"The Messenger"
Online Newsletter
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From the Pastor
In Sunday's sermon, one of the things I noted is that the fishermen's decision to follow Jesus sometimes means leaving the familiar and the comfortable in order to do what God desires us to do.
After our 8:30 am worship, someone handed me a piece of paper. When I opened it later, it said:
One Human Resources Professional
One School Teacher
One College Professor
One Tennessee Bureau of Investigations Agent
One Certified Public Accountant
One Banker
One Telephone Lineman
One Medical Doctor
None were builders. But none "stayed in their lane." And each played a major role in building four Red Bird houses as a part of our church's commitment to mission.
In what way is God calling YOU to cast down your nets and follow?
Rev. Tommy Ward
Senior Pastor
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SAGES News
The SAGES Valentine Party is Friday, February 15 beginning at 11:30 A.M. The cost for the meal is $12.00. Rev. Mary Dicken will provide the music for the occasion. “Look for the Book” in the office and sign up.
The Alzheimer’s/Dementia Support Group meets in Room 504 on Thursday, February 28 at 1:30 P.M..
The SAGES Ministry Team will meet again on Monday, March 11 at 9:30.
SAGES will be seeing “Noises” at the Cumberland County Playhouse on Tuesday, March 26. The church bus will leave at 8:30 promptly. Please make your reservations in the church office.
The Alzheimer/Dementia Support Group will meet again in Room 504 on March 28.
Several other trips and activities are planned. These include another trip to the Cumberland County Playhouse, a visit to the Dutch Make Bakery/Restaurant in Tracy City, the Huntsville Botanical Gardens, the Ark and the Shaker Village in Kentucky, the Loveless Café and Chaffins’ Barn, Granny Fishes, and the Midway Diner. Please watch this newsletter for lots of other information regarding our SAGES’ activities.
The Sages have been invited to provide a monthly worship service at Adams’ Place. The Rev. Linda Tunnell and her team are working with the Sages to provide this service. She is organizing two teams to rotate with each other to share with our friends and neighbors at Adams’ Place. If you would like to be a part of the team, please contact Linda.
We will also begin services second Tuesday of each month at Boulevard Terrace Rehab and Nursing each month at 2:00 P.M. If you would like to participate, please be there at 1530 Middle Tennessee Boulevard at that time.
We also are continue our services at the Rutherford Memory Care on Wednesdays at 11:00 A.M. Everyone is welcome to participate in these programs.
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Youth News
We’ve had quite an active couple of weeks with our youth ministry! Warmth in Winter 2019 was an absolute blast at Opryland! We followed that up with serving the Way of Hope ministry on Thursday evening. Finally, this past Sunday, we held our Chili Cook-off fundraiser - this was a huge success! Many thanks to all who participated and helped, and a special thanks to Matt Marlatt for coordinating the whole thing!
We will have normal Sunday and Wednesday youth for the next few weeks, and we hope to see everyone at those. We are also finalizing plans for our summer missions, so stay tuned for details.
We need volunteers to sign up for providing dinner on Sunday nights. Thank you to all who have done so in the past - this is a tremendous help to our ministry. Checkout the youth website (
fusionumyf.org
) to sign up or talk to one of the adult leaders.
Finally, we are advertising for a summer intern position for the Youth Ministry - this will only be open for another week. The position will start in late May and finish in early August, and it is generally targeted for college students. This is a wonderful opportunity for college students to get some leadership experience while simultaneously growing in faith. If you are or know anyone interested in applying, please look for the position announcement or talk to one of the church staff or youth leaders. Full details on the position will be available in the job announcement.
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WEDNESDAY NIGHT TOGETHER!
Family, Food, Fellowship, Faith, and Fun for the whole Family!
Wednesday Night Together offers a full menu of
delicious food, warm table fellowship, and
fun and formative weekly classes, groups and events for all ages!
