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| Sunday Worship |
During this time when public gatherings are suspended, we will worship together online at 10 a.m. Please
click here to join.
To hear podcast recordings of our Sunday Sermons
Click Here
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| Contact Us |
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St. Mark's Lutheran Church by The Narrows
6730 N. 17th St.
Tacoma, WA 98406
Office: 253-752-4966
Preschool: 253-752-4929
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Join Us Online for Worship Every Sunday at 10:00 a.m.
We are happy to have people from all over the world worshipping with us online through the live stream on our Facebook page. If you miss any of our services, you can find them on our
St. Mark's Website and
Facebook page. Feel free to share these links with others, too. We love the way that our worship ministry is expanding to reach so many diverse people.
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Come and Get a Homemade Mask- THIS Saturday, May 9, from 12-2 p.m.
If you or anyone in your family needs a homemade mask to wear in public, we will be handing them out at the church this
Saturday, May 9, from noon until 2 p.m.
This is a drive thru service,
stay in your car.
Drive up the curved drive (as if dropping someone off for service),
give us the count you need for your household;
the masks will be handed thru a window or placed in a trunk if you prefer and can open it remotely.
No cost, donations accepted.
Thank you to the many persons sewing & donating masks to this effort.
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Daily Devotions Podcast
The theme for our new series of daily devotions is "Day by Day," drawing from the well-known hymn by that name. These devotions are posted on our St. Mark's website at 6:00 a.m. each day, and you can listen them at any time. Just go to this
"Worship and Daily Devotions" link on our St. Mark's webpage. Another good link for Daily Devotions is Scott Stoner's "Weekly Words of Wellness" at
www.livingcompass.org
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Holden Evening Prayer
Throughout the Easter season, we will continue to post a new podcast of Holden Evening Prayer every Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. You can listen to this newest edition, and all of the previous Compline services, at the
same link as above.
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Financial Giving in April
At a time when many organizations are starting to experience financial insecurity due to COVID-19, you are helping St. Mark's stay strong and vital. This is so important, because our ministry is needed and our desire to serve is great. With your offering gifts, you are not only supporting what we do at St. Mark's, but a wide variety of partner ministries that are doing God's work in the world.
You can continue to support our mission at St. Marks by:
- Sending your offering to us in the mail
- Setting up an automatic payment plan with your bank (a great idea!)
- Giving online by going to this link on our website. (St. Mark's is assessed a fee for online giving)
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It's Not Too Late to Submit Your PLAN FOR GIVING in 2020-2021
We know everyone has A LOT of things on their minds, but this is just an encouraging reminder that we do still have pledges coming in as we look toward our next budget year. We received another $11,660 in pledges this week from 7 families. We are now at $795,041, or just $56K below current fiscal year pledges.So, if we haven't received your Plan for Giving, NOW IS A GREAT TIME to share it with us! Your name remains confidential, but the amount you pledged will be taken into consideration as our leaders craft a vision for what we can do together in the coming year. To share your Plan for Giving with us, please use this
Confidential Online Form.
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St. Mark's Scholarship
Scholarships for continuing students closed on April 26, and the scholarship for high school students opened on April 26. Incoming college first years will need their student ID numbers to apply. Click here for scholarship information on the church website.
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Prayers of the Church
We have created a new email address by which you can share your prayer requests with us. Just send them to:
prayers@smlutheran.org
. If you would like us to include them in the Prayers of the Church during worship on Sunday, please make note of that.
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Congregational Care
Grief support class
- for anyone who is feeling a loss right now, all are welcome to meet virtually; Friday, May 8 and 22, at 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.
Starting Friday May 15th support for those who are feeling overwhelmed-
Emotional Wellness class. 10:30-11:30 a.m.
You will receive a confirmation email with an invitation.
Virtual visits- this is a difficult time for many of us who may feel isolated. Please know you are not alone; your church family is here for you. If you would like to visit with a care minister or one of the pastors for a "virtual visit" please feel free to contact Pastor Sigi (
sigi.helgeson@smlutheran.org).
