Heart Beat of Saint Mark - Weekly Update (October 25, 2018)

Click here to view the entire Saint Mark 2018 Ministry Guidebook with information about church structure, leadership, ministries and our 2018 budget.

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.

October 28, 2018

Faith Promise Sunday

Sunday

Schedule

9:00 am

Sunday School

9:40 am

Fellowship Time in the Atrium

10:00 am

ONE Combined Worship Service

Sanctuary

11:15

Churchwide

Fellowship Lunch

Saint Mark Center

4:00 pm

TREK for Children

4:00 pm

Wings 'N Things

for Youth

5:30 pm

In His Eyes

for Youth

Quick, easy and available HERE

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.

Got Information to Share in Next Week's

Heart Beat?

Click here to send your Heart Beat post to us by no later than 12:00 noon next
Thursday. On the subject line, please type in "Heart Beat" so that we can easily find your article among the other emails.

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.

Interested in LGBTQ+ Inclusion?

Click here for more information.

Prayer Focus for This Week

God, As the seasons change,

we are reminded of Your consistent love through all the seasons of life.

As we celebrate, O God, You are with us.

As we grieve, You comfort us.

As life goes along, You journey with us.

Highs, lows, in-between,

You are there,

loving,

guiding,

calling,

supporting,

encouraging.

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.

WORSHIP THIS SUNDAY

Join Us For Worship

Faith Promise Sunday

THIS Sunday, October 28

ONE Combined Service

in the Sanctuary

10 am

"A Challenge From THE LORD"

bringing the message

Rev. Todd Davis

Leviticus 25:8-11

Join Us Immediately After Worship for a
Churchwide Fellowship Lunch

THIS Sunday, October 28

11:15 am

Cost: FREE

On the menu:

Baked Potato Soup

Vegetable Beef Soup

Corn Bread

Brownies

Beverages

MARVIN'S KIDS 2018

Making a List and Checking it Twice . . .

With Christmas just over two months away, the Marvin's Kids Team wants you to know 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!

Take a family Walmart shopping for winter clothing and shoes for each child (Marvin's Kids covers the cost). Click here to contact Carolyn Keese or call her at (864) 324-3269.

Provide inventory for "Santa's Secret Shop" by signing up to purchase toys. Click here to contact C.J. Smith or call her at (247-1206) or click here to contact Gaie Wilson or call her at (864) 888-7682.

Volunteer to sort toys, stock or staff "Santa's Secret" toy shop. Click here to contact Sandy James or call her at (864) 972-1122.

Assist parents with "shopping" for toys in Santa's Secret Shop. Click here to contact Nell Hodge or call her at (864) 886-9668.

Donate wrapping supplies or assist parents in wrapping toys they select for their children on the day of secret shopping. Click here to contact Nell Hodge or call her at (864) 886-9668.

Make cookies for refreshments on toy shopping day. Click here to contact Nell Hodge or call her at (864) 886-9668.

Pack food boxes (non-perishable items are purchased by Marvin's Kids team). Click here to contact Janet Evatt or call her at (864) 324-8139.

Help with distribution of gifts and food boxes on Christmas Eve. Click here to contact Sandy James or call her at (864) 972-1122.

THIS WEEK AT SAINT MARK

Tomorrow!!!!!

The Seneca Lions Club is serving up BBQ chicken during their annual fundraiser to raise money to provide much needed eye exams and glasses for children in Seneca, Westminster and Walhalla. Over the last 6 years, the Lions Club has provided glasses to approximately 100 children!

The menu includes:

BBQ Chicken

Baked Beans

Cole Slaw

Desserts

Beverages

(Carry-out is available)

Get your tickets from one of our Lions Club members, or click here to contact Dean Garland.

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.

For more information, click here to contact Donna Poston.

LOOKING AHEAD

Bring Your Appetite!!!

