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Grace Notes:
Freshly Plucked Leaves
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At our St. Mark's staff devotions this week, we read the last part of the flood story in Genesis 8, where Noah sends out a dove from the ark to see what exists in the world around them. In the evening, we are told, the dove came back to the ark, and there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf. We chose the story because it gave us a good way to remember and celebrate the sabbatical journey of Pastor Shjerven. Like the dove that was sent out from the ark, she, now, has returned with freshly plucked leaves of many varieties.
Click here to continue reading.
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| Sunday Worship Times |
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8:30am-Blended
9:45am-Contemporary
11:00am-Traditional
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| St. Mark's Staff |
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Pastors
Staff
Music Ministry
Contemporary Music Ministry
Manager of Finance and Operations
Office Manager
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| Just Shopping |
Just Shopping is an Internet Fundraising Program at St. Mark's. It's part of a three-tiered plan to eliminate our building debt by 2023. On-line purchase made through our website with affiliate companies helps pay off our building loan. Thank you for your support and please share this internet shopping opportunity with your family and friends! For more information, click here to visit our website.
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| Contact Us |
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St. Mark's Lutheran Church by The Narrows
6730 N. 17th St.
Tacoma, WA 98406
Office: 253-752-4966
Preschool: 253-752-4929
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Welcome Back Luncheon for Pastor Shjerven
 Join us for a "Welcome Back" luncheon with Pastor Rebecca Shjerven. Pastor Shjerven is concluding her sabbatical this week and we look forward to her return with joy and thanksgiving! We hope that you can join us in the Parish Commons on Sunday, August 16 at 12:15pm for a special luncheon in her honor. During our time together, Pastor Shjerven will share stories and highlights of her sabbatical with us. If you plan to attend, please add your name to the sign-up sheet by contacting the church office by phone or email! This will help us greatly as we plan the meal.
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Bread for the World: Offering of Letters
Sunday, August 23 - Bread for the World Offering of Letters.
Help feed our hungry children. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 is set to expire September 30
th
of this year. This act embraced school lunches and breakfasts, summer meals, Women-Infants-Children (WIC) nutrition, etc., and provided a $4.5 billion investment in preventing child hunger over the last 5 years. Legislators are deciding whether these Child Nutrition Programs should be reduced in order to balance the budget. Bread for the World asks us to advocate on behalf of the hungry children of our country by continuing the programs at least at
their
current levels and then going on to close gaps that now leave out some of our hungry children. Give prayerful thought to how you would like to respond.
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Bishop Jaech to preach at Elbe Evangelical Lutheran Church
Bishop Richard E. Jaech will preach this Sunday at the 2:30 pm
worship service at the Elbe Evangelical Lutheran Church
. Holy Communion will be observed. The historic tiny white Elbe Lutheran Church is a preaching point of the ELCA and under the auspices of the Southwestern Washington Synod. As such, it is supported by all the churches in our synod. It has been given the distinction of being called "The Bishop's Cathedral." The service will be followed by a coffee hour. The church is on the Mountain Highway, Route 7 in
Elbe. For information about this little church, visit
www.ElbeHistoricChurch.com
Any questions: Contact Pam Olson at
253-752-7525
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LWR School Supplies Kits
It's that time! With school supplies at their lowest prices of the year, our
annual drive to collect school supplies for LWR starts this weekend! Our goal is to pack 100 school kits with the youth in October. The LWR site has an URGENT request for kits from partners.
Your donations reach places like Syria, where LWR recently distributed 6,350 School Kits to families affected by the ongoing conflict. Please drop-off supplies in the Narthex.
Needed:
Spiral Notebooks (70 page-8" x 10.5")
#2 pencils (unsharpened)
Pencil sharpner
Blunt scissors
Blue or black ballpoint pens (no gel)
Ruler (30 centimeter)
Crayons (16 or 24)
Eraser (2.5")
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Music on the Lawn Thanks!
Thank you to all who attended and donated to the Music on the Lawn event last Saturday. A special thank you to Jean Steingrebe, John and Bonnie Wascher, Celesta Smith, and Bob and Suzy Reynolds for organizing and hosting the event. Thank you to Cooper Sherry and all the musicians for their hard work and for sharing their gift of music with those who attended. The proceeds from Music on the Lawn go to support the many youth of St. Mark's and the programs that keep them active in our congregation. |
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VBS Thank you!
 Thank you to the more than fifty volunteers and staff who made a special week for the ninety youth who participated in Vacation Bible School this year. A special thanks goes out to Katie Jones and Erika Anderson for their coordination of the week long event. What a joyous week to have such life at St. Mark's! |
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Expand the Ruth Ann Bible Study!
Ruth Ann Bible Study (circle) would like to expand and form an additional circle.
