"The Messenger" Online Newsletter
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What are some words or phrases that you like to hear? "My love," "I love you," "I forgive you," "great sermon," and "Ole Miss wins AGAIN" are some of my favorites.
What are some words or phrases that your family or friends love to hear? "Great job," "I'm proud of you," and "I'd still say 'I do' to you" come to mind as possibilities.
This past Sunday, we focused on Ephesians 4:25-5:2, which challenges followers of Jesus to be kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving and to speak in ways that build others up, not tear them down.
May God grant us the grace to speak such words to the world around us this week.
It is a privilege serving God as one of your clergy.
Tommy
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Follow Us on Facebook and Instagram |
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If you're not using it to read this newsletter, pull out your cell phone right now and follow St. Mark's on Facebook and Instagram. Following us helps get the word out about church news and events and it also boosts our engagement on those platforms.
Need some help? Don't hesitate to contact the church office at 615-893-3455 or just ask a teenager. They can show you what to do!
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Upcoming Sermon Scriptures |
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Here are the texts that our clergy will be preaching from on Sundays over the next four weeks. You're invited to read and reflect on them prior to each week.
August 15: Ephesians 5:15-20
August 22: Ephesians 6:10-20
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Thursday Night Worship Opportunity |
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When our Staff Parish Relations Committee interviewed HyeLan Pearce for our Director of Worship and Music, one of the things that impressed them was that HyeLan is trained in traditional worship and choral conducting but also has experience starting other types of worship experiences as well. We are pleased to announce plans for a new worship opportunity at St. Mark's.
This new worship opportunity will take place on Thursday evenings at 6 pm in the sanctuary. The target audience for the service will be unchurched or nominally churched people in our community. Leading us in worship, in addition to our clergy, will be our Proclaim Praise Team. If you've been worshiping with us on Sunday mornings over the past year, you've been introduced to this praise team's amazing talent.
As we prepare for this new worship experience, we need your help. We'd like for some of our St. Mark's family to come participate in our "soft opening" services and then provide us with some feedback afterwards. We'll take that feedback and make whatever changes might need to be made before we begin advertising and promoting this new worship experience to the community.
Would you, your family, your Sunday School class, or small group be willing to attend our "soft opening" services on Thursdays at 6 pm and then give us your thoughts? Dress is casual. Feel free to invite others, especially any unchurched friends you may have.
Thank you for your help in fine-tuning this future ministry designed to reach more people in our community with the good news of God's love
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SAGES News
The SAGES will be going to the Bell Buckle Café on Wednesday, August 18, for lunch. The bus will leave the church at 10:30. If you would like to go, please sign up in the church office.
On September 8 the bus will leave the church at 8:00 A.M. going to the Mid-Way Diner in Deason, Tennessee, for breakfast. Please sign up in the church office to reserve a seat on the bus.
Some of the SAGES’ activities include: Celebration of 90th birthdays with cake and fellowship; sending of birthday cards; repurposing and distribution of altar flowers; recognition of Senior Day at church; Senior Cookout; Christmas at Beersheba; Face to Face event; visitations; calls; retirement facility worship services; Dementia-Alzheimer’s Support Group. There are many other Sages ministries which will be highlighted here from time to time.
Noel Hinote, Co-chair of the SAGES Ministries Team, will represent St. Mark’s at the meeting of Encore Ministry on Thursday of this week.
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Children’s Christian Education
Children have a natural sense of awe, wonder, curiosity and imagination that helps shape their spiritual lives. In Celebrate Wonder, we hear and reflect on God’s Word, experience spiritual practices, play games, ask big questions, and help each other claim our spiritual identity as children of God.
We are excited to have all the children back to indoor Sunday school! These classes begin at 9:45 a.m.:
• Preschool (Age 2 – Age 5/Pre-K) – Room 305
Leaders: Trish Clardy, Leta Hood, Matt Rogers, Lane Marlatt, Cassie Cochran
• Elementary (Kindergarten – 5) Room 212
Leaders: Pam Forrest, Eudora Hargis, Dana Harvey, Bobbie Damron, Tracy Read, John Wilson, Sean Gilliland
Note: All Elementary classes will meet together for the next four Sundays as we transition into a new structure and curriculum in September.
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Gold Medal Thank Yous!
Thanks to all the children and families who participated in St. Mark’s Back to School Olympic Games, as well as Sweet’s Treats, SpaceWalk and the Murfreesboro Fire Department. Thanks to Pam Forrest, Grace Holt, Sean Orr and our youth and adult helpers for helping make it all happen.
May we all be champions for Christ!
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COMING THIS FALL!
Wish you understood more of the Bible, or got “the big picture” of God’s word a little better? DISCIPLE is one of the best, most comprehensive Bible studies available to today’s Christians. This in-depth, 24-week study focuses on spiritual transformation and discipleship, not just the mastering of information. DISCIPLE groups prepare individually during the week, then meet weekly to grow and learn as a community of faith. DISCIPLE is life-changing and faith-growing!
This course will cover the Old Testament in the Fall and the New Testament in the Spring. Participants read 3-5 chapters of the Bible daily in preparation for the weekly meetings. In addition to St. Mark’s members, this DISCIPLE I class will include student leadership and participants from the MTSU Wesley Foundation. Manual cost $25/person, scholarships available.
Sundays, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Beginning September 12 in St. Mark’s Room 405
led by Beth Morris and Andi Barker
To register or for more information,
“If you make my Word your home, you will indeed be my disciples.”
- John 8:31, New Jerusalem Bible
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Summer is over and we are finally into the school year! That seems like it should not be happening already.....