Come hungry to the Christian Life Center of Clemson United Methodist Church on Thursday, November 1, and join in the fun of the 16th Annual Clemson Area Ministers' Cook-Off. Ministers from 14 area congregations will be showing off their culinary skills in support of Safe Harbor shelter for victims of domestic violence. Pastor Todd and Pastor Shawna will be serving an appetizer (Crab Bisque) prepared by Cara's Creations. Unless there is adverse weather, WYFF meteorologist John Cessarich will broadcast "John On The Road" live from the Cook-Off.

Tasting tickets are $1.00 each at the door or you can buy tickets in groups of 10 ($10) prior to the event so you won't have to stand in line for tickets the night of the event. Advance tickets are available at the church office or by calling Debbie DuBose at (864) 247-0189.

Please come out and show your support for Todd and Shawna, who were winners last year! It's a great evening of fun, great food and fellowship plus you will know you are supporting a very worthy cause. South Carolina continues to have one of the highest rates of criminal domestic violence in the country. Safe Harbor provides a continuum of services for adult and child victims of domestic violence in the Upstate. Services include emergency housing, meals, counseling, clothing, parenting classes and referrals to other support services. ALL PROCEEDS from the Cook-Off will be divided between the Oconee and Anderson County shelters.

We are counting down the days until our new worship schedule begins - Sunday, November 4. This will be our schedule for the foreseeable future.

By the way, Eastern Daylight Time ends on November 4, as well, so you will have 2 adjustments to make that Sunday.

If you didn't read the letter from the worship team last week, in response to your feedback on the worship schedule, click here to read it.

Mini Mission Auction

THE AUCTION IS ALMOST HERE - FINALLY!

Here are a few last-minute reminders:

DATE: Sunday, November 4

TIME: 8:30 - noon

LOCATION: In the Atrium

More information: We will have 31 items for you to bid on, including some very nice Christmas decorations and some great items for all you Clemson fans.

Buy It Now: There will be hand crafted items and homemade food items on the Buy It Now table, including some items that were popular last year (Sand Art Brownie mixes and microwave pot holders) as well as a few items we haven't had before (Ray Lanham's famous pumpkin bread, Happiness Jars, homemade chow chow and some beautiful hand-painted trivets and coasters).

Auction Tailgating Station: To entice bidders and buyers to stay after worship, we will be setting up an Auction Tailgating station at 11:00ish, so you won't go hungry while you are placing your bids and picking up some nice gifts at the Buy It Now table.

All proceeds of the auction will be used throughout 2019 to support local and global mission projects.

Thank you in advance for your support of the outreach work done by Saint Mark UMC! For more information, click here to contact Jane Harlin.

Hurricane Relief Fund

The big blue bucket will be in the atrium one more time, on Sunday, November 4, during the auction. You can donate cash or make checks out to Saint Mark UMC with "UMCOR Hurricane Relief" in the memo line, and after the auction, we will add it all up and the church will send one big check to UMCOR to assist with their work in helping those affected by Hurricane Florence.

Thanks for your support, and remember, 100% of your donation goes directly to hurricane relief, as UMCOR's administrative expenses are covered by the One Great Hour of Sharing collection that is taken up every spring.

Join us for a special time of remembrance of Saint Mark disciples and our loved ones who have entered the church triumphant before us.

The Commission on a Way Forward is a task force, whose purpose is to do a complete examination and possible revision of every paragraph concerning human sexuality in the Book of Discipline, while exploring options that help to maintain and strengthen the unity of the United Methodist Church. The Commission will make its recommendations at a Special Called Session of the General Conference in February, 2019.

SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR SAINT MARK?

On Sunday afternoon, November 4, Pastors Todd and Shawna will help us to better understand the structural workings of our denomination. Please make every effort to be present as our pastors lead us toward empathy, understanding, and generative dialogue, as we continue to be the Body of Christ. Childcare will be provided.

