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Dear Saint Mark Family,
I pray you have had a good week and are doing well.
As you know, I should have left on Tuesday with members and friends of Saint Mark, for a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, but our trip was canceled because of the war.
Thank you for the expressed concerns and prayers for safety that many of you texted and emailed when the news broke about the war, along with the hugs and kind words shared in the past few days. As I have shared with many persons, the value of the lives lost far outweighs a pilgrimage. I am thankful that we are here, and we are safe.
Earlier this week, I had a grounding and heartfelt conversation with a member, who expressed what so many have shared about the pain and anger they felt when they heard the stories of the atrocities and heinous acts done to the people and families in Israel. Coupled with the pain and anger, he had a genuine concern about the impact the retaliation will have on the innocent and vulnerable people who live in Gaza – the babies, children, and the elderly. Concern, pain, and anger held in tension. And that is okay!
As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are called to resist evil and to pray for those who are hurting and those in harm’s way. I invite you to pray with me for the families of those who have been killed and injured on both sides. Pray for the freedom from warfare and violence, for the end of the current crisis and its causes that are happening in the region, and for peace-orchestrated interventions that will lead to a permanent ceasefire on all sides. As you go through the days ahead take the time to pray.
On another note, I shared last week that we working through the questions that we received in the listening sessions and will post the responses in the Remarks and other information platforms, including my senior pastor note.
One of the questions asked is “What is Pastor Carolyn’s vision for Saint Mark, for the next two weeks, the next two months, and going forward?”
Let me begin by saying Saint Mark already had a vision before I arrived last year. A good one, too! It is a vision that was created by your lay leaders with the help of a consultant. It is “To build an inclusive community that will serve as a vibrant center for spiritual growth and social change.” If you click on the this link it will show the broader vision, core values, and primary priorities of our congregation.
My responsibility as your pastor is to shepherd and lead you, and equip you to do the work of ministry, so you can live out this vision. I will continue doing this responsibility through discipleship, through outreach and service, and through connecting with our community. As we continue working and moving forward in these areas of ministry, we will see the results in our individual lives, as a community of faith, and in our Midtown community and beyond.
Looking over the past year, I see the continued practice of worship, Bible and Book studies, Sunday School classes, fasting, small group discussions, prayer walks, and other forms of spiritual disciplines that have been helpful to our growth as disciples of Jesus Christ.
We have continued to serve our unhoused and food insecure neighbors, distribute clothing to our guests, and attend to the needs of the less fortunate. We have done service projects in our Midtown community and beyond, had outreach events in our neighborhood, and welcomed our neighbors to Saint Mark.
In the past 10 months, we have welcomed 15 new members in the life of our church, including young adults, and have had a number of new guests, who have become regular worshipers. We will be receiving 5 new members in November and will be baptizing our first baby this year. We have created opportunities for fellowshipping with each other beyond the worship experience, and have scheduled other such opportunities throughout the rest of the year and into the coming year.
As was shared in one of the listening sessions, we are currently in conversation with a major non-profit organization that specifically works to help members of the LGBTQ community who are HIV positive, or are struggling with addiction, for the possibility of partnership, so there can be a greater reach and impact on saving lives in the Midtown community.
These are just some of the things we have been doing and will continue to do, along with other efforts to live into the vision of the congregation. It will require the prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness of every member of Saint Mark to make our vision come to fruition, so we can bring about life-change, both within our congregation and in our community. I pray every member will commit to be “all in” so it will become a reality.
Finally, this Sunday will be Pride Sunday, and we will have a major celebration for worship. Come on out, invite your family and friends to join in the celebration. Reverend Beth LaRocca-Pitts and Reverend Jimmy Moore will be our guests clergy. There will be great music, great fellowship, great food, and great experience.
Please remember there will be only one service at 10:00am. I look forward to seeing you there, worshiping God together, and celebrating with you.
See you Sunday.
God’s goodness and love,
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