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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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9:00 am
Sunday School
9:55 am
Fellowship Time in the Atrium
10:15 am
Traditional Service
of Worship
Sanctuary
10:15 am
Celebration Service of Worship
Saint Mark Center
Children's Christmas Musical
(followed by pizza for the children
12:00 noon
SPRC Meeting
4:00 pm
Party for TREK Children
to Celebrate the Stuffed Animal Drop-off
5:30 pm
Special Friends Christmas Party with
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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
Pray for all who have gone missing - children, teens and adults. Pray for those who have been abducted by strangers, who have become victims of trafficking, who have been illegally taken by a parent who doesn't have custody, who have run away from home, who have been used as leverage to blackmail someone, who have endured abuse and even death.
Pray for those whose loved ones have disappeared. Pray for an outpouring of love and support from the community to find those who are missing. Pray for the safe return of those who have disappeared. Pray for God's comfort for the families of those whose loved one will not return home alive.
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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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Second Sunday in Advent
"THE COMING OF PEACE"
THIS Sunday, December 9
10:15 am
Traditional Worship
bringing the message
Rev. Todd Davis
Celebration Worship
bringing the message
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Advent Giving Boxes
This year, as the people of Saint Mark, let's live these days of Advent in action!
One of the ways God continues to come into our world is through our extending of love; one of the ways the Light continues to shine and to grow is through our choosing to be Christ's hands and feet in our community, and so we are equipping each household of Saint Mark with a
Giving Box.
Add one item from the list to your box each day of the season, and as you place the item in the box pause to read and reflect on the scripture or prayer for that week. On Christmas Eve, or after, if you'll be away, bring your full box back to worship so it can be blessed, sorted, and distributed to our neighbors in need.
If you didn't attend our Advent Workshop this past Sunday, the boxes, with everything you need to create your own Giving Box, and instructions for filling yours, are available in the atrium.
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We continue to be pleased with the faith promises received for the 2019 budget. Pledges are continuing to run well above those of 2018. That is fantastic news! But we do still need to hear from about 35 families.
The Finance Committee will meet again on Tuesday, December 11 to determine the 2019 budget, thus we need to hear from those 35 families by Monday, December 10.
PLEASE support us in this endeavor 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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Do You Have Your Cookies for Santa?
How about your next door neighbor? Your child's teachers? Your bridge club? And don't you deserve a break today too?
The United Methodist Women is once again selling their handmade shortbread and gingerbread cookies, at least until the supply runs out! You can purchase them this Sunday, December 9, in the atrium and in the Narthex for $8/package or two for $15. Cookies will also be available for purchase during our December Gathering in Saint Mark Center this Wednesday December 12.
If you haven't tried the gingerbread cookies yet, stop by the atrium this Sunday for a free sample, or Sunday December 16 for a sample and a sip of warm spiced cider to go along with it! Please remember that all proceeds from the sale of the cookies go to three local missions: Baby Read, Fostering Faithfully, and the Oconee Presbyterian Service Fund.
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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 this coming Sunday, December 9.
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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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Attention All Parents of Young Children
Our Saint Mark CDC is offering a special Parents' Day Out to give you a chance to do some serious Christmas shopping while your children are enjoying activities at our Child Development Center!
Click here to register your child/children with Becca Williams, Director of our Child Development Center.
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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.
Following worship, at 11:30 am, you are invited to participate in a panel discussion in the Commons Room, featuring Rev. Deb Richardson-Moore, along with Reggie Lee, Congregational Specialist for the Marion/Florence District of the United Methodist Church; and Jody Usher, social justice activist. A light lunch will be served.
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6-Week Study and Sermon Series
Begins Sunday, January 20
As the disciples of Saint Mark, we understand our mission is to be and make disciples of Jesus. We define a disciple as someone who knows Christ, is growing in Christ, and shares Christ's love with the world. Throughout this past year we have seen an incredible identity shift as many of us have begun to see and understand ourselves as disciples of Jesus Christ.
I am excited to announce that many hearts and hands have been at work to develop a plan for continuing this journey of discipleship!
Beginning January 20 and spanning through March 3 (and hopefully far beyond).
A Disciple's Path will shape much of what we do as Saint Mark.
A Disciple's Path explores what a life connected to God and connected to others is all about. It examines some of the essential elements of discipleship: prayer and meditation, study and reflection on Scripture, financial generosity, invitational evangelism, worship, small group community and gifts-based service.
