"The Messenger"
Online Newsletter
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From the Pastor
Thank You From Your Church Staff
You’re great. We’re grateful. It really is that simple!
On behalf of the St. Mark’s UMC staff, I write to thank our church family for all the ways that you support you us throughout the year. You pray for us, you write us encouraging notes, you take us out to eat, you volunteer when help is needed, you ask us what we need and then supply it for us, you ask us how we’re doing, you encourage us to spend time with our families, you hold us accountable for keeping Sabbath, and you publicly thank us for our ministries. And then, at Christmas, you take up a special collection as an expression of your love and gratitude.
You’re great. And we’re grateful!
It is a privilege to serve God as one of your clergy.
Tommy Ward
Thanks for Financially Supporting Your Church
While as of this writing we are still recording end of the year contributions, I write to express my appreciation to all who financially support the ministries of St. Mark’s United Methodist Church.
Because of you, babies have been marked as daughters and sons of God through the sacrament of baptism. We made promises to these infants that we would nurture and support them as they live into their God-given identity as God’s children. Adults have responded to the movement of God’s grace in their lives and made professions of faith and been baptized into the body of believers.
Because of you, our church has been an instrument of grace in the world. People experiencing hunger have been fed, people experiencing homelessness have been given safe places to rest, and people experiencing grief have been comforted.
Because of you, we have been able to respond to natural disasters, mentor students, support teachers, provide furniture to people in need, support men and women in recovery, send children and youth to camp and on mission trips and choir tours, provide new playground equipment for children, build bridges through crisis pregnancy counseling and child placement services, host sporting leagues and community events on campus, provide Vacation Bible School to a record number of children, and…well, you get the point.
Thank you for every gift, no matter how big or how small. Your faithfulness affords us the tremendous opportunity to share the Good News of God’s love throughout our community and world.
Rev. Tommy Ward
Senior Pastor
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SAGES News
The SAGES had a wonderful trip to the Frist Art Museum last Thursday. We were accompanied by a fine docent who described and explained a great deal about the Parisian art display.
The SAGES Ministry Team will meet on Monday, January 14 at 9:30 A.M.
There will be some planning for the rest of the year as well as our business and evaluations.
The Ark Trip has been cancelled due to low registrations.
The Alzheimer’s/Dementia Support Group will meet January 24 at 1:30 in Room 506.
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Youth News
We hope everyone had a fun Christmas break and New Year!
The new year is a great time to start a new habit by joining us for Sunday School, Sunday night or Wednesday night activities! We are on our normal schedule for the next few weeks, with youth starting at 5:00 pm on Sundays. Wednesday Night Together starts this week with the annual Bring Your Gifts Talent Show benefiting the SonLight Youth Choir.
Warmth in Winter is February 1st-3rd at the Opryland Hotel! Sign-ups are available now back by the Youth Center. We are staying at the Opryland Hotel this year, so we will be right with the action the whole weekend! This is always a fun weekend, and we hope to see everyone there. Sign-ups are due January 20th.
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WEDNESDAY NIGHT TOGETHER!
Resumes January 9, 2019!
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
6:00 – 7:15 p.m. WEDNESDAY NIGHT PRAISE for Children
6:15 – 7:15 p.m. CLASSES AND GROUPS for Youth and Adults
January 9 – FREE WNT MEAL and
BRING YOUR GIFTS TALENT SHOW/YOUTH CHOIR BENEFIT
New Adult Classes Beginning in January:
Shaped by the Word, led by Mike and Becky Waldrop – Room 402/404
The Social Principles of the UMC, led by Lori Reynolds – Room 501
Better Difficult Conversations, led by Bill Campbell – Room 506
For more information,
CLICK HERE
to view the January 2019 WNT BROCHURE and Menus
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Bring Your Gifts (a.k.a. Your Talent!)
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Come out this Wednesday evening (6:15 p.m. in the Sanctuary) for the 8th Annual “Bring Your Gifts” Talent Show. Cheer on your favorite acts — singing, instruments, dancing, and more! The audience will vote for their favorite talent with monetary donations (cash or check only), and all proceeds from this event will help the SONlight Youth Choir go on tour this summer. You won’t want to miss this fun evening!
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The Basics: A New Sunday Morning
Learning Opportunity!
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During the month of February, we will offer a short-term elective class for adults especially for newcomers and others who are not already attending a weekly Christian Education class. The four topics covered will be:
2/3 - The Trinity
2/10 - The Scriptures and Gospels
2/17 - The Church
2/24 - This Life and the Next
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) and be led by some of our retired clergy, including Rev. Michael O'Bannon and Rev. Mike Waldrop. Beth Morris is the coordinator for the class.
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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Let the Boy Scouts of St. Mark’s Troop 398 take care of your cooking on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 3
rd
. We’ve smoked our own pork and turkey for 20 years! Your order will be packaged and ready for pick up from 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM in the Fellowship Hall on Super Bowl Sunday. Our prices remain the same as last year. You can choose from pulled pork $9/pound and/or sliced turkey $10/pound (order extra and freeze it for a treat later on!) Whole Boston Butts are available for $40 and boneless Turkey half-breasts for $35. Ribs are $15/slab. To complete your feast, we offer 16 ounce sides of Cole slaw and baked beans for $4 each. Back by popular demand are our sauces: 12 oz Hummingbird (mild) and Screaming Eagle (spicy) for $5.
Please remember to place your orders in advance, since only limited quantities will be available for sale on Feb. 3
rd
. Tickets are currently on sale by troop members Aaron Brunner, Jesse & David Hofer, Connor Ott and Nathan Daniel. Scouts will have tickets for sale in the Narthex on Wed. nights and on Sundays thru Jan. 28
th
. Order forms are available
HERE
or in the church office or you can also place an order by calling or emailing Scoutmaster Mike Warren (615) 473-7076 or
mike11345@aol.com
.
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Update on Youth Ministry Search
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The search committee tasked with identifying and recommending candidates for our open youth ministry position reports that there has been an increase in the number of people interested in the position and interviews are being scheduled. While we had hoped to have this position filled by now, I think you would be pleased at the thoughtful and prayerful way that the search committee is approaching its work.
In the meantime, I am grateful to our primary volunteers (Tyler Neale, John and Michelle McDaniel, Reid and Carrie Henderson, and Kirsten Weaver) and the countless other volunteers who are in ministry with our youth while the search continues.
Please join me in praying for our youth and our search.
Tommy Ward
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Mission Team News and Stats
HERE
Thursday Morning Women's Bible Study will return January 10, 9:00 a.m. in Room 1203. This study will be on Barb Roose's study "Joshua: Winning the Worry Battle" for the next 6 weeks. We will have the workbooks at the first class and they are $13. For more info see Patti Daws.
Save the Date! The Wesley Foundation Pancake Breakfast is back! Mark your calendars! We will be serving all you can eat pancakes on Feb. 9th!
Missed a Sermon?
Click
HERE
to go to our sermons media page.
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