5:15 - 6:00 p.m. Church Family Dinner
Reservations due by 12:00 p.m. Monday
$6.00/Adult, $2.00/Children and MTSU Students, $20.00/Family Max
If you need financial assistance to help pay for the WNT meal,
please contact Rev. Martha Touchton.
6:00 – 7:15 p.m. WEDNESDAY NIGHT PRAISE for Children
6:15 – 7:15 p.m. CLASSES AND GROUPS for Youth and Adults
New Adult Classes in February:
Photography: There is More to your DSLR than just Point and Shoot
– led by Noel Hinote
For more information,
CLICK HERE
to view the February 2019 WNT BROCHURE and Menus
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The Basics: A New Sunday Morning
Learning Opportunity!
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Sundays in February, St. Mark’s offers a short-term elective class for adults especially for newcomers and others who are not already attending a weekly Christian Education class. The remaining topics covered will be:
2/17 - The Church – Beth Morris
2/24 - This Life and the Next - Dr. Jim Clardy
These discussions will help us learn the essentials of our faith and engage the world. The course will meet Sundays, 9:45 – 10:45 a.m. in Room 1204 (upstairs behind the Sanctuary). An elevator is available at the Sanctuary entrance if needed.
We want to invite you to participate in the class! Please let us know in the church office (615-893-3455 or
martha@stmarkstn.org
) if you will be participating so we can ensure we have space and materials for everyone.
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Pickle Ball at St. Mark’s!
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FRIDAYS, 5:30 – 7:00 p.m
.
St. Mark’s Recreation Center
Please enter through
the Banquet Hall Door
near the Playground.
For more information,
or to reserve your spot, contact
Meg Van Patten (615) 956-9676)
or Patti Daws (615) 971-9682
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Deep Blue Kids Celebrate Family Wisdom
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“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your being,
and all your strength.”
Deuteronomy 6:5
This February in Age 2 – Grade 5 Christian Education, we are exploring Family Wisdom and how we learn from being a part of a family. The Bible contains wonderful stories about fascinating people, but the Bible is more than just stories! The Bible contains wisdom that can help us discover how God wants us to live individually and as families. In February, our children will be learning about how families remember God, celebrate traditions, grow in faith together and share wisdom. We hope to see your children in Sunday school!
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February 17
th
Is Family Photo Day!
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Sunday, February 17
th, as we focus on Family Faith, St. Mark’s children and their families will have the opportunity to have an informal photo taken by photographer Noel Hinote. A special Photo Booth will be open in the Narthex 9:30 – 9:45 and 10:45 – 11:00 a.m.
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Sunday, March 10
th – Family Lenten Prayer Fair 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. for children, youth and their families.
Saturday, April 20
th – St. Mark’s Easter Egg Hunt, 9:30 - 11:00 a.m.
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St. Mark's UMC Night at MTSU
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MTSU Lady Raiders present St. Mark's UMC Night! Saturday, March 2
nd, 2019. Game Time: 5:00 pm. All seats for St. Mark’s United Methodist will be grouped together for a day of FUN, FAMILY, and BASKETBALL!!! Payment must be given to St. Mark’s United Methodist – att. Pam Forrest. Payment is due no later than 2/20/19. Tickets will be distributed following the deadline! See the
FLYER HERE.
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BE Retreat for 3
rd
through 6
th
Graders
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We are excited to offer all St. Mark’s 3
rd
– 6
th
graders an opportunity to join in a spiritual life retreat especially for children, Saturday/Sunday March 16/17 on the mountain at Beersheba! The BE Retreat will be led by middle and high school youth of the NEXT GEN Conference Council on Youth Ministry (including Madison Beckman, Helen Grace Daniel and Georgia Touchton from St. Mark's!), and will welcome children from across the Tennessee Conference.
