We are Happy to welcome our new church book keeper Carry. Read below her introduction:

aving grown up on a farm in North Garden, Cary is very happy to be back in the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains. She returned to Charlottesville to help her elderly parents after being away for 40 years, during which she attended college and graduate school, got married and raised four children. 

Cary lives in Charlottesville with her fiancé, Richard McGrain. Her career in database management and accounting has spanned academic, government, corporate and not-for-profit arenas, and she has served as treasurer for numerous not-for-profit boards over the years. 

In addition to working part-time for St. Mark Lutheran, Cary has her own business, Cville Bookkeeping, bringing clarity and order to the daily management of bills, budgets and recordkeeping for taxes mostly for elderly people whose families live out of the area.

Confirmation at St. Mark grades 6 and older

Confirmation program will begin September 2019 If you would like to participate in a confirmation group please reach out to our pastor. Pastor will call a meeting to answer any questions, explore time for the class and spend time with parents who would like to be part of confirmation starting in September.  You don't have to be member of St. Mark to attend classes. We will gather Sunday afternoons for 2 hours. 

CONTACT:

PastorViktoria@stmarklutheran.org 

Pastor: 540-840-5426 

Confirmation is an important step in our faith journey. Through confirmation we become full members of a congregation, a body of faith with responsibilities of serving and decision making. Confirmation is an affirmation of our baptismal promises. It is a way to fulfill the congregation, parent's and godparent's promise to help children become faithful and loving Christian disciples. St. Mark follows a two years long curriculum. The class us lead by pastor and lay leaders. 

Bishop's letter on abortion

by Bishop Elizabeth Eaton

(Bishop Elizabeth Eaton's message on abortion was distributed May 30)

Dear Beloved in Christ,

As most of you are well aware, many states have passed or are considering legislation to restrict access to legal abortion. Talking about abortion has never been easy in this country, and the same holds true in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The members of this church have divergent beliefs and opinions about whether or not abortion should be legal.

No matter what your views on abortion are, as a church we are made up of members who have had abortions and members who have chosen not to. Among us are pastors, deacons, loved ones and others who have counseled with women, girls and others they love. We are friends, loved ones and relatives of people who have had to decide whether or not to get an abortion. We are all affected by the divisive discourse and the legal changes.

I commend you to study and discuss the ELCA social statement, Abortion. Through this social teaching and policy statement, this church seeks to travel a moderating path by supporting abortion as a last resort.

Amid the legislative challenges to access to abortion, we must remember that this church supports ongoing access to legal abortion as well as access to abortion services and reproductive health care that is not restricted by economic factors.

I urge each of you to read, to study, to listen, to discern and to discuss as church together.

Registration is open for all Virginia Synod summer youth events!

Kairos June 23-28, 2019 at Roanoke College

Kairos is our annual week-long faith formation event for youth who will be in 9th-12th grades in the coming fall. It is a chance for youth who are already committed to a life of faith to be part of a unique Christian community for an entire week, to have a fresh experience of the grace and presence of God in that community, and to develop habits for discipleship that can be taken home as they live out their baptismal call to follow Jesus. Kairos is different from our weekend events in that congregations do not send advisors with youth; the event staff serves as small group leaders and dorm advisors for the week. "Kairos" is the New Testament Greek word for "special time." It is used whenever God's people want to talk about a time of change, of renewal, of God's special work in the believer and the community.

To register for this event, click here.

Launch July 7-11, 2019 at Roanoke College

LAUNCH is an event for youth who have just graduated from high school. Its purpose is to give them a chance to take stock of where their faith life has led them so far and also to provide an opportunity to engage in discussion on matters of faith and life that are likely to face them as they move on to the next stage of their lives, whether it be the workforce, military or other public service, college, or something else. If participants are veterans of our Virginia Synod ELCA Youth Events (Lost and Found, Winter Celebration, Kairos, etc.), they will find that this event is structured differently. We will spend our three full days together in a rhythm of worship, informal presentations to the whole group, small group discussions, and individual reflections that engage the mind as well as the spirit. Of course, there will be time for fellowship and relaxation and enjoyable meal times together.

To register for this event, click here. The registration deadline is June 14, 2019.

Junior High Servant Event

Junior High Servant Event is a week-long servant event for Youth who have completed the 6th, 7th, or 8th grade, and their adult advisors and focuses on learning about the needs of others, serving and growing in faith. We spend the week together experiencing the Christian life through worship, fellowship, and service. Of course, being in Virginia Beach, we will also spend some time having fun at the water's edge. The cost for the event is $110 per participant. To register, click here. If you have any questions, reach out to Pastor Cathy Mims of the Junior High Servant Event Leadership Team at cmims@flcnorfolk.com.

To register for this event, click here. The registration deadline is July 7.

Theology for Teens July 28-August 3, 2019 at Roanoke College

Our fourth annual summer camp introducing teens to biblical and theological scholarship, exploring contemporary challenges & how their faith tradition can meet those challenges. We will focus on the life & thought of Dietrich Bonhoeffer-a church leader who met the challenges before him-we will explore today's social issues & encounter other faiths by engaging the students with leaders from those various communities. Come and discover a sense of mission, be equipped with theological tools to enable you to meet the challenges facing the church today.

To register for this event, click here.

Saint Mark Social Ministry In Action

Please join us and help provide snack bags for refugees (sponsored by the IRC) traveling through the Charlottesville area on their way to re-settlement in the U.S.

It is urgently needed because the local volunteers are regularly meeting up to 4 buses of immigrants/day and are running out of supplies.

Snack bag items to donate:

Questions?

Jennifer Giacalone : jgtakethecake@gmail.com, 434-409-2397. 

MEALS ON WHEELS CAMP for KIDS

Do you know a rising 5th - 8th grader interested in helping out their community? Then our second annual Summer Service Camp is for them!

Held July 15th - 19th from 9:00 - 12:30, kids will help pack and deliver meals, make crafts for clients, have lunch with friends and learn about our neighbors in need! Children and grandchildren of volunteers get a $25 discount!

Go to our website for sign up or contact Robin at robin@cvillemeals.org

CHURCH CALENDAR To access the church calendar, please click on the calendar button on the left.