Card ministry- Want a project for your children? Some of our parents at St. Mark's have asked about sending cards to our shut-ins and seniors in care facilities or who live alone. If you would like to send cards from your children, youth or just want to be a part of this card ministry: contact Pastor Sigi for an updated list of names and addresses.
and click on the red Stay Connected tab.
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Youth and Family Ministry:
Online Youth Programming
Weekly In the Home Faith Formation Resources and Lessons through June 14 are sent out via email each Friday for children 3 years old to 12th grade. Please contact Char Leone at char.leone@smlutheran.org or Ingelaurie Lisher ingelaurie@smlutheran.org if you want to receive them.
Continue to post and tag your pictures to Facebook (St. Mark's Lutheran Church by The Narrows or our Instagram page (smlcbythenarrows) #stmarksathome
For more connection with St. Mark's Children and Youth please join our private Facebook group St. Mark's Children and Youth off of the St. Mark's Facebook page.
Congratulations to Julianna Heckard for being elected to the SWWA Synod ALYVE (LYO) Board of the ELCA. Julianna will serve as the secretary for the board. Look for info on her board installation this fall.
Weekly youth check ins: Contact Ingelaurie Lisher for the link if you haven't received it
- 5th Grade: Tuesdays 2-2:30pm via Zoom.
- Middle School Youth Group: Thursdays 4-4:30 p.m. via Zoom.
- The Well for High School Students: wil NOT meet this Sunday, May 10 (Mother's Day)
Upcoming dates and deadlines for High School Seniors:
Bios for the St. Mark's Bridge.
- SAMI May 13 Bridge, deadline for info 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 12
- Bellarmine and Gig Harbor/Peninsula HS May 20 Bridge, deadline for info 10a.m. Tuesday, May 19
- SOTA and Stadium HS May 27 Bridge, deadline for info 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 26
- Any others that I missed--June 3 Bridge, deadline for info Tuesday, June 2 10 a.m. This includes 2020 College Graduates.
Parents/High School Seniors--We are looking at having the in person Baccalaureate Service between Aug. 6-16. Please let Ingelaurie Lisher
ingelaurie@smlutheran.org know ASAP if this is a problem.
Also, be on the lookout for a graduation milestone activity you can do with your son/daughter in June.
Please let me know ASAP what quilt you have chosen to receive.
1. Email was sent out to everyone on April 30.
2. Pick your 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice and then I will pull them for you.
Monday, May 18--
Pictures for slideshow due to Ingelaurie. See email sent on 4/26 for details and how to send the pictures. Slideshow will go live in June to celebrate your actual graduations.
St. Mark's Scholarship for incoming students is open.
http://www.smlutheran.org/connect-with-us/scholarship This is a different application form then returning students. Due Sunday, May 24, including 2 letters of recommendation.
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This Week We Will Be Honoring One of our 2020 College Graduates
Congratulations to Thomas Robert Brooks Harris.
Graduating from Whitman College on May 24, 2020.
B.A. in Physics, minors in Mathematics and History.
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Adult Faith Formation
Fierce, Free, and Full of Fire by Jen Hatmaker book group will begin on Tuesday, May 19 (chapter 1) at 4 p.m. via Zoom. Ingelaurie Lisher will be facilitating this discussion each week thru June 16. Books purchased on your own. Please email her at ingelaurie@smlutheran.org if you want to join in.
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Moral Voices, Moral Choices
Do you support affordable housing for essential workers in your community? In your neighborhood?
What is "food insecurity" and how can I help?
You may have heard Pastor Hallie refer to "food insecurity" on Sunday. Do you know what this means? Feeding America interprets the US Dept. of Agriculture definition this way:
"Hunger
refers to a personal, physical sensation of discomfort, while food insecurity
refers to a lack of available financial resources for food at the household level."
Recently Rev. Art Simon, founder and President Emeritus of Bread for the World, a St. Mark's supported anti-hunger ministry, wrote a book about the goal of ending hunger and its bipartisan support in Congress. You may read more about what we can do together here.
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Mask Shortage Concerns: Update
We have received several requests for masks to be made at home, below is the updated information received this week.
Lutheran World Relief
is now asking for simple homemade masks to be shared with people overseas who do not have access to basic protection. If you can sew, for specifics, please follow the link
www.lwr.org/masks
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Seamar Clinic could use masks for patients, they do not have enough to give to each patient arriving. Any mask style is acceptable. They can be dropped off to Katie Cootsona who will arrange delivery.
MultiCare has changed their policy and is now requesting homemade cloth masks In response to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) recent recommendation for all citizens to wear face masks when out in public, MultiCare is welcoming cloth mask donations from the community, in an effort to reduce the risk of transmission. If you are willing to make and donate cloth masks, we thank you. Please note the following instructions: Use a mask pattern that includes a type of wire (e.g., pipe cleaner) so the mask can be fitted over the nose. If possible, use a high-density fabric such as quilters cotton or a woven fabric like batik. This will allow for a better filtration rate. Do not create masks that use rubber bands for the ear loops. The rubber bands can cause irritation and skin breakdown.
Deliveries can be made at:
MultiCare Tacoma General/Mary Bridge Children's/Allenmore Hospitals - Tacoma General loading dock
402 S J St
Tacoma, Washington 98405
CHI Franciscan & St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma
They will accept all masks made from any pattern. Thank you for your donations. You can deliver in person or send by mail to the below addresses:
Contact: 253-426-6202 (Command Center-Logistics)
St. Joseph Medical Center
In Person Drop Off:
Franciscan Education and Support Center (FESC)
2420 South State Street
Tacoma, WA 98405
(Donations accepted 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. daily)
Mail Delivery
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St Joseph Medical Center
Attn: Supply Chain Donation
1717 S. J st
Tacoma, WA 98405
Thank you to all the mask makers out there! I'd love to hear how things are going. - Katie
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Crafters' Corner
Welcome to our new article in The Bridge; while so many are home-based we thought it would be an opportunity to provide craft project inspiration.
Using those Jeans to make feathers...
This week we are using those jeans the kids out grew or that we have been meaning to donate. Follow the simple directions using denim, yarn, modge podge, or craft glue to make the feathers, plus a branch/stick/dowel and bead trim to make the wall hanging. How else would you use demim feathers? Possibly make a wreath, add to a hat, earrings... what other ideas can you come up with? This a is great item to add to your wall decor, gift to others or as always consider donating to the Bazaar.
Here
are the directions for the demin feathers and wall hanging design.
Reminder: If you are 'Spring' cleaning during these days at home, hold on to denim, ribbons, lace, neck ties, key rings, wine corks- we will have fun projects for those items in the weeks to follow. While the Church office is closed please send any craft suggestions & comments to
katie.cootsona@gmail.com
. We'd love to see pictures of your projects.
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Other ways you can connect with the community and support during Covid-19: Update
United Way of Pierce County:
Nativity House:
Nativity House really needs food.
Donations are way down with restaurants closed. They usually get a lot of leftovers. It needs to be sack lunch-like stuff. Easy to grab and go.
Ideas: sandwiches,
cup of noodles,
granola, bars,
fruit cups,
cookies,
crackers,
wraps,
bottled water or drinks,
trail mix,
hand sanitizer.
Multicare
If people have unopened boxes of masks, gloves or gowns that they would like to donate they
can drop them off between 11a.m. and 2 p.m., Monday through Friday.
MultiCare Tacoma General/Mary Bridge Children's/Allenmore Hospitals - Tacoma General loading dock
402 S J St
Tacoma, Washington 98405
Please schedule food donations with Theresa Lerma, MultiCare Volunteer Services Coordinator, at
talerma@multicare.org.
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| Have an item for The Bridge?
Send it to communications@smlutheran.org by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. All items will run for two weeks prior to the relevant date, and will be edited for length. Don't forget to send your member notes and news!
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