The Remarks

Wednesday, February 15, 2023

Mid-Week Retreats

Please join us each Wednesday for food, fun, and fellowship.

5:00 pm | "Celebration of Discipline" Book Study | Room 111

5:30 pm | Wednesday Night Fellowship Supper | Wade Hall

6:30 pm | Vespers | Room 209 

6:30 pm | "Jesus and the Disinherited" Book Study | Room 205

6:45 pm | Handbells Choir Rehearsal | Music Area | 3rd Floor Education Building

7:30 pm | Chancel Choir Rehearsal | Choir Room | 3rd Floor Education Building 

Sunday, February 19, 2023

Transfiguration Sunday

(Re)Building a Legacy: Celebrating the Results

Nehemiah 8:5-12

Rev. Carolyn Stephens, Preaching

Make Your Mark with Mayor Andre' Dickens

"Make Your Mark" Day is back - and this one is extra special because Mayor Andre' Dickens will kick off our Make Your Mark this Saturday!

Join us this Saturday, February 18th from 9 am – 1 pm as we gather to spruce up our space while enjoying time together. There will be projects for ages 8+ and all physical abilities.

Arrive for breakfast around 8:45 and start making your mark from 9 am to 1 pm, with lunch provided. You will still have time to enjoy your weekend as well as have some fun with your Saint Mark family. 

Sign up and share your project passion via this link:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Feb18-Park-MakeYourMarkDay

FreshPoint Shares Community Service with Saint Mark

Beginning last summer, FreshPoint, a leading North American produce distributor, has donated fresh fruit each week to Breakfast and Supper Clubs. Daniel Shurack, a buyer with FreshPoint Atlanta, initiated this project with Joel Fechter, second Saturday captain, to provide fresh fruit each Saturday and Tuesday for our food ministry members and guests. This past Saturday a great team of volunteers from FreshPoint helped prepare and serve breakfast. We are so appreciative of these volunteers and so thankful for FreshPoint's generous gift of fruit each week of the year.

Holy Land Information Session

We will have an information session after the 11 AM service this Sunday, February 19, 2023 in Wade Hall. Please join us along with the Rev. Dr. Jamie Jenkins. For more information and to download flyer, click here.

Ash Wednesday

Wednesday, February 22, 2023 | Noon & 7:00 pm

Mark your calendars to attend one of our two Ash Wednesday services (noon or 7:00pm) on Wednesday, February 22, 2023.

If you are unable to attend but still would like to receive the imposition of ashes on Ash Wednesday, Rev. Jess will be outside on the front steps of the church from 7:30 - 9:30 am and Pastor Carolyn will be at the Dunkin Donuts at Peachtree and 7th Streets from 7:30 - 9:30 am.

What is Milk Money?

During the season of Lent, many Christians reverently engage in practices that anchor them deeper in their faith. Some choose to let go of certain habits they do throughout the year, so they can take on others that enrich their lives more fully. Some persons have let go of drinking coffee or eating pastries, some have let go of going to the movies or shopping online for nonessential items, and they give the funds they would have used for coffee, sweets, movies, or nonessential items to missions or another ministry that positively impacts the lives of others.

For Lent 2023, I am inviting Saint Mark to participate in this Lenten exercise. We invite you to let go of a habit you would have done regularly throughout the week, and for each time you would have engaged in that habit make a donation equivalent to what it would have cost you. For example, if you would have purchased a latte/mocha cappuccino in the morning, let go of the ingrained habit. Instead, commit the amount you would have paid for it to mission/ministry. The same if you would have gone to the movies, or eating sweets.

There are cartons labeled “Milk Money” that will be distributed during worship February 26 and March 5, in which you can put the funds you would have used. If you are like me and rarely use cash, you can make a note of the amount you would have spent, and put it in the carton, so you can tally the amount in full later and submit the funds. You can even give online, labeling your gift as “milk money.” We will be collecting the cartons in worship Easter morning. We will pray over them and give them directly to the designated areas of mission.

I will be doing mine. I hope you will join in and do yours, also.

Pastor Carolyn

“I tell you the truth,

whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine,

you did for me.”

Matthew 25:40

"My name is Pauli Murray"

Documentary

Black Herstory Focus

February 19:

• Part Two – Pauli Murray Documentary – Wade Hall – 9:40-10:30 am

February 26:

• Presentation/Discussion - Rosita Stevens-Holsey author and niece of Pauli Murray
• Book signing immediately following 11:00 am worship Interactions Classroom

Social Justice Corner

So exactly what is critical race theory?

by Craig Pigg

In recent times, many politicians have decried the “dangers” of teaching Critical Race Theory in our public schools. State legislatures, including Georgia, have passed laws prohibiting such education as “divisive” and making students “uncomfortable.”

So exactly what is critical race theory?

“Critical race theory (CRT) [is an] intellectual and social movement and loosely organized framework of legal analysis based on the premise that race is not a natural, biologically grounded feature of physically distinct subgroups of human beings but a socially constructed (culturally invented) category that is used to oppress and exploit people of color. Critical race theorists hold that racism is inherent in the law and legal institutions of the United States insofar as they function to create and maintain social, economic, and political inequalities between whites and nonwhites, especially African Americans. Critical race theorists are generally dedicated to applying their understanding of the institutional or structural nature of racism to the concrete (if distant) goal of eliminating all race-based and other unjust hierarchies.”

In a nutshell, CRT aims to set the record straight on our history (vs. a sanitized narrative of it), not to denigrate the good that has been done, but to show where it has failed to be done--and to do this as a way to advance the nation's value of "liberty and justice for all" and its stated commitment to enhance the common good.

