This Is My Son, The Beloved

Matthew 17:1-9
Six days after Peter had acknowledged Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the Living God, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. Then Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, "This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!" When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Get up and do not be afraid." And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.


As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, "Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."
SCRIPTURES
Exodus 24:12-18
2 Peter 1:16-21
Matthew 17:1-9
Psalm 99

WELCOME VISITORS
You honor us by your presence in worship today. Let us know if there is anything you need to feel more at home. Also, please fill out a visitor’s card and place it in the alms basin or hand it to the priest. The announcements contain information on upcoming events and activities. We would love to have you join us for any or all of them.

Katie Lott, thanks for being our musician today. Katie is a student at Birmingham Southern College.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Thank you to Cassandra Joseph and Jalete Nelms for coordinating today’s luncheon and its Mardi Gras theme.

“Mardi Gras is French for "Fat Tuesday" (in ethnic English tradition, Shrove Tuesday), referring to the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season, which started on Ash Wednesday. Related popular practices were associated with celebrations before the fasting and religious obligations associated with the penitential season of Lent. Popular practices included wearing masks and costumes, overturning social conventions, dancing, sports competitions, parades, etc. Similar expressions to Mardi Gras appear in other European languages sharing the Christian tradition. In English, the day is called Shrove Tuesday, associated with the religious requirement for confession before Lent begins.” Wikipedia

“Mardi Gras in Mobile, Alabama, is the oldest continual annual Carnival celebration in America, having begun in 1703,[1][2][3] over 15 years before New Orleans was founded (1718).[3]” wikipedia

Ash Wednesday service will take place this Wednesday, March 9, 2011 at noon and at 6:00p.m.

Mark your calendars for Events with St. Stephen’s

Wednesday, March 23, 2011 at 5:45-7:30 p.m. Lenten Supper at St. Stephen’s.
Program: The story of St. Mark’s presented by St. Mark’s
At that time we will invite St. Stephen’s to join us here to take the course, “Just Neighbors.” This is a curriculum designed to educate about poverty and then empower the participants to serve.

Saturday, March 26, 2011 St. Stephen’s brings an outreach team to St. Mark’s to work on preparing our garden. All St. Mark’s gardeners are invited.

Sunday, March 27, 2011 St. Stephen’s 5th and 6th grade class visits St. Mark’s for worship. All Saint’s 5th and 6th grade class will also be visiting. Picnic lunch for our children and youth to follow hosted by All Saint’s.

St. Mark’s Lenten Program

9:00a.m.
March 27, April 3, April 10.
During these sessions there will be more details regarding three of the vestry’s goals.

1. Ministry to youth and young families

2. Outreach ministry

3. Fund raising

Children’s Sunday School in March will take place :

March 13th and March 27th at 10:00 a.m.

Titus Battle will be teaching.

LAY READERS FOR MARCH 2011
March 13 Mamie Hymes
March 20 Paul Goldman
March 27 Mary Williams

CHURCH WOMEN UNITED

St. Mark’s was the host church for Church Women United (CWU). Parishioner and CWU member, Mary Williams was a gracious hostess to fellow CWU members. A delicious breakfast donated and prepared by Cassandra Joseph with the help of Mary Williams was served to the ladies before the beginning of the World Day of Prayer session.

The service began with the procession song Halle,Halle, Halleluja. Music was provided by Sundra Smith.
World Day of Prayer is a worldwide ecumentical movement of Christian women of many traditions who come together to observe a common day of prayer each year on the first Friday in March.. Each year a different country serves as the writer of the World Day of Prayer worship service.

For 2011, the WDP Committee of Chile developed the theme How many loaves have you? The meaning of this theme is really asking, What are your gifts? What can you share? At this time paper and pencils were distributed. Attendees conversed briefly with each other about their own personal gifts and what they could share. These written comments were collected and later shared with everyone in the next section of the program.

The 2012 WDP will focus on women in the country of Malaysia.

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Why Worry

Matthew 6:24-34
Jesus said, "No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you-- you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, `What will we eat?' or `What will we drink?' or `What will we wear?' For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

"So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today."
SCRIPTURES

Isaiah 49:8-16a

1 Corinthians 4:1-5

Matthew 6:24-34

Psalm 131

WELCOME VISITORS

You honor us by your presence in worship today. Let us know if there is anything you need to feel more at home. Also, please fill out a visitor’s card and place it in the alms basin or hand it to the priest. The announcements contain information on upcoming events and activities. We would love to have you join us for any or all of them.
ANNOUNCEMENTS

Thanks Christopher Griffin for being our musician today.

