"The Messenger" Online Newsletter
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We began a new sermon series on Sunday called Vow (Now) More than Ever. I suggested that there has never been a time when renewing the vows that we make when joining a United Methodist Church have been more important. Those vows are: for as long as we are members of The United Methodist Church, we promise to support it with our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service, and our witness.
On Sunday, I talked about prayer; actually, I talked about the highest form of prayer, which is seeking only the knowledge of God's will and the power to carry it out. Instead of trying to get God to bend to our will, how about us seeking to bend our hearts to God's will?
I invite us to make a commitment to seek God's will for our personal lives, for our community, and for our world. I invite us to pray that, if we are outside of God's will, God will not let us rest or get comfortable until we're inside God's will. Because God loves us and wants the best for us, we can be sure that God's will is good for us.
This Sunday, we'll be reminded of the important vow to support the church with our presence. Please plan to join us in-person or online.
It is a privilege to serve God as one of your clergy.
Tommy
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There are countless resources online for improving our prayer lives. You can find one designed for United Methodists here. The clergy of St. Mark's have additional resources that they would be happy to share with you. Just give us a call at the church office.
Be on the lookout for some videos posted to our YouTube and Facebook pages this week with some additional information on prayer.
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Communion Sunday-November 1st |
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This coming Sunday is Communion Sunday.
There are three ways to have communion during worship.
• Prepare the communion elements (bread and grape juice) yourself.
• Come by the church and pick up some of our prepackaged communion elements.
• If you come to the church for in-person worship, you will receive a piece of pita bread and one grape in the zip lock bag when you enter.
We hope you join us for communion at your convenience.
Please let us know if you need any assistance.
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Now Streaming on Facebook Live |
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By now, you're all aware that we've been live-streaming and then archiving our worship experiences on YouTube. Last week, we began live-streaming on Facebook as well.
If you haven't done so already, go to facebook.com/stmarkstn and like our page. If you want to be notified when a live-stream begins, find this past Sunday's worship service and click it. The worship service will begin playing. On the top right hand side as the video is playing, you'll notice the church's name with a picture of a bell to the right. Click that bell to turn on or turn off notifications when we go live. You may also receive a prompt in the bottom left hand corner as the video is playing, asking if you'd like to receive notifications. Either way works!
We invite you to "share" our worship (either as it is live-streamed or after it has been archived) on your Facebook page so that others might have the opportunity to join us.
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November 29th is the First Sunday of Advent and we'll begin a new sermon series inspired by Amy Jill Levine's book, "Light of the World." Small groups are invited to study the book alongside the sermon series. The texts for each Sunday will be:
November 29: Luke 1:5-25, 52-79
December 6: Luke 1:26-56
December 13: Luke 2:1-40
December 20: Matthew 1:18-2:15
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SAGES News
Jane Marie Thibault encourages seniors to consider their “later years” as a gift.
In her book, “A Deeping Love Affair: The Gift of God in Later Life,” she gives four types of responses that older persons can make to this gift.
First, “’Being With’ Prayers.” Just spend time in God’s presence.
Second, “Spiritual Legacy.” We are encouraged to ask ourselves, “What do we want to leave behind for the welfare of all God’s family?”
Third, “Redemptive Suffering.” This is a way to transform an apparently negative life experience into a means by which your own and others’ welfare can be affected in a positive way.
Fourth, “Spiritual Parenthood.” This is a call to work in partnership with Christ to birth in others the awareness of the presence of God in their lives.
Fifth, “Spiritual Community.” One way to alleviate the loneliness of later life and to find comfort and companionship is through community.
Your SAGES Ministry Team feels that these are great suggestions and works every day to help us all to cherish the value of our later years.
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Children have a natural sense of awe, wonder, curiosity and imagination that helps shape their spiritual lives. St. Mark’s offers a Sunday morning children’s experience via Zoom, 9:45 – 10:30 a.m., including spiritual practices, opportunities for reflection, giving children a small space to ask big questions, and helping them claim their spiritual identity as children of God. Check our St. Mark’s UMC Children’s Ministries Facebook page for the Zoom link. See you then!
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St. Mark’s Families and Friends are Invited to
FLICK OR TREAT!
Friday, October 30
5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
Movie on the Lawn! BYO Blank or Chairs
Halloween Treat Bags for the Kids!
Door Prizes – Must Register to Win!
Free Movie Popcorn! Costumes Welcome!
