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To Be and Make Disciples of
Jesus Christ
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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 or after regular office hours
call or text
(864) 888-7072
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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.
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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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8:30 am - 12:30 pm
Blood Connection
Blood Drive
9:00 am
Sunday School
9:55 am
Fellowship Time in the Atrium
10:15 am
One Combined Service of Worship
Sanctuary
Covered Dish Lunch and Advent Workshop
TREK for Children
4:00 pm
Wings 'N Things
for Youth
5:30 pm
In His Eyes
for Youth
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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 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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Interested in LGBTQ+ Inclusion?
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Prayer Focus for This Week
Preparing Our Hearts for Advent
Father, just as You sent John the Baptist to prepare the way for Jesus, help me to clear the path in my heart, too. Show me the distractions in my life that block me from all-out worship of You this Advent. Lord, I await Your coming! As I celebrate the first Advent - the first coming - I look toward the day where I will see You face to face. I imagine what it will be like. Give me a heart, Lord, that looks for Your coming on a daily basis. Help me to live my life where I'm constantly seeking Your presence. My offering to You today is my life. Show me today how I need to be refined, purified, forgiven. Give me the strength to ask for forgiveness and to then change my ways.
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Submit Your Prayer Requests
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.
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Celebrate the Beginning of Advent
THIS Sunday, December 2
10:15 am
One combined service of worship
Sanctuary
This Sunday, we enter the holy season of Advent with a special and very meaningful service of adorning our worship space with the symbols of the Advent season . . . all this in preparation for the coming of Christ into the world and into our hearts. Come celebrate with us!!
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The Celebration Continues . . .
Following worship this Sunday, December 2, we will continue our time altogether with a covered dish lunch (chicken will be provided), and a special activity in the Saint Mark Center. This year we will be equipping each household with an Advent Giving Box, which will guide us through the 22 days of this season, prepare our hearts for Christmas, and share the love of God with our community.
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THANK YOU to the many folks who have responded with their faith promises for the 2019 budget. Karen tells us that pledges are continuing to run $500-$600 higher than those turned in by this point in time last year. That is fantastic news! We still need to hear from about 40 families. The Finance Committee will meet again on Tuesday, December 11 to put together a ministry budget for 2019; thus we need to hear from those 40 families by Monday, December 10.
PLEASE join us in supporting the ministries of Saint Mark and
THANKS again to those who have already responded!
Your Stewardship Team
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Get Involved!!!
The Marvin's Kids Team wants to remind you of the many ways you can enrich the lives of families in Oconee County and feel the true joy of Christmas! As you prepare your Advent "To Do" list, consider adding one or two for Marvin's Kids!
Click on the image above to sign-up online. It is simple. Just check the box beside the Marvin's Kids activity(s) you would like to do to help. (e.g. Take a family to Walmart to shop, provide toys for Santa's Secret Shop, bake cookies, etc.)
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Channel Your Inner Elf!
Will Ferrell is tied up on a movie set and the Elf on the Shelf is, well, sitting on a shelf! Santa needs YOUR help to stock his Secret Shop here at Saint Mark!
The big day for Marvin's Kids parents to visit and select toys for their children is Saturday, December 8 and it is quickly approaching. Will you volunteer to help by signing up to purchase toys? Click here to volunteer. It's easy - you don't even have to wrap the toys! Just select a child by age and sex and purchase three age-appropriate toys (one each valued at $5, $15, and $25) and bring them to the Commons Room now through December 2.
AS ALWAYS, THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
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Get Out and Vote!
Saint Mark's Memory Cafe has decorated a Christmas tree at Duke Power - World of Energy lobby. To help support this wonderful ministry, they hope to win first prize - $2500! Second prize receives $1500. Third prize wins $1000. Winning one of these prizes would mean so much to Memory Cafe. Saint Mark disciples, get out and vote for Saint Mark's Memory Café tree, (November 30 - January 3) and help them win!
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Become an Angel Partner
This summer, our Wings for the Lord youth will have a fantastic opportunity to attend YOUTH 2019, the National Gathering for United Methodist Youth, as part of our annual choir tour. YOUTH 2019 will take place in Kansas City, and will offer our youth four days of discipleship, worship, small group Bible Study, and service opportunities. Our own Pastor Shawna is on the planning team and will be leading the service projects for the week.
Since the registration fee for each participant is above our normal tour expenses, we would like to give you an opportunity to become an "Angel Partner". The registration of $300.00 for each youth and leader is due by January 1, 2019. Your $150 - $300 contribution will help fund the registration fee and will ensure that our youth can be a part of this life-transforming experience.
As an "Angel Partner" you will have opportunities such as joining our youth for special times, receiving special recognition during the Wings for the Lord Theater on March 3, and enjoying other surprise "goodies". To become a partner, you can sign up in the atrium through Sunday, December 9. You may also click here to contact Donna Poston, our Minister of Youth and College Discipleship
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ALL Women are Invited to a
Traditional Christmas Tea
Annual UMW General Meeting
THIS Saturday, December 1
11:30 am
Commons Room
In lieu of a love offering, attendees are asked to bring new packages of socks or underwear for children ages pre-K through High School. The collection will be provided to Grace's Closet to help Oconee County school children in need.
