The Messenger of St. Mark's | Lent | March 3, 2023 | |
|
For your thought:
"And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life."
--John 3:14-15
Study this Sunday's Readings.
| |
|
Worship on Sunday is both in person and virtually, every week at 9:30 a.m. We continue our live stream on our Facebook & YouTube channels.
Also, we offer a Midweek Eucharist every Thursday at 11 a.m. that is both in person and though our live-steaming platforms.
| |
| |
For a complete listing and schedule of our online / in-person offerings available, please click on the button below: | |
SAINT MARK'S MISSION & OUTREACH | |
New Icon: Saint Brendan the Navigator | |
|
Saint Brendan the Navigator is an Irish monastic saint who lived between c.484 - c.577 and is one of the twelve Apostles of Ireland.
He’s best known for his voyage in search of the Isle of the Blessed - the Irish “Garden of Eden “ with sixteen companions.
On the miraculous journey he encountered a “sea monster” and conducted mass on the back of a whale.
After finding the “Island of the Irish Saints” and many other astonishing islands, Brendan returned to Ireland after seven years.
His miraculous journey was recorded in the “Martyrology of Tallaght”, three hundred years after his life.
You may visit Saint Brendan's icon hanging on the southern wall of our Nave.
This work was done by our Sacred Arts Guild members Lin Marksbury and Terrie Moore.
Saint Brendan's Feast Day is May 16.
| |
Report on the Building Committee Renewal Presentation | |
|
On Sunday, February 26, the Saint Mark’s Community made a grand showing to cover survey results that will ultimately be helpful in selecting and informing an architect. Sixty-eight were in attendance in person and another eight on Zoom. The response to the survey was phenomenal, as nearly two-hundred responses were received. Many of these were received before the excellent sessions in which we learned about our history, many of our historic predecessors, the vision for the founding and building of the church that is ours today, the teachings of our Liturgical Consultant, accessibility for all, and our instrumental and choral music. Our Committee expresses deep gratitude for outstanding involvement and attention to a process that is proactive and coming from a position of strength.
The next Building Renewal Committee meeting is on March 7. Part of our work is to assign listeners to those who requested a private interview. If anyone would like to request an in-person interview but did not request it prior, please send a request to Timothy McIntire via email.
With gratitude and enthusiasm,
~The Building Renewal Committee
| |
Join NM Immigrant Law Center and Albuquerque FaithWorks: Asylum-Application and Work-Permit Clinic | |
|
Join us for this brief meditative service each Friday evening in Lent. March 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31.
The Stations of the Cross are an ancient liturgy that offers us a kind of pilgrimage into the Passion of Christ by walking in the steps of Jesus through Jerusalem to Golgotha. The Way of the Cross developed in the Middle Ages as an alternative to making a physical pilgrimage to Jerusalem during Holy Week.
This year we have installed two very different artistic renderings of the Stations of the Cross. One set of Stations are small-framed woodblock prints that were a gift to St. Mark’s from artist Charlie Aldrich that we have used for many years. These stations depict the 14 traditional moments in the life of Jesus on The Way of the Cross in a representational manner. This year we are very pleased to include a new interpretation of the Stations of the Cross by artist Marcel Vároz, a member of our parish and part of our acolyte team. Marcel’s stations are abstract crosses, painted with his feet in response to each of the 14 moments in The Way of the Cross. Together these two stations offer ample opportunities for reflection and prayer on the Passion of Christ as we prepare to celebrate the joy of Easter. Come and discover what Christians throughout the ages have encountered by walking The Way of the Cross together.
You will find the Stations of the Cross prayer booklets on the Welcome Table in the Narthex (lobby) or in a basket on the preparation table at the very back of the worship space on your left as you enter. The Way of the Cross is a quiet, prayerful and reflective liturgy.
Stations of the Cross may also be prayed as a personal prayer practice in Lent. All are welcome to observe Stations of the Cross anytime that church is open and available on your own or with a group. If you want to make sure a time is free to pray The Stations of the Cross, please call the church office at 505 262 2484 and speak with Jennifer Lind, our parish administrator. People may see the images and pray with text or audio files from on this website, too.
Artwork of purple cross image for this article is by Marcel Vároz.
| |
Outreach: Dignity Bags for Those Experiencing Homelessness | |
|
Just under four miles east of St. Mark’s on Central Ave sits the newest branch of the ABQ-BernCo Public Library System, the International District Library. This beautiful new building, which opened last July, has already served thousands of patrons. Some of these patrons are unhoused and find the library to be a welcoming place to get out of the weather and relax, read books and magazines, use the computers, charge their cellphones, and use the public restrooms. On occasion, a patron finds themselves in a tight spot. Access to public restrooms is hard to find in the International District and sometimes they find themselves with soiled clothing and nothing clean to change into. With empathy and compassion, the library staff has asked St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, St. Mark’s Montessori School and Cub Scout Troop #990 to provide some:
- new (or barely used/clean) sweatpants
- (new) undergarments
- (new) socks
- small/sample size packets of hygiene wipes (baby wipes or flushable wipes).
All sizes of clothing are welcome.
Donated items can be dropped off in the box in the church entrance by March 12th.
Feel free to reach out to Dawn Adkins, (email her here), with questions.
| |
|
There are several ongoing formation classes happening for both youth and adults each Sunday. There are also several Lenten offerings coming up in the near future. All current and near-future class descriptions may be found on our website by going to the "Nurture" menu item, then click on "Formation Class Schedule." Or: https://www.stmarksabq.org/class-schedule
To see a daily snapshot of what is happening at St. Marks, go to: https://www.stmarksabq.org/online
Visit our Lenten Resource table in the hallway that leads to the Parish Hall (pictured above).
| |
|
Homelessness, Affordable Housing, and Our Christian Response
(adults and youth ages 16+)
Sundays: March 5, 12, 19, 26 from 11:15 - 12:15
Facilitators: Richard Meadows
In person (Parish Hall)
In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus tells us when we feed, clothe, and visit the poor we are serving Him. Our baptismal covenant states we will “respect the dignity of every human being.” For this four-week class during Lent we will read Grace Can Lead Us Home and hear from homeless advocates in the diocese and city government. We will explore our individual and collective response to needs in the community and what it means to experience Christ in serving the homeless.
Book Required: Grace Can Lead Us Home: A Christian call to end homelessness, by Kevin Nye (we have preordered several books for this class). The books are $15. If you'd like to help cover a book for someone who many not be able to afford it, please let us know. (If taking one of the books we are offering, please help us recoup our costs by dropping by your funds for the book by stopping by the office during the week, drop it in giving box on the Lenten Resource table on Sunday or give electronically here *select "Other" for the purpose and let us know "Lenten Book" in the memo field).
Please sign up for this class at church in the hallway toward the Parish Hall.
| |
|
Book Study: The Place of the Lion
(adults and youth ages 16+)
Begins Sunday, March 5 from 11:15-12:15
Facilitators: Rev. Rob Clarke
In person (Classroom #3)
(please obtain your own book prior to the first class)
Long before The Lion King, long before The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, there was The Place of the Lion. Charles Williams, while not an Oxford don, was a member of the Inklings and his writings influenced the works of C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Owen Barfield as well as many others. While not a Christian allegory it contains many of the themes that are encountered in a spiritual journey. Come join me, during Lent, as we read our way through this seminal work in what has become an important genre. We have a few books available for this study. They are $5.00 (if taking one of the books we are offering, please help us recoup our costs by dropping by your funds for the book by stopping by the office during the week, drop it in giving box on the Lenten Resource table on Sunday or give electronically here *select "Other" for the purpose and let us know "Lenten Book" in the memo field).
Please sign up for this class at church in the hallway toward the Parish Hall.
| |
|
Surprise Saints
Biblical Storytelling (adults and youth ages 12+)
Sundays at 11:15 a.m. (ongoing)
Facilitators: Harriet Cole
In Person (Library)
Join St. Mark’s member Harriet Cole for this eight-session introduction to the art of learning, telling, and listening to sacred stories. From winter through spring, we will be focusing on surprise saints:
· 5-Mar Frederick Douglass
· 12-Mar Wilgefortis
· 19-Mar Thomas Cramner
· 26-Mar Fifth Sunday
STORIES DURING EASTER- STORIES FROM ACTS
· 2-Apr Palm Sunday
· 9-Apr Easter Sunday
· 16-Apr Matthias Chosen Acts 1:12-26
· 23-Apr The Apostles Persecuted Acts 5:17--42
· 30-Aor Fifth Sunday
· 7-Mav Paul's Conversion Acts 9:1-19
· 14-May Peter's Miraculous Escape from Prison Acts 12:1-19
Drop-ins welcome.
| |
|
Lenten Book: Choose Life: Celebrations for Lent, by Chris Chivers
This book was written by a seminary classmate of our Bishop Hunn, as a gift to the Diocese of the Rio Grande for Lent 2023.
In this book, Chris Chivers shares with us the lives of many of the friends and companions he has met along the Way of Jesus. He opens his eyes to gaze at the ordinary people he has loved and befriended as he continually seeks to figure out what it means for him to be a disciple of Jesus. Seeing the church, and these ordinary, struggling, broken, and beautiful people through Chris' loving eyes helps me to see, or rather to feel, what we all must look like to God. I think you will recognize the people here. Perhaps you don't know them specifically, but you have met them, or people very like them on your own journey. I hope that meeting Chris' friends will remind you of your friends, those who have shown you the Way of Jesus in your life. I hope this Lenten season will be full of prayers and thanksgivings throughout the diocese as we give thanks to those who, in their ordinary lives, have given us glimpses of Jesus Christ and the holiness of God.
Mother Sylvia will read aloud from the book, one chapter each day between Shrove Tuesday through Easter Monday. You will be able to access daily video recordings of Mother Sylvia's "read-alouds" on St. Mark's Facebook Page. In addition, a limited number of books will be available to borrow from St. Mark's.
| |
|
Worship in the Wilderness
Saturday, March 25 at 10:00 a.m.
Facilitators: Carolyn Huff
One day only - In Person
Meet at the Volcanoes Trailhead at Petroglyph National Monument just off Atrisco Vista Blvd.
Friends, dogs (on leash) and kids all welcome! We will stop along the three-mile hike to celebrate Holy Communion as we remember Jesus 40 days in the wilderness, our Lenten model.
Contact Carolyn Huff (610) 612-7357 with any questions.
| |
Lenten Offerings & Holy Week Schedule | |
T-Coil - Loop Hearing System Now Operational at St. Mark’s – New Loop Receivers Available! | |
Loop Receiver Headphones may be found on the end of the Welcome table in a basket (shown) in the entry area of St. Mark's. | |
|
T-Coil - Loop Hearing System Now Operational at St. Mark’s – New Loop Receivers Available for Use in Church during Worship or Classes.
St. Mark’s is working hard to accommodate those who use or need an active listening device. We have installed a T-Coil - Loop Hearing System that can be used on two different ways.
-
Quality Sound: A hearing loop sends sound directly to the telecoil receiver in a user’s hearing device. The system eliminates most background noise and greatly improves understanding of speech and music. Additionally, the sound received is customized by each user’s unique hearing instrument.
- Many hearing aids connect directly to the T-Coil - Loop Hearing system with the touch of a button. (check out your manual or talk with your audiologist to find out how to connect with your device).
-
If you do not have a Loop-enabled hearing aid or have forgotten your hearing aids on a given week, St. Mark’s has Loop-Hearing Receivers you may borrow and wear during worship. The receivers work for any sound that is coming through the Public Address System (speakers) enabling the wearer to hear the readings, sermon, prayers and Eucharist Prayer clearly without interference.
St. Mark’s has recently purchased six sets of Oval Window HLR III Induction Loop Receiver with headphones for use by our congregation. These units cost $100 each and if you would like to sponsor one or more of them please let us know or send us funds labelled as "Loop Hearing Support". If you would like to own your Loop Hearing Receiver you can purchase one on this website along with other helpful products for hearing assistance.
| | |
|
|
...By Mail (St. Mark's has a secure mailbox and is checked regularly):
431 Richmond Place NE, Albuquerque, NM 87106.
| | |
|
|
...By PayPal®.
Please consider checking the box that reads, "I’d like to add to my donation to help offset the cost of processing."
| | |
|
|
...Electronically through the Diocese of the Rio Grande Parish Donation site and check the box next to "Albuquerque-St. Mark's".
Just fill out the rest of the information and click the Next button at the bottom of the page. Please make sure fill out "special instructions or comment" to let us know how to apply your gift (e.g., pledge, congregational relief fund, etc.).
| |
DRG LGBTQ+ Holy Eucharist with Potluck Dinner | |
|
The LGBTQ+ Ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande will host Holy Eucharist on Sunday, March 12, at 6:00 pm (mountain time) at St. Francis’ Episcopal Church, 2903 Cabezon Rd, Rio Rancho, NM 87124. We will meet in person for worship and follow the service with fellowship and a potluck dinner. You can also join us online.
Click here to join the liturgy on St. Francis' Facebook page
If you have any questions, please contact us at LGBTQdrg@gmail.com
| |
|
All are welcome to join us for worship during our Thursday 11 a.m. midweek Holy Eucharists and our Sunday Holy Eucharists at 9:30 a.m. You may join us in person or on Facebook & YouTube.
Come as you are!
| | | | |
