The Bridge
        
The Weekly Newsletter of St. Mark's Lutheran Church by The Narrows                  
 April 3 , 2019 
        
 
Sunday Worship      
8:30 a.m. Blended
9:45 a.m. Contemporary
11:00 a.m. Traditional
 
 
To hear podcast recordings of our Sunday Sermons
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St. Mark's Staff
Pastors
Sigi Helgeson, Visitation
Staff
Ingelaurie Lisher, Youth and Family
Music Ministry
Contemporary Music Ministry
Manager of Finance and Operations
Office Coordinator
 
       Contact Us  
St. Mark's Lutheran Church by The Narrows

6730 N. 17th St.
Tacoma, WA 98406

Office: 253-752-4966
Preschool: 253-752-4929
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Wednesday Church Night Tonight

5:00-6:30 p.m. Dinner: Mac and cheese, hot dogs, coleslaw, applesauce
 (Suggested donation: $5)
5:00-5:30 p.m. Little Angels Choir (Preschool-K)
5:30-6:00 p.m. Joyful Noise Choir (Grades 1-2)
6:00-6:45 p.m. Jubilation Choir (Grades 3-5)
6:00 p.m. Praise Team Rehearsal
6:15-7:20 p.m. Midweek Renewal 
6:15-6:45 p.m. Holy Moly
7:30-8:00 p.m. Evensong

Mexico Mission Fiesta Fundraiser

Our yearly fundraiser to support the 2019 Mexico Mission trip will be held on  Saturday, May 4.  Tickets will be on sale following each service on 4/7, 4/ 14, and 4/28:  $5 per person or $20 for a family of 4 or more.  Doors open at 5:00 for silent auction, games, enter-to-win, and displays that illustrate the work of the trip; dinner and program begin at 6:00.

Lenten Walk to Jerusalem: Week 4

What a week this has been! We hiked from Tokyo (having hopped a plane from Homer to Tokyo) to the southwest tip of Japan. There we boarded a ferry for a short trip across the Sea of Japan. We landed in China at the port city of Ningbo. Ningbo is a major port, actually one of the largest and busiest ports in the world, and an industrial center located just south of Shanghai. Ningbo is located in Zhejiang Province and is renowned for nature-inspired architectural designs. Our arrival is just about perfect because most visitors come in the spring and wonder at the mix of traditional architecture but thoroughly modern city. Please do watch out for the ebikes whenever you cross a road! Ningbo covers some 1440 square miles with a population of 5,838,000. There is a strong Buddhist connection in Ningbo with some of the temples dating to the Ming Dynasty. We visited two of the temples, the Tianyige Temple and also Ashoka, the oldest in Ningbo. Shoppers could take home hand-plaited bamboo vases, hand-painted screens, and animal figurines all found near Tiany Square, home of the famous musical fountain! We passed up the Hyatt and Wyndam Hotels for the Shangri La Hotel (a true value at $104). Dinner was at Grandma's! A "must eat" location featuring authentic Zhenjiang dishes, typically light and delicate, but very flavorful.  The menu is in Chinese so we have an interpreter with us. On Sunday we attended services at Jiangbei Catholic Church, right in the heart of Ningbo.  Now it is on to the Silk Road!

Free Ticket to Shen Yun

One free ticket was generously made available to anyone at SMLC wanting to use it. The ticket is for the Saturday (4/6) matinee showing at 2 p.m. in the Dress Circle section. Available for pick up in the church office.

Third Quarter

Those in the third quarter of life, ages 50-75ish, are invited to share hope, laughter, and love through active events.

Friday, April 26:  Potluck  at 6 p.m.  in the Parish Commons with our Fourth Quarter friends to share wisdom, faith, and laughter together. If you are in your 80s or 90s and would like to join us, please let the Church Office know. 

Tuesday, May 21: at 6 p.m. at Tower Lanes, 6323 6th Ave, Tacoma for bowling and optional food (or food and optional bowling!).

St. Mark's Scholarship Process for Continuing Students is Open
 
If you are a member of St. Mark's who is pursuing an undergraduate degree, please consider applying for a St. Mark's Scholarship. The application process for current college students is open and closes on April 28.  

Information and application materials are available on the St. Mark's website . Click on the Connect with Us tab. Questions? Please contact Pastor Shjerven at  rebecca@smlutheran.org.

The application process for current high school seniors will open in early May.

Be Part of the Easter Choir!

This once-a-year, all-ages ministry is a fun and accessible tradition at St. Mark's. No matter your experience level, you will find a friendly and welcoming experience being part of this large group of singers (safety in numbers!) who bring joy to Easter Sunday with a special anthem. All ages are welcome, and many children and youth will be singing alongside the adults. So, parents, bring your children, and children, bring your parents and grandparents!

All rehearsal dates and resources for home-practice can be found at our Easter Choir website:
If you can't make all the rehearsals, or missed one already, don't worry - it will still work. Come be part of the fun!

Children and Youth Faith Formation

Thursday Nights for youth at St. Mark's (6-12th gr.) April 4:  Youth Group 5:30-6:30 p.m.; Youth Choir 6:30-7:30 p.m. 
 
Sunday AM classes:  We meet April 7 & 14, no classes April 21-Easter Sunday!
 
3rd grade Bible Milestone Event- Sunday, April 14, 9:45 a.m. (presentation) with 11 a.m. family and student learning event. RSVP to Ingelaurie by March 31 if you plan on participating.
 
5/6th grade  Easter Egg Coloring and Dinner: Friday, April 19, 5:30-7 p.m. in the kitchen. 
 