Thanks to Sam and Jalete Nelms. For teaching Children’s Sunday School today.

Katherine Files , granddaughter of Heager and Nettie Hill was featured on Daytime Alabama. Katherine is a high school senior at ASFA. As part of her senior course requirements she is to compose and choreograph an original dance composition to be performed in a recital by other students.
Church Women United will meet at St. Mark’s March 4, 2011 at 9:30 a.m. There will be a World Day of Prayer service. Mary Williams extends this invitation to male and female. There is no fee to attend. Sundra Smith will furnish music for the gathering.
Next Sunday, March 6 is our first Sunday luncheon. Cassandra Joseph and Jalete Nelms have chosen a Mardi Gras theme. A sign up sheet has been circulated and you should have received an e-mail. There are suggestions in parentheses but feel free to bring whatever you would like.. When you place your online choice make sure to click “Reply All” so that others will know what you plan to bring and there won’t be an overabundance of one thing.
Ash Wednesday service will take place March 9, 2011 at noon.

We are invited to St. Stephen’s, to tell the story of St. Mark’s. Wednesday, March 23, 2011 at 5:45-7:30 p.m. is the date and time. All of us have been invited for one of their Lenten suppers and program. Rides will be arranged for those who will need them. This is an exciting opportunity to share our story and ministry with St. Stephen’s. At that time we will invite St. Stephen’s to join us here to take the course, “Just Neighbors.” This is a curriculum designed to educate about poverty and then empower the participants to serve.

St. Mark’s Lenten program proposed for 9:00a.m. March 27, April 3, April 10. During these sessions there will be more details regarding three of the vestry’s goals.
1. Ministry to youth and young families
2. Outreach ministry
3. Fund raising

LAY READERS FOR MARCH 2011

March 6 Sylvia McClain

March 13 Mamie Hymes

March 20 Paul Goldman

March 27 Mary Williams

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Rely on God

Sermon Highlights
Most often in youth the unpleasantness of the world is not something given much attention. Most thoughts are on fun and self. We think we are in control of it all, that nothing terrible will ever happen. We don’t need anyone’s help. A tragedy can cause one to reexamine this way of thinking . Looking beyond oneself is a faith journey. Not knowing the outcome takes faith. We should note the following points:
*Abundant life is a gift from God.
*Open ourselves to God and wait. Wait on the Lord and have our strength renewed.
*The search for answers can always be found in God.
*Rely on the Lord day to day, moment to moment.
*The healing love of God is needed in this broken world.

SCRIPTURES

Isaiah 40:21-31

Psalm 147:1-12, 21c

1 Corinthians 9:16-23

Mark 1:29-39

ANNOUNCEMENTS
+There will be a pancake supper on Shrove Tuesday, February 24th at 6:00 pm. Please attend as part of the Lenten season.

+Ash Wednesday service will be held at noon and 6pm on February 25th

+There will be two family and fellowship suppers. Dates and times will be announced.

+If you have ideas for Christian Education for the youth please attend a meeting to be held after 10:00 am service on February 22nd.

+ The ECW will meet immediately after the 10:00 service on February 15th. Hope to see you all! Nikara Washington , President

Rev. Brandt Montgomery

There is a thank you card from Rev. Brandt Montgomery and J2A thanking St. Mark's for welcoming them during their visit at last Sunday's service. See the bulletin board for details.

+ Be reminded that Bishop Parsley’s annual visit to St. Mark’s will be March. 1, 2009. Anyone wanting to be baptized or confirmed should contact either Rev. Scott or Deacon Carolyn for further instructions and to prepare for the ceremony.

+ The Diocesan Convention will be held in Montgomery, Alabama on February 19-21, 2009. Mark Smith and Heager Hill are St. Mark’s delegates.
VISITORS

l.tor. Kelvin and Rena Ramsey, sons Richard and K. Gerard Ramsey

St. Mark's was pleased to have the Ramsey family visit. Kelvin and Rena Ramsey lent their voices in the choir singing many familiar hymns.The Ramseys are friends of Marietta Cameron-Sowell who is also a member of the choir.

Businessman Daryl Forte revisited St. Mark's. Mr. Forte at one time was also associated with The Young Lions mentoring program at St. Mark's
FEBRUARY IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Mother Pollard was one of the participants in the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Martin Luther King Jr. recounted in his writings that after several weeks of walking to her destinations rather than take the bus, Mother Pollard was asked if she was tired, to which she replied, "My feets is weary, but my soul is rested." Read more about the Montgomery Bus Boycott here


CHURCH SIGNS

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