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Dear Saint Mark Family,
I hope you had a great holiday weekend and a Happy Independence Day.
As I reflect on the freedom we celebrate every July 4th, I ponder what it truly means to be free as Americans, what it means to recognize that every person is created equal by God and has inalienable rights. By now you most likely have heard about the Supreme Court’s ruling that nondiscrimination law cannot be enforced on businesses that offer certain services to the public. This ruling severely undermines laws that are in place to protect the LGBT community and other marginalized groups. The Court’s decision seems a breach of these “inalienable rights,” granting license for persons to discriminate against others under the guise of freedom of expression. My heart breaks for what will happen in the months and years to come because of the opening of such door of malevolence, if the law stays in place. And this is just one of the multiples rulings the Court has made recently that overwhelmingly affects marginalized and vulnerable persons.
I will not lose heart, however, for I know that God is at work in the world, and darkness will never overcome the light. I encourage you not to lose hope.
On a separate note, I want to remind you to mark your calendars for our upcoming church and community BBQ and Backpacks gathering, July 23rd, from 12:20pm – 2:00pm on the terrace. This will be a time of good food, fellowship, and entertainment at no cost. Invite your family and friends, and come on out and let us have a good time. In addition to your lawn chairs and blankets, the only thing you will need to take is a backpack filled with school supplies that will benefit children who are in need. A list of the items needed for the backpack will be in this Sunday’s bulletin. You can also contact the church for the list. If you are not able to make it to the BBQ, you can still donate a backpack. There will be collection bins in the Narthex , Sunday July 16, for you to drop your backpack. You can also order through Amazon Wishlist and have it shipped directly to the church.
Also, starting this Sunday, we will resume our annual summer “Punch on Peachtree” gathering immediately after the 11am. Let us gather on the terrace in front of the sanctuary and fellowship with each other, while welcoming our neighbors.
I want to share with you another opportunity that will be happening here at Saint Mark, during the month of August. Each Wednesday at noon, starting on the 2nd, for 4 weeks, there will be a guided prayer according to Ignatian spirituality, led by our Candler Summer Intern Tabitha Jamal. This will be a opportunity for you to take time to pause from the busyness of the day, and replenish your body, mind, and spirit with a closer walk with Christ. More information will be shared in the bulletin and next week’s Remarks.
Finally, this Sunday we continue our series “God in the Movies,” drawing on the movie “Big Hero 6” and the importance for us as disciples of Jesus Christ not to be overcome by evil, but to overcome evil with good. Below is a link to a clip of the movie:
https://www.google.com/search?q=big+hero+6+on+youtube&oq=big+hero+6+on+youtube&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i22i30l9.10089j1j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:0e4a8b8d,vid:z3biFxZIJOQ
I look forward to seeing you in worship.
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