Easter Breakfast: Sunday, April 21, 8 a.m.-11 a.m.  (food served) in the Parish Commons. Sponsored by St. Mark's Youth. Breakfast meats, fruit, baked goods, and more. Minimum donation request: $5.00 per person.
 
Come to The Well, a time for our high school students to take a break before the school week begins-Sunday, April 14, 28, and May 19; 6:30-7:30 p.m. at the Meade home. 
 
Youth and Parent Volunteer Opportunity: Wednesday, April 24, at Peace Community Center 5-6:15 p.m.  ( 2106 S Cushman Ave, Tacoma, WA, 98405). Sign up on the Youth Board by April 14 if you plan on attending. 
 
High school seniors: pick out graduation quilts:  Wednesday, April 24, 2:30-5 p.m.; Thursday & Friday April 25 & 26, 2:15-4 p.m.; Sunday, April 28, 12:00-12:30 p.m. Contact Ingelaurie Lisher at ingelaurie@smlutheran.org or 253-740-1439 to set up a time. 

Adult Faith Formation

Sunday Adult Faith Formation
Adult Forum 9:45 a.m.:  Parish Commons Classroom #2  (West) 
Dr. Suzanne Crawford O'Brien, Professor of Religion and Culture at PLU, will be with us in Adult Forum. Her session is entitled, "Salmon as Sacrament." Please plan to welcome her to the Forum!

11:00 a.m. Crossways Bible Study

Wednesday Adult Faith Formation
Morning Bible Study:  The 9:15 a.m. Wednesday morning Bible study meets in the Parish Commons #1 Classroom. We begin gathering at about 9:15 for coffee and visiting. Newcomers are welcome and would best arrive at 9:15. We are people with varying faith and Bible experiences, who help each other by sharing our questions and insights. We are studying the book of Romans. For more information, contact Linda Durant at 253-363-8202 or hotdouug@harbornet.com.

Noon Text Study Luncheon, Parish Commons Classroom: Come for this lively discussion of the texts for the upcoming Sunday, hosted by the preacher.

Wednesday Midweek Renewal, 6:15 p.m., PCC
  
Lydia Circle: Meets first Tuesday of the month at noon. Bring your own lunch. We use the Lutheran Women's  Gather magazine. We welcome NEW members! Come join us.

Fully Alive Bible Study, Tuesdays at 5:15 p.m. in the Fireside Room. Our topic is Women of the Bible, The Beautiful and The Ugly. Please join us. 

Special Fair Trade Easter Mini-Sale!

Sunday, April 7,  9:30-11 a.m.

The Fair Trade cart has a small selection of decorative Easter eggs and goodies this month along with our usual coffee, tea, and chocolates. Stop by the cart between services. Also, save the date for the Spring Fair Trade Bazaar: April 28 and May 5! Thank you for supporting our Fair Trade ministry.

Speak Up: Moral Voices

The Peace and Justice Committee at St. Mark's suggests we all consider using our moral voices to advocate for justice in the following areas: food, housing, creation, and immigration.

Please contact your state legislators to support the Senate version of the 2019-2021 Capital Budget. It includes $175 million for the Housing Trust Fund. This fund helps build affordable housing to serve homeless families, seniors, farmworkers, and people with developmental disabilities.  The state coordinates with local service providers such as Associated Ministries and Catholic Community Services to ensure clients receive appropriate housing and services. Ways to contact your legislators may be found here.

SPRING into Action:  LWR Personal Care Kit Supply Drive  


Collecting items through Palm Sunday, followed by a kit build! Join us to provide HOPE, a towel, soap, comb, nail clipper, and toothbrush to someone in need. Drop off supplies at our display in the Narthex or pick up a list of supplies (see below!). We are happy to shop for you if you would like to make a donation. Contact Catherine Terrill,  catherineterrill@comcast.net with any questions! 

In 2018, LWR delivered 119,865 kits to Angola, Armenia, Burkina Faso, Congo, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Georgia, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Nicaragua, Pakison, Peru, Senegal, Serbia, Tanzania, Ukraine, and Zambia. 

Supply List:
Bath Towels (app. 52" X 27", dark)
Soap (4 oz bars)
Comb (large tooth)
Nail Clipper (metal)
Toothbrush (individually wrapped)

Women's Tea & Conversation 

2019 Hunger Walk

Sign up now for the 2019 Hunger Walk: Saturday, May 4, 9:00 a.m.  A great event for all ages! More information and can be found in the Narthex or on the Youth Board.


Women of St. Mark's

Save The Date for our Spring Luncheon: May 11  

Come join us for lunch and conversation. All ages welcome.  
Watch for more information and sign up sheets for ticket sales and help with the luncheon.  

St. Mark's Care of Creation 2019 Hiking and Camping Schedule

Please hold these dates on your spring and summer calendars:
  • April 13 Ruston/Pt Defiance, 9 a.m. at church 
  • June 1 Nisqually Wildlife Refuge, 9 a.m. at church
  • June 22 Day hike, TBD
  • July 19 Day Hike Sunrise or Sheeplake area, 8 a.m. at church
  • August 1-3 Family Camping at Staircase near Lake Cushman 
  • September 6 or 7 Day hike, TBD
Also, if you are planning a trip to Holden Village this summer and would like others at St. Mark's to know so you can coordinate your trip planning please email Tom Hulst at  thulst@live.com.

Church Office Hours

The church office is open  Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m.-noon, 1:00-4:00 p.m . and  Sunday from 9:30-11:00 a.m.

*The door to the office is locked during preschool hours (8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.); please knock or ring the doorbell and someone will let you in promptly!

Have an item for The Bridge?
Send it to communications@smlutheran.org by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. All items will  run for two weeks prior to the relevant date, and will be edited for length. Don't forget to send your member notes and news!