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Support St. Mark’s When You Shop at Kroger and Amazon |
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Did you know that you can support St. Mark’s United Methodist Church just by shopping at Kroger and/or Amazon? All you have to do is link the church to your Kroger Card or Amazon account. Each time you make purchases, they will make a donation to the church at no additional cost to you. Here’s how to do it: |
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CLICK HERE for instructions on setting up Kroger Community Rewards or Amazon Smile.
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If you have any trouble, please call the church office for assistance. |
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You are Invited to Savor a
“BUFFET OF CONVERSATIONS”
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While we cannot gather in person for a shared meal and classes at Wednesday Night Together, this creative online ministry gathers adults who wish to help one another maintain connection to God, to the church, and to one another through a variety of short-term courses and activities.
October offerings include:
• Philippians: led by Revs.Tommy Ward and Martha Touchton (3 Sessions)
Things don't always go the way we intend. It's easy to feel discouraged when what we hope for is badly thwarted, or because life is difficult. Paul, writing to the Philippians from prison, certainly knew what it was like to have plans interrupted. But he maintains confidence in God's power, even when everything seems to be going wrong.
• The Apostle’s Creed – a study led by Sean Gilliland
• Coffee Talk – discussion of current events and topics, led by Butler Touchton
• Fun and Games – Trivia, Jack Box and more led by Beth Morris
REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED!
For more information about participating in or leading a group, contact Rev. Martha Touchton at martha@stmarkstn.org.
“And let us consider each other carefully for the purpose of sparking love and good deeds. Don’t stop meeting together with other believers, which some people have gotten into the habit of doing. Instead, encourage each other, especially as you see the day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:24-25
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Remember Your Loved Ones at St. Mark’s Outdoor Worship Center |
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All Saints Day, observed on the first Sunday of November, offers an opportunity for Christians to remember those believers who have passed on to glory. This year, in addition to our traditional Sunday morning remembrance of those saints who were members of St. Mark’s, you are invited to come and remember your special loved one at a display located at the outdoor worship space across from the Furniture and Scout building.
The display will include draped crosses with the names and photos of all church members who passed since the All Saints Day 2019. You are also welcome to tie a ribbon on the large cross in memory of any additional loved ones are remembering this weekend. Ribbons will be provided or you are welcome to bring your own. Individuals and families are invite to stop by for a time of prayer and remembrance at their convenience Saturday, October 31 or Sunday, November 1.
Our thanks to Mike Warren, Kathy Edwards and Claudia Hunter for creating this display.
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Pray for Our Nation on Election Day |
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With our nation experiencing so much turmoil and division, the election of our nation’s leaders on Tuesday, November 3rd is certainly a cause and opportunity for prayer. St. Mark’s Chapel will be open for any persons who desire a quiet place to pray and rest in God’s presence. Special prayer stations will be set up by members of the congregation for guided prayers.
Masks are required. Please come to the office door for admittance 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m..
Our thanks to Robbie Hooper, Patti Daws, Tammy Walker, Jennifer Marlatt and Martha Touchton for creating this opportunity.
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Habitat Work Days - A Beautiful Gift! |
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“Habitat is helping meet a critical need for affordable housing in our community by building a whole neighborhood. It’s a great way to love our neighbors.” - St. Mark’s member Dale Slagle
More than 30 St. Mark’s men and women of all ages recently volunteered at Habitat for Humanity’s new subdivision, Legacy Pointe, framing up one of the first of 77 homes. In addition to the beautiful weather, everyone enjoyed a great sense of camaraderie, accomplishment, and service to Christ. Meals and snacks were provided by the Pathfinders, Woman to Woman, Dimensions of Faith and Cornerstone Classes. Thanks to everyone who helped make this time of service and mission a blessed experience for all.
Additional Opportunities Available
Work days are available Friday, November 13th, and Saturday, November 21st, 8:00 – 11:30 a.m. and 12:00 – 3:30 p.m. For more information or to volunteer, email meg@megvanpatten.com.
“What a great opportunity to share our faith in helping someone find a home for their family! When you think about how grateful you are to sleep in a warm, comfortable bed each night it lets you better understand what it means to share, even if it is just an hour or two, helping someone else find that blessing in their lives. I’d encourage anyone to give it a try… there is a way all of us can participate. You will be blessed more than you know.”
- St. Mark’s member Bill Brison
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A Habitat for Humanity Fundraiser
Saturday, November 7TH, 11:00 A.M. – 1:30 P.M.
