"The Messenger"
Online Newsletter
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She Said Yes
Last Friday afternoon, I proposed to Hillary Jackson, a woman whom I've been dating for the past year and a half. I am pleased to report that she said yes.
Hillary and I were introduced by her pastor, a good friend of mine. He was convinced that we would make a great couple and it didn't take us long to realize that he was right. That being said, we both wanted to take our relationship slowly, thoughtfully, and prayerfully.
Hillary was born in Richmond, KY and moved to Nashville to attend Vanderbilt University. She also has a library science degree from Trevecca University and a nursing degree from Belmont University. Hillary is a registered nurse at St Thomas Rutherford Hospital where she manages new nurses in the St. Thomas-Ascension health care system.
While a wedding date hasn't been set as of this writing, we do anticipate that it will take place late this summer. It won't surprise you that I don't want to get married during football season (anniversaries and Ole Miss football games might not mix well). Hillary wants an outdoor wedding and doesn't want to wait until spring/summer 2021 to get married. So that leaves us tying the knot sometime between now and September.
Thank you for sharing in our joy, praying for our life together, and for the way that you will welcome Hillary into the St. Mark's family.
It is a privilege serving God as one of your clergy.
Tommy
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Wednesday Night Together!
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!
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5:15 - 6:00 p.m. Church Family Dinner
Reservations due by 12:00 p.m. Monday
$8.00/Adult, $4.00/Children and MTSU Students, $25.00/Family Max
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Adult Classes Meeting in February
Studying Sermon Texts - led by Rev. Tommy Ward
The Transformative Power of Gratitude – led by Julie King
Decluttering Your Home – led by Lucy Cochran
Prepare your Heart for Lent:
God’s Family at St. Mark’s UMC Gathers for Ash Wednesday Worship
Wednesday, February 26th, 6:15 p.m. in the Sanctuary
Featuring the Chancel Choir; Nursery Provided
Click
HERE
to see the full February Brochure
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St. Mark’s WNT Needs You!
Our cook Amanda Murphy is preparing wonderful home-style meals using more fresh foods and fewer processed products.
VOLUNTEERS
are needed to prepare food, serve, and clean up in the kitchen! If you would like to learn more about cooking for large groups or are willing to serve your church in this way, help is needed Mondays and Wednesdays, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., and Wednesday afternoons 3:30 – 6:30 p.m. We would be glad to have persons serve one time a month or every week, whatever works well with their schedule. To volunteer, visit our Sign-Up Genius at
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/508054fa9a82ea0fb6-wnthelpers
.
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SAGES News
Our SAGES Valentine Party was a big success. Thanks to all who came.
Our weekly service at the Rutherford takes place this Wednesday, February 19 at the Rutherford at 11:00 A.M. Everyone is welcome to participate. The other date this month is February 26.
The next meeting of the SAGES’ Planning Team is Monday, March 9 at 9:30 in Room 407-409.
On March 10 the Adams’ Place Ministry takes place at 10:30 AM. Please join Linda Tunnell and Liz Bennett as they lead us and residents of Adams Place in worship.
Our program at the Boulevard Terrace Nursing Home is at 2:00 on March 10.
The next meeting of the Alzheimer’s/Dementia Support Group is 1:00 PM February 27 in Room 506.
Jeff Henry, Chair of the 2020 Adventures In Learning, has called the planning team together and they are underway in the planning for Adventures in Learning for the Fall.
Other events to look for are the Encore Senior Conference at St. Mark’s April 30, trip to LaGrange, Georgia in May, trip to Lake Junaluska in August, and several visits to the Cumberland County Playhouse.
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What Is Lent?
Lent is a season of 40 days, not counting Sundays, which begins on Ash Wednesday (February 26) and ends on Holy Saturday (April 11). Lent comes from the Anglo-Saxon word lencten, which means "spring." The season is
a time of preparation for celebrating Easter, also known as Resurrection Sunday (April 12).
Historically, Lent began as a period of fasting and preparation for baptism by
converts and then became a time of penance by all Christians. On Ash
Wednesday, Christians confront their own mortality and confess their sin
before God within the community of faith. While Ash Wednesday focuses on
the dual themes of sin and death, it's done through the lens of God's
redeeming love made known to us in Jesus Christ.
The first Sunday of Lent describes Jesus' temptation by Satan. The last
Sunday of Lent (Passion/Palm Sunday) depicts Christ's triumphal entry into
Jerusalem and his subsequent passion and death. Because Sundays are
always little Easters, the penitential spirit should be tempered with the joyful
expectation of the Resurrection.
