Saint Mark's Episcopal Church: pledge card

November 2, 2009

ALL SAINTS DAY

Today is All Saints Day. The altar is dressed in white because we are celebrating. We celebrate the lives of those before us who we feel have carried out some form of saintly duty. Say the word “saint” and right away the idea of someone who is perfect or someone who follows all the rules comes to mind. Saints are not perfect people. The Bible is proof of that. Saints don’t walk around glowing with halos hovering over their heads. Saints can be ordinary people. We should all strive to be saints. Saints are people who seek to be a follower of Jesus and bear his love into the world. They are doers of His Word.

SCRIPTURES
Isaiah 25:6-9
Psalm 24
Revelation 21:1-6a
John 11:32-44

ANNOUNCEMENTS

+Children’s Sunday School this month prepared us for November 1st which is All Saint’s Day.
Earlier in the month Mrs. Mary Williams told the children about a saint in her life which was her grandmother.
Mrs. Mamie Hymes told of a saint in her life which was Mrs.Lucille Pinkard

Rounding out the month on the study of saints was Mr. Heager Hill.

Mr. Hill told of Mr. Louis J. Willie, a former member of St, Mark’s.
Mr. Willie was a long time member of the St. Mark’s parish. He was one of the first members to worship in the church’s present location.

Mr. Willie was a servant of the church in that he served in almost every capacity of stewardship. He was on the vestry many times serving as Sr. Warden, Jr. Warden, Treasurer, Clerk, Lay Eucharistic Minister, Lay Reader, Homily Leader, Usher, Sunday School Teacher, member of the Choir and Custodian. Wherever he was needed he was willing to serve.

Mr. Willie was the first member of St. Mark’s to serve on boards at the Diocesan level. Among these boards being St. Martin’s in the Pines Sr. Center and as a convention full delegate.

At one time St. Mark’s was a mission. It was assisted through donations from the Diocese. Mr. Willie led a drive to increase membership and to encourage parishioners to give by tithing. BY doing so St. Mark’s gained financial independence allowing it to handle its own expenses and bills. St. Mark’s was no longer a mission but a regular parish. This was a feat that all were proud of.
Though Mr. Willie

is no longer of the earthly realm he leaves behind a valuable legacy as one of the early saints of St. Mark’s.

+As we prepare for the onset of Daughter2Daughter Outreach Program, if you’re interested or have any questions, please speak to Deacon Carolyn Foster

.
Daughter2Daughter kicks off this Saturday, November 7, 2009 at 9:00 a.m.
For more info visit http://www.daughter2daughter.webs.com/

+

The graveside service for Herman Sutton, husband of the late Mary Sutton and grandfather to Bianca and Parinda Sutton will be held at 1: 00 PM on Wednesday, November 4th at Elmwood Cemetery. The family hour will be at 6 pm on Tuesday at Bushelon Funeral Home.

+ Preceded by a sermon on saints, the covered dish luncheon held after morning worship took on special meaning. November 1st was All Saints Day. We all possess various talents which we offer to the Glory of God.

Friends and family add meaning to these special occasions we share as was evident at Sunday’s luncheon.

+

Pledge cards are due next Sunday, November 8, 2009. These pledges are vital to the vestry so that they may plan a budget for the upcoming year.

+UTO ingathering will take place November 15, 2009.

NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS

Mary Williams
Aisha Nicole Stroud
Doug (grandson of Heager Hill)

END***

December 21, 2008

Caroling

The Voices of Praise

Caroling before the service by The Voices of Praise prepared us for worship on this Fourth Sunday after Advent. Songs of the season included: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Born in Bethlehem, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing and Christmas Time. ***

Rev. William Blackerby

sermon How Can This Be?
After becoming a Chaplain some years ago, Rev. William Blackerby desired to extend his ministry further by engaging in conversation with students outside of the campus environment. When put to the students as to whether they would enjoy pizza and conversation, their immediate response was, “Yes.” After a long pause one student asked, “What kind of conversation?” She desired to know more. As time went on Rev. Blackerby and this student became good friends engaging in many invigorating conversations for many years. In this same way when the angel Gabriel tells Mary she will bear a son, she asks, “How can this be?”
How can this be that God chooses to come to us in human form as a vulnerable baby? God chooses to dwell with us. God challenges us in our assumptions as to who God is. God in Jesus challenges the status quo. Our relationship with God grows and deepens because of the questions we ask. What does this mean for us? God desires to be in our midst and to make us vessels of his love through our ever growing relationship with him.
Today’s sermon was delivered by Rev. William Blackerby, Chaplain of Birmingham Trinity Commons Episcopal Student Center. The Center is home of the Birmingham Episcopal Campus Ministries, serving Birmingham-Southern College, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Samford University .

SCRIPTURES

First Reading 2 Samuel 7-1-11,16
Psalm 89: 1-4,19-26
Second Reading Romans 16:25-27
The Holy Gospel Luke1:26-38***

ANNOUNCEMENTS
+ We will celebrate our Christmas Eve Service at 6:00pm this Wednesday with the Rev. Jayne Poole as our celebrant. Join in the true spirit of Christmas.

+ All Organizations/ Ministries should submit funding requests for the 2009 budget to Cassandra Joseph by December 27th. Send requests to her email address.

+ The church’s annual meeting will be held January 11, 2009.
· A committee report from each church organization is requested at this time
· There will be two openings on the vestry. Submit names of potential candidates in the receptacle at the back of the church.

+Most households and businesses are run by a budget. So it is with the church. By completing and submitting your blue pledge card, the vestry is able to glimpse its possibilities for the church in 2009. Turn in your pledge card soon.

+Heager Hill has accepted an invitation by The Rt. Rev. John McKee Sloan to become part of a core group focused on discovering a message and a method of communicating the Gospel outside the walls of the Episcopal Church. This group of only eight will initially meet to talk about their experience of, expectations of, and hopes for the diocese. Additionally, the names of others who could be vital in this work will be suggested. The group will meet on an “as needed” basis and will dissolve at the end of the project.

+ The Diocesan Convention will be held in Montgomery February 19-21, 2009. Possible delegates from St. Mark’s are Heager Hill and Mark Smith after voting by the congregation is done.

EPISCOPAL PLACE BIRTHDAY PARTY St. Mark's ECW , Episcopal Place Staff ,and volunteers

December 10th at 4:00 was the date the St. Mark’s ECW sponsored the December birthday party for Episcopal Place residents born in that month. After a blessing from the Episcopal Place Chaplain, Honorees along with other residents of the building were served a delicious dinner of golden fried drummettes with optional ranch dressing, creamy potato salad, chilled fresh seedless grapes, squares of cheddar cheese, rolls and a tangy fruit punch. After everyone sang Happy Birthday a Christmas cake made completely of cupcakes was served to guests. A brief homily by retired Rector, Edward J. Wilson added meaning to the celebration of birthdays. Not only did each person celebrating a birthday receive a gift but also each of the guests. Residents socialized with each other as music played in the background. Eager to assist the ECW was the Episcopal Place Activity Director along with her daughters and Ethan Duckery of St. Mark’s. The children assisted with distributing the food. According to the Activity Director, St, Mark’s is ranks high with the residents of Episcopal Place. No wonder. With a party this grand who could ask for more?

Christmas Party

The annual St. Mark's Christmas Party was held immediately after the 10:00 service. The Fellowship Hall was decorated with festive seasonal arrangements. There was a sing along by adults and youth conducted by musician, Sundra Smith. All youth received a gift from Ms. Bertha Claus. Delicious food was enjoyed by everyone.

FIVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

One lady posing