Our hope is that EVERYONE will participate through individual study throughout the week, Sunday morning worship, as well as in a Sunday school class or a small group.
A Disciple's Path is a workbook, so individuals will commit to engaging with it five days each week on their own, and then coming together with a group for discussion once each week. We are asking that all existing small groups and Sunday school classes strongly consider using this curriculum during this set-apart six weeks. In addition there will be three new small groups, meeting at various times throughout the week, so that everyone will have an opportunity to participate with a group.
Our youth and children have been considered in the planning, and will be participating in A Disciple's Path with their existing small groups.
The cover price of each workbook is $15. However, growing together as disciples is of upmost importance, both for our own continued formation, and as we seek to make new disciples. And so the Faith Formation committee and the leadership of Church Council are making investments that make it possible for everyone at Saint Mark to receive a workbook with the personal financial commitment of just $5.
The workbooks will be distributed in worship on January 20, and beginning THIS Sunday December 9, there will be envelopes in the Adult Sunday School folders, as well as on my office door, to begin collecting $5 from each participant.
We are continually being transformed and shaped by the grace of God, and I look forward to seeing how God works through the New Year, beginning altogether in this way. Please let me know if you have any questions, and I pray that you will commit to growing through this six-week journey!
I am grateful to share in this journey with you,
Pastor Shawna
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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 register online, 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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Social Justice and Faith
When you think about your spiritual life, it is likely that the first things that come to mind are time spent in prayer, Bible study, worship, and the like. But Jesus teaches that our spiritual journeys should also include working for justice for the vulnerable of our society.
At the core of social justice is engagement with the "least of these," the realization that life is not as it should be, and the vigorous passion of putting faith into action. It is a belief that Christians must challenge, disturb, and threaten the status quo, refusing to be complacent or apathetic, and instead protesting on behalf of the innocent.
Throughout history, many activists have taken up the cause of social justice. Whether they were interested in ending illiteracy, working among inner-city youth, or helping the disabled and elderly, each person sought to be an incarnation of Christ's love and mission to this world. Social justice tradition forms its identity through the core values of
justice, compassion, and peace or in Hebrew
Mishpat, Hesed, and Shalom. It is a topic frequently discussed in the Scriptures particularly through the Biblical prophets Amos and Isaiah, carried over into the life and ministry of Christ, and finally culminated by all Christian disciples whether from the past, present, or future.
Belief in social justice is so central to the Christian faith because it takes Jesus's injunction to love our neighbors seriously and enhances our faith through service and visible witness to the world around us. By engaging in causes to end the various levels of personal and systemic injustices, we are helping to further God's Kingdom and proclaiming His reign of peace and justice in a real and tangible way.
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Exciting News from the
Golden Corner Food Pantry!
Two generous donors have agreed to match donations to the
"Improved Nutrition Program" at the pantry, up to a total of $10,000. The Improved Nutrition Program adds things like milk, eggs and whole grain cereal to our clients' food packages each month.
The match period runs through the end of February. For more information,
click here to contact Jane Harlin.
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"Thank You" Just Isn't Enough!
Because of the gracious generosity of you, our Saint Mark family of faith, we have reached our goal of registering ALL members of our Wings for the Lord youth choir to attend the YOUTH 2019 National Gathering in Kansas City while on tour this summer!!
We thank all of our "Angel Partners" and look forward to getting to know you on our journey together as we prepare for our tour! We are always so very blessed by the love and support our faith community continues to give.
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A Special "Thank You"
from our Saint Mark Children
"The love and support for our community is present at Saint Mark United Methodist Church. The children's ministry is so thankful to their family of faith for donating over 350+ Stuffed Animals to our local emergency medical services. Your generosity to this mission will allow our community to show God's love and comfort them as they receive care in time of trauma. Thank you for making this endeavor possible."
Lisa Kiser
Minister of Children's Discipleship
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Thank You, Saint Mark
If you attended the Annual Minister's Cook-off on Thursday, November 1, thank you!! This fundraiser for the Safe Harbor shelters in Oconee and Anderson counties raised $13, 575!! Safe Harbor helps victims of domestic violence to rebuild their lives.
We hope to see you next year - November 7, 2019!
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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 mark 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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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, (now through January 3) and help them win!
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December Birthday Calendar
Click here to see all who are celebrating December birthdays! Did we miss you?
Click here to let us know.
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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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