Weekly Newsletter | September 27, 2022 | |
Sunday Morning Worship
We gather in person each Sunday at 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 a.m. in our sanctuary.
Also, please remember that we will continue to offer an online worship service every Sunday at 10 a.m. As in the past, this will be a livestreamed on our Facebook page and also available on our St. Mark's website.
Share prayer requests with us by sending them to prayers@smlutheran.org. If you would like us to include them in the Prayers of the Church during Sunday worship, please make note of that.
For recordings of the Bible study, sermons, matins, and more, please check out our podcasts on Podbean. You’ll be able to connect with Apple Music, Spotify, and more on the podbean website.
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Join us for dinner this week on Wednesday night from 5-6:30 p.m. Suggested donation of $5. Guest chefs Mark and Adam Gaimster will be preparing dinner. | |
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Mark your calendar for the Bazaar on November 5!
The annual Women of St. Mark's holiday Bazaar is definitely happening and happening in-person this year! We couldn't be more excited! This sale of crafts and baked goods will take place on Saturday, November 5th with additional sales to the congregation on the morning of Sunday, November 6th. Look out for more information as we get closer to the event date!
If you have not done so already but are interested in volunteering by donating home-made items, preparing lunch, or otherwise helping with the bazaar, please contact Julie Milasich (jldennis@hotmail.com or Kirsti Ruud (ruudest@gmail.com)!
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LWR Quilting Group
We would love to have you join the LWR Quilting Group that meets weekly on Monday mornings in the Parish Commons from 9:00-11:00 a.m. The quilts we create are shipped twice a year to Lutheran World Relief for distribution all over the world where earthquakes, fires, natural disasters, and other times of crises happen. LWR is on the ground quickly getting supplies to people in need. NO sewing/quilting skills are necessary. We always need fabric to be cut, quilt tops to be assembled and tied. IF you are handy at a sewing machine we have squares to be sewn into tops. This is a warm and friendly group who work together to share God's love around the globe. Quilters are in need of non-white, gently used sheets to be used for the backs of quilts.
All sizes and colors are welcome. If you are interested, please call or email Linda in the church office. 253-752-4966/linda.mckeller@smlutheran.org.
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Mexico Mission Trip 2023 – Save the Date! | |
We are pleased to announce that after a multi-year COVID-induced hiatus, St. Mark’s is planning to once again travel to Tijuana, Mexico, July 1-7, 2023 to partner with Lutheran Border Concerns in their small house-building ministry. Look for interest meetings and additional information after the New Year! Questions? Feel free to talk to Melanie Summerour, Sarah Moore Sherry, or Teresa Handy. | |
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The Shalom Project
[The Shalom Project is a collaboration between St. Mark’s and Peace Lutheran Church on Hilltop. Together we seek concrete ways to work for economic, social, and racial wholeness (“shalom”), with a special focus on climate justice.]
The summer offered something of a hiatus: The housing project was moving ahead on planning and regulatory levels, and the tree-planting project needed to wait for cooler, moister fall weather. Now with fall, we’re ready to resume!
Housing: In late July, Peace Lutheran approved the first small housing build (DADU) behind one of their existing rental homes, for an estimated $213,000. The permitting process is underway, financing is proceeding apace, and construction will begin shortly. Peace will be looking to St. Mark’s partners in the later phases of the build: helping with site clean-up, with landscaping, and with interior painting. In addition, St. Mark’s is working on a proposal to put solar panels both on our St. Mark’s building (in several phases) and on the Peace DADU builds – a proposal now working its way through our Creation Care Alliance and our council.
Trees: St. Mark’s and Peace are teaming up with the Tacoma Tree Foundation, hoping to host a giveaway of 500 fruit and shade trees for the Hilltop and other communities, as a crucial step in seeking climate justice for all. We’re currently looking to secure funding together, and we envision an event this fall for giving trees and helping to plant them. Interested? Watch this space.
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Children, Youth, and Family Faith Formation
Children and Youth at St. Mark's: We are ready for you!
1st Sunday Family Worship is starting back up for the fall! This is a great time for children, youth, and grownups to attend worship together at whatever service works best for you. However a children's sermon and some special music will be a part of the 9:45 a.m. service, geared toward children and youth.