Memory Cafe

November Activity

Monday, November 5

1 - 3 pm

Commons Room

Memory Cafe is a place where family caregivers and their loved ones with beginning to intermediate stages of dementia can come together to learn, laugh, cry and meet others in a similar circumstance. It is a safe, supportive, and engaging environment where acceptance and friendships develop. It meets the first Monday of each month.

On Monday, November 5, from 1 - 3 pm, participants will meet in the Saint Mark Commons Room. They will start off with an ice breaker to know each other better and have a chance to talk openly about concerns. Next, they will participate in fun and easy chair aerobics taught by a professional aerobic teacher. Later, they will enjoy a snack together, followed by making simple decorations for a 7' Christmas tree that will be provided by and displayed at Duke Power in December.

Come join in on the fun! Please pass this information along to persons who are family caregivers for loved ones with mild to moderate dementia.

PLEASE NOTE: five volunteers are needed at 10 am on November 5 to get a head start on making the decorations for the Christmas tree. The decorations will be tissue paper flowers. EASY!! Would you be willing to come and help? Lunch will be provided.

For more information, click here to contact Bonnie Holmes.

Saint Mark Annual Charge Conference

Wednesday, November 7

6:30 pm

Commons Room

Presiding: Rev. Steve Patterson

Anderson District Superintendent

For more information, click here to contact Pastor Todd Davis.

Women's Day Apart

Holy Friendships

with Rev. Alice MacKeil

Saturday, November 10

10 am - 2 pm

Commons Room
Cost: $10
Including Brunch

We all need friends . . . people to do life with . . . other women who love and support us . . . who help to divide our burdens and multiply our joys.

It can be difficult to form and maintain friendships as our lives are ever changing; yet we recognize this innate need within us for we were created for life to be lived together. With the leadership of Rev. Alice MacKeil we will discover new and ever-growing ways to live connected with God and connected with one another.

So let's spend a day deepening friendship

with our loving God,

and deepening friendship with one another!

Rev. Alice MacKeil is a retired Elder in the South Carolina Annual Conference. Her passion is leading women's retreats, and she has led 35 retreats for groups of ladies. Rev. MacKeil continues to serve on the Greenville District Committee of Ordained Ministry, the South Carolina Annual Conference Committee, the South Carolina Conference Board of Ordained Ministry and as a clergy mentor.

Pastor Alice was born and raised in Ohio and moved to South Carolina in 1985. She is married to John MacKeil and has two grown children; Daniel Dickinson, 37, who is an Emergency Room Nurse at a hospital in Portland, Maine and Dr. Amy Dickinson, 39, an Emergency/ Critical Care Veterinarian in Pittsburgh, PA, who is married to Iain and has Alice's grandchildren: 5 year old Addison and 8 month old Cameron.

Click here to make your reservation online. You may also register in the atrium the next two Sundays - October 21 and October 28. The deadline to register is Saturday, November 3.

Childcare is available for children through the age of 4. Our paid childcare workers will be available to care for your youngest children. Older children (5+) will enjoy their own event. See below!

Special Children's Event

J*A*M* (Jesus and Me)

Saturday, November 10

10 am - 2 pm

All God's children can enjoy a special day just to celebrate being kids. Saint Mark UMC invites you to bring your children to a spirit-filled morning, discovering God's Holy Friendship with pizza, a movie, crafts and more.

For questions click here to contact our children's minister Lisa Kiser. Parents should check your child in at the nursery, behind the atrium steps.

RSVP by Saturday, November 3. Click here to fill out the registration form.

Be Soup-er Thankful!

The Golden Corner Food Pantry is very efficient at using donated funds to purchase food in bulk; however, for some reason, it has been difficult to find good bargains on canned soup. So for three weeks in November, we will be holding a "Be Soup-er Thankful" canned soup drive.

What is your favorite? Chicken and Rice, Minestrone, Chunky Vegetable Beef? Whatever it is, would you consider buying a few extra cans to put in the containers in the atrium? They will be in place November 11, 18 and 25.

Thanks for supporting your local food pantry!

