The Remarks is a weekly publication of Saint Mark United Methodist Church, Atlanta, Georgia.
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Christmas Eve Worship

“Joy to the World, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King!”

We invite you to worship with us on Christmas Eve.
Please note the new times for 2 of our worship services this year:

• Family Service, 5 pm
• Communion & Carols Service, 7 pm
• Candlelight Service, 11 pm

Saint Mark is offering a variety of other special holiday programs this month. Click here for information about all events & opportunities related to Saint Mark's Advent & Christmas or pick up a complete listing of our 2007 Holiday Schedule of Events in the narthex on Sunday.

MAC Winter Clothing Drive

The Midtown Assistance Center (MAC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing homelessness and hunger among families living in Midtown and Downtown Atlanta. During the month of December, MAC is conducting its Men’s Clothing Drive, collecting all types of winter clothing:

• Dress & casual shirts & pants
• Suits
• White dress shirts, black pants, dark shoes & tuxedos (for food service industry jobs)
• Jeans & t-shirts (for construction jobs)
• Ties & belts
• Shoes, boots & new socks
• Pajamas & new undergarments
• Personal hygiene items: razors, deodorant, soap, etc.

Take your items to MAC (30 Porter Place, Atlanta 30308) or bring to Saint Mark.

Christmas

by Jimmy Moor

In some ways this has been a funny season, this time of getting ready for Christmas. Some of it has to do with the weather. “Oh, the weather outside is frightful” just doesn’t sound the same when it’s in the 70’s and sunny. Some of it has to do with Julie’s foot surgery and the fact that she is not able to get around as well as usual. That has particularly impacted our decorating – I am not very good at that, as some of you would guess! We are making progress – Julie can do amazing things from a wheelchair – but it has been different. It also appears this year that we will not have any family gatherings at our house, almost unheard of. It’s off to Marietta we will go.

But Christmas, with all of its wonder is coming. I have been reading the Christmas stories from Matthew and Luke over the last several days. One version was from Walt Wangerin’s The Book of God. Wangerin is a Lutheran pastor who is a gifted writer, and he has told the entire biblical story in the form of a novel. His account of the birth of Jesus is the earthiest, most human I think I have ever read. And it reminds me of the utter wonder that God would choose to come among us in such a way: weak, vulnerable, human. I have reread Clarence Jordan’s Cotton Patch Gospel, which has Jesus born in Gainesville, Georgia and placed in an apple crate. Wonderful! When he speaks of farmers in the surrounding area getting the angels’ message, I think of people I know in Hall County.

When you look at the story again this year, notice the play between great rejoicing and quiet in the story. Both Matthew and Luke tell of the actual birth very simply, in just a verse or two. Then, especially in Luke, there is singing, and running, and excitement by the angels and the shepherds. More quiet when Mary ponders all these things after the shepherds leave. I hope you will make time to experience both quiet pondering and joyful singing as we celebrate this wonder in the coming week.

Jimmy

Remarks Announcements

ADVENT SERVICE OF HOPE & HEALING

If you find this time of year overwhelming, possibly due to experiencing illness, grief, loneliness, economic woes, or some other reason, we invite you to attend a special Advent Worship Service of Hope and Healing on Wednesday, December 19, 7 pm. This service is designed to recognize those who may not feel as joyous as they “should” during this season, and to hold out hope for the “light that shines in the darkness.” (John 1:5)

ADVENT COMMUNION SERVICE & BIBLE STUDY

Each Sunday morning in Advent, we will be offering a short Communion service in the Chapel from 10:10-10:25. Following the Communion service, our seminary intern, Meg Edmondson, will be offering a brief Bible Study in the chapel for those who wish to stay. The schedule is as follows:

• December 2: Rev. Josh Noblitt will be facilitating the liturgy
• December 9: Rev. Mandy Flemming
• December 16: Rev. Jimmy Moor
• December 23: Rev. Phillip Thomason

TRINITY HOUSE MEAL

Saint Mark will be providing a meal to Trinity House this Christmas, as we have done for many years. We will prepare soup & sandwiches on Saturday, December 22, 1 pm in Wade Hall. Then we will deliver & serve the guests on Sunday, December 23, 10 am. Volunteers are still needed for serving on Sunday. For more information or to volunteer, contact Rev. Phillip Thomason, 404.873.2636 x12, pthomason@stmarkumc.org.

