by children who would face food insecurity during the holidays. 

Thanks to all the Adult classes who contributed several thousand dollars to this project, to the Food Bank Team who bought food and stuffed snack bags, to our Wednesday Night Together helpers who assembled all the playground bags, to David Forrest, Pam Forrest, and Ron Jackson for blowing up over 100 balls, to Trish Clark who created and sewed the labels on the mesh bags, and to our Church Partnership Team for coordinating this tremendous local mission. What a wonderful team effort!

Thanks also to our delivery team, Margie and Frank Jennings, David Cowan, Jeff Henry, and Rev. Martha Touchton. The team went room to room delivering the bags and wishing the children a Merry Christmas from St. Mark’s UMC. The children were so excited to receive their playground toys! They jumped up and down, yelled their thanks you’s, and offering big hugs. The teachers and other staff were also very appreciative.  

Jennifer Hall, a St. Mark’s member and 2^nd grade teacher at Reeves Rogers, said, “Thank you so much for all you do for our community! We feel so fortunate to have your support! Our school is very grateful!”

And thanks to Reeves Rogers for the shout-out that has been on their marquis all through winter break!