This week is our Fall Kickoff! What does Fall Kickoff mean? It means that at 4:30 we will be having our Student/Parent Meeting and at 5:00 p.m. we will be having our first Sunday Night Youth of the Fall Calendar! Starting at 5:00 p.m. we will have time to hang out and have some time of fellowship before we have worship and get to hear about what this Fall is going to hold for our Student Ministry and then we will close at 7:00 p.m.!
This week will be an incredible opportunity for our students to bring a friend to have fun and to worship with one another in our youth space. (Side note, this will be our first time to worship in this space since March of 2020, I AM SO EXCITED!) Parent's please feel free to come and spend the evening with us, have a bite to eat, and worship with our students. It is going to be an incredible evening!
UPCOMING YOUTH CALENDAR!
- Sunday School (8/15)
- 6-8th grade will begin their Confirmation Journey in the banquet hall!
- 9-12th grade will be in the youth room!
- 9:45-10:45 a.m.
- Sunday Night Youth (8/15)
- Meet back in the youth room!
- 4:30 Student/Parent Meeting!
- Kickoff, 5:00-7:00 p.m.
- BRING A FRIEND AND GET READY FOR SOME AWESOME FREE FOOD!
- Sunday School (8/22)
- 6-8th grade will begin their Confirmation Journey in the banquet hall!
- 9-12th grade will be in the youth room!
- 9:45-10:45 a.m.
- Sunday Night Youth (8/22)
- 5-7:00 p.m.
- Small Groups and Worship!
- BRING A FRIEND!
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Lend a Hand with Habitat for Humanity Neighborhood Build |
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Any day is a GREAT DAY to build affordable homes in Rutherford County! Legacy Pointe is a 77-home subdivision just around the corner from St. Mark’s, and you are invited to help build it! St. Mark’s is a BluePrint Sponsor for two houses this fall, one for Desmond his children and one for Lecia.
We are blessed to have opportunities to help in this Habitat neighborhood. Volunteers have the option of working one or two shifts per day. When you respond, please indicate which day or days you would like to work and whether you prefer the morning shift (8:00 - 11:30 a.m.), afternoon shift (12:00 - 3:30 p.m.), or both. Volunteers are asked to respond by Monday, September 6th.
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September Opportunities
September 9th (Thursday)
September 10th (Friday)
September 11th (Saturday)
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Wednesday Night Together is one of the most social happenings in the life of our church, with people talking and hugging as they wait in line for dinner, going through a serving line, eating dinner around the tables, and then going into various small groups for learning and interaction. Unfortunately, the close contact we enjoy at WNT puts us all at greater risk for spreading COVID to one another, our friends and our co-workers.
In the family of God, we belong to one another, and moral leadership requires making decisions for the good of the whole. Therefore, upon the advice of our church physicians, and due to the very social nature of Wednesday Night Together and the current surge we are experiencing in COVID cases in our community, we have made the difficult decision to wait to begin Wednesday Night Together until after this surge has subsided and cases are decreasing rather than increasing.
In the mean time, we encourage everyone to take good care of themselves and one another, get vaccinated if you haven’t already done so, and wear masks when around others, so COVID and its delta variant can be on its way and out of ours very quickly.
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Wednesday, August 11, 2021
7:00 p.m. Chancel Choir - Sanctuary
Thursday, August 12, 2021
10:30 a.m. Knitting - RM 503/505
6:00 p.m. Soul-Full Worship - Sanctuary
6:30 p.m. ACOA Meeting - RM 503/505
Friday, August 13, 2021
6:00 p.m. Pickle Ball - Rec Center
Saturday, August 14, 2021
8:30 a.m. AA Group - RM 503/505
Sunday, August 15, 2021
8:30 a.m. Worship - Sanctuary
9:45 a.m. Christian Education
11:00 a.m. Worship - Sanctuary
12:00 p.m. Church Council - Banquet Room
4:00 p.m. AA Group - RM 503/505
5:00 p.m. Youth - Rec Center/Youth Center
Monday, August 16, 2021
10:00 a.m. Watercolor Class - Banquet Room
12:30 p.m. Watercolor Class - Banquet Room
6:00 p.m. Finance Meeting - Banquet Room
Tuesday, August 17, 2021
8:00 p.m. Young Adult Volleyball - Rec Center
Wednesday, August 18, 2021
8:00 a.m. SAGES to Bell Buckle
7:00 p.m. Chancel Choir - Sanctuary
Thursday, August 19, 2021
10:30 a.m. Knitting - RM 503/505
6:30 p.m. ACOA Meeting - RM 503/505
Friday, August 20, 2021
6:00 p.m. Pickle Ball - Rec Center
Saturday, August 21, 2021
8:30 a.m. AA Group - RM 503/505
Sunday, August 22, 2021
8:30 a.m. Worship - Sanctuary
9:45 a.m. Christian Education
11:00 a.m. Worship - Sanctuary
4:00 p.m. AA Group - RM 503/505
5:00 p.m. Youth - Rec Center/Youth Center
Monday, August 23, 2021
10:00 a.m. Watercolor Class - Banquet Room
12:30 p.m. Watercolor Class - Banquet Room
Tuesday, August 24, 2021
6:00 p.m. Woodworkers - Banquet Room
8:00 p.m. Young Adult Volleyball - Rec Center
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In Other News:
The St. Mark’s Furniture Ministry is now open. Anyone who is wishing to donate furniture can do so by calling or texting the furniture telephone at (615)707-3166; photos of furniture will be requested. We will not be accepting any furniture “drop-offs” at the warehouse unless prior arrangements have been made with Karen Alexander or Paul Givens.
Missed a Sermon? Click HERE to go to our sermons media page.
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