Held on the Historic Murfreesboro Town Square
Featuring “all you can eat” soup and chili from some of the Boro’s best cooks!
Music provided by James Touchton’s Band, “Jodal Bravo.”
*Tickets: $20 – includes admission, a bowl to take home,
Be sure and stop by St. Mark’s booth for a bowl of
Butler Touchton’s award-winning chili!
Purchase tickets prior to event and get in at 10:30 a.m.!
Tickets NOW available at the Habitat ReStore!
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A Church Wide Opportunity |
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Over the past few days, volunteers have been surveying some our senior members at St. Mark’s to see how we can better serve them during the pandemic. Overall, they have been doing ok; but there are certain things we, as a church family, could do better. Our seniors would like to hear more from our St. Mark’s members. They would welcome, letters, cards, notecards, phone calls, drawings from our St. Mark’s children and other acts of kindness. We also found that many of these seniors do not use computers. As a result, they are totally shut-off from our church activities online.
We would like to offer you the opportunity to reach out to them to make them feel more connected to their church family. Please email me (lghinote@comcast.net) or call (615-893-3915) if you would like to participate in this opportunity. With your help, we can connect to a new friend and brighten their day.
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Tuesday, October 27
3:30 p.m. Conversation on Racism via Zoom (Martha Touchton)
6:30 p.m. Cornerstone Zoom (Claudia Sherer)
Wednesday, October 28
6:00 p.m. Buffet of Conversations (Martha Touchton)
Thursday, October 29
7:00 p.m. New Horizons Zoom (Natalie Beckman)
Friday, October 30
5:30 p.m. Flick or Treat Halloween Movie and Fun Night
Saturday October 31
All Saints Memorial at Outdoor Worship Center
Sunday, November 1
8:30 a.m. Worship with Holy Communion and All Saint Memorial
9:45 a.m. Adult Sunday school via Zoom (Tommy Ward)
9:45 a.m. Children’s Celebrate Wonder Zoom (Martha Touchton)
5:00 p.m. Mixed Blessings Zoom (Sherry Galloway)
6:30 p.m. Woman to Woman Zoom (Claudia Hunter)
Tuesday, November 3
8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Election Day Prayer Vigil in the Chapel
3:30 p.m. Conversation on Racism via Zoom (Martha Touchton)
6:30 p.m. Cornerstone Zoom (Claudia Sherer)
Wednesday, November 4
6:00 p.m. Buffet of Conversations (Martha Touchton)
Thursday, November 5
9:00 a.m. Women’s Bible Study “Surrendered”- In Banquet Hall or on Zoom (Patti Daws)
7:00 p.m. New Horizons Zoom (Natalie Beckman)
Saturday, November 7
11:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. – Cookin’ to Build Habitat for Humanity Fundraise on the Square
Sunday, November 8
8:30 a.m. Worship
9:45 a.m. Adult Sunday school via Zoom (Tommy Ward)
9:45 a.m. Children’s Celebrate Wonder Zoom (Martha Touchton)
5:00 p.m. Mixed Blessings Zoom (Sherry Galloway)
6:30 p.m. Woman to Woman Zoom (Claudia Hunter)
Tuesday, November 10
3:30 p.m. Conversation on Racism via Zoom (Martha Touchton)
6:30 p.m. Cornerstone Zoom (Claudia Sherer)
Wednesday, November 11
6:00 p.m. Buffet of Conversations (Martha Touchton)
Thursday, November 12
9:00 a.m. Women’s Bible Study “Surrendered”- In Banquet Hall or on Zoom (Patti Daws)
7:00 p.m. New Horizons Zoom (Natalie Beckman)
Saturday, November 13
8:00 – 3:30 p.m. Habitat for Humanity Work Day at Legacy Pointe
Sunday, November 15
8:30 a.m. Worship
9:45 a.m. Adult Sunday school via Zoom (Tommy Ward)
9:45 a.m. Children’s Celebrate Wonder Zoom (Martha Touchton)
5:00 p.m. Mixed Blessings Zoom (Sherry Galloway)
6:30 p.m. Woman to Woman Zoom (Claudia Hunter)
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In Other News:
Drop Box Now Available - There is now a drop box available at Door 1 of the church (Under the portico by the church offices) where you can safely and securely leave offerings and non-stamped letters/notes for the church.
Missed a Sermon? Click HERE to go to our sermons media page.
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