Currently, we meet the first Monday morning of each month from 10:00 - 12:00 in our homes. We enjoy light refreshments, catching up and sharing around a topic drawn from our monthly magazine, "Gathering in Faith and Action," which is published by Women of the ELCA. Expanded groups could meet at different times and locations.
We find we grow in our understanding and appreciation of the bible and of each other as we read scripture and converse about our faith experiences and questions. We like to conclude with prayer.
You are invited to join us for coffee, refreshments and bible-based conversation on Monday, September 14 in the Fireside Room to explore whether this is a good fit for you.
Current members are: Patty Reinkensmeyer, Suzy Reynolds, Barb Holme, Barb Boyd, Marcia Sherry, Marge Bitter, Cathryn Cummings, Helen Huseth, Lori Huseth Clark, Joan Torfin, Eileen Tellefson, Jean Steingrebe, Patty Keller, and Joan Nelson.
We look forward to seeing you on Monday, September 14.
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Worship at Washington Correction Center for Women
St. Mark's sponsors a Lutheran worship service at the WCCW (Washington Correction Center for Women - "Purdy") four times a year. Sunday evening, August 30, Grace Lutheran Church, Port Townsend, will lead worship and provide music, with their pastor, Coe Hutchison, preaching.
We need a few more people from St. Mark's (both men and women) to participate in this service and provide support (pass out bulletins, collect prayer requests, etc.). The presence of folks from the community to worship with them is hugely encouraging for the women, some of whom have a Lutheran background.
I
f you are interested, please contact Joan Nelson at
[email protected]
or 253-208-3307.
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Youth and Children's Faith Formation
Lutherhaven campers return Friday, Aug. 13th between 7 and 8pm. Ingelaurie will bring each person home.
August 23 (Sunday), CYFF Ministry Team Meeting- 12:15-2:15 in the Fireside Room.
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Connect and Care TimeBank
Sept 16, The next Connect and Care TimeBank training is scheduled for Wednesday, September 16 from 5:30 to 7:00 in the Youth Room. St. Marks will resume Wednesday night dinner and services, too. You can grab dinner and come down to the Youth Room for training before the evening service.
We have over 20 members signed up with lots of fun offers and requests. Check out the TimeBank Poster in the Narthex to see some examples. A new sign up sheet will be available. I will be sending out individual email invitations for those of you who had expressed interest earlier but were unable to attend the first training in June.
Sponsored by the Congregational Care Committee, the CCTB is a great way to give and receive help, learn new skills and connect in a personal way with members of our congregation. If you have questions, please feel free to contact Patty Reinkensmeyer 857-7977 of Jan Walters 703-895-5805.
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St. Mark's Preschool
St. Mark's Preschool enrollment for 2015-2016 is now open. For more information, visit our website (www.smlutheran.org) or call 253-752-4929.
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Join the Altar Guild!
Join us! No white gloves required! The Altar Guild is looking for a few more members to help set the Lord's table each Sunday morning and on holidays. Members work in two shifts (8:00-9:45am and 10:45-12:30pm) before, after and between services. You'll have full training on the tasks and meaning surrounding them. Plus you will work with a partner until you feel comfortable doing the work on your own. In addition to Sunday morning duties we also need someone who would be willing to wash and press the linens each week. If you are interested in joining this quiet behind the scenes ministry please contact Linda Dieckhoff at 253-376-1446 or [email protected]. |
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Hike to Plummer Peak
Friday, August 21st, the Care of Creation Committee is sponsoring a hike to Plummer Peak near Paradise. Everyone is welcome to go along on this trip. If you are not interested in a vigorous hike but would like to browse around the surrounding area of paradise, the visitor center, and the Inn, please consider joining. We will be meeting at the church at 8am to carpool to the trailhead.
Plummer Peak is about 2 miles up, 1,000 foot elevation gain, with great views of Rainier (of course) and south to Mount Adams and the Goat Rocks. The Paradise area has the visitor center, meadows to stroll, and the beautiful remodeled National Park Inn with Ranger talks.
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In Other News...
Creator Lutheran Church in Bonney Lake is looking to hire a Church Administrator (25-30 hours).
This position will provide business and operational support to church members, council and professional staff. It will manage church finance, property, personnel procedures.
A bachelor's degree in business or related field or equivalent experience preferred. If you are interested in more information there are copies of the full job description available in office at St. Marks or by contacting Pastor Heidi Calhoun at [email protected].
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Member Notes
Thank you and Happy 100th Birthday to Volly Grande, whose birthday celebration brought in $930 for the Backpack Program.
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| Have an item for the bridge?
Send it to [email protected] by 8am on Tuesday. All items will be run for 2 weeks prior to the relevant date and will be edited for length. Don't forget to send your member notes and news!
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