March 20, 2024

From the Pastor

Holy Week offers us a unique opportunity to reflect, repent, and ultimately rejoice in the promise of resurrection and eternal life. I hope you’ll make plans to join us as we come together to immerse ourselves in the depth and beauty of this holy time.

On Thursday, March 28 at 6pm, we will observe Maundy Thursday, which marks the Last Supper that Jesus had with his disciples before his crucifixion. There will also be optional foot washing stations, commemorating Jesus’ act of washing the disciples’ feet, a powerful example of humility and the call to serve one another.

On Sunday morning we will have an Easter Sunrise Service at 6:30 out by the wooden cross on the north side of our church campus and also our regular worship service at 10:30am. Join us for a glorious celebration of Christ’s resurrection!

I pray that your Holy Week will be a sacred time of spiritual renewal. It is a privilege to serve God as one of your clergy.

Tommy

We invite you to join us with your friends, family, and neighbors in fellowship and worship as we remember the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Easter Sermon Series

When we think about what makes someone a Christian, we typically begin with belief: someone confesses faith in Christ. This belief then changes our behavior as we find belonging in the church. What if we started with belonging first, with belief and behavior following? Join us for our Easter season sermon series entitled "The Power of Belonging."

Upcoming Scripture texts:

March 31: John 20:1-18

April 7: John 20:19-31

April 14: Luke 24:36b-48

April 21: Psalm 23

April 28: Acts 8:26-40

May 5: Acts 10:44-48

TONIGHT

6:00 p.m. Ministries

SOULFULL Worship Plus Children, Youth, & Adult Ministries

Adult Ministries in March

The Grand Sweep Reflection Group

In the Banquet Room

BOOK TALK, Wednesday, March 20^th

General Announcements

Holy Week Begins

Invite friends and family to celebrate with us.

Spread the word about the upcoming Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, and Easter Sunday services.

Maundy Thursday

Wednesday Night Together Dinner and Worship on Thursday, March 28th.

Join in 5:00 p.m. fellowship dinner followed by 6:00 p.m. Holy Thursday worship in the Sanctuary.

Cedar Crest Camp: Spring Service Day!

Children, Youth, and Adults invited to attend!

Cedar Crest Camp is hosting their annual Spring Service Day on Saturday, April 13th. Children, Youth, and Adults are invited to attend! We will leave St. Mark’s at 7:45 AM and return by 1:00 PM. If you are interested in attending, please email Hannah Pratt by Thursday, March 28th.

St. Mark's Church-wide Talent Show

April 24th at 6:00 PM

Bring your gifts and talents and participate in St. Mark's Church-wide talent show! All ages are welcome to participate! This will be held on the last Wednesday Night Together gathering, April 24th, at 6:00 PM. Bring your donations to vote for your favorite act! All proceeds will go towards the Children's Ministry Designated Funds. To register, please email HyeLan Pearce at hyelan@stmarkstn.org by April 10. 

Save the Date for VBS!

Youth and Adult Volunteers Needed

St. Mark’s Vacation Bible School will be June 24-27 from 9 AM – 12 PM. The theme this year is Camp Firelight! It takes many volunteers to make VBS safe and fun for all children. There are adult and youth openings in music, crafts, recreation, snacks, registration, hospitality, and shepherding a class. If you feel God calling you to serve in this ministry area, click here to register online or email Hannah Pratt at hannah@stmarkstn.org.

Invitation to Men to join St. Mark's Men's Chorale

All vocal ability levels welcome

The St Mark's Men's Chorale invites all men of the church to join our group. 

• The group participates in the worship service approximately 4 times per year.
• Rehearsals are held in a 10-day window prior to each performance. 
• Choir membership is not required.
• We welcome all levels of vocal ability and experience.

The Men's Chorale is currently preparing for next Sunday's (March 17) service. Contact HyeLan Pearce or Tim Tackett for more information.

You enjoy St. Mark's music ministry ... IT'S TIME TO JOIN IN!      

INTEREST MEETING: July 7 – 13 Mission Trip

Sunday, April 14, 11:30 a.m.

Pastor John Newman from Henderson Settlement will be at St. Mark’s Sunday, April 14^th. He’ll be available during Christian education, have an informational booth in the music suite hallway 10:00 - 10:30 a.m., and be present after worship as needed.