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EMS personnel use these stuffed animals when they encounter children who are sick, hurt, or have experienced trauma or loss. Your donated stuffed animals will provide comfort and love to a child in need. Thanks for your donations!!
For more information,
click here to contact Lisa Kiser.
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ALL Donors will receive
a "Blood Donor" sweatshirt
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Someone's in the kitchen with Donna,
Someone's in the kitchen I know....
Someone's in the kitchen with Donna,
Rolling out the shortbread dough!
If you've been around Saint Mark on Monday mornings lately, you may have wondered about the delicious smells wafting up the stairs from the church kitchen! The UMW bakers and "Holy Rollers" are busy stocking the freezer with handmade cookies to sell on the first two Sundays in December. In addition to the traditional
Scottish Shortbread cookies that were available the past two years, the ladies will be adding a
Williamsburg Gingerbread cookie as a second selection.
Both kinds of cookies will
be attractively packaged and will sell for $8/package or two for $15. These little packages make great stocking stuffers, hostess gifts, or just a thoughtful gift for anyone! And the best part - all proceeds benefit local missions here in Oconee County - Baby Read, Fostering Faithfully,
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Saint Mark Memory Cafe
December Event
(for persons with mild to moderate dementia
and their family caregivers)
Monday, December 3
1 - 3 pm
This month Memory Cafe will meet on Monday, December 3 in the Commons Room for a Christmas party that will include a gift exchange. Participants are invited to bring one gift for $10 or less good for either a male or female. The party will include refreshments.
Following the party, the group will caravan to the Duke Power World of Energy where they will have the opportunity see all of the Christmas trees that will be displayed for the public to enjoy, including the tree our Memory Cafe participants decorated.
EVERYONE, don't forget to get out to the World of Energy at Duke Power between November 30 and January 3 . . . and VOTE!!!
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Saint Mark Pickleball
Taking a December Break
Our weekly Pickleball activity will be suspended for the entire month of December, and will return on January 7 at its normal time - 6:30 pm.
If you weren't aware that we have a group that plays Pickleball each week, consider joining them in 2019!
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You will not want to miss this very special presentation by our Saint Mark children! It will be in the sanctuary immediately after worship on Sunday, December 9. Mark your calendar now and stay after worship that Sunday. Thank you for supporting our wonderful children!!
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Special Friends Christmas Party
Sponsored by our Saint Mark Youth
Sunday, December 9
5:30 pm
Saint Mark Center
Our entire Saint Mark youth group is sponsoring this party for our special needs friends! What better way to come together as a community of love at this time of year to share what the season is truly about than to come together for this very special population as well as their siblings and parents!!
Now this is a perfect example of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus!! Special thanks to our youth!!
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Mark Your Calendar Now
for our Monthly Gathering
Let's support the children from our Child Development Center and have a great turnout!
Menu
Baked Chicken Tenders
Green Beans
Macaroni and Cheese
Rolls
Assortment of Desserts
Beverages
Special prices for this event:
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Family (2 adults and 2 children)
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$15.00
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Adults (18 and older)
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$5.00
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Children (over 5)
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$3.00
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Children 5 and under
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FREE
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The master list applies. To make your reservation(s), click here.
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RESERVE YOUR TICKET(S) NOW
Deadline for Reservations - December 3!
THERE ARE ONLY 10 TICKETS LEFT!! Join the fun, music and fellowship! The cost of tickets is $40 each.
After the show, we will enjoy supper together at Mezzaluna Brick Oven in Hendersonville, NC. Click here to see the menu.
Click here to make your reservation(s)! There are three seats on the bus still available. Check to see if there is space available to ride.
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There is a service for everyone!
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On Human Relations Sunday, we will devote the entire day to emphasizing the call of the Church of Jesus Christ to reach into the margins of society to extend the love and compassion of Christ. We are excited to announce that our guest clergy for that Sunday will be Rev. Deb Richardson-Moore, pastor of Triune Mercy Center in Greenville. Click here to learn more about her.
Watch for more details . . .
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Mark Your Calendar Now!
Please join the members of the Saint Mark Church and Society Team for a special 5-part program called Racism and Its Impacts: A Self-Discovery Series.
During this program you will become aware of personal behaviors that may be perceived as racist, explore concepts like white privilege and unconscious bias and discuss obstacles to better race relations and what you can do to be a part of the solution. Our goal is to create a movement of Saint Mark disciples who contribute to positive race relations within the church and our community-at-large.
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Session 1
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Self-Reflections and Racism Defined
Sunday, January 27
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Session 2
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Historical and Social Impacts
(Panel Discussion)
Sunday, February 24
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Session 3
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Connecting with the Other: Our Stories
Sunday, March 24
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Session 4
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Saying and Doing the Right Thing
Sunday, April 28
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Session 5
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Continuing the Dialogue
Sunday, May 26
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All sessions will take place from 11:30 am - 2:00 pm and include a light lunch and door prizes! There is no registration fee. All sessions will take place in the Saint Mark Commons Room.