November Gathering

Join us for "Mission Night"

Wednesday, November 14

5:30 pm

Saint Mark Center

"BE SOUP-ER THANKFUL"

that evening

Bring cans of soup when you come!

What a GREAT opportunity to learn more about the Wilderness Way Girls' Camp, a faith-based program designed to bring help and hope to hurting girls and their families!

We hope to shower the Wilderness Way Girls' Camp with paper products such as paper towels, toilet paper, napkins and 8.5 X 11 inch reams of copy paper - all daily necessities!

Everyone is invited to attend!!! Let's have a great turnout from Saint Mark!

You will not make your reservation through the church, but will make your individual reservation by contacting Wilderness Way Girls' Camp. The phone number is above.

If you need transportation to this event, click here.

Everyone is invited to sing! For more information, click here to contact David Wilcox

November Lunch Bunch

Tuesday, November 27

12 noon

Ye Olde Sandwich Shoppe

124 N Townville St. in Seneca

Join us for lunch out at a well known Seneca establishment - Ye Olde Sandwich Shop. We will have the back room to ourselves. After lunch, stay and enjoy an exciting game of Bingo. No reservations are needed. Just show up! Hope to see you there!

THERE WILL BE NO LUNCH BUNCH IN DECEMBER.

For more information, click here to contact Mona Fleming.

Give the gift of life!!!

Join us for a covered dish lunch following worship. For more information, click here to contact Pastor Shawna Darnall.

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.

Parents, rehearsals have begun. Thanks for making sure your children attend the rehearsals on Sunday afternoons, if at all possible.

RESERVE YOUR TICKET(S) SOON!!

We have 30 tickets available. Tickets are $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)!

OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS

Church Office Closed for

Thanksgiving Holiday

November 21-23

Contact: Todd Davis

UMW Shortbread Cookie Sale

Sunday mornings, December 2 and 9

Contact: Becky Hazelwood

Youth Christmas Party with Special Friends

Sunday, December 9

5:30 pm

Contact: Donna Poston

The Gathering

CDC Christmas Program

Wednesday, December 12

5:00 pm

Saint Mark Center

Contact: Becca Williams

Celtic Festival of Lessons and Carols

Sunday, December 16

4:00 pm

Sanctuary

Contact: David Wilcox

ELDERBERRIES EVENTS (FOR 50+)

ARE YOU 50+?

Here are some

Elderberries Events

that might interest you. Save the date(s) on your calendar.

Turkey in the Hole

Wilderness Way Girls' Camp

Church-wide Event Sponsored by the Elderberries

Saturday, November 17

Campsite Tours 10:45 - 11:15 am

Dinner - 12:30 pm

Bring sides and desserts

Transportation will be available

Monthly "Lunch Bunch" Gathering

FOURTH TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH

Tuesday, November 27

12 noon

Ye Olde Sandwich Shop

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.

For more information about our Elderberries ministry or any of these events, click here to contact Marla Fuller

CHURCH AND SOCIETY

Racism vs. White Privilege

Having white privilege and recognizing it is not racist. But white privilege exists because of historic, enduring racism and biases. Therefore, defining white privilege also requires finding working definitions of racism and bias.

So, what is racism? One helpful definition comes from Matthew Clair and Jeffrey S. Denis's " Sociology on Racism." They define racism as "individual- and group-level processes and structures that are implicated in the reproduction of racial inequality." Systemic racism happens when these structures or processes are carried out by groups with power, such as governments, businesses or schools. Racism differs from bias, which is a conscious or unconscious prejudice against an individual or group based on their identity.

Basically, racial bias is a belief. Racism is what happens when that belief translates into action. For example, a person might unconsciously or consciously believe that people of color are more likely to commit crime or be dangerous. That's a bias. A person might become anxious if they perceive a black person is angry. That stems from a bias. These biases can become racism through a number of actions ranging in severity, and ranging from individual- to group-level responses:

A person crosses the street to avoid walking next to a group of young black men.
A person calls 911 to report the presence of a person of color who is otherwise behaving lawfully.
A police officer shoots an unarmed person of color because he "feared for his life."
A jury finds a person of color guilty of a violent crime despite scant evidence.
A federal intelligence agency prioritizes investigating black and Latino activists rather than investigate white supremacist activity.