If you’d like to learn more about the mission trip, see the following: 

Henderson Settlement Slideshow Presentation: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1h0EwtK48CdpiRmby6RRVbplKeBkWcLDio24Bp-ffFUc/edit?usp=sharing   

Mission Trip Application Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfy1STNm6tgsghpZQRGjGw3y7yyRKLwj14NTGrzlQ3BF1WpvA/viewform?usp=sharing

A $50/person deposit is required, payable to St. Mark’s UMC and due Tuesday, April 2^nd.  Scholarships for all ages are available! For more information about the trips or available scholarships, contact Louis Toedt, Martha Touchton, or Hannah Pratt.

Easter Lilies for $14 each, orders due 3/24

Would you like to Honor or Memorialize

a friend or loved one this Easter?

St. Mark's is offering you a way to do that with a lovely Lily in their name. They will be available for $14 each. They will adorn our Sanctuary on Easter and will be available for you to take home after service on Sunday, March 31st. You may purchase them by filling out the order form and turning it in to the church office with check payable to St. Mark's and designated for "lily".

Wesley Foundation Golf Tournament

Registration and Sponsorships

The MTSU Wesley Foundation Golf Tournament is April 12, 2024. Lunch begins at 12pm and Shotgun Start at 1pm. $100 per person. Click here to register (check back later if the link hasn't been activated yet). You can also call 615-390-5585.

You and your business are also invited to be a sponsor for the day:

Title Sponsor: $7500; Club Sponsor: $5000; Shirt Sponsor: $2500; Sign Sponsor: $2000; Lunch Sponsor: $1500; Cart Sponsor: $1000; 19th Hole After Party Host: $700;

Putting Contest Sponsor: $500; Driving Range Sponsor: $400; Hole Sponsor: $150; Sponsor a Student to Play: $65.

Recreation Ministry

• We want to hear your thoughts on the future direction of St. Mark’s Recreation Ministry! Click the following link to be redirected to a brief Recreation Ministry Survey where you can tell us what you’d like to see more of from your Recreation Ministry in the future: https://forms.gle/JQXWdP7UZhQK9NJG7

• St. Mark’s Recreation Ministry is looking for Men 18 and older who would like to play softball on Thursday evenings beginning in April @Sports Com (Double-Header Format, Typically 6 & 7 pm Start Times) if interested, please speak to Wendell Philpott or Louis Toedt. There is also a signup sheet in the music suite hallway.

• Our friend Bob Ingle will be leading a Spring Migration Bird Watching Walk at Cedars of Lebanon State Park on April 13th, 7 a.m. (2-3 hour walk). Participants will meet Bob at the Visitor’s Center, which is the first building on the right side of the road after entering the park. Limited spaces available! Contact louis@stmarkstn.org for more info or to reserve your spot.

Adult Ministries

THE REVEREND DR. BECKY WRIGHT, PH.D.

WRAPS UP THE PENTATEUCH

The Rev. Dr. Wright, C. K. Benedict Professor of Old Testament and Biblical Hebrew at Sewanee School of theology, led us in a wonderfully informative, enlightening, and meaningful wrap-up of the first five books of the Old Testament last Sunday, March 17, in the Sanctuary. If you missed this special event, you can watch it here. Dr. Wright’s appearance at St. Mark’s was made possible by funds given in memory of Fred and Miriam Crawford for Christian education.

Mark your calendar for these upcoming Adult Education special events that will occur as our Grand Sweep readers complete reading of large portions of the Bible:

• June 2: The Books of History with Rev. John Weaver, Director, MTSU Wesley Foundation.

John came to MTSU in 2016 from the Wesley Foundation at Auburn University, where he served as associate director and director of the Auburn Parish. John holds degrees from Tennessee Tech and Vanderbilt University and has a deep love for the Old Testament. As an ordained elder in the Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference of the United Methodist Church, John served several churches before entering campus ministry. John and his wife Ella grew up in the Winchester/Manchester area and have two boys, Huck and Bramblett.

• September 22: The Books of Wisdom with Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Executive Director, Worship Ministries; Director, Music Ministries.
• December 1: Gospels and Acts with Dr. Amy Jill Levine renowned author and retired professor of New Testament, Vanderbilt Divinity School.
• January 5 or 12, 2025: 9:15 – 10:15 a.m. Epistles and Revelation, TBA 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., Grand Sweep Celebration Luncheon for all participants. 

