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To be a church aglow, ignited by the fire of God's Holy Spirit, lighting the way in our community and warming the hearts of those we meet.
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Change of
Contact Information?
Click here to fill out an online form to help us update your information for our records. |
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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
call or text
(864) 888-7072
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Saint Mark 2017 Ministry Guidebook
Click here
to view the entire Saint Mark 2017 Ministry Guidebook with information about church structure, leadership, ministries and our 2017 budget.
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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.
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February 5, 2017
Sunday Schedule
9:00 am
Traditional Service
Sanctuary
with Rev. Todd Davis
9:00 am
Celebration Service
Saint Mark Center
with Shawna Darnall
9:15 am
Children's Chapel
10:00 am
Atrium Fellowship
with beverages and refreshments
10:15 am
Sunday School
for all ages
Classrooms
11:15 am
Traditional Service
Sanctuary
with Rev. Todd Davis
4:00 pm
Youth Trip
Compassion Experience in Anderson
6:30 pm
Youth Super Bowl Party at the Home of Teresa Chastain
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Quick, easy and available
HERE
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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.
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Got News for Next Week's
Heart Beat?
Click here to send your
Heart Beat
post to us by no later than 12:00 noon next Wednesday. On the subject line, please type in "Heart Beat" so that we can easily find your article among the other emails.
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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.
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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.
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Interested in LGBT Inclusion?
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Prayer Focus for This Week
Pray for the families of the six people who died after a shooting at a mosque in Quebec City. Pray also for the eight people who were injured. Pray for the terrorists who carried out this hate crime, as well as their families.
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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.
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THIS WEEK'S THOUGHTS TO PONDER
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What Does the Lord Require of You?
"To Seek Justice"
As a follow-up to our recent sermons based on the passage from Micah 6:1-8, let's take a closer look at what it means for followers of Jesus to "seek justice." Through our understanding of Scripture, we know that the reign of God turns our human definition of justice upside down. Because of the gift of God's grace, we ourselves thankfully don't receive God's justice. It is from having received this unmerited gift of grace from God that we are now called to seek justice for all.
Reflection:
How are you/or might you take part in seeking justice for all.
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THIS WEEK AT SAINT MARK . . .
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Your gift will serve our hungry neighbors through the
Food Box Ministry provided by the
Aldersgate Sunday School Class.
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Traditional Services
THIS Sunday, February 5
9:00 and 11:15 am
Sanctuary
"God's Salty People"
with Rev. Todd Davis
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Celebration Service
THIS Sunday, February 5
9:00 am
Saint Mark Center
"Rise and Shine"
with Shawna Darnall
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The Compassion Experience
Interactive Tour Immerses Visitors Into Daily Life in a Foreign Country
The Compassion Experience is making a four-day stop in the Anderson area February 3 - 6 and will bring visitors on a journey into the lives of two Compassion-sponsored children living in the Philippines and the Dominican Republic. The event will be hosted by Anderson Mall at
3131 N. Main Street in Anderson.
Our Saint Mark youth will be attending this experience on
Sunday, February 5 at 4 pm.
Click here to contact Donna Poston for more information. Consider finding a time over those 4 days to immerse yourself in the experience.
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Regular RENEW Activities Resume
next Wednesday, February 8.
RENEW Dinner Menu
5:30 pm
Saint Mark Center
Menu
Hamburgers
Grilled Chicken Sandwiches
Potato Chips
Baked Beans
Dessert
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NEXT Wednesday, February 8
6:15 pm
Room A202
Since the beginning of the year,
RENEW Heart and Mind has been focusing on the ideas behind the book
Toxic Charity, written by Robert Lupton, discussing how churches and charities often hurt those they are trying to help.
Ripple of One is a Seneca-based non-profit serving Oconee County residents, whose purpose is to
"empower families to move beyond government assistance and into their full God-given potential." They offer a "hand up" instead of a "hand out." Come and listen to
Stephanie Enders, founder of
Ripple of One, and hear about the success they have had assisting families to get back on their feet.
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Gallery of Crosses
Planned for Saint Mark
During the holy season of Lent, we invite you to consider contributing one or more crosses that will be displayed in our Gallery of Crosses in the hallway between the sanctuary and atrium. Beginning on Sunday, February 12, there will be someone in the atrium to receive your cross(es).
Click here to read the guidelines for donating your cross(es).
The
Gallery of Crosses will be unveiled on
Sunday, May 14.