Two Safe Sanctuaries trained adults must attend with St. Mark's children; if you are willing to attend (all expenses paid), please volunteer to Rev. Touchton. Transportation will be provided. The total retreat cost is $65/person; a $25 scholarship will be provided for each St. Mark’s participant, making your cost per child $40. To register your child, please turn in your $40 check to Rev. Martha Touchton by Sunday, February 17
th
.
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St. Mark’s UMC
Prayer Vigil for General Conference 2019
Friday – Tuesday, February 22 – 26, 2019
8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Let us join our hearts together in prayer for the Special General Conference of the United Methodist Church. You may pray at home or wherever you are at your selected time. St. Mark’s Chapel will be open for prayer during office hours Friday, Monday and Tuesday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Registration for the Prayer Vigil is available at
stmarkstn.org/prayervigil or at the Welcome Center Sunday mornings, February 10
th and 17
th. You will receive an email reminder the day before your prayer time which will include a summary of General Conference, names of our local delegates and several prayer prompts.
Also, Sunday, February 17
th
and 24
th
, St. Mark’s sanctuary altar will be open before and after worship especially for those who desire to pray about General Conference concerns.
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The Gift of New Creation
invites us to explore God’s saving and redeeming love through a study of the lectionary Bible readings for Lent and Easter. Key Scriptures call us to prepare and contemplate God’s restoration and new creation through the death and resurrection of Jesus. Through the readings, we hear the invitation to embrace God’s salvation and the new life offered to us through Christ.
Join us March 10 – April 21 as we explore these scriptures in worship and Adult Christian education, seeking
opportunities to reflect on God’s redemptive action and to explore means of grace that help us move into new life in Christ.
Adult/Youth Teacher Luncheon
with Dr. Bill Mullins on The Gift of New Creation
Sunday, March 3
rd, 12:15 – 1:30 p.m.
St. Mark’s Banquet Hall
Enjoy good food, fellowship with one another and
nurture in the Spirit as we prepare our hearts and minds
for the upcoming Lenten series.
Lunch Provided!
RSVP to Martha Touchton by Wednesday, February 27
Menu: Cuban Sandwiches with Black Bean Soup
Green Salad with Tortilla Chips and Mango Salsa Brownies
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Serene - 5
th
Annual Women's Retreat
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March 8 - 10, 2019
Beersheba Springs Assembly
St. Mark’s women are invited to register now for Tennessee Conference Women's Retreat. Our theme this year is
Serene and we'll be reflecting on the Serenity Prayer. Come and stay for our traditional one night retreat.
CLICK HERE for flyer and registration information.
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St. Mark’s Inviting Ministries Team needs your help designing a cool, attractive t-shirt that our members will be proud to wear in the community! We would like the drawing to include our church building and/or steeple. Show your St. Mark’s pride with your original design! All proceeds from the t-shirt sales will go to the St. Mark’s Youth Mission Trip Fund. Win $100 and receive a Free T-Shirt with your winning design!
Deadline for submissions: Friday, March 1st, 2019. For more information, contact Lisa Chappell or Rev. Martha Touchton. More info
HERE.
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Mission Team News and Stats -
HERE
St. Mark’s Seeking Summer Intern in Youth Ministry
- St. Mark’s is seeking applicants for a 35 hr/wk internship in youth ministry that will be available from mid May to early August. Applicants must have completed their freshman year of college. A full job description is available
HERE.
To apply, please submit a letter of interest and resume, including dates of availability, to Rev. Martha Touchton,
martha@stmarkstn.org
by Friday, February 15
th.
Thank You Note - Thank you to all of the St. Mark's staff and members, with special thank to the youth for a job well done this month. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Thank you for taking time out from your family and friends to be with us. Please pray for the Way of Hope women and children, and for the homeless, sick, and shut-ins. Special prayers for Lynn, Lisa, Kenny, and Pastor Mary for putting up with me when I cut up every month! Carolyn - Way of Hope
Missed a Sermon?
Click
HERE
to go to our sermons media page.
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