FREE ONLINE LENTEN DEVOTIONAL RESOURCES

Prepare your minds for action; discipline yourselves; set all your hope on the grace that Jesus Christ will bring you when he is revealed. Like obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires that you formerly had in ignorance. Instead, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct, for it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”  1 Peter 1: 13-16, NRSV

Lent is a time of repentance, fasting and preparation for the coming of Easter. It is a time of devotion and scripture reading, self-examination and reflection for all ages.

Because so many in our congregation are using The Grand Sweep for their daily devotion, we will not be providing many paper devotional booklets during Lent. A helpful list of links for online devotionals, Lenten calendars, and other activities to help individuals and families practice spiritual discipline during the season of Lent can be found here.

Read To Succeed’s 2024 ONE BOOK Available at St. Mark’s

One Book is a partnership between Read To Succeed, Linebaugh Library, and other Middle Tennessee non-profits and businesses to promote reading and unity in Rutherford County. This year’s 2024 One Book is The Last White Man by Mohsin Hamid. Copies of the book are available to borrow in the Sanctuary Foyer.



“Concise, powerful. . . . Hamid imaginatively takes on timely, universal topics, including identity, grief, community, family, race, and what it means to live through sudden and often violent change.”

WHAT ARE YOU READING?

You are invited to join in a group discussion of this and other books you are reading Wednesday, March 20, 6:00 p.m. in the Narthex with Butler Touchton. Come and share your latest favorites and learn about some other good reads.  

THAT WE MIGHT

FEED OTHERS

WE ARE FED

As part of your preparation for

the sacrament of Holy Communion,

you are invited to donate canned and dry foods to

St. Mark's Food Bank every 1st Sunday.

Collection tubs will be located just outside the Sanctuary,

or you can bring your donation to the

bins in the Narthex or Room 407/409.

The next Communion Sunday is April 7^th

Please bring cans of Green Beans

"For I was hungry, and you gave me food..."

Matthew 25:35

The Sages welcomed guest Joy Ash Galland, Sages Specialist, on Monday March 11. It was an informative meeting about senior care, insurances, hospice, Medicare, and other matters of interest to the Sages. Thanks, Joy.

On Friday, March 22, 9:00 AM the Sages Dementia Subcommittee will meet. Our guest is Dr. Sherry Galloway.

The next meeting of the Alzheimer’s/Dementia Care Group will meet at 1:30 at St. Mark's in room 503/505. All those caring with someone with dementia or Alzheimer’s is welcome.

The next meeting of the SAGES Ministry team will be Monday April 8 9:30 AM in Room 503-505. 

On April 15, the Sages will tour the historic Asbury-Babb House in Lebanon with lunch at Sammy B’s at 11:30, and a stop at Bay’s Southern Bread in Lebanon. The bus ($5.00) leaves at 9:00. Please sign up in the narthex or the church office. Look for the book!

Upcoming events include a visit to Granny Fishes, a show at the Cumberland County Playhouse, the Falcon Rest Tour and lunch in McMinnville.

This year we are again offering worship experiences at five different SAGES Assisted Living and Memory Care Centers.

We are sending cards and delivering flowers and gifts. We make hospital calls and home visits. We support grandparent ministries. We attend Sunday School and worship. And we are in always in the process of life-long learning.

Please join us for an outing. We believe you will enjoy it.

SUNDAY MORNINGS AT 9:15*!

Our Preschool (Ages 2 to PreK 5), Younger Elementary (Kindergarten to 3^rd Grade), and Older Elementary (4^th Grade to 6^th Grade) children will meet for Sunday school to explore Spark: Activate Faith lessons. An activity-filled Sunday school curriculum that follows the salvation story from start to finish, helping kids explore key Bible stories from both the Old and New Testaments. The preschool class will meet in Room 305, the younger elementary class will meet in Room 214, and the older elementary class will meet in Room 212.

Spark helps kids learn at their level

Interact with the Bible in every lesson, helping kids navigate the story and begin to compare what they learn to their own life.

Focus on hands-on learning

Engage kids in the Bible story with lessons packed with activities, interactive games, and creative crafts.

Experience the Salvation Story arc

Help kids experience the Salvation story each year by exploring the Old Testament in the fall, and the New Testament in the winter and spring.

* On Sunday’s when the Children’s Choir is rehearsing, Children’s Sunday School will begin at 9:30.

