Weekly Newsletter | May 10, 2022
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Sunday Morning Worship
We gather in person each Sunday at 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 a.m. in our sanctuary.
Also, please remember that we will continue to offer an online worship service every Sunday at 10 a.m. As in the past, this will be a livestreamed on our Facebook page and also available on our St. Mark's website.
Share prayer requests with us by sending them to prayers@smlutheran.org. If you would like us to include them in the Prayers of the Church during Sunday worship, please make note of that.
For recordings of the Bible study, sermons, matins, and more, please check out our podcasts on Podbean. You’ll be able to connect with Apple Music, Spotify, and more on the podbean website.
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Blessing and Farewell for Pastoral Intern Emillie Binja |
The congregation is invited to join us on Sunday, May 22, at 3:00 p.m. for a Blessing and Farewell for Emillie Binja that will include a program in our sanctuary and a reception in the Parish Commons. Please use this link to sign up for the event. Gifts to the Intern Appreciation Fund can be made by clicking here.
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St. Mark’s Gender Sexuality Alliance Meeting |
The St. Mark’s Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA) invites to to join us for our monthly gathering next Monday, May 16, at 6:30 p.m. The GSA brings together people who are committed to the full welcome, inclusion, and celebration of LGBTQIA+ people in all aspects of congregational life and in the community. Click here to sign up.
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Let Your Light So (Efficiently) Shine! |
St. Mark's continues to go green. Our current project in reducing our energy consumption is to replace all lights in the total facility with LED fixtures and bulbs which will reduce our energy consumption by 22KWH per year, a savings of over 20% of our electrical consumption. In order to replace over 200 fluorescent bulbs in one day, we need volunteers to help on Saturday, June 4 from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. The work involves taking out one part of the current fixtures (the ballast) and rewiring it so the new LED bulbs will work. We will do the needed training and assure all work will be safely done. If you are available, you can sign up in the church office or call John Avery at 253-376-5599 for more information.
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Tiny House Build this Summer |
Save the Week of July 25-29. In partnership with Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI), St. Mark’s will be building Tiny Houses at St. Mark’s this summer during the last week of July. If you’re interested, save these dates and stay tuned for more detail in upcoming weeks.
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Children, Youth, and Family Faith Formation |
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Nursery Update: We are hiring!! If you know of someone over 18 years of age who would be an asset to our team and loves children please send them my way; the Job Description is posted on the website.
Also we are trying to have the nursery open when we have enough youth caregivers and adult volunteers sign up--we need two people in the nursery for each time slot to make this happen--sorry if you find the nursery closed for your service and then it is open at another time--it is all based on people signing up right now while we are in limbo. Thanks to everyone who has signed up to work so far.
Upcoming Milestone Events:
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3rd grade Bible: Sunday, June 5 Bibles will be presented at the 9:45 a.m. service, with a learning event for parents and students following at 11a.m. in the Parish Commons classroom.
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5th grade Image of God: Sunday, June 12 9:45-10:45 a.m. for parents and students lower youth wing. Sign up here.
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2022 High School Graduates: The Baccalaureate service Wednesday, June 8, at 7 p.m. in the Sanctuary. University of Washington Campus Pastor Chelsea Globe will be our preacher for the evening. Sign up here to pick out your quilt.
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Summer 2022: First Communion Milestone for students 4 years old thru elementary school age--stay tuned for the date and time.
Sunday Morning Schedule for Youth: 9:45-10:45 a.m.
- Classes for students preschool to grade 4 will meet: May 15, 22, 29, June 5 and 12
- Classes for students grades 5-8th will meet: May 15, 22, June 5 and 12
- Classes for students grades 9-12 will meet: May 15, and 22--then we are done for the school year.
The Well for High School youth will be held again May 15, 6:30-7:30 p.m. at Juliana Heckard's home. We might walk to Bliss Ice Cream that night, leaving Jule's home by 6:45p.m.
Thursdays for Youth:
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Middle School Youth Group wraps up the year on Thursday, May 19 5:30-6:30 p.m. in the Parish Commons. Dinner will be served this night.
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Youth Choir 6:30-7:30 p.m. continues to meet on Thursday nights with Cooper through the 1st week in June.
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Youth Marimbas--7:30-8:30 p.m. Continues to meet on Thursday nights with Jeff, end date TBD.
