The Fifth Sunday in Lent

Welcome Guests - If this is your first Sunday here at St. Mark’s, may you find a gracious welcome.  Your questions are welcomed. Even if you might be here just for this day, may St. Mark’s feel like home to you.

Today at St. Mark’s

8 Adult Education this morning: March 9 at 9:05am. The final Sunday of the 5 week Adult Ed session will continue with “Getting to Know the Bishop,” lead by Vicki Garvey.  The group will be discussing Jeff Lee’s Opening the Prayer Book.  The Interim Rector will continue the series of Living the Questions. This excellent series features profound theologians and church leaders from many different traditions. This week’s topic: Incarnation: Divinely Human.

8    Today’s Drama:  “The Day We Never Forgot.”  We hear from Schlomo and Homi, who were responsible for carving graves, and cleaning them out, about the only man they buried twice.  They are telling the story of Lazarus, who Jesus raised from the dead.  Newt Carpenter and Rick Cavenaugh are our actors today. 

This is the fifth drama in this year’s Lenten series which was written by George Martin. Remember the drama is over when you hear the word "Curtain."

8 Childcare is available each Sunday morning from 8:45 until 11:45 a.m. in the last classroom on the left in the upstairs hallway. 

8    Let us remember those celebrating their birthdays this week: Myrna Ziebell, Caleb Canby, Andrew Douglas, Jerry Hoggins, Bruce MacCallum, Mary Baeten, Carter Johnson, Craig Geiger, Victoria Hutchinson, Jane Taylor, & Dean Mathewson.

8 A hospitality sign-up sheet for March & April is available during coffee hour. Speak with Holly Dietz if you have any questions or call her at 847-669-0184.

8 Little Blue Boxes Are Here!  We’ll give every household a least one UTO box.  Take two if you want.  And, yes, guys can take them too.  This is an offering we should all support.  You can read about some of the wonderful things this offering has done in the past in the brochure we’re including in the bulletin.  On a Sunday in May, we’ll have the ingathering for the United Thank Offering, and send our offering to be added to that from thousands of other Episcopal churches.  You will receive an envelop to use for that offering, and get to keep your Little Blue UTO Box.

8 African Team Ministry Sale – Last Day – Anniversary Room – Take a peek.

Looking Ahead:

8 A Lenten Quiet Day will be held Tues., Mar. 11, 9:30 -2pm at Barbara Schmidt’s home.    Sign up on page 15.

8 Wednesday Night Lenten Program: We conclude our Lenten series this Wednesday night, March 12. Soup and bread is served from 6 to 6:30.  A story and shortened evening prayer follows.  This weeks story is a little on the dark side.  It is a profound kind of folk tale about the moon being buried in a bog by evil people.  The story “Buried Moon” is read by Doreen Anding and features wonderful drawings from the children’s book of this tale. 

8 Adult Confirmation Class: This Wednesday, Mar. 12 from 7:30 to 8:30pm

This class is for any adult who would like to be confirmed or received into the Episcopal Church. If you were confirmed, even in another tradition, you would be received and thereby acknowledged as a member of the Episcopal Church. This is a meaningful thing to do. It will signify for you something about the spiritual journey you’ve taken and where you are at this point in time. The interim rector will begin teaching this class and then during the Easter season Vicky Garvey will continue with it. It will involve some reading and lots of discussion around a variety of topics related to our faith.  Please speak to Vicki or George if you’d like to attend or if you have questions. In June, you can join the young people who’ve been in their own confirmation class at a special service at our Cathedral when the Bishop Lee will lay hands on confirmands and shake the hands of those received into our church. ghm

8 A Call to Have a Holy Week - We’re including a brochure called “The Holy Week Tour” with the bulletin today. This is meant to encourage you to step into this year’s Holy Week, instead of skipping from Palm Sunday to Easter. Even if you’re heading off somewhere on Spring break, you are encouraged to attend Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services at a nearby church. It doesn’t even need to be an Episcopal church. Just attend church because you are a Christian.

8  Journal Workshop: Why You Would Want to Come

Sat. March 15, 9 to Noon - Have you ever said to yourself, “I need to write that down. I want to remember this story” And then have you forgotten to do it? We all have. Those who have a journal as a friend though are more likely to take pen to paper when there is a story or an observation to make. Those of us with a religious bent also know that sometimes God is speaking to us in the things we see and hear. We want to be more reflective and intentional about all that happens to us and around us. Once again a journal can help us with this goal.

At the Journal Workshop on Saturday, March 15 from 9 to 12 we’ll talk a little about using a journal, and actually have times for writing. You’d do yourself a favor if you bring a journal you’ve been working on, or if you give yourself that first journal. You will wonder about buying a book with no words in it the first time you make such a purchase. Later on you’ll look forward to buying another one knowing that there are gifts to be found on all those blank pages.

Please call the office if you’re coming or speak to me today. Or see the sign-up form on page 4. We’ll make coffee and have some cookies. And we’ll be sure to give you time to write. And if you get stuck, I’ll help you out as best as I can. ghm

8  