Attending all sessions is not required but highly recommended due to the sequential nature of the content.
We look forward to sharing this special experience with you.
To sign-up for the 5-part series, click here to contact Marla Fuller, or visit the sign-up table in the atrium after worship on December 9, January 6, 13 and 20.
Contact Stacy Keelor at (914) 217-8092 with any questions about the program.
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Children and Youth Activities Resume
Sunday, January 6
4 pm
Lay Leadership Training
Sunday, January 6
5:30 pm - meal
6:00 pm - Training
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ELDERBERRIES EVENTS (FOR 50+)
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ARE YOU 50+?
Here are some
Elderberries Events
that might interest you. Save the date(s) on your calendar.
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A Flat Rock Playhouse Christmas
Flat Rock, NC
Thursday, December 13
2 pm matinee
Followed by Supper at Mezzaluna Brick Oven
Hendersonville, NC
Cost of Tickets: $40 per person
Tickets are on sale now!
THERE WILL BE
NO LUNCH BUNCH
IN DECEMBER.
Winter Fun Night
Covered Dish Supper and LOTS of Fun!!
Friday, January 18, 2019
6:30 pm
At Saint Mark
Watch for details!
Lunch Bunch
Potato Bar (Regular and Sweet), Salad
and Make-Your-Own Ice Cream Sundae Bar
Tuesday, January 22, 2019
12 noon
Commons Room
For more information about our Elderberries ministry or any of these events, click here to contact Marla Fuller
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Definition: A
stereotype is "...a fixed, over generalized belief about a particular group or class of people." (Cardwell, 1996).
One
advantage of a stereotype is that it enables us to respond rapidly to situations because we may have had a similar experience before.
One
disadvantage is that it makes us ignore differences between individuals; therefore we think things about people that might not be true (i.e. make generalizations).
The use of stereotypes is a major way in which we simplify our social world; since they reduce the amount of processing (i.e. thinking) we have to do when we meet a new person.
By stereotyping we infer that a person has a whole range of characteristics and abilities that we assume all members of that group have. Stereotypes lead to
social categorization
, which is one of the reasons for prejudice attitudes (i.e. "them" and "us" mentality) which leads to in-groups and out-groups.
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Church and Society Team
Is Looking for More Team Members
In addition to our monthly features in the Heart Beat, you will be hearing more from the Church and Society Ministry Team in 2019. Watch for upcoming events beginning in January.
We are excited about the opportunity that we have to lift up the issues and problems in society that dehumanize and harm God's beloved children, especially those who live in the margins. Do you feel passionate about issues of social justice? Do you dream of making a difference? If so, prayerfully consider becoming a member of our Saint Mark Church and Society Ministry Team. Typically we meet every month or two on Sundays at 11:30 am. There is so much that we accomplish - together!
If you are interested, click here to contact Marla Fuller. |
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Another Opportunity to Give . . .
Are you making space in your house for a few Christmas presents? If you need to part with some treasures, please consider donating them to the
Wilderness Way Girls' Camp thrift store in Seneca. Their address is 304 W North 1st Street in Seneca. They have a donation box outside the store, but if you come during their regular hours - Monday through Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm - you can take your donations inside the store and make sure everything arrives safely.
The
Wilderness Way Girls Camp makes a tremendous difference in the lives of the girls who live and learn there, and you can make a difference in their lives, too, by donating clothing, furniture and other household goods, books, movies - even magazines and unused greeting cards.
Also, look for an announcement about another thrift store work day in December or January, and as always, thank you for your support!
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Candlelight Christmas Concert
Foothills Chorale
THIS Sunday, December 2, 2018 at 5:00 PM.
Trinity Baptist Church
504 S Oak St., Seneca, SC
TICKETS: $20 each for adults
$10 each for students.
Get tickets from David Wilcox, Elaine Wilson,
and Jeff Weicksel, online or at the door.
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For more information,
click here to contact Lauren Richardson or call Our Daily Rest at (864) 482-7040.
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2019 Flower Calendar
The 2019 Flower Calendar for sanctuary flowers will be available for sign-up beginning on Sunday, December 9. It will be located in the hallway outside the sanctuary in front of the choir suite.
If you would like to remember or honor someone or make a special occasion by placing flowers in the sanctuary on a Sunday morning, please sign the calendar. January dates are especially difficult to fill, so please consider one of these dates.
I want to thank the disciples of Saint Mark who have donated beautiful flowers for the past year. Please call me if you have any questions or concerns.
Blessings to you all for a Merry Christmas,
Sandra Stricker, Flower Coordinator
(864) 882-8641
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Saint Mark, You Came Through
in a BIG Way!
Thanks so much for your generous contributions to the "Be Soup-er Thankful" canned food drive. We delivered approximately 320 pounds of soup and other canned foods to the Golden Corner Food Pantry this month, and you can be sure your low-income neighbors in Oconee County appreciate the help!
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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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