For more information,
click here to contact Joyce Carney.
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Click here to contact Lydia Dever for more information.
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Knowing Me, Knowing You
The Enneagram
a Tool for Relationship Transformation
Sunday, February 19
1 - 4 pm
Commons Room
Facilitator: Marla Fuller
Join us on Sunday, February 19 from 1 - 4 for a mid-winter retreat focused on ways to transform our relationships through the powerful tool, the
Enneagram. There is
no cost to attend. This event isn't just for couples - it will benefit
all of your relationships! It will be both fun and informative.
Click here to contact Marla if you have questions or if you would like to attend.
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Lenten Workshops
(for ALL ages)
Wednesday, February 22
6:15 pm
Saint Mark Center
Sunday, February 26
11:15 am OR
1:00 pm
Saint Mark Center
You won't want to miss out on the ways we will journey through Lent and toward Easter! Mark your calendar now to attend one of the three scheduled Lenten Workshops. All ages are invited to come create a personalized Lenten calendar to guide our journey through this season of preparation and anticipation.
There will be a covered dish luncheon at 12:30 pm between the two Sunday workshops on February 26. Bring food to share.
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This Year's Book for Lenten Study
In previous years, during Lent, we have suggested a book to read as you journey through the holy season of Lent. This year, we are recommending the new book by
Adam Hamilton entitled
Creed: What Christians Believe and Why. The book explores in detail the very familiar Apostle's Creed. A suggestion for the use of this book is to digest it slowly during the entire 40 day period of Lent. This year, Lent begins on Wednesday, March 1.
During Lent, our clergy will be following the book as they prepare their sermons, preaching on each section of the Apostle's Creed. You will receive daily
Lenten Reflections on selected passages from the book. Wednesday evening RENEW groups (
RENEW Conversation and RENEW Heart and Mind) will be devoted to discussion generated by the contents of the book. Join us for these discussions.
We invite you to purchase a copy of
Creed and follow along as we use it to journey through Lent together. We have copies of the book available for you to purchase at a cost of
$16/book.
Click here if you are interested in purchasing it through the church. You may also call Marla Fuller at the church office - (864) 882-2603, or simply stop by to pick up your copy.
Creed is also available on Kindle.
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Community Lenten Services
Wednesdays at 12 noon
Beginning on March 1, 2017
and continuing through April 12
One way to deepen your Lenten experience is to attend the weekly Community Lenten Services offered by our Seneca area churches.
Below is the schedule of services, the location, and the clergy who will be preaching at each service.
Wednesday, March 1
at Trinity Baptist Church
Rev. Jim Morgan (from Ann Hope UMC)
Wednesday, March 8
at Seneca Presbyterian Church
Rev. Todd Davis (from Saint Mark UMC)
Wednesday, March 15
at Ebenezer Baptist Church
Rev. Ryan Wilson (from Trinity Baptist)
Wednesday, March 22
at Ann Hope UMC Church
Rev. W.C. Honeycutt (from Ebenezer Baptist)
Wednesday, March 29
at Ascension Episcopal Church
Father William Hearne (from St. Paul the Apostle)
Wednesday, April 5
at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church
Rev. Nancy Morris (from Seneca Presbyterian)
Wednesday, April 12
at Saint Mark United Methodist Church
Rev. Deedie Marshall (from Ascension Episcopal)
Lunch will follow each service throughout Lent.
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Stop Hunger Now
Meal Packaging Event
Saturday, March 4
8:00 am - 10:00 am
and 10:30 am - 12:30 pm
Saint Mark Center
It has become a tradition at Saint Mark to sponsor an annual Stop Hunger Now meal packaging event to feed the hungry around the world. This year is no exception. Click here to learn about the work of Stop Hunger Now and to sign up for one or both of our two packaging sessions. You will also be able to sign up in the atrium and Narthex (12:15 pm only) beginning Sunday, February 12.
If you would like to contribute toward the 50,000 meals that we hope to package this year, please make your donation by this Sunday, February 5. Please make your check out to Saint Mark UMC and note that it is for Stop Hunger Now.
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Help
Wings for the Lord Youth Choir
Take Flight!