Classes are back for children 3 years old to 12th grade.
Schedule for October-December:
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Oct. 2, Nov. 6, and Dec. 4--1st Sunday Family Worship dates, not Sunday AM classes for children and youth.
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Oct. 9, 16, 23, and 30, Nov. 13 and 20, Dec. 11 and 18-- Regular Class
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Nov. 27--Advent Event in Parish Commons 9:45-11:30 a.m.
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Dec. 25--Christmas Day no classes
PreK Welcome to Sunday School Milestone Event--Rescheduled! 3 & 4 year olds and their adults are invited to a Welcome to Sunday School Milestone and Marker event on Sunday, October 9, at 9:45 a.m. in their classroom. This time will include some instruction and conversation on the goal of Sunday school for this age group, a fun, hands-on activity, and the presentation of a Bible--just the right age for your child. We look forward to seeing you there with your child!
Confirmation/Affirmation of Baptism
- 9th grade mini-Retreat–Saturday, October 1. We will leave St. Mark's at 9:30 a.m. and return by 3:30 p.m. that day. See email from Ingelaurie for what to bring, etc.
- Celebration Brunch-Saturday, October 29, 10-11:30 a.m. All students and parents who were confirmed in 2020, 2021, and will be confirmed in 2022 are invited to join in. Invitations and RSVP link coming soon.
- Affirmation of Baptism Service Sunday, October 30, at 11:00 a.m.
Thursday Nights for youth-starting Sept. 22
- Youth Group for youth grades 6-12th runs from 5:30-6:30 p.m. the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month. 2022 Youth Group dates: 10/6 & 20; 11/3 & 17; 12/1 & 15.
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Youth Choir 6:30-7:30 p.m. with Cooper begins Thursday, October 6.
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Youth Marimbas 7:30-8:30 p.m. with Jeff--happening now!
The Well for high school students begins Sunday, November 13, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Be on the lookout for the location coming soon.
Nursery/Childcare
- The church nursery is open on Sunday mornings from 8:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. for children up to age 4.
- And Wednesday evenings for children up through age 5.
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Youth...The sign up sheet for nursery hours is here.
- Please sign up to work so we can serve our littlest children.
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Adult Faith Formation
Young adults, join us at Peaks and Pints on Tuesday, October 4, at 7:30 p.m. for pub theology. Andrew Larsen will be hosting our evening together.
Forum on Sunday, October 2, at 9:45 a.m. in the Parish classroom:
Keah Calluccie will be joining us to lead a forum on environmental justice. Keah joined Earth Ministry/WAIPL in 2021 as the Multifaith Outreach Coordinator. With a history of work in museums, non-profits, and universities, she is excited to bring her experiences into the realm of environmental justice and advocacy with communities of faith. Keah has a Master of Arts in International Studies: Comparative Religion from the University of Washington where she studied the relationships between late antique science within Jewish and Christian communities of the Near East and Mediterranean. In her free time, Keah loves to read and make candles.
Midweek Renewal: As part of our Midweek Renewal Series Deacon Ingelaurie Lisher will be leading a conversation on the book, No Cure For Being Human by Professor Kate Bowler; here is an excerpt from the book:"It’s hard to give up on the feeling that the life you really want is just out of reach. A beach body by summer. A trip to Disneyland around the corner. A promotion on the horizon. Everyone wants to believe that they are headed toward good, better, best. But what happens when the life you hoped for is put on hold indefinitely?" Discussion on this book will be held: September 21-October 12. To purchase the book go here or check it out in your local library.
Bible study: Meets Wednesdays at noon.
Wednesday, 9:30 a.m. Morning Bible Study has resumed with our study of Joy, a study of Philippians. We begin arriving at 9:15 a.m. for coffee and visiting in the upper fireside room. We are a welcoming group, who enjoy sharing questions and insights. Join us! For information: Linda Durant, (253) 363-8202, hotdouug@centurylink.net.
Fully Alive Bible Study meets Tuesdays at 5:00 p.m. (Please note the earlier start time.) This fall we will be reading and studying the Book of Matthew and discovering how it fits into the Old Testament Jewish culture. We hope to see you there! If you have questions, you can contact Sherry Maiura at 253-549-4222.
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Living Well through Grief and Loss-Wednesday, 9/28,10/5, and 10/12. Meets at 6:15 p.m. in the Fireside room.
Caregiver support group-Friday 10/7, 10/21.
Meets at 10:30 a.m. in the Fireside room.
For more information on support groups and congregational care contact sigi.helgeson@smlutheran.org.
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August 2022 – General Ministry Fund Financial Update | |
Offerings for August were $14,235 below budget ($66,616 versus budgeted offerings of $80,851). For the first two months of our new fiscal year, offerings are $18,539 below budget ($141,679 versus budgeted offerings of $160,218). This puts us $11,143 (7.3%) below our actual offerings thru the first two months of last fiscal year.
Expenses for August were $4,407 below budget (spending $89,026 versus budgeted expenses of $93,433). Staff Expenses were under budget by $5,355, mostly due to our new Director of Finance and Operations not yet being onboard. Non-Staff expenses were $948 over budget for the month. For the fiscal year-to-date, total expenses are under budget by $11,324 (spending $172,549 versus budgeted expenses of $183,873). Virtually all the fiscal year-to-date savings are in Staff expenses, again reflecting the open DFO position. It’s important to note, of course, that these significant savings in Staff expenses will only continue until our new DFO comes onboard at the beginning of October.
The bottom line for August is that we spent $21,820 more than we brought in, versus our projection to spend $12,165 more than we brought in. This put us $9,655 below budget for the month. For the fiscal year-to-date, we’ve spent $29,719 more than we’ve brought in, versus our projection to spend $22,821 more than we brought in. This puts us $6,898 below our “bottom line” budget year-to-date.
Please feel free to contact Mike McKeller in the church office with any questions. Thank you.
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The Merzayee Family is Moving! Assistance Needed for Repairs of Their New Home
St. Mark's has sponsored the Merzayee family from Afghanistan since they arrived in Tacoma as refugees early this year. Since then, they have had a baby, two of the children have enrolled in school and the father, Rohullah, has taken a job as a security guard while also looking to utilize his Commercial Driver's License training. They have been living in an apartment off Pearl St., but now they have the opportunity to move into a rental house in University Place at a reduced rental rate. Before they can move in, the home they will be renting needs some work. If you are available to do yard work, drywall, painting and/or cleaning, please consider joining the work party. It will take place on Saturday, October 1, from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. (or whenever people need to leave). Food, drink, and all supplies will be provided. The address is 8517 36th St. W, University Place, WA 98466. Some projects may take more time. if you have interest in helping on October 1 or after, please let Amanda know by replying to Amanda Minnis @ 253-226-5492 or Amanda.minnis@gmail.com.
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They did it again...On last Saturday, September 24, in about 2.5 hours, 10 volunteers prepared 323 meals for Nativity House guests. Thanks to all who helped! Since the beginning of the year, we've prepared almost 5,000 meals total.
Nativity House Meal Money
St. Mark's has been serving meals to Nativity House guests on a monthly basis since 2003. Thanks to an Endowment Committee grant, St. Mark's began preparing a 2nd monthly meal (300 additional meals) to help close the gap on an urgent need. The 2nd meal funding runs through October's meal. To continue serving the 2nd meal beyond October and through the end of fiscal year 2023 (June, 2023), the ministry needs an additional $5,200 in donations. Did you know that you can help with Nativity House meal money? You can make a designated contribution to the Nativity House 2nd monthly meal, and it will cover the meal ingredients costs. Some suggested contribution levels:
* $2.25: one Nativity House sack meal
* $27: one box of sack meals (12 meals)
* $650: one month's meal ingredients
* your choice: any amount helps!
Upcoming events:
* October 6 (Thu): 11:00 a.m., 2nd Saturday meal preparation (for October 8), St. Mark's narthex
* flexible times/locations: remote volunteer activities, including bulk ingredients shopping and sack meal preparation (note: sack lunch meal kits available for easier meal preparation)
If you'd like to find out more about Nativity House and related activities or get involved, you can find more information at the St. Mark's Nativity House ministry website. Or contact Melanie Summerour (melaniesummerour@gmail.com) or Peter Postovoit (p.postovoit@gmail.com) if you have other questions.
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St. Mark's Lutheran Church by The Narrows
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