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Dear Saint Mark Family,
I pray you are doing well, and are observing a Holy Lent.
I am pleased to share, as was published in the Remarks on Wednesday, that we have been designated as a Lighthouse Congregation by the North Georgia Conference of the UMC. It was exciting to receive the email from the conference office earlier this week, advising me that we are the newest congregation with this designation.
Lighthouse Congregations are United Methodist Churches that are particularly equipped to welcome individuals or groups whose churches have closed or disaffiliated. These designated United Methodist faith communities will serve as a welcoming, resting place for persons who have been displaced, with people who will care for them and provide a refuge of peace and grace. As a Lighthouse Congregation, we are committed to being available and present to anyone who is in need of a place to worship and practice their faith.
This Sunday will be our monthly Church Council meeting, starting at 12:30pm in Room 111 of the Education Building. As a reminder, all church members are welcome to attend these meetings, except for the executive portion, which is held in closed session. The executive session is usually done toward the end of the meeting, but there will be an exception this Sunday, where it will be at the start of the meeting, and should last for approximately 30 minutes.
The meetings are scheduled on the third Sunday of each month, except for cases where there is a long holiday weekend. You can keep abreast of the meetings dates by checking the church’s website or calling the church office.
This Sunday, be extra careful when you drive to worship, especially for the 9:00am service, as the 2024 Publix Marathon will be happening, and we will be directly impacted by the race. Both worship services, the 9:00am and the 11:00am, will still be held. The organizers anticipate the race to end around 10:15am.
We have reached out to the organizers to ensure we will have access to our parking deck, and they have confirmed that we will. They have advised that we can access the deck by turning right onto 5th Street from off Peachtree Street. Juniper Street up to 5th Street will be completely closed to vehicular traffic, so turning off Peachtree Street will be the only way to access the deck. Please take the time to plan your route in advance. Leave home 15 minutes earlier than normal, giving yourself some grace period. Watch out for runners, police officers, and spectators as you drive.
Finally, this Sunday we will be receiving new members in the 11:00am service. I invite you to come on out and help me welcome our newest members into the Saint Mark family.
I look forward to seeing you Sunday.
God’s grace,
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