Both racism and bias rely on what sociologists call racialization. This is the grouping of people based on perceived physical differences, such as skin tone. This arbitrary grouping of people, historically, fueled biases and became a tool for justifying the cruel treatment and discrimination of non-white people. Colonialism, slavery and Jim Crow laws were all sold with junk science and propaganda that claimed people of a certain "race" were fundamentally different from those of another-and they should be treated accordingly. And while not all white people participated directly in this mistreatment, their learned biases and their safety from such treatment led many to commit one of those most powerful actions: silence.

And just like that, the trauma, displacement, cruel treatment and discrimination of people of color, inevitably, gave birth to white privilege.

Click here to read more . . .

IN OUR COMMUNITY

Did you know that Saint Mark disciples are helping homeless families to regain their independence through the Family Promise sheltering program? Our friends at Clemson United Methodist Church provide shelter, food and compassion for Family Promise families four times a year, and we are supporting them. You can visit the Pickens County Family Promise website for more information. Click here.

This is basically how it works:

A network of area churches takes turns hosting the families who have been accepted into the program. Each church hosts the families for one week at a time, 4 times per year. They provide a friendly welcome, a hot meal each evening, a place for the families to sleep and a quick breakfast each morning.

Saint Mark helps Clemson UMC by taking responsibility for one night during each of their hosting weeks. We provide a meal and join the families at the table, and we provide two volunteers to stay at Clemson UMC during the evening (from dinnertime until 8:45pm) for fellowship, games, homework help, etc. as needed, and one or two to spend the night there in case of emergencies.

It is easy and rewarding-- this is a nation-wide sheltering program that REALLY WORKS to help families get back on their feet and become self-supporting. Click here to contact Jane Harlin to volunteer or for more information. If your Sunday School class would like to hear a presentation about Family Promise, Jane would be happy to help set that up.

Our next opportunity to help is Thursday, November 29.

Candlelight Christmas Concert

Foothills Chorale

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 David Wilcox, Elaine Wilson,

and Jeff Weicksel, online or at the door.

It's not Christmas without the Foothills Chorale! The concert will feature winter and holiday-themed pieces with seasonal poetry in a "lessons and carols" format, the Candlelight Christmas Concert (held without applause) includes some of your favorite songs, such as "O Magnum Mysterium," "In the Bleak Mid-Winter" and "Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming."

We hope you'll join us for an evening of beautiful music to celebrate the start of the Christmas season.

Click here to contact David Wilcox.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

Special Thanks!

If you attended the Low Country Boil Fundraiser for Eleuthera last Sunday evening, you could tell that a lot of work went into planning and putting it on. There are many people to thank, including those who set up, decorated, cooked, served and cleaned up. Thanks to the Gospel According to Saint Mark Singers (Gospel Choir) who provided the evening entertainment.

But the most important thanks goes to the planner and organizer of the event, Kathy Graves. She is pictured on the right, holding a book (standing next to Saint Mark disciple Linda Chapman). This photo was taken on the Island of Eleuthera, in the Deep Creek Primary School Library that Kathy and Linda helped to rehabilitate.

Kathy, thank you for the passion and effort you put into making this year's fundraiser the huge success that it was!

Has your contact information changed recently? Address? Phone number? Email address?
Please let us know by clicking here.

We want to wish our dear friend,

Freida Phipps,

a happy 90th birthday!
(on October 23)

With love from your church family!

SAINTS IN SERVICE
HELPING YOU PLUG IN . . .

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!

Saint Mark United Methodist Church

616 Quincy Road
Seneca, South Carolina 29678-3820
mfuller@smumcsc.org

864-882-2603

Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors