MINI-MARKS December 22, 2021 Find the full December RE:MARKS here

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve Service Information December 24, 2021: 4:00, 7:00, and 10:00 We are delighted to invite you for worship in the sanctuary at St. Mark's to celebrate the Nativity of Our Lord! Masks will be required, and we will have the windows open for improved airflow, so you may want to bring a sweater (ugly Christmas or otherwise!)  The 4:00 pm service features a Christmas story sermon for children. The 7:00 pm and 10:00 pm services are led by handbells, choir, and brass quintet. Music begins 30 minutes before each service. All three services will include candle-light and Holy Communion. We will have a staffed nursery during the 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm. If you are unable to join us in person, please visit our Facebook page to watch the live stream beginning at 6:30pm. Christmas and Covid Precautions Case counts are rising again, and we all need to do our part to help mitigate risks. If you are experiencing any Covid symptoms, please plan to stay home and worship through our livestream until you have received a negative Covid test or your symptoms have resolved. Home tests are available at pharmacies for about $15-$30 and give results in about 15 minutes. Thank you for continuing to wear masks in the building, and please get your vaccine booster if you haven't already- it's how we keep each other safe!

Advent Service

Mid Week Advent Services (mask required) Wednesday, December 22nd @ 7pm St. Mark's Lutheran Church This week we will worshipping here, at St. Mark's. Please join after worship for coffee and cookies together with our Ecumenical Church Partners. If you are unable to attend in person, we will streaming the service on our Facebook page.

Announcements and Updates

December/January Schedule Changes  -The Office will be closed on December 24th, 27th, 28th, and 31st. -Faith Formation on December 26th will be cancelled and resume on January 9th. -Faith and Fellowship on December 27th will be cancelled January 3rd. -Property Day on December 29th will be cancelled and resume on January 5th. -LandMARKS will be moved from January 2th until January 9th. · Quilters will resume meeting on January 4th.

Financial Contributions Still want to support the ministry of St. Mark's with a 2021 financial contribution? Please make sure to deliver your check to the church office or have it postmarked by Dec. 30 (no mail on Dec 31). Please use our physical address of 10 N. Liberty St. Asheville, NC 28801 for all mailing purposes as the old PO box address will only be active for a few more months.

Giving for Tornado Relief On the night of Dec. 10, a devastating outbreak of more than 30 tornadoes swept through six states. Kentucky was impacted the most where first responders are still searching for survivors. More than 330,000 people are without electricity across multiple states. The full extent of the damage is expected to become clear in the coming days. Lutheran Disaster Response is engaging with partners in the affected areas, including the Indiana-Kentucky Synod, to respond to immediate needs. Given the initial damage assessments, recovery will likely take years, and Lutheran Disaster Response is prepared to accompany survivors until the response is complete. The ELCA's Lutheran Disaster Response is one of the best ways to help those impacted by recent tornadoes. 100% of collected funds will go to assist those affected by tornadoes. If you would like to help financial, you can donate here. Thrivent has made it possible to help those impacted by these tornados too. Follow this link to see how you can direct choice dollars or lead action teams to make an impact.

ABCCM Volunteer Needed We are in need of someone to make weekly runs to ABBCM. This would mean that each week you would check the donation bins downstairs and bring anything in them to the ABCCM Crisis Ministry on Cumberland Avenue in Montford (10 Minutes from church). While you are there, you would "shop" in their pantry for sandwich supplies which you would then drop off in the church kitchen. This can be done any day of the week! Becky Sachsenmaier has been filling this role but will be traveling for a few months and needs someone to help while she is away. If you are interested, please reach out to Becky at 828.333.1539.

Faith Formation

Adult Faith Formation—Worship Words January 9, 16, 23, and 30, 2022 from 9:45am-10:45am   Even if you've been coming to church since before you can remember, the terms that Christians use can seem like a foreign language (hint: sometimes they are). Beginning January 9, 2022, join Cantor David for a four-week exploration of the weird and wonderful words associated with the church. Whether you already know your Mag from your Nunc, or couldn't pick out a ciborium in a sea of chalices, everyone is guaranteed to (probably) learn something new! This class will meet in the sanctuary and via Zoom linked here.

Weekly Schedule

Wednesday, December 22nd 9am - Property Day 10am - Kairos Group (Zoom) 7pm - Evening Advent Service @ St. Mark's Lutheran Church (Facebook Live) Thursday, December 23rd 6pm - Handbell Rehearsal 7pm - Festival Choir Friday, December 24th 4pm - Christmas Eve Service 7pm - Christmas Eve Service 10pm - Christmas Eve Service Sunday, December 26th 8:30am - Worship 9:45am - Faith Formation CANCELLED 11am - Worship Monday, December 27th Office Closed 10am - Faith and Fellowship CANCELLED Tuesday, December 28th Office Closed Wednesday, December 29th 9am - Property Day CANCELLED 10am - Kairos Group (Zoom) Friday, December 31st Office Closed

Meeting Links: -Midweek Advent Service @ St. Mark's Wed, December 22nd @ 7pm Click here for Facebook Link -Kairos Group Wed, December 29th @ 10am Click here for Zoom Link Password: stmarks Click here to see the full St. Mark's Calendar

Worship Assistant Information

Reader Instructions

Greeter Instructions

Usher Instructions

If you are a worship assistant, please take a few moments and refresh yourself on the routines of your position either by watching these videos or by reading the linked text within the titles. If you would like to know more about these positions or any others on Sunday morning, please reach out to Danielle.

December 26th @ 8:30am Greeters Vic Allwein Evelyn Reinhod Usher Deborah Lane Ken Lane Altar Guild Amy Zellers Acolyte Katie Rivers Reader Barbara Ulrichs Communion Assistant Mary Anne Allwein Assisting Minister Amy Zellers December 26th @11:00am Greeters Tom Stewart Brenda Stewart Usher Alice Silver TBD Altar Guild Anne Blackwell Acolyte Anne Blackwell Crucifer Christian Wikoff Reader Donna Turnbaugh Communion Assistant Eileen Cram Live Stream Cord Doss Assisting Minister Katie Rivers

Contact Information Parish Administrator admin@stmarkslutheran.net ‌

Our Mission: Making disciples by loving Christ, growing in faith, serving all people Our Vision: Experiencing and sharing God's grace as an inclusive, intergenerational congregation through Worship, Outreach, Learning and Fellowship