The Remarks
For the week of December 30, 2008
Saint Mark United Methodist Church
Atlanta, Georgia
www.stmarkumc.org
Loving • Accepting • Serving
The Remarks
Saint Mark United Methodist Church Loving • Accepting • Serving |
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In This Issue
Quicklinks to stmarkumc.org
About The Remarks The Remarks is a weekly publication of Saint Mark United Methodist Church, Atlanta, Georgia. The email addresses used in this mailing were provided by the addressees for church use. To unsubscribe from our emails, follow the SafeUnsubscribe link at the bottom of this email. You can also update your email address for the eRemarks at the bottom of this email. To ensure that you continue to receive emails from us, add remarks@stmarkumc.org to your ISP address book & ISP safe list today. Click here to provide general updates to your church record. Please submit 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 |
Saturday, January 3! Families, their children, and youth are all invited to an Epiphany party and a lock-in beginning at 6pm in the Youth room on the 3rd floor this Saturday, Jan 3! We will have movies, popcorn and other snacks, games, songs, story time, fellowship, and (hopefully) sleep. We will begin with a snack supper, followed by stories and more. Those who want to spend the night at the church may do so. Come for supper, come for games, come for the night - or come for it all! The next morning, you can even attend church in your pajamas if you want - but you must sign up in advance for the lock-in. E-mail Jackie at jjenkins@stmarkumc.org by January 1 to let her know if you plan to attend. A Fresh Start I have long thought that 1968 was the worst year the world lived through in my lifetime, given all the terrible events that happened that year. Its record is still safe, but 2008 has been a difficult year for most of us. At Saint Mark we have wrestled all year with the city over plans for our new property. And for the country, indeed, for the world, the worst economic crisis in many years affects us all. It’s been a tough year. Now the calendar turns. 2009 will bring its own challenges but there is something encouraging about having a fresh twelve months stretch out before us. I know: much of what happens every year is cyclical, a repeat in some form of events that come every year. And I realize that to some degree January 1 is an arbitrary date. Why not March 1, or September 20? But the image of a new year is powerful and compelling. One of my goals for this January is that we think together about what 2009 might mean for Saint Mark. As one way of doing that, I want to host a series of small group meetings to think together about where we are as a congregation and where God might be leading us. I am scheduling meetings for the following dates:
Meals will not be served, though drinks and light snacks will be. Feel free to bring your own meal! Please sign up for one of these times by contacting Christia in the church office. We’ll think together about the strengths of Saint Mark; the challenges before us, and possible paths for ministry. I hope you will be part of the discussion. Going into 2009, you also have the opportunity to sign up to serve in one or more areas*. Whatever else we say about 2009, we confidently claim that God is with us on that journey. Jimmy * Click here to download this Service Sign-up Form. Print, complete, and return to Jimmy through the offering plate, fax 404.873.2639, or other delivery to the church office. The church office will be closed for the New Year’s holiday on Thursday, January 1. To contact a minister in case of emergency, please call 770.438.3741. |
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Extravagant Generosity We are in the midst of receiving estimates of giving for 2009 as one part of our planning for the coming year. Many have responded, but we have not heard from everyone. If you have not turned in an estimate of giving card, you can do so in any one of several ways, including: filling out a card online, picking up a card from Deana in the finance office, or placing your card in the offering plate on Sunday. Turning in an estimate of giving card is more important than ever as we move into 2009. And you will find it good for you, too! Thank you for your extravagant generosity! Click here to make your 2009 Operating Budget Estimate of Giving. Have you made a contribution/donation online recently - We have had some problems with our online donation provider. If you think you made a donation through our website from around December 19 until December 30, you should contact Deana Hilton in Saint Mark's finance office to confirm receipt by January 7. We apologize for any inconvenience or confusion. We will be looking for a new online provider early in 2009. If you have working knowledge and experience with a good online provider, please contact Deana Hilton or Boyd Darsey in the church office. Attention, Committee Chairs! Don’t forget to contact Christia in the church office to confirm that your committee’s regularly occurring meetings (monthly, quarterly, etc.) carry over from 2008 and are scheduled correctly on the 2009 church calendar. In order to avoid any confusion, everything needs to be noted on the church calendar. Thanks for your cooperation! On a Job Search? Looking to Enhance Your Network? Beginning in January 2009, Saint Mark will sponsor a job network group led by Phil Crumbly and John Hannula. This will be an opportunity to enhance your networking skills and job search tools. This group will meet on Tuesdays, 6:30 to 8 pm, in Room 206. The first meeting will be on January 6. More information ... Christmas CD's available Three Saint Mark Christmas Cd's are available for a suggested donation of $10 each. They include the following:
You can always order a copy of any worship services by simply by filling out a request form at the welcome center, at the soundboard or online at www.stmarkumc.org/operations/cdorderform.html. Parking Update As a New Year’s reminder, on Sundays until 1 pm, and on Wednesday evenings, free parking remains available in our old Juniper Street parking lot and on the side of the lot at the corner of Peachtree and 6th located closest to Juniper Street. These sites are not available at other times unless arrangements have been made in advance. Parking is always available in the small lot off of 5th Street and at our new property on Juniper Street. If you need a church parking sticker, you can pick one up in the office or in the hospitality room off the narthex. Features Missions Opportunities & Ideas Saint Mark Christmas Missions Offering Each year we ask for your help at Christmas time as we continue our rich tradition of outreach and mission. Our Christmas mission offering this year will go to help a number of programs and agencies. Honduras 2009: Mark Your Calendars! For those making vacation plans for 2009, next year’s trip to Honduras will take place during the week of July 11-18. We will send an educational, medical, and construction team who will work within and around the village of El Pino on the northern coast of Honduras. For more information about Missions at Saint Mark or if you have suggestions, contact Rev. Josh Noblitt, Deacon in Residence and Chair of Community Outreach & Missions, 404.873.2636 x19, or Rev. Phillip Thomason, Minister of Outreach & Pastoral Care, 404.873.2636 x12. Eyeglasses Plastic frames can’t be recycled, but metal ones can. Just drop them into the scrap-metal bin. However, given the millions of people who need glasses but can’t afford them, your frames, broken or not, will go to better use if you donate them to New Eyes for the Needy (sunglasses and plastic frames in good condition can also be donated). Or drop off old pairs of glasses at LensCrafters, Target Optical, or other participating stores and doctors’ offices, which will send them to Give the Gift of Sight. Money for You AND Saint Mark and Cleaner Air for Georgia! Saint Mark is participating in a special program for faith communities designed by Georgia Interfaith Power and Light (GIPL) and Georgia Power. For every member that signs up for Georgia Power’s Power Credit Program through Saint Mark, our congregation will receive $20. That’s on top of the $25 you’ll earn for yourself. More information ... Click here for the Green Team's previous Tips of the Week. Dinners are served at 6:15 pm in Wade Hall every Wednesday, followed by a different program each week. Cost is $7 for adults ($5 for seniors). Please note that standing reservations from this past spring will not carry over to the new 2008-2009 season. Our fellowship Dinners will resume on Wednesday, January 14. The best food in town, wonderful fellowship, and excellent programs make Saint Mark the place to be on Wednesday nights. New Wednesday Night Dinner Policies! Please note our new policies regarding reservations that have been put in place to help us become better stewards of our money and time:
Thank you for your cooperation and understanding —we look forward to seeing you on Wednesday nights in 2009! More information AND reservations, 404.873.2636 x50, or complete the registration form in the pews and place in the offering plate. Club M.A.R.K. - Making a Real Konnection
The Book Club meets on the first Thursday of each month, upstairs at Jason's Deli, on 10th Street near Piedmont, 7 pm. More information ...
More information about Club M.A.R.K. and its many activities ... Worship Attendance: Sunday, December 28
Morning Worship: Sunday, January 4
Financial Report Year-End Contributions In order for contributions to be posted to your 2008 Giving Record, they must meet one of three requirements:
Gifts of stocks and securities should be transferred on or before the December 31 deadline as well. Click here for more year-end giving options. The Finance Office will be open on December 31. If you have any questions or need more information, please contact Deana Hilton, 404-873-2636 x14. Year-to-Date Actual Operating Income/Expense Report: Through December 19, 2008 Capital Campaign IV Pledged to Date 1 222 011 Click here to make a contribution securely online. In Sympathy Saint Mark extends Christian sympathy to Scott Vanderbeck on the death of his uncle Monty Burns on December 29 and to the friends and family of long time church member Roy Hogg on his death, also on December 29. Services for Mr. Hogg are planned for Saturday, January 3. Visitation will begin at 9:30 am, and the service will follow immediately at 11 am in the H. M. Patterson Spring Hill Chapel. Roy & his wife Evelyn were very active at Saint Mark for many years - with the Live Wires and arranging flowers. Roy was 93 years old. Gift Acknowledgements David Tuck gave a gift to the Capital Campaign in honor of Saint Mark member Auverne Brady’s 100th birthday on December 30. Edwina Banks gave a gift in memory of Kathy Whaley.
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