Church Wide Annual Garage Sale
Friday, March 10 and
Saturday, March 11
7 am - 12 noon
Saint Mark Center (Gym)
Sunday, March 5
Donated items will be received
in the Commons Room
9 am - 1 pm
Monday, March 6, Tuesday, March 7
and Wednesday, March 9
9 am - 2 pm
Donated items will be received
in the Saint Mark Center (gym)
Church members and friends
are welcome to come and help price
Wednesday, March 9
5 pm - 7 pm
SNEAK PREVIEW
for church members and friends
(Purchases are welcome!)
Friday, March 10
7 am - 12 noon
Garage Sale
Saturday, March 11
7 am - 12 noon
Garage Sale
Click here to contact Donna Poston for more information.
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Showing of "Caged No More"
Saturday, February 4
7:00 pm
G. Ross Anderson, Jr. Student Center
Anderson University
316 Boulevard
Anderson, SC
Sherry Thrift Bradshaw
former Miss South Carolina
Sunday, February 12
3:00 pm
Trinity Baptist Church
504 S. Oak St.
Seneca, SC
Free tickets are available in the church office.
Lenten Workshop #1 (during RENEW)
Wednesday, February 22
6:15 pm
Lenten Workshops #2 and #3
and Covered Dish Lunch
Sunday, February 26
Saint Mark Center
Watch for more details
Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper
Tuesday, February 28
5:30 pm
Saint Mark Center
RENEW Master List Applies
Contact: Donna Jaynes
Youth Retreat
Look Up Lodge
March 17, 18 and 19
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Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar Lecture:
"Did the Early Christians
Forget Jesus?"
Dr. Bart D. Ehrman
Thursday, February 16th
6:00 PM
100 Brackett Hall
Clemson University
Scholars of memory in such fields as cognitive psychology (personal memories), sociology (collective memory), and anthropology (oral cultures) have shown how people remember, misremember, forget, and invent memories. Such studies can help us better understand the Gospels of the New Testament as guides to the life of the historical Jesus. Do any of the stories about Jesus represent "false memories"?
Bart D. Ehrman is the James A. Gray Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he has taught since 1988. Professor Ehrman has published extensively in the fields of New Testament and Early Christianity, having written or edited thirty books, including five New York Times Bestsellers: Misquoting Jesus; God's Problem: How the Bible Fails to Answer our Most Important Question - Why We Suffer; Jesus Interrupted; Forged: Why the Bible's Authors are Not Who We Think They Are; and How Jesus Became God. He has also recorded eight lecture courses for The Great Courses (The Teaching Company). More than two million copies of his books and courses have been sold, and his books have been translated into twenty-seven languages.
Click here to contact Jens Holley for more information.
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Bishop Holston Releases Statement
on Immigration Ban:
"Make a Difference"
This statement from Jonathan Holston, our South Carolina Conference bishop, came out this morning,
February 2, 2017.
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The 2017 South Carolina Annual Conference Service Project
This year's conference-wide mission is to reduce homelessness in our state. We are partnering with
Homes of Hope to build 2 to 4 homes in the Greenville Area for homeless families.
Click here to learn more about
Homes of Hope.
In the fall of 2016, the Saint Mark Council of Stewards made a commitment to help with this Conference Initiative in the amount of a gift of
$1000.00. If you would like to support Saint Mark's efforts to help reduce homelessness in this way, please make your check payable to
Saint Mark UMC and mark the "for" line "Homes of Hope". We will take our gift of $1000 (or more!) to the South Carolina Annual Conference June 4-8, 2017. Thank you, as always, for your generosity.
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If you weren't here this past Sunday, you missed our party, celebrating God's provision as we, the Saint Mark family of faith, successfully fulfilled our financial commitments for 2016! Above is the beautiful cake with our Saint Mark logo. Together, with God's help, WE DID IT!!!
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Share Your Business/Service
With Your Saint Mark Family
Saint Mark UMC is compiling a
new directory of Businesses/Service Providers in our community who are actively involved at Saint Mark. If you would like the opportunity to share your business/service with our congregation and visitors, please
click here to send the following to Marla Fuller:
- Name of Business/Service
- Short description of the business or service provided
- Contact Information (phone, email, website) of the Business/Service Provider
To participate in the Directory, you must be a member or active participant of Saint Mark UMC, and the owner of the business/service.
PLEASE NOTE: Publication in our directory does not reflect the church's endorsement.
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February Calendar
and Birthdays
Click here to find our complete
Saint Mark February Calendar of events, and the
February birthdays in our Saint Mark family! Happy Birthday wishes from the rest of us!
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SAINTS IN SERVICE
HELPING YOU PLUG IN . . .
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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!
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