CRT per se is an academic theory taught only in graduate programs, not in public secondary schools. In our view, talk of CRT and “divisive theories” is basically a smokescreen for prohibiting a frank and accurate discussion of race and its impact on American history and the present-day culture. Efforts to “ban CRT” in public schools are usually smokescreens to prohibit frank discussions of race—past and present.

A nation improves itself by insight, not ignorance. Good education is not designed to teach what we would prefer to know, but rather what we need to know. Education is intentionally expansive, otherwise it is indoctrination.

In our opinion, the decision to ban CRT (and frank discussions of the impact of race on American history and society) is a denial of truth (through caricature) and a deformation of education (through sanitizing). We learn best when we know most, and we make constructive decisions when we know the whole story. When this does not occur, we become what Jesus described as "the blind leading the blind," and as he went on to say, everyone ends up in the ditch (Luke 6:39). The banning of frank discussions of race is another confirmation of Jesus's reminder that there are those who prefer darkness to light because their deeds are evil (John 3:19-20). [3]

One of our UMC deacon sisters, Christinah Kwaramba, reminds us, “What is important is the human condition”; empathy for persons suffering should guide our response. Listening deeply to others is a profound act of love. These are words of faith that we at Saint Mark should make part of the fabric of our daily lives. 

Drawn from: 

https://www.britannica.com/topic/critical-race-theory/Basic-tenets-of-critical-race-theory

https://um-insight.net/perspectives/operation-clean-sweep/

https://um-insight.net/in-the-world/advocating-justice/who%E2%80%99s-afraid-of-critical-race-theory/

Prayer requests will remain on the list for four weeks before rotating off. To make sure your friends and/or loved ones remain on the prayer list, to share a new prayer request and/or a joy or celebration, please email Sheila Stephens at sstephens@stmarkumc.org or note it on our online Connection card during Sunday Morning Worship or on the prayer request cards in the pews.

If you wish to be removed from the prayer list, please email either Sheila Stephens at sstephens@stmarkumc.org or Robert Gilleo at rjgilleo@stmarkumc.org. Thank you.

To contact us after hours in case of an emergency, call 1-800-673-0411.

Carol's Recovery Buddies

The great news is that our dear Carol had a very successful spine surgery last Wednesday, February 1st. Now, she and Belva need our help and company to prepare healthy meals and visit Carol during the week.

Carol needs some assistance walking around the house and is wanting our company. Carol and Belva also covet our help with small household tasks like loading and unloading the dishwasher and perhaps the occasional load of laundry. As the weather warms, Carol will need company to take short walks outside.

Thank you for taking this great opportunity to love our friends, Belva and Carol, in this time of recovery! Sign up here to support our dear friends Carol and Belva. https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/2n6ze5

Disciple I Fast Track Bible Study

Do you feel you want to know more about the Bible? Do you feel you need to strengthen your spiritual walk?  But, do you feel you are time constrained? If God is nudging you, God will help you find the time for Disciple I Fast Track Bible Study. Only twelve weeks (remote or in person) this spring with 15-30 minutes of daily Bible reading and a weekly meeting…with another 12 weeks in the fall. It is designed for busy people like you. The book for the first session is $17 and scholarships are available. There will be 5 class times offered beginning the first week of lent with different leaders for each class...

• Sunday morning from 9:45 till 10:45
• Sunday evening from 6:00 till 7:30…in person
• Sunday evening from 6:00 till 7:30…virtual
• Wednesday afternoon from 3:30 till 5:00
• Wednesday evening from 6:30 till 8:00

 ^“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” 2 Timothy 3:16-17

You may sign up online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SMUMCDisciple. 

For more information contact Paul Winslow at 757-646-3278 (call or text) or via email at plwinslow3@gmail.com.

Please join us! If God is nudging you, it may change your life!

Paul Winslow on how Disciple Bible Study changed his life.

https://vimeo.com/796834371/ecabe0a268

Sunday Morning 11 AM Service Volunteer Opportunities

We are looking for volunteers to help lead and serve during our Sunday 11 AM service. 

Communion Servers

This important ministry always needs additional persons. We are in need of persons who will serve alongside the clergy team. Training will be provided.

Worship Liturgists

We are seeking persons to participate in serving as liturgists in worship, for the reading of the Scripture lessons. Training will be available.

Soundboard Volunteers

We need volunteers to run the soundboard on Sunday mornings. Training provided.

To sign up for any of the above,

please contact Robert Gilleo at RJGilleo@stmarkumc.org.

"LOVE" Greeting Cards

The Children's Ministry sent out "Love" greeting cards on Valentine's Day to folks whose names appeared on last week's prayer list.

Your Tithes and Offerings

Text to Give

Saint Mark’s assigned number for text donations is 844-703-1444 and the keyword is 'operating'. To give via text, text the word ‘operating’, a space, and the amount you would like to give. For example, to give $25, text 844-703-1444 operating 25.

SecureGive

Follow the prompts to sign in to your existing account (or to create a new account) with SecureGive. For assistance, contact Deana Hilton in the church office (404-873-2636). Secure online contribution

Gift to Saint Mark

John Flatt gave a gift to Saint Mark in memory of Chris Fletcher.

Children's Ministry Fund Raising Project

Help support the Children's Ministry by purchasing one of these limited edition ball caps for $25. See Sheila Stephens or email here at sstephens@stmarkumc.org. Quantities are limited.

Weekly sermons (audio only)

are available on Saint Mark's Podcast channel 

https://stmarkumc.church/Podcast

The Remarks is a weekly publication of Saint Mark United Methodist Church, Atlanta, Georgia.

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