Update for the week of March 15 - 21, 2018
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Our Mission Statement

To Be and Make Disciples of  
Jesus Christ 

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Contact Information?
 
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Contact Us?
 
Saint Mark UMC
616 Quincy Road
Seneca, SC  29678

Call us:
9 am - 5 pm (M-Th)
(864) 882-2603
Pastoral Care
Emergencies or after regular office hours

call or text
(864) 888-7072  

 Click here
to  
send an email
Saint Mark 2018 Ministry Guidebook 
Click here to view the entire Saint Mark 2018 Ministry Guidebook with information about church structure, leadership, ministries and our 2018 budget. 
Check Out Our Entire Church Calendar of Events 
Click here to see what is going on at Saint Mark this week and the weeks to come.
March 18, 2018

Fifth Sunday
 in Lent
 
 
Sunday 
Schedule 
 
9:00 am 
Come to the Table Worship
with Holy Communion  
Sanctuary 
  
9:00 am 
Celebration Worship 
Saint Mark Center 

9:15 am
Children's Church
Room A101 
 
 
10:15 am
Sunday School 
 
11:15 am 
Traditional Worship
Sanctuary
 
12:30 pm
Service/Mission Team

4:00 pm
Wings 'n Things

5:30 pm
In His Eyes


Quick, easy and available HERE 

Join us every day at 3:20 pm to pray for Saint Mark - our people and ministries. 
Listen to Last Week's Sermon Today 
If you were not able to attend worship on any given Sunday, you can still listen to the sermon.   Click here to select and listen to sermons that you may have missed.
Got Information to Share in Next Week's Heart Beat?
Click here to send your Heart Beat post to us by no later than 12:00 noon next
Thursday.  On the subject line, please type in "Heart Beat" so that we can easily find your article among the other emails.
Got Good News To Share With Your Saint Mark Family?   
Good news lifts our spirits. Share your good news with us. We will publish your good news in our "People 'Neath Our Steeple" feature. Your news will be sent out as an email. Click here to share your good news (achievements, births, awards, etc.). Include pictures if you have them. 
Got Pictures? 
 
We are creating an archive of pictures taken at Saint Mark events and activities. If you have taken pictures and want to share them, please
click here and send them to us.

Or use our hashtag #stmarkumc and post your photos on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. 
Interested in LGBTQ+ Inclusion?

Click here for more information. 
Prayer Focus for This Week  

I am Marla Fuller, and I am part of our Saint Mark mission team that is partnering this week with the good folks on the Bahamian island of Eleuthera.  I am sitting in a computer lab with 8 young adult students from Eleuthera who are training at CTI, a vocational school recently set up to help the people of Eleuthera develop job skills that will increase their chance to find employment.  Please pray for Eleuthera, a second world country trying to improve the quality of life for all of its people. 

Pray for One Eleuthera Foundation, a non-profit development organization that has recognized the island's challenges, opportunities, and assets and are committed to developing a comprehensive, sustainable plan for Eleuthera. Pray for the success of the efforts of One Eleuthera for the benefit of all of Eleuthera's 11,000 residents. 

Pray for the safe return of our mission team to the United States and Seneca this Saturday, March 17. 
Submit Your Prayer R equests
Saint Mark is pleased to receive your prayer requests . . . for yourself or for friends or loved ones.   Click here to submit your request to Pastor Todd Davis.
WORSHIP THIS SUNDAY  


 Fifth Sunday in Lent
THIS Sunday, March 18     
"Marks of a Disciple: Gifts"

 9 am "Come to the Table" Worship
11:15 am Traditional Worship
bringing the message

Rev. Todd Davis

9 am Celebration Worship
bringing the message

Rev. Shawna Darnall

THIS WEEK AT SAINT MARK 

There Are Still Opportunities to Help!
Wings for the Lord Youth Choir
Churchwide Garage Sale

The Garage Sale Begins Tomorrow!
Friday and Saturday, March 16 and 17
8 am - 1 pm  

Cashiers
Friday and Saturday, March 16 and 17
7:45 am - 1:15 pm
 
Will you help???
Click here to contact Cara Davis  
or call her at (864) 539-5063 

We invite you to sponsor a stem or stems in memory or in honor of someone. This is the last week to place your order!! Click here to place your order online, or you may fill out the form in your bulletin this Sunday morning.

The Gathering
Wednesday, March 21

5:30 pm
Dinner for children, youth and adults


Menu
Baked Ham
Chicken and Dressing Casserole
Green Beans
Potato Salad
Steamed Cabbage
Mac 'n Cheese
Congealed Cranberry Salad
Dessert
Rolls

6 pm
TREK for Children
Journey for Youth

6:15 pm
Worship and Holy Communion
Sanctuary

Click here to make your meal reservation.  The master list applies.

THIS Wednesday,
March 21
12 noon
New Harmony UMC
bringing the message
Rev. Deedie Marshall
Lunch will follow the service
LOOKING AHEAD

The van will be available for those who want a ride to the event.  Click here to make your reservation.

