The Messenger of St. Mark's | Epiphany | January 14, 2022
The offices of St. Mark's will be closed on Monday, January 17 in observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We will reopen on Tuesday at 9:00 a.m.
Please come wearing a mask - Masks are required indoors - even if fully vaccinated - per our current State of NM mandate.
For a complete listing and schedule of our online / in-person offerings available, please click on the button below:
Useful links:
  • Fill out a form to volunteer, donate altar flowers, fill out a new member/visitor form, and more!
  • Access and/or edit your Member Directory information.
  • Access previous sermons.
  • For all Stewardship-related materials, including downloadable pledge cards, click here.
SAINT MARK'S MISSION & OUTREACH
Important St. Mark's COVID-19 Update
COVID-19 Omnicron
Due to the current COVID Omicron surge we are taking some additional precautionary measures and encourage people to make deliberate choices about keeping themselves and their households safe. As a faith community we want to show love toward one another by keeping people safe and offering options for worship that do not require everyone to be in-person. Together, we will make our way through this surge and return to worship and a more regular rhythm. Below are changes taking place immediately:

The St. Mark's choir (and rehearsals) and coffee hour will be canceled for the next two weeks. We are going to shift all Sunday formation small groups 11 a.m. after church.
  • Inquirers' Class: will be offered online only at 11 a.m.
  • Godly Play: Mother Sylvia will offer Godly Play in chapel at 11 a.m. as a hybrid class, both in-person or via zoom.
  • Holy Troublemakers: will have an in-person and online offering for Sunday Jan. 16th and 23rd --for now.

We will continue to send updates as we know more.
Formation Small Groups Continuing Sunday
Below is the schedule of classes for Sunday morning formation groups in January 11:00AM-11:45 AM:

Godly Play (ages 2-102 in Stoney Chapel and Zoom)
Contact Mother Sylvia (via email here)
  • 1/9 Holy Baptism
  • 1/16 Parable of the Good Shepherd
  • 1/23 "Share and Care" Sunday
  • 1/30 Annual Meeting & Pancake Breakfast

Holy Troublemakers (ages 9-109 in the Parish Hall & Zoom)
Contact Deacon David (via email here)
  • 1/9 Kaitlin Curtice Part 1
  • 1/16 Kaitlin Curtice Part 2 
  • 1/23 "Share and Care" Sunday
  • 1/30 Annual Meeting & Pancake Breakfast

Inquirers' (ages 16-116 in the library & Zoom)
Contact Father Christopher (via email here)
  • 1/9 God: Faith is a Quest (Video w/Brian McLaren)
  • 1/16 Religion: Spirituality is not Enough (Video w/Lilian Daniel)
  • 1/23 "Share and Care" Sunday
  • 1/30 Annual Meeting & Pancake Breakfast
DEADLINE: Annual Meeting, Reports & Vestry/Delegate Nominations
Three vestry positions open up each January at St. Mark's, as well as one delegate position.
 
Please prayerfully consider whether your time and talent could be best used in the guiding, collaborative spirit of our vestry or as our representative to the Diocese of the Rio Grande at Convention. Forms can be found here:


You may also find these in the church office upon request. Please return the form, with an electronic photo, to the office by January 17th.  
 
Also, all ministry Annual Report information needs to be submitted to Jennifer Lind via email by Monday, January 17th. Annual Meeting will be held on Sunday, January 30th.
Tonya Scheihing's Funeral has Been Postponed
The funeral for Tonya Scheihing has been postponed. We will announce the new date when it is determined.
Nativity Needlepoint Raffle Raises $900+
We are delighted to announce that St. Mark's member Catherine Vogel was the proud winner of our "Nativity Needlepoint" raffle (held on Christmas Eve), winning a large Nativity needlepoint triptych created by Else Tasseron. The raffle raised more than $900 towards the purchase of a chairlift to improve the accessibility of St. Mark's choir loft! Thank you to Else for the donation of this exquisite work of art, and thanks to all who purchased tickets! Congratulations Catherine!
2022 Stewardship Update
We currently have 121 households pledging a total of $465,940.
Thursday Bible Study Group
Thursday "Lunchtime" Bible Study begins January 13th
When: Thursdays, 12-1PM 
Where: In person in St. Mark's Library and virtually on Zoom

Bring your lunch (or join us via Zoom from your desk at work or home) for a time of fellowship and bible study every Thursday at noon. We'll begin with a brief "check in", followed by ~20 minutes of bible reading, ~20 minutes of discussion and a closing prayer. We'll be reading from the First Nations Version of the Bible (an indigenous translation of the New Testament), beginning with the Gospel of Luke. All are welcome! Invite a friend! Drop in any time! 
Manna Bag Supplies Needed
Manna Bag Supplies Needed:

This month our formation classes will assemble Manna Bags. These bags will be given to people needing a little bit of help. We need donations of the following items:
  • New pairs of athletic socks
  • 2 oz. bottles of hand sanitizer (<--Please try to find these)
  • 16.9 oz bottles of water
  • Granola/Snack bars

There is a box in the narthex for these donations.
Please note: We do NOT need zip-locking plastic storage bags. We have plenty left form last time.

Thank you.
Advent Wreath Frame Return
St. Mark's can re-use the green wire Advent Wreath Frames next year.
Please return them to the collection box in the narthex.
Thank you.
GIVE TO ST. MARK'S
All are welcome to give and/or pledge to St. Mark's by:

  • Mail (St. Mark's has a secure mailbox and is checked regularly): 431 Richmond Place NE, Albuquerque, NM 87106.

  • You may give 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 (i.e.: pledge, congregational relief fund, etc.).

  • You may give electronically (including pledge payments) to St. Mark's - securely via PayPal® - anytime. Please consider checking the box that reads, "I’d like to add to my donation to help offset the cost of processing."
DIOCESE & BEYOND
Virtual Presentation on "Seeking Asylum: Central America, Violence, Immigration, and US Law"
Seeking Asylum: Central America, Violence, Immigration, and US Law
Sunday, January 16, 3:00 p.m.
Speaker: Professor Kimberly Gauderman, Ph.D.,
University of New Mexico

Meeting ID: 645 684 6642
One tap mobile +12532158782

Presiding Bishop to Speak at King Center Celebration as Nation Honors Martin Luther King Jr.
Presiding bishop to speak at King Center celebration as nation honors Martin Luther King Jr. (click here to see more information)
By David Paulsen
1/13/2022
Episcopal News Service
Week of Prayer and Pilgrimage for Christian Unity
"We saw his star and came to worship"
January 18-25, 2022
Join Christians around the world for the 2022 Week of Prayer and Pilgrimage for Christian Unity. Design your own local prayer walk or pilgrimage. Meet with other praying pilgrims via Zoom throughout the week. Click here to learn more, register, link to zoom gatherings and access daily devotional materials from the World Council of Churches and other ecumenical leaders.
NMDOH/VAULT No-Cost COVID-19 Tests
Email submissions should be sent (via email) to the Communications Specialist by 11:00 a.m. each Tuesday for inclusion on Thursday's e-news. Please see submission guidelines here.
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