MEALS ON WHEELS

Senior Citizen Services is looking for a few wise people to come from afar and deliver gifts and meals on Monday, December 24, Christmas Eve. Click here to sign-up online (see lower left hand corner).

HOLIDAY SCHEDULE

• The worship schedule for this Sunday, December 23 will be 2 services as usual.
• There will be one Morning Worship service at 10:30 am on Sunday, December 30.
• The church office will be closed on Christmas Day, on Wednesday, December. 26, and on New Year’s Day.

To reach a minister of in case of emergency call 888-334-9490.

ATTENTION, COMMITTEE CHAIRS!

Don’t forget to contact Christia, cholloway@stmarkumc.org, 404.873.2636 x16, to confirm that your committee / work group’s regularly occurring meetings (monthly, quarterly, etc.) carry over from 2007 and are scheduled correctly on the 2008 church calendar. To avoid confusion, everything needs to be noted on the church calendar. Thank you for your cooperation!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Important dates in January:

• Sunday, January 6: Epiphany of the Lord
• Sunday, January 13: Baptism of the Lord
• Wednesday, January 16: Wednesday Night Fellowship Dinners resume
• Monday, January 21: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (church office closed)
• Monday, January 28: First 2008 Administrative Council meeting

Green Team Tip of the Week

Care to Conserve during the holidays (continued from last week)

SWEET CHARITY. Add a local charity to your gift list; even one dollar is a gift that helps and is truly appreciated. Alternates: Ask a local charity for its holiday wish list and give something they really need, or send a card with your pledge to volunteer an hour a month of your time.

MINIMIZE MAIL. Sort through all those mail order catalogs and cancel the ones you don't need. You'll save paper, ink and fuel for shipping. To remove your name from the mailing lists for paper catalogs, go to www.catalogchoice.org, a free online service. It's quick & easy.

SHOP LOCAL. Save fuel, support local businesses, promote interest in local food, crafts, simple handmade toys and unique items while you strengthen the local economy. Another socially responsible alternative is Ten Thousand Villages - enabling artisans to earn a fair wage and provides the opportunity for a better quality of life.

Source: Jason's Deli, 250 10th Street, Atlanta 30309.

To report a water restriction violation, call:

• City of Atlanta, 404.982.1414
• Fulton County, 770.640.3040
• Dekalb County, 770.270.6243
• Cobb County, 770.419.6278
• Gwinnett County, 678.376.7100

Click here for the Green Team's previous Tips of the Week.
Click here for more information about Saint Mark's Green Team.

Children's Corner

Our Family Christmas Eve Service (at 5 pm this year) needs more children and youth to participate as angels, shepherds, animals, readers, and more! We can even use some adults to take speaking parts. This year’s worship service will be full of song and celebration, and you will love being a part of it all.

Practices for those participating in this service will be:

• Sunday, December 23, 10:10 am (during the Sunday School hour) – in the Sanctuary
• Monday, December 24 (Christmas Eve), 3:30 pm – in the Sanctuary

Click here for more information about the Children's Ministry,
or contact Jackie Jenkins, Children's Minister, 404.873.2636 x24.

Club M.A.R.K. - Making a Real Konnection

Book Club

The Book Club meets on the first Thursday of each month at Jason’s Deli (located at the corner of Piedmont and 10th St) at 7 pm. The next Book Club will meet on Thursday, January 3. All are invited to participate!

• January: The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield; Stephen Knadler, facilitator
• February: Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez; Steve Hargrove, facilitator
• March: Old School by Tobias Wolff

Click here for more information about the Club M.A.R.K. Book Club or contact Cheryl Thompson, cherylcrt@aol.com 404-918-9240.