Holy Week is the week leading up to Easter Sunday and the community of
faith journeys with Jesus from the upper room, to the cross, to the tomb, and to
the garden to discover the empty tomb.
The following are just a few ways to focus and prepare during the season of
Lent:
1. Give It Up. Consider giving up something that distracts you from your
important relationships: like too much spent time on social media, sports, etc.
2. Plug In. Consider adding in something that helps you connect with God.
Read a book of the Bible or begin a daily devotional.
3. Serve. Start a new routine of service. Volunteer regularly as a mentor, step
up to volunteer at St. Mark's or in the community.
4. Share It. Make it a communal event. Share your Lent practices with others
via a small group and/or attending worship.
(adapted from The United Methodist Book of Worship, and
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Join a Lenten Study Group
Rev. Ward has been encouraging all of us to be intentional about growing spiritually. As the calendar moves toward Ash Wednesday and the Lenten Season, our church is preparing several different Lenten studies that will offer opportunities for spiritual growth! You are invited and encouraged to participate in these classes during the Lenten season. See
FLYER HERE for opportunities for all ages!
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Deep Blue Kids: Sundays, 9:45 – 10:45 a.m.
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Jesus and Others Lead the Community
So they went out and proclaimed that people should
change their hearts and lives. (Mark 6:12)
He did what was right in the Lord’s eyes. (2 Kings 22:2)
This February in
DEEP BLUE,
we are studying stories about different leaders in the Bible and how they led their communities.
2/2 Deborah, a judge in the Old Testament, helped the Israelites solve problems and helped the people be brave.
2/9 Samuel goes to Jesse’s family looking for a new king, but it isn’t the person Samuel thinks it would be. God calls David because he has good intentions and will show love to God’s people.
2/16 A servant girl who lives with Namaan, an Aram military leader, speaks up and helps Namaan find healing.
2/23 Josiah is an Israelite king who began his kingship at eight years old. He discovers a hidden scroll and helps the people rededicate themselves to God.
ARE YOU SERVING IN LEADERSHIP IN OUR COMMUNITY?
We are constructing a bulletin board in the elementary hallway that depicts members of our church family serving in leadership in our community. If you have a photo of yourself serving in a leadership role, either as a volunteer or as part of your employment, please send that photo and an explanation to
hannah.underwood16@yahoo.com
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OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL IS GROWING!
Teachers, helpers and substitutes are always needed in our Children’s Sunday School! Currently, teachers and helpers are needed in the Age 2 and Pre-K/K classes. Excellent curriculum and all supplies are provided. If you are willing to serve as a teacher or helper, contact Rev. Martha Touchton or Children’s Ministries Team Leader Julie King.
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We are excited to offer all St. Mark’s 3rd – 5th graders an opportunity to join in a spiritual life retreat especially for children, Saturday/Sunday March 14/15 on the mountain at Beersheba! The BE Retreat will be led by middle and high school youth of the NEXT GEN Conference Council on Youth Ministry (including Helen Grace Daniel and Georgia Touchton from St. Mark's!), and will welcome children from across the Tennessee Conference.
Two Safe Sanctuaries trained adults must attend with St. Mark's children; if you are willing to attend (all expenses paid), please volunteer to Rev. Touchton. Transportation will be provided. The total retreat cost is $65/person; a $25 scholarship will be provided for each St. Mark’s participant, making your cost per child $40. For reservations, email
martha@stmarkstn.org.
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St. Mark’s to Host Unique Shroud Display
A museum quality life-size replica of the famous Shroud of Turin will be coming to St Mark’s UMC Friday, April 24th and will be on display in the Narthex from 9:30 AM until Noon. Admission is free and open to the public; this presentation is sponsored by the Bill Hicks-Caskey Memorial Fund.
Russ Breault, international lecturer on The Shroud of Turin, will bring the full-size replica of the Shroud along with two 50% scale photo-negative images for viewing, study and contemplation. Mr. Breault has been featured in several national documentaries seen on
CBS, History Channel EWTN
and
Discovery
. He has been interviewed for
Good Morning America
and
ABC World News Tonight
and was a consultant for
CNN’s Finding Jesus
series. Mr. Breault will be on hand to explain key features and answer questions.
The Shroud of Turin is the most analyzed artifact in the world yet remains a mystery; it is believed by millions to be the cloth that wrapped Jesus in the tomb.
The 14-foot long linen cloth has been in Turin, Italy for over 400 years and bears the faint front and back image of a 5'10" bearded, crucified man with apparent wounds and bloodstains that match the crucifixion account as recorded in the Bible. Millions of people over the centuries have believed it be the actual burial shroud of Jesus. The historical trail tracks back through Italy, France, Asia Minor (Turkey) and may have originated in the Middle East according to botanical evidence.
