The Messenger of St. Mark's | Advent | November 30, 2023 | |
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For your thought:
"Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.” --Mark 13:35-37
Study this Sunday's Readings.
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Worship on Sunday is both in person and virtually, every week at 9:30 a.m. We live stream Sunday liturgies on our Facebook & YouTube channels.
Also, we offer a Midweek Eucharist every Thursday at 11 a.m. that is both in person and on our live-streaming platforms.
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Useful links:
Important Upcoming Dates (Download and Print an Advent-Epiphany Schedule Card here)
- Sat., Dec. 2, 9:30a, Intro to Contemplative Prayer Small Group Begins (Library)
- Sun., Dec. 3, 9:30a, Advent 1
- Sun., Dec. 3, 11:15a, Christmas Pageant Rehearsal #1
- Sun. Dec. 3, 11:15a, The Sabbath Small Group Class Commences
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Sun., Dec. 3, 6p, The Chosen Season 3 Viewing & Discussion Small Group Commences
- Sun., Dec. 3, Last chance to purchase SMMS Basket Raffle Tickets
- Mon. Dec. 4, SMMS Basket Raffle Drawing for Fieldtrip Fund
- Tues., Dec. 5, 3p, Ken Eberhard's Funeral & Reception
- Sat., Dec. 9, 9:30a-2:30p, Advent Quiet Day
- Sat., Dec. 9, 11a, Church Unbound Sandwich Making
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Sat., Dec. 9. 12:30p, LGBTQ+ Ministry Lunch at St. Mark's (RSVP)
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Sat., Dec. 9, 3p, Gay Men's Chorus Concert (Click here for tickets)
- Sun., Dec. 10, 11:15a, Christmas Pageant Rehearsal #2
- Sun., Dec. 17, 11:00 a, Luminaria Construction
- Sun., Dec. 17, 11:15a, Christmas Pageant Rehearsal #3
- Sun., Dec. 17, 4-6p, Christmas Pageant & Potluck Dinner
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SAINT MARK'S MISSION, MINISTRY & OUTREACH | |
Get Your Advent Devotionals & Resources | |
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Advent Devotional Resources
The first Sunday of Advent this year is Sunday, December 3rd. In Godly Play we teach children that "Advent is the season that helps us get ready to come close to the mystery of Christmas". It is never too soon to begin leaning into prayer, contemplation, and other practices that help us get ready to come close to this mystery.
On a table in the entryway of St. Mark's you will find a variety of printed resources to help you and your loved ones get ready:
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"Low: An Honest Advent Devotional," by John Pavlovitz
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"Practicing Wonder" (a Living Compass Resources)
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"Heaven and Nature Sing" (an Advent Sticker activity Book)
- St. Mark's Advent-Epiphany Schedule Card
You will also find clipboards to sign up to participate in these in-person groups:
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An Advent Contemplative Prayer Group for Beginners (begins Dec. 2nd)
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An Advent Quiet Day for Everyone (Saturday, December 9th)
Suggested Online Resources include:
Online Advent Prayer Resources from Mother Sylvia
As well as Advent "Read Alouds" we created during the pandemic
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The Rhythm of Sabbath: Cherishing the Gift of the Time | |
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The Rhythm of Sabbath: Cherishing the Gift of Time (In-person in the Library)
Sundays during Advent (December 3, 10, & 17)
Facilitators: Rev. Billie Abraham & Harrison Higgins
This Advent, a group of us will give deeper consideration to our stewardship of the gift of time by reading Abraham Joshua Heschel’s ,The Sabbath, and discussing how we might invite the rhythm of rest into our own lives as a new liturgical year begins and a new calendar year ends.
Schedule:
- December 3, 2023 11:15 AM Sabbath as Worship (Heschel Part 1)
- December 10, 2023 11:15 AM Sabbath as Rest (Heschel Part 2)
- December 17, 2023 11:15 AM Sabbath as Resistance (Heschel Part 3)
Heschel’s book, The Sabbath, is available for $12 made payable to St.
Mark's (or you may supply your own copy). Please make sure to contact Fr. Christopher (via email here) to secure a copy of The Sabbath.
To start, please read the following six-page document on "Time Redeeming the Gift," by Br. Geoffrey Tristram, of the Society of Saint John the Evangelist (SSJE):
https://www.ssje.org/MWReflections/SSJE_MonasticWisdom_Time.pdf
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We need roughly 1500 luminaria (the yellow votive, luminaria-specific candles preferred; typically found in boxes sold at Smiths Groceries). Thank you for your help and generosity! | |
Announcement of the Death of Tom Minard | | |
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It is with sadness that we announce that longtime parishioner, Tom Minard, died today at 2:15 p.m. We will update the parish with any funeral arrangements in the near future.
Please hold Tom's wife, Audrey Minard, in your prayers.
May light perpetual shine upon Tom.
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LOW: An Honest Advent Devotional | |
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The booklet, LOW: An Honest Advent Devotional, is a gift from St. Mark’s for each household in our community. In this Advent season as we prepare for the coming Jesus in the manger of humanity at Bethlehem, we want to do something together as a community.
We invite you to read and pray along with the whole community for 4 weeks beginning with Sunday November 26 (we know that this is not technically the first Sunday of Advent) all the way to Christmas Day. Take in the brief scripture passages and ponder the beautiful meditations by John Pavlovitz.
Each week there will opportunities to come together and reflect on the devotional materials and to share what we are discovering about scripture, ourselves and God’s love for the world.
Wednesday Evenings at 7pm you can join Fr. Christopher for an hour discussion in the library either in person or on zoom. November 29, Dec. 6, Dec. 13, Dec. 20. Find the link on our website under Offerings In-person and Online (or click here)
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Church Unbound Needs Volunteers Next Weekend | |
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On Sunday, December 10, our Church Unbound ministry needs help bringing the lunches upstairs from the Undercroft of St. Mark's, placing the sandwiches in the lunch bags, and out to the car going to Church Unbound.
Join us for fellowship and a brief service starting at 1:30 p.m. We will be located near the new library on Central near Charleston streets. This is approximately halfway between Louisiana and Wyoming on Central. Email Joan Camera (via email here) with questions.
All are welcome!
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New Parish Hall & Continuing Library Art Exhibits | |
Widening the Welcome Annual Giving Week-Five Update | | |
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Pledging Households
96 / 150
64% of our Goal
(Over halfway!)
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Dollars Pledged
$488,641 / $580,000
84% of our Goal
(Over three-quarters there!)
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Need a pledge card? Get your 2024 Pledge Card here!
We created a webpage dedicated to our stewardship annual giving for 2024, including all mailings, inserts, and videos. Check it out here.
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SMMS Outreach: Basket Raffle & Montessori Material Registry | |
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Our Montessori school is showcasing the baskets available to win for our Gift Basket Raffle! All proceeds go to the St. Mark's Montessori School (SMMS) Fieldtrip Fund. Raffle tickets may be purchased through December 3. The drawing will take place on December 4.
On December 2nd – SMMS Christmas Fair – Bring your family and join us for the SMMS Christmas Fair in Parish Hall from 11-1:30pm!
There will be children craft stations for the children, the gift basket raffle, the Children’s Art Sale, a Selfie Station, face painting, and Christmas songs!
~It is not necessary to spend anything to attend! The craft stations and potluck are free to all!~
The currency of the event is raffle tickets. We will be able to accept cash or card at the event.
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SMMS also has a Montessori Material Registry (view and sponsor the online materials registry gallery here). Our school is opening up an additional classroom and will need to furnish it with new Montessori materials! There are binders of materials that our school needs, and you can sponsor part of or a full set of a material. You may purchase colored stickers (priced between $30-$200 plus misc. donation amounts) which you will then stick to which material you would like to sponsor. Cash, check, or card are accepted. You may also donate funds electronically via PayPal here.
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Outreach: Blanket & Coat Collection for Church Unbound | |
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Please donate blankets, coats, sweatpants, and hoodies for our neighbors who are unhoused. There is a box in the narthex for your donations. Please make sure all items are new or extremely gently used and laundered.
One aspect of St. Mark’s Community Work is helping with Church Unbound each Sunday. The people who attend this outdoor worship event need extra help keeping warm as the seasons change.
Please contact Deacon David, via email here, if you have any questions.
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An Introduction to Contemplative Prayer | |
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Saturday, December 2 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (Library)
Tuesdays, December 5, 12, 19 & January 9, 16, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. (Chapel)
In contemplative prayer (meditation in the East) one uses some means (a word, phrase, image, breathing, etc.) to quiet the mind so that eventually thoughts disappear, and one sits in silence. The silence provides an empty space in which we can be present to the every-present God. This is the crucial underlying intent at the heart of all prayer: to be present to and know communion with God. In this silent communion, over time and with consistent practice, the person at prayer receives all things from God: guidance, instruction, healing, forgiveness, etc. In a word the person receives her or his very self in God, what Thomas Merton and Richard Rohr have called the “True Self,” the person who God created and the only person who God knows.