Save the Date! Mark your calendars for the Saint Mark Gala, Saturday, February 9.

Club M.A.R.K. events are open to everyone - all are invited to participate!
Click here for more information about Club M.A.R.K.

Remarks Reports

Worship Attendance, Sunday, December 16

• 8:45 am – 204, 11:15 am – 429, Total - 633

Morning Worship: Sunday, December 23

• Fourth Sunday of Advent
• Rev. Mandy flemming to preach
• Worship services at 8:45 am & 11:15 am as usual

Wednesday Fellowship Dinner: Wade Hall, 6:15 pm

Don’t forget - our Wednesday night fellowship dinners have ended for 2007 and will resume in 2008 on January 16.

• January 16 - Church-wide scavenger hunt
• January 23 - Ministry Opportunities at Saint Mark
• January 30 - Compline Service

Click here for more information about AND to make a reservation for a Wednesday Dinner program, call 404.873.2636 x50, or complete the registration form in the pews and place in the offering plate.

In Sympathy

Saint Mark expresses Christian sympathy to the friends and family of Philip C. Harrison on his death on Friday, December 7.

Gift Acknowledgements

Judy Greer gave a gift to the Capital Campaign in honor of Joseph Hackett and Stan Moor.
Valerie McKibben gave a gift to the Capital Campaign also in honor of Joseph Hackett.

Financial Report

Year-End Contributions

In order for contributions to be posted to your 2007 Giving Record, they must meet one of three requirements:

• The gift is received and posted to your account before December 31.
• The contribution is delivered to the church office on or before December 31.
• The envelope in which the gift is mailed is postmarked on or before December 31.

Gifts of stocks and securities should be transferred on or before the December 31 deadline as well.

The Finance Office will be open on December 31. If you have any questions or need more information, please contact Deana Hilton, dhilton@stmarkumc.org, 404-873-2636 x14.

Click here to make a contribution securely online.
Click here to make your make your 2008 Operating Budget Pledge online.
Click here to make your make your Capital Campaign Pledge online

Congregational Care

Coming up at Saint Mark

Click here to view the December 2007 calendar.
Click here for Advent & Christmas events and calendar.

Links to www.stmarkumc.org

CONTACT US!

Please submit all announcements for the Remarks to Christia Holloway, Remarks Editor, no later than the Friday prior to the week that the information should appear.

Saint Mark United Methodist Church

781 Peachtree Street NE
Atlanta GA 30308-1205
Phone: 404.873.2636
After hours emergency: 888.334.9490
Prayer line: 404.873.2636 x31 or prayer@stmarkumc.org
Fax: 404.873.2639
E-mail: office@stmarkumc.org
Web: www.stmarkumc.org

STAFF DIRECTORY

Rev. Jimmy Moor, Senior Pastor
  jmoor@stmarkumc.org, telephone extension 11

Rev. Phillip Thomason, Associate Minister of Outreach & Pastoral Care
  pthomason@stmarkumc.org, extension 12

Rev. Mandy S. Flemming, Associate Minister of Christian Education & Spiritual Formation
  mflemming@stmarkumc.org, extension 13

Rev. Joshua M. Noblitt, Deacon in Residence
  jnoblitt@stmarkumc.org, 404.739.5162

Jane Burke, Minister of Fine Arts
  jburke@stmarkumc.org, extension 15

Jackie Jenkins, Children's Minister
  jjenkins@stmarkumc.org, extension 24

Pat Riley, Director of Youth Ministry
  priley@stmarkumc.org, extension 17

Boyd Darsey, Staff Assistant
  bdarsey@stmarkumc.org, extension 10

Deana Hilton, Business Administrator
  dhilton@stmarkumc.org, extension 14

Christia Holloway, Assistant to Rev. Moor
  cholloway@stmarkumc.org, extension 16

John Richardson, Associate Director of Fine Arts & Organist
  jrichardson@stmarkumc.org, extension 22

Amy Holloway, Fine Arts Assistant
  extension 22

Kathi Urban, Fine Arts Assistant
  kurban289@comcast.net, extension 22