Frolic Nursery: Little Steps, Big Faith

Our Nursery aged children (Birth to 1 year) will begin exploring Frolic Nursery lessons. Drawing on brain science as well as theology, Frolic was designed by early childhood experts to build faith through play in babies, toddlers, and young children from birth to age five. Frolic uses Bible lessons, music, and play to help build a firm Faith foundation.  

Start faith formation at birth

Uses a curriculum based on early childhood best practices to help your little ones to take little steps to big faith—starting at birth.

Focuses on learning at their level

Frolic’s curriculum focuses on helping young children explore faith concepts in the way they know best— through play!

Equips caregivers to nurture faith

Equips leaders and parents to nurture faith in many ways—through storytelling, prayers, and music.

All children are invited to attend the Wednesday night children’s study, “Joining God at Work in the World”! Every Wednesday at 6:00 pm in Room 202 in the Children’s Wing.

Save the Date for the Children’s Easter Events!

• Sunday, March 24th- Worship and Palm Sunday Parade at 10:30 AM

• Sunday, March 31st- Children’s Sunday School Resurrection Scavenger Hunt at 9:00 AM

• Sunday, March 31st- Easter Worship and Butterfly Parade at 10:30 AM

• Sunday, March 31st- Easter Egg Hunt following the 10:30 AM Worship Service

Ways you can help:

• Keep empty rooms locked
• Sign children in and out of classrooms
• Supervise your children at all times
• Accompany your children to the Restroom
• Help us observe the two-adult rule at all times by serving as a Safe Sanctuaries helper
• If you see any behavior that seems abusive or inappropriate, inform a ministry leader

Please contact Hannah Pratt at hannah@stmarkstn.org if you have any questions. Follow our St. Mark’s Children’s Ministry Facebook page and Instagram @stmarkstnkids for more information!

• Wednesday Night Bible Study continues this week (3/20) beginning at 6:00 pm in the Library (just off the Narthex) and ending at 7:30 pm; Youth & friends in grades 6-12 are invited to join us as we explore the question of, “How do we put on the whole armor of God?”. Dinner (Yankee Pot Roast) will be served in the banquet hall at 5 pm, and is free for Children, Youth and College Students. ($10 for adults). Please note that there will be no Wednesday Night Bible Study next week (on 3/27) due to RCS Spring Break.

• On Monday March 18th, St. Mark’s Youth partnered with the Youth from Blackman UMC to travel to Rock City at Chattanooga’s Lookout Mountain; thank you for the generous financial support that you provide which makes these fun Youth outings possible!

• Sunday March 17th was our St. Patrick’s at St. Mark’s Party; congratulations to our competition winner Nathan Daniel, special thanks to our volunteer leader John McDaniel, and to Susan McElroy for providing a delicious fellowship meal!

• Congratulations to Chelsea on being a part of Riverdale High School’s awesome performance of ‘The Little Mermaid”!

• Congratulations to Lyla & Kendall on their respective parts in the Siegel High School Choral Department’s production of “Bright Star”!

• Congratulations to Aidan on signing on to play soccer for the Indiana Wesleyan University Wildcats in the fall of 2024 - way to go Aidan!!

• Our Stone Door Trail outing on Tuesday 3/5 was transformed by inclement weather into a fascinating visit to the Caverns at Pelham, which just goes to show that sometimes we make plans that don’t work out because God actually has a better plan in mind. Thank you to Katherine Beatty, Susan McElroy and Zulma Rivera for chaperoning!

• Our Sunday Worship Team is seeking Youth Communion Servers (1 volunteer needed for the first Sunday of every month) and Youth Ushers (4-6 volunteers needed on the 5th Sunday of every month which contains 5 Sundays, including March). To volunteer for these service opportunities, click on the following link and follow the prompts. SignupGenius will generate reminder emails shortly before the date of your service, so don’t be afraid to sign up months in advance: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E48A8A823ABFFCE9-48490698-youth

• If anyone is aware of any loved ones who will be graduating from High School, College or Graduate School this May and would like to see them honored by St Mark’s Student Ministry, please communicate this information to Louis Toedt and he will follow up with further instructions. Graduation Sunday will be observed on May 5th, 2024.

• You can find a printable version of the Spring 2024 St. Mark’s Youth Programming Calendar via this link:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1m-AZc7QprlSM_JRgk_Tao3jLciH2yvtQAk_EITGXUA8/edit?usp=sharing . You can also follow us on Instagram @stmarkstn_youth, or visit the Youth Ministry landing page for all things related to St Mark’s Student Ministry: https://st-marks-umc-student-ministry.mailchimpsites.com/

The flowers on the altar each Sunday are available to be sponsored in honor of in memory of loved ones. To reserve a date, please call the church office or sign up on the Flower Calendar at the receptionist desk in the church office.

Each bouquet (there are two per Sunday) is $30 which can be paid by placing a check in the offering plate with "Flowers" on the memo line or contacting the church office for other arrangements.

The next available Sunday is:

March 31 (one bouquet)

April 7 (one or both bouquets)

April 14 (one bouquet)

April 21 (one bouquet)

April 28 (one or both bouquets)

Many other 2024 dates are available. Call 615-893-3455 for more information.

Wednesday, March 20

5:00 p.m. WNT Dinner - Banquet Room

6:00 p.m. Grand Sweep #1 - Banquet Room

6:00 p.m. SOULFULL Worship - Rec Center

6:00 p.m. Youth Bible Study - Library

7:00 p.m. Chancel Choir - RM 1119

Thursday, March 21

9:00 a.m. Women's Bible Study - RM 1203

10:30 a.m. Knitting - RM 503/505

6:00 p.m. ACOA Meeting - RM 503/505

Friday, March 22

9:00 a.m. Dementia Subcommittee Meeting - RM 503/505

10:00 a.m. Grand Sweep #2 - RM 503/505

11:00 a.m. Bible Study - RM 503/505

Saturday, March 23

8:30 a.m. AA Group - RM 503/505

9:00 a.m. Easter Cantata Rehearsal - Sanctuary

Sunday, March 24

9:15 a.m. Christian Education

10:30 a.m. Worship - Sanctuary

4:00 p.m. Bible Study - RM 1203

4:00 p.m. Grand Sweep #4 - RM 504

5:00 p.m. Chancel Ringers - RM 1117

Monday, March 25

10:00 a.m. Watercolor Class - Banquet Room

5:00 p.m. Cub Scouts - Banquet Room/Rec Center/Youth Center

5:30 p.m. Big Book Group - RM 503/505

6:00 p.m. Sanctuary Ringers - RM 1117

Tuesday, March 26

10:00 a.m. Note Writers - RM 506

10:00 a.m. Staff Meeting - RM 503/505

6:00 p.m. Woodworkers - Banquet Room

Wednesday, March 27

6:00 p.m. Grand Sweep #1 - Banquet Room

Thursday, March 28

9:00 a.m. Women's Bible Study - RM 1203

10:00 a.m. Quilting Bee - Banquet Room/Kitchen

10:30 a.m. Knitting - RM 503/505

1:30 p.m. Alzheimer's/Dementia Support Group - RM 503/505

5:00 p.m. WNT Dinner - Banquet Room

6:00 p.m. ACOA Meeting - RM 503/505

6:00 p.m. Maundy Thursday Service - Sanctuary

7:00 p.m. Chancel Choir - RM 1119

Friday, March 29

10:00 a.m. Grand Sweep #2 - RM 503/505

11:00 a.m. Bible Study - RM 503/505

6:00 p.m. Eagle Scout Court of Honor - Sanctuary & Banquet Room

Saturday, March 30

8:30 a.m. AA Group - RM 503/505

Sunday, March 31

Easter Sunday

6:00 a.m. Easter Sunrise Breakfast - Kitchen/Banquet Room

6:30 a.m. Sunrise Worship Service - outdoor worship area

9:15 a.m. Christian Education

9:40 a.m. Men's Chorale - RM 1119

10:30 a.m. Worship - Sanctuary

11:30 a.m. Easter Egg Hunt

4:00 p.m. Grand Sweep #4 - RM 504

Monday, April 1

Office Closed - Easter Monday

10:00 a.m. Watercolor Class - Banquet Room

5:00 p.m. Cub Scouts - Banquet Room/Rec Center/Youth Center

5:30 p.m. Big Book Group - RM 503/505

Tuesday, April 2

10:00 a.m. Note Writers - RM 506

10:00 a.m. Staff Meeting - RM 503/505

In Other News:

View Our Current Prayer List

See Our Full Event Calendar 

Missed a Sermon? Click HERE to go to our sermon's media page.

St. Mark's UMC | (615) 893-3455 | stmarks@stmarkstn.org