Below are the many opportunities to observe Holy Week (March 25 - April 1):

Palm Sunday Worship
Sunday, March 25
All Three Services
Contact: Rev. Todd Davis 
 
Egg Hunt
Sunday, March 25
4 pm
Meet in the Saint Mark Center 
Contact: Lisa Kiser
 
Community Lenten Service and Lunch
Wednesday, March 28
12 noon
at Saint Mark UMC
Ryan Perry from Seneca Baptist
Contact: Todd Davis
 
Spring Fling
Wednesday, March 28
5:30 pm
 
Maundy Thursday Worship
Thursday, March 29
7 pm
Contact: David Wilcox

Easter Sunday Celebration
Sunday, April 1
All three services 
Contact: Rev. Todd Davis
 
Church Office Will Be Closed
April 2 - 3


Saint Mark UMC's Spring Fling is coming Wednesday, March 28
 
This church-wide event (for all ages) will take place on the front lawn of the church beginning at 5:30 pm (or in the case of rain will be moved into the Saint Mark Center). Join us for hotdogs, a fire pit with smores, games, bounce houses, and more!

Click here to sign up to donate or volunteer to help.

For more information, click here to contact Pastor Shawna, or call her at the church office at (864) 882-2603.


Women's Thursday Morning
Bible Study

Is Taking a Short Break

The Thursday morning Bible study, led by Sandy James, will take a 6-week break and resume on Thursday, April 19 at 10 am with a new Bible study series entitled Namesake: When God Rewrites Your Story, written by Jessica LaGrone. 

"Every name tells a story. Names in Scripture were often given to tell the story of a person's identity, upbringing, or character. When God transforms lives, He often brings more than we bargained for: new identities, new journeys, even new names."

For more information, click here to contact Sandy James.

Are You 50+? 
Hagood Mill
Music in the Mountains Series

This special event is part of the Music in the Mountains Series that occurs on the third Saturday of each month all year long at the Hagood Mill in Pickens County.

We will travel to Hagood Mill on April 21 for the Greater Clemson Music Festival and Pickens County Sesquicentennial.  Admission is free.  There is a $5 charge for parking.  There is food on the grounds, as well as a gift shop.  Bus transportation is available or you may drive there on your own. 

Reservations aren't necessary to attend, but if you would like to ride the bus, please click here to contact Marla Fuller. The estimated cost to ride will be $5 per person. 

In partnership with Clemson UMC, join us at Asbury Hills April 28-29 for a weekend retreat focused on living spiritually alongside the challenges of daily life. The retreat will be led by Rev. Shawna Darnall and Rev. Jim Morgan. The cost is $125 per person including lodging and all meals. Adults of all ages are welcome! For more information, click here to contact Pastor Shawna.

Mark your calendar now for this important day in the life of Saint Mark!

PLEASE NOTE:
There will be no Sunday School that morning so that we can enjoy a time of food and fellowship at the Festival Luncheon after worship. Adult classes are welcome to find another time to meet, if you want to. 

After our Saint Mark Festival service of worship, plan to stay for lunch, provided by our Saint Mark United Methodist Women. We will enjoy our table fellowship in the Saint Mark Center and Commons Room.

For more information, click here to contact Mona Fleming. 
OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS 

 
Community Lenten Service
at Saint Mark
(followed by lunch)
Wednesday, March 28
12 noon
Contact: Rev. Todd Davis  


Spring Break 
April 1 - 7 
NO TREK or Journey activities on April 4 
Contact: Lisa Kiser or Donna Poston

Confirmation Retreat 
Lake Junaluska 
April 13 - 15
Contact: Donna Poston

Spring Anderson District
Lay Servant Ministries School
April 14 - 15
Grace United Methodist Church
Williamston, SC
Contact:  Gwendolyn Brown   

The Gathering 
Wednesday, April 18 
5:30 - Supper
6:15 - Worship
Contact: Rev. Shawna Darnall 
 
Thursday Morning Women's Bible Study Resumes 
Thursday, April 19 
10 am 
Contact: Sandy James 

Lions Club Pancake Breakfast 
Saturday, April 28
7 - 10:30 am
Contact: Dean Garland

ELDERBERRIES EVENTS (FOR 50+)   

ARE YOU 50+?
Here are some Elderberries Events
that might interest you.  Save the date(s) on your calendar. 
 
Greenville Swamp Rabbits Hockey Game 
Saturday, March 24
7 pm
Click here to make your reservation 
 
Day Trip to Hagood Mill
Greater Clemson Music Festival  
and Pickens County Sesquicentennial
Saturday, April 21
Click here for more information

Need Help With Your Electronic Devices? 
Saturday, May 19
10 - 2 pm (lunch included)

CHURCH AND SOCIETY     

White Privilege: Naming Past Sins and Changing Behaviors
 
"Why do we, as white people, sometimes get offended when racism is named as a persistent ill in our society and world, even in the age of Obama? I know that my faith and deep relationships with people of color have led me to the place of confessions - naming past sins and committing myself to increasing my consciousness and changing my behavior. Jesus' desire for me to live authentically, without soul-deadening shame or guilt, has become my desire. Jesus has given me the strength to form relationships and allow myself to be vulnerable and be changed." 
Susan Greer Burton

Click here to read the entire article.
FOR YOUR INFORMATION   

Good-bye and Best Wishes, Tristan!
 
Mr. Tristan Stevenson has served as Saint Mark's custodian for just over two years and he is saying farewell to pursue new job opportunities.  Tristan's last day with us will be Wednesday, March 21.  Please take a moment to thank Tristan for his service to Saint Mark, if you run into him.
SAINTS IN SERVICE
HELPING YOU PLUG IN . . . 

LET US KNOW HOW YOU WANT TO PLUG IN!
Click here to discover the many ways to serve at Saint Mark. Fill out the form and return it to Marla Fuller in the church office. We will get you plugged in!    
 


Saint Mark United Methodist Church

616 Quincy Road
Seneca, South Carolina 29678-3820
mfuller@smumcsc.org

864-882-2603    

Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors