Sharing Our Faith Stories
"Sharing Our Faith Stories" is a new video series launched by St. Mark's Evangelism Team. We are grateful to Amy Zellers for willing to be our first volunteer. Click on the video to hear her faith story.

Please contact Ken Lane, Evangelism Team's Chairperson, or the church office if you have someone to suggest for this video series.
Lenten Information and Resources
Lenten Bible Study with Bishop Tim Smith
Beginning on March 10th, Bishop Tim Smith started a 5-Week Bible study on the Gospel of Luke. If you are unable to join the Bishop on Thursday evenings from 7:00-8:15pm, or would like to catch up on what you have missed these last two weeks, his videos are posted on the NC Synod's YouTube Channel. Follow this link to view Bishop Smith's Bible Study content.

If you are interested in joining live Register today to receive Zoom link details.
Midweek Services during Lent
March 23, 30, and April 6 @ 6:30pm
Join us for Holden Evening Prayer at St. Mark's every Wednesday during Lent at 6:30 pm. During the services, congregation members will share personal faith stories related to the theme "From Everlasting to Everlasting." During each Midweek Lenten Services the offering will go to support the Circle of Welcome family that St. Mark’s is assisting. The funds will go directly into the church’s dedicated account for Afghan Resettlement.
Faith Formation Small Groups
During Lent, St. Mark's is having a congregational wide focus on small group ministry. During Faith Formation, 7 small groups are meeting throughout the building. If you are visiting or new to our community and would like to join a small group, meet Deacon Katie in the Sanctuary at 9:45 and she will connect you with a group. 
Holy Week Information, April 10th - April 17th
Easter Breakfast
April 17th @ 9:45am
Join us for a special time of fellowship on Easter Sunday at 9:45! Please bring a breakfast dish, fruit, or baked good to share for this potluck breakfast, and place it on the tables in the Welcome Center by 9:30am. You may also bring items to the kitchen and mark them "Easter Breakfast" on Saturday, April 16 from 10-12, and they will be set out for you on Sunday. Coffee, tea, and juice will be provided. Seating will be available in the Fellowship Hall and outside on the playground. 

Interested in helping set up and decorate for Easter Breakfast? Would you like to make coffee or fill pitchers of juice? Contact Deacon Katie to help!
Easter Egg Hunt
April 17th @ 10am
Children are invited to participate in an Egg Hunt on Easter Sunday at 10am on the playground! Children may bring a basket to collect eggs, or one will be provided for them. 
Are you able to donate treats for Easter Eggs? Please bring individually wrapped candy or other small treats that will fit in plastic Easter eggs to Deacon Katie's office by Friday, April 9.
Easter Lilies - Sold Out
Thank you for all of you that have purchased Easter Lilies. We have sold out of all of the Lilies that have been pre-ordered so can not accept any more orders. If you did sign up for Easter Lilies, and haven't had a chance to turn in your payment, each lily cost $6 this year.
Announcements
Festival Choir for Easter
Thursdays at 7pm beginning on March 24th
You are cordially invited to make a joyful noise with the St. Mark's Festival Choir for Easter! No experience or music-reading ability is required; just a desire to lead the congregation in worship and have some fun together. We will have four rehearsals beginning this Thursday, March 24 at 7:00 pm, and sing on Easter Sunday, April 17. Contact Cantor David if you would like more information.
Organ Crawl
March 26th beginning at 9:30am
The Blue Ridge Chapter of the American Guild of Organists will be sponsoring an Organ Crawl in Asheville on March 26, and will be stopping at St. Mark's! An organ crawl is an event where a group travels around to see, hear, and play pipe organs. This organ crawl will begin at 9:30am at Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church (789 Merrimon Ave), and will travel from there to St. Mary's Episcopal, St. Mark's Lutheran, Central United Methodist, First Presbyterian, and possibly Trinity Episcopal. Asheville has a great variety of pipe organs, and this is your chance to hear and learn about them! Contact Cantor David for more information: cantordavid@stmarkslutheran.net
Sand Hill-Venable Tutors Needed
The Sand Hill-Venable Elementary School tutoring program is up and running, but is still in need of some more smart, loving, and patient tutors. While kids were out of school during the pandemic, some fell behind in their learning (Zoom isn't for everybody!). So now, during the school day, volunteers get together with their assigned student to help them catch up with reading or math. These are only 30-45 minute sessions, but will mean so much to the life and well-being of a child. If you feel called to volunteer your time here, please contact the school directly and ask for Lynn Mitchie (828) 670-5028. Or you can send her an email at cynthiamitchie@bcsemail.org to ask for more information.  
Office Closed - Friday, April 1st
The Church office will be closed on Friday, April 1st. Please remember that if you enter the alarmed zone of the church, disarm the system as it will not be turn off as it normally would be from 8:30am-12:30pm on Fridays. Office hours will remain the same Monday, March 28th - Thursday, March 31st.
Christian Action Team (CAT)
Congratulations to the CROP Walk Team
Congratulations St. Mark’s Lutheran Church – The reports are out for 2021 and you are a Top 100 Cream of the CROP Team! In fact, you’re #80 out of over 5,000 CROP Teams in the country for 2021. Amazing! Check out a personal thank you video here!
 
Thanks so much for your great commitment to the CROP mission of fighting hunger each year! And the wonderful blessings you bring to people who are struggling in God’s world! Check out a new CWS/CROP Hunger Walk video here.
LSC, New Americans Program Information
In the News
In the last week there have been three different articles about settling Afghans in Asheville area with the help of Lutheran Service Carolinas and the support of St. Mark's.

St. Mark's Circle of Welcome Needs
  • The Circle of Welcome team is in need of people willing to provide transportation long term, short term, one time or any combination for the parents to attend English Language Classes at the AB Tech Campus, Monday - Thursday from 9-12. Please review this sign-up sheet to see current transportation needs.
  • Now that the regular weekly arrival of Afghans has wrapped up in our area, Lutheran Services Carolinas (LSC) is focused on finding long-term housing for families and individuals. The rental market is challenging, especially for folks on entry level incomes, but LSC can guarantee rent for the first 6 months. Do you have rental property or know someone who does? Would you consider a below market rental rate for these folks who lost their homes and livelihoods because they supported US efforts in Afghanistan? Any leads can go to Laura Collins at lcollins@lscarolinas.net.

Lutheran Services Carolinas Needs
  • LSC continues to have different needs than St. mark's Circle of Welcome. Amy Dix, their Outreach Coordinator, puts out an email update about these needs a few times a month. If you have not already signed up to receive this, click here to read her latest publication and to sign up for continued updates.
Weekly Schedule
Worship Assistant Information
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.
March 27th @ 8:30am
Greeters
Tom Stewart
Brenda Stewart
Usher
Ken Clark
Ken Lane
Altar Guild
Amy Zellers
Acolyte
Eleanor Schreck
Reader
Linda Kinsinger
Communion Assistant
Mary Anne Allwein
Assisting Minister
Mary Brady
March 27th @11:00am
Greeters
Bob Mihara
Cindy Lauster
Usher
Scott Baumann
Anne Blackwell
Altar Guild
Cindy Fridd
Acolyte
Bonnie Richards
Crucifer
Eileen Cram & Erick Smith
Reader
Natalie Haynes
Communion Assistant
Eileen Cram
Live Stream
Cord Doss
Assisting Minister
Dave Epley
Contact Information
Parish Administrator
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