Mark your Calendars!! VBS 2022--August 1-5th here at St. Mark's--Volunteers are needed--students grades 6-12th (completed) and adults of all ages are invited to sign up. Theme: Let's "Splash" into Summer!! Registration form for students 4 years old to 5th grade completed coming soon. *Background checks will be run on all youth and adults 18 years old or older.
Finally an update...Camp for youth grades 4-7th: I have the following student registered--please let me know if you have signed up and I don't have you listed: Owen and James Poth, Ben and Jakob Anderson, Sara and Gabe Droubay, Matthew Casely, Robin Shimkus, Elizabeth and Anna Busch-Conway, Vivienne VanSoest, Josie Peterson, Naomi Milasich, and Inara Minnis please complete this form by May 10.
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Adult Faith Formation
Forum: In May, we are hosting a “Faith and Public Life” series with local elected officials. While our speakers engage in political vocation, this series is a nonpartisan format to share about their public vocation and personal life of faith.
May 15: Sarah Rumbaugh, Tacoma City Councilmember representing District 2
May 22: Ryan Mello, Tacoma City Councilmember representing District 4
Midweek renewal: You are invited to join a 5-week Midweek renewal series on Wednesdays at 6:15 p.m. in the parish classroom called "Stirred by the Spirit: Conversation around Anti-Racism and White Identity" with seminarian Andrew Larsen. The Spirit stirs the waters and unsettles our souls in pursuit of justice, giving a disruptive and accompanying presence as we tackle the challenges of racism in our country and church. Acknowledging that becoming anti-racist is an imperative spiritual response to this racist culture, this group will make space to critically reflect on white identity, examine the whiteness of our institutions, and engage the process of healing a divided and broken world.
Wednesday Noon Bible study: in person and on Zoom.
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Wednesday Morning Bible Study: The Wednesday 9:30 a.m. Bible study has resumed in the Fireside room with our study of Proverbs-God’s wisdom for applying to our daily experiences and challenges. All are welcome to arrive at 9:15 for coffee and visiting. We encourage sharing insights, questions, and concerns. Join us! For information, contact Linda Durant (253) 363-8202, hotdouug@centurylink.net. Masks will be worn.
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Fully Alive Bible Study: Fully Alive Bible Study meets Tuesdays at 5:15 p.m. We will meet in the Fireside Room and study: Elohim: God the Creator, Yahweh Yireh: God the Provider, El Roi: The God who sees ME. These are just a few of the names of God. In our English Bible, the Supreme Being is called "God' or "LORD'. However, the original translations in Hebrew and Greek have a rich, full variety of names for God. We learn these names through different Biblical stories, and as we study them, we begin to experience the breadth of God's character. Join us as we explore the characteristics of God. For more information please contact Sherry Maiura 253-303-1681.
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Wellness Wednesday: Join us Wednesdays for "Just Be" beginner Yoga from 5:30- 6:10 in the large Preschool room.
"Just Be" Beginner Yoga class instructor Brittny Ramirez is a Physical Therapist Assistant/200 hour Registered Yoga Teacher. For more information contact sigi.helgeson@smlutheran.org.
Caregiver support group meets Friday, May 20, at 10:30 in the Fireside room.
Click here to learn about LCSNW's Music and Memories class offerings.
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Save the date! Women's Hiking and Camping Trip |
Women's hike/camp: July 7- at Silver Springs. Hosts/leaders: Tove Trelstad-Larsen and Pastor Sigi Helgeson. More information to come! |
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High school seniors and parents of high school seniors, please note that the scholarship application for high school seniors is now open. This scholarship is open to all high school seniors pursuing higher education at a four year college, technical college, trade school, or other institution of higher education. Scholarship materials are available on our website. All scholarship materials, including two letters of recommendation, are due May 22 to scholarships@smlutheran.org. Please email Pr. Hallie with any questions.
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Care of Creation Outings Spring and Summer 2022 |
Woodard Bay Friday May 13, 2022
Woodard Bay is a most delightful destination for this time of year. A forested walk of about 30 minutes takes the walker to a destination of an historical logging site, a home for thousands of Little Brown Myotis Bats, soaring eagles, and rookeries for hundreds of cormorants. We will form carpools and leave the church parking lot at 9 a.m. arriving at Woodard Bay at about 10. We will hike, wander, and bird watch til about noon and then have lunch together at the pier where there are a number of picnic tables. We should be back to the church between 3 and 4 p.m. Be sure to bring sturdy footwear, lunch, water, binoculars, raincoat, sunglasses. We will, however, cancel the trip if heavy rain is predicted. Hope to see you this Friday. If you are willing to drive could you email Tom Hulst at thulst@live.com and/or be sure to call Tom if you have any questions at 253-227-9665. State Park's passes are required in the parking lot. Here is the link to Woodard Bay Conservation Area including driving directions provided by the Washington Trails Association.
Schedule of Hiking Trips for the Balance of the Summer
The original schedule of hikes for July and August has been modified. The July hike to Pinnacle Saddle, MRNP, will be on July 23 instead of July 22; and the August Hike to Sunrise, MRNP, will be August 20 instead of August 19. Details of the May 23 and 24 field trip to the Elwha River in partnership with Holy Trinity Lutheran Church will be provided in future Bridge Newsletters.
Woodard Bay conservation Area, May 13, 2022
Elwha River, June 23 and 24
Pinnacle Saddle MRNP, July 23
Sunrise, MRNP, August 20
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Thank you from the Merzayee family! |
Many thanks to all who were able to attend the May 1 “Let’s Get Together” event and meet the
Merzayee family from Afghanistan. To find out more about them, click here.
The father, Rohullah, would like to convey this message to the congregation:
I would like to thank the refugee resettlement team and each of you individually for the invaluable support, efforts and
hard work you have provided for me and my family. We are forever in your debt for helping us
through tough times. I am humbled and grateful for your support. We are happy to be here
today and will always remember how you helped us to get to this good life.
The family is well-housed, Bushra is in school at Skyline Elementary, Rouhallah and Zorha are taking online English classes from Highline Community College, Zorha is expecting a baby boy in June, and Rohullah is actively searching for a number of jobs. If you wish to be involved in the resettlement process, please contact John Avery johnavery@gmail.com. To donate items on
the family’s Target gift registry, please click here.
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Thanks to everyone who participated in the 2022 Hunger Walk and to Amanda Minnis for Coordinating our group.
Ride for Refugees Bike Ride
Click here to learn about LCSNW's Kitsap Ride for Refugees bike ride on August 20.
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Thanks to all who helped with meals in April for Nativity House guests.
In just a few hours, we prepared and delivered over 640 meals last month
for the 2nd and 4th Saturdays! Thanks to all who participated and
supported the effort. For those interested in helping out with Nativity
House in May, we welcome both new faces and old hands to join the
effort. Upcoming events include:
* May 12, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: grab-and-go sack breakfast meal
preparation (for 2nd Saturday lunch); location: St. Mark's
* May 28, 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.: brunch burrito meal preparation (for 4th
Saturday lunch); location: St. Mark's kitchen
* May 28, 12:00 noon-1:00 p.m.: sack lunch meal pickup; location: St. Mark's
* flexible times/locations: remote volunteer activities, including
shopping and sack meal preparation
You can find more information about St. Mark's Nativity House ministry
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Habitat for Humanity
Beyond the Backyard 2022: A Family-Friendly Event
Habitat for Humanity is pleased to announce the return of its family-friendly fundraising event, Beyond the Backyard, from 10 a.m. -1 p.m. on Saturday, May 21. At only $300 for a team of 2-8 participants, your crew will have a blast at this adventure race/scavenger hunt benefitting affordable homeownership. Perfect for a youth group, group of friends, or families!
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Spring “Starter Kits” Help Youth in Need |
Donations are needed! YHH, Youth Host Home, is a program matching homeless 16-24 years olds with mentors who provide safe housing for them while they connect with education and community services.
Items in high need - new blankets, sheets, towels, soap, and other hygiene items. Sign up today to buy an item or two for kits, go to this link to sign up. Label your purchases “YHH” with your name and drop them in the YHH bin at church or in the Church office during the week.
We are hoping to assemble these kits at the end of May. Questions? Contact Roz Lueck-Mammen at RozLM28@gmail.com or text (253)312-1147.
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Upcoming Synod Educational Opportunities: UPDATED |
Click here for updated information on upcoming Synod educational opportunities.
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Spend the Summer at Holden Village |
Holden Village is looking for summer and permanent staff. Holden is a magical and unique Lutheran retreat center deeping in the Cascade Mountains where many St. Mark's members including Pastor Hallie, Cooper Sherry, Sarah Moore, Jennifer Wolbrecht and John and Carol Avery have served. They have open positions for this coming summer and beyond. Please consider working there as well as entering into a time of renewal by checking out these opportunities at http://www.holdenvillage.org/volunteer/holden-job-board.
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St. Mark's Lutheran Church by The Narrows
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