The Remarks is a weekly publication of Saint Mark United Methodist Church, Atlanta, Georgia.
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A New Year's Resolution

Are you making resolutions for 2008? Maybe to get more exercise, lose weight, or check-in more often with family members? If you have not already done so, consider including as one of your resolutions making a financial commitment to Saint Mark’s 2008 operating budget. Doing so helps us carry out the ministries we believe God has given us, and you will find the spiritual discipline of giving will enrich your life. Now is the time. The Finance Committee will recommend a budget to the Administrative Council later this month. Your participation makes a difference! You can make a pledge by going online or by calling Deana Hilton in the church office. Thank you.

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.

Turning the Corner

This poem, quoted by Dr. George Wirth at First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta, is by Alfred Lloyd Tennyson.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow;
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind,
For those that here we see no more;
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.

Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.

Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be.

I believe 2008 will be a great year for Saint Mark as we help to “ring in the Christ that is to be”. You can help by:

• Praying regularly for our church and its ministries;
• joining in worship;
• finding your place to serve Christ through Saint Mark;
• supporting our ministries financially.

We have been on a sacred journey at Peachtree and Fifth for a long time. The journey continues in 2008. Join in, and invite others you know to come as well.

Jimmy

Remarks Announcements

THANK YOU!

The Saint Mark family and Fine Arts Ministry thanks Theater of the Stars President Nick Manos, Producer Chris Manos, and General Manager Brian Frey for their generous donation of timpani. Praise the Lord with drums and loud clashing cymbals!

NOTES FROM BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS

The Sanctuary air conditioning replacement project is complete. The new system is substantially more energy efficient than the previous. The ducts on the balcony ceiling have been concealed, supplies have been provided over the choir loft, and the new system surpasses current building codes. We realize the project took longer than anticipated but wanted to make sure the project was properly realized for the long term interests of the church family. Thank you for supporting the project with your patience and your prayers.

Saint Mark has received a $19,000 grant from Georgia Interfaith Power & Light because of the energy efficiency components of the Sanctuary's new air conditioning system. The grant will be used to offset the costs of the replacement project. Many thanks to Shannon Bergstrom of the Green Team for organizing and writing the grant application.

As you can imagine, the upkeep of our church home is no easy task. Our century old campus requires constant TLC in order to keep things in the best possible shape we can achieve. The next time you pass one of the following folks, please take a moment to say thank you for their tireless efforts- most of which go unseen and unnoticed by us. Bill Fleming, Deana Hilton, and Chuck King have invested years of ongoing commitment above and beyond what we as a church should ask of them. They have my unending gratitude as do all the others that make our church house a home. Thank you.

Shane Totten
Chair, Buildings and Grounds 2006, 2007

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!

If you are new to the position of chairperson, did you know Saint Mark has created a handbook especially for you? It contains all the information you need to know about how to schedule and publicize your group’s events, make arrangements for Ministry Moments during Morning Worship services, manage your committee’s budget and reimbursement for expenses, etc., etc. Click here to view the Leader's Guide online.

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

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.

Green Team Tip of the Week

Christmas Tree & Electronics Recycling

Go green by recycling at the end of the holiday season with a Christmas tree AND electronics recycling event in January. Keep Dekalb Beautiful is partnering with Home Depot and Atlanta Recycling Solutions to offer recycling at local Home Depot sites. On Saturday, January 5, 9 am to 4 pm, citizens are encouraged to recycle their Christmas trees during our 18th annual "Bring One for the Chipper" event. They will also be able to bring their old electronic items to the Home Depot site for recycling. KDB hopes citizens will " green-up" this winter and begin 2008 with a spirit of environmental stewardship!

Christmas Trees and electronics can be dropped off at any of the following Home Depot locations.

• Lawrenceville Home Depot, 2295 Lawrenceville Highway, Decatur 30030
• Wesley Chapel Home Depot, 4325 New Snapfinger Woods Drive, Decatur 30035
• Tilly Mill Home Depot, 4343 Tilly Mill Road, Atlanta 30360

You can also drop off your tree at the Christmas Tree Recycling Center in the Agnes Scott parking lot. The entrance is between 184 and 206 S. Candler St. The recycling center will be open through Saturday, January 5. Please do not leave trees anywhere else on the Agnes Scott campus.

The recycled trees will be chipped into mulch or used as wildlife habitat. Mulch is used for public beautification projects and is free to DeKalb County residents. While supplies last, all who participate in the recycling effort will receive a free dogwood seedling.

Additionally the following electronics will be accepted: Computer Monitors, Stereos, Microwave Ovens, Computer CPUs, Copiers, Telephones, Laptops, Video Machines, CB Radios, Printers, VCRs, CD Players, Disk Drives, Camcorders, Portable Radios, Floppy Drives, Cameras, Cell Phones, Test & Networking Equipment, Record Players, Keyboards, Modems, Speakers, Scanners, Circuit Boards, Typewriters, Cables, Electrical Panels, Fax Machines, UPS/Battery Back up, Projectors, CD ROMs, Computer Mouse, Televisions (*$10 Charge). Vacuum cleaners, refrigerators, washers, dryers, freezers, De-humidifiers or humidifiers, and gas-powered equipment will not be accepted.

For more information about this event, please call Keep DeKalb Beautiful at 404-371-2654.

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.

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 30

• 10:30 am – 245

Wednesday Fellowship Dinner: Wade Hall, 6:15 pm

Don’t forget - our Wednesday night fellowship dinners will resume 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.

Congregational Care

Coming up at Saint Mark

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