Want to know more?
A 90-minute lecture on the Shroud will be presented by Russ Breault on Thursday, April 23, 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. at MTSU’s Tucker Theater. For more information, visit
www.ShroudEncounter.com
.
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Because of the growing number of prayer needs in our congregation and the growing number of ministries in our church, we are making changes to the way we share our prayer list.
Effective immediately, our ongoing prayer concerns will be displayed on the projection screens during our pastoral prayer time each Sunday morning; hard copies of this list will be available on the tables outside of the sanctuary. This will allow worshipers to view and pray for these names during the prayer and have a copy to take home with them for prayer through the week.
Each Sunday as part of the pastoral prayer time, recent prayer concerns (including hospitalizations) will be lifted up by one of our clergy each Sunday and will also be featured in our Sunday bulletins.
We will continue to have a Caring List available in the church office that includes names and contact information of shut-ins and residents of assisted living/long-term care facilities.
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Lenten Family Prayer Fair for Children and Families
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Sunday, February 23
rd
, 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
in the Banquet Hall
We will create, assemble and experience Lenten stories, devotions, crafts and other activities to help your family observe Lent at home at your own pace. All ages of children are welcome; children must be accompanied by a parent or grandparent.
Reservations required by 2/16; email
martha@stmarkstn.org
.
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Save These Upcoming Children’s Ministries Dates:
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Saturday/Sunday, March 14/15
BE Spiritual Life Retreat for Children Grades 3 – 5 at Beersheba.
Saturday, April 11
– Easter Egg Hunt, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.
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Project Transformation College Interns Needed
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If you or someone you know is a college student and interested in a summer internship that will change lives and provide memories of a lifetime, then Project Transformation Tennessee is for you.
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The Turner Center at Martin Methodist College awards two or more Ben Alford Scholarships each year to students showing exceptional promise in the area of church leadership. In 2020, the competition date is scheduled for Saturday, February 29th.
These are full scholarships which include tuition costs for an entire academic year. These are four-year renewable scholarships. Recipients will be determined by a special committee at the competition event which is held on campus. This scholarship is open to transfer students.
Please visit the following link for more information:
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St. Mark's follows the Murfreesboro City Schools (MCS) system in determining whether or not the church office will be open and church-wide events held. When MCS are closed, the church office will be closed and all church-wide activities canceled.
For church-wide events taking place on weekends, please check social media, the church website, and/or your email for updates in the event of inclement weather.
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In Other News:
The Spring Next Step Class will begin Sunday, March 1, and continue for nine Sundays. The class will meet at 9:45 AM each Sunday in the east end of the Banquet Room. If you would like to know more about St. Mark’s and the United Methodist Church, please plan to attend these gatherings. Our clergy, program staff, and lay leaders will share in these sessions about the work of the church. The history, organization, Sacraments and other important functions will be discussed. You may call the church office (615-893-3455) to sign up, or go by our welcome desk in the Narthex, or just be present at the first meeting.
Volunteer Signups for the Furniture Ministry - In an effort to make it easier for you to sign up to volunteer on the furniture truck,
CLICK HERE to go to our Calendly page. More directions can be found on our
MISSIONS PAGE.
Beginning Watercolor Painting - New Weekday Class
- Mondays, 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. Room 503/505. Orientation Monday, March 2nd, 12:00 p.m.Including supplies list and tips. Members and Friends welcome! Please reserve your spot by emailing
martha@stmarkstn.org.
More info
HERE
.
The St. Mark’s Spring Golf Tournament will be Saturday, May 16, 1:00 p.m. at Old Fort Golf Course. If you or your team would like to play, please contact Wendell Philpott.
Softball Signups are underway. See the bulletin board outside the Banquet Room to signup.
Update on Kathryn Wright
- Many of you have asked for an update on our Business Administrator, Kathryn Wright. Kathryn went back to see her surgeon for the first time last week and had staples from the surgery removed. She is scheduled for an appointment with an oncologist this week. Thank you for your continued prayers for Kathryn and her family.
Flower Calendar
– The flowers on the altar each Sunday are available to be sponsored in honor or in memory of a loved one. To reserve a date, sign up on the flower calendar posted outside the kitchen on the bulletin board. Each bouquet (there are two per Sunday) is $25 and can be paid by check in the offering plate labeled "flowers" or in the church office.
Missed a Sermon? Click
HERE to go to our sermons media page.
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