This form of prayer will be introduced in six sessions. The first session, Saturday, December 2, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (bring a brown-bag lunch) provides an important foundation for the following five ninety-minute sessions on Tuesdays, December 5, 12, 19 & January 9, 16, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. Each session includes an introduction to and practice of a particular way or means for entering into silence followed by small and total group response and discussion.
The Saturday session is required for participation in the following Tuesday meetings. While not required, it is very much hoped that each participant will commit themselves to all the sessions as part of their Advent discipline.
To register -- immediately (right now!) -- email Fr. Michael Jupin (email him here) or call him at 505-295-3975. The meeting place this Saturday will be the Library at St. Mark’s. Other information will be communicated to registrants before this Saturday’s session.
Since 1979, Fr. Michael has led over five hundred people in learning and practicing contemplative prayer. First studying with the Rev. Ron del Bene, he received an STM in Spiritual Direction from the General Theological Seminary in New York City in 1986. He also completed training in the Group Leaders’ Program of the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation, Bethesda, MD, in 1992.
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Celebration of Life for Ken Eberhard | | |
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Ken Eberhard's funeral and celebration of life will be held on
Tuesday, December 5 at 3:00 p.m.
in the Nave of St. Mark's.
A reception will follow in the Parish Hall.
Or attend virtually:
May light perpetual shine upon Ken, and may all the departed rest in peace.
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LGBTQ+ Lunch & Gay Men's Chorus Concert | |
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The LGBTQ+ Ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande invites you to join us at the New Mexico Gay Men’s Chorus holiday concert, “Something Must Be Wrong with My Mistletoe”, on Saturday, Dec. 9 at 3:00 pm. The concert will be held at The Hiland Theater, 4800 Central Ave SE, Albuquerque. Please join us for this annual festive event. Bring your friends and family.
The Chorus is offering us a 25% group discount on tickets. The discount is good for this Saturday afternoon concert in Tier 2 and Tier 3 seats only. To purchase your tickets, click here.
Scroll down and select “Get Tickets” at the right-hand side of the page. At the top of the next page, you are asked for a Promo Code. Enter EDRG-GROUP and then click “Apply.” Select the number of tickets you desire from Tier 2 or Tier 3 and then complete your purchase.
St. Mark’s is hosting a lunch for the LGBTQ+ Ministry that day, Saturday, Dec. 9 at 12:30. Let’s meet for social time and good food together before the concert. Please RSVP to the lunch at LGBTQdrg@gmail.com.
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"The First Incarnation," An Advent Quiet Day | |
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“The First Incarnation,” An Advent Quiet Day at St. Mark’s
Saturday, December 9, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Chapel
Fr. Richard Rohr has said that “The Big Bang” is the first incarnation and that nature is the first Bible. On this quiet day we will explore the creation and nature as the first incarnation and how such an experience might shape our understanding and appreciation of the Incarnation in Jesus at this Christmas time. The Rev. Michael Jupin, spiritual director and contemplative prayer group leader will lead the day. Bring a brown bag lunch (water, coffee, tea provided) and register immediately (right now!) -- by emailing Fr. Michael Jupin (email him here) or call him at 505-295-3975. The meeting place this Saturday will be the Library at St. Mark’s. Other information will be communicated to registrants before this Saturday’s session.with Fr. Michael via email here, or call him at 505-295-3975. Please register ASAP!
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December 3: The Chosen Christmas Special & Season Three | |
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“The Chosen” Christmas Special + Season 3
Sunday Night Small Group
6:00 p.m. Mountain Time (Note the earlier meeting time!)
In-person in St. Mark’s Library AND on Zoom
All are welcome! Join us on site or online! Bring snacks or drinks to share! We’ll gather to share our “highs and lows”, watch a film or an episode from a series together, enjoy some small group discussion, and close by praying a brief service of Compline.
Schedule:
All may catch up on seasons 1 and 2, for free, here.
Find weekly zoom links and more at https://www.stmarksabq.org/online.
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Give by mail (St. Mark's has a secure mailbox and is checked regularly). Send to: 431 Richmond Place NE, Albuquerque, NM 87106. | | |
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Give electronically through By PayPal®.
Please consider checking the box that reads, "I’d like to add to my donation to help offset the cost of processing."
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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 (e.g., pledge, congregational relief fund, etc.).
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Movie Night with the LGBTQ+ Ministry | |
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All are welcome to join us for worship during our Thursday 11 a.m. midweek Holy Eucharists and our Sunday Holy Eucharists at 9:30 a.m. You may join us in person or on Facebook & YouTube.
Come as you are!
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Email submissions should be sent (via email) to the Communications Specialist by 9:00 a.m. each Wednesday for inclusion on Thursday's e-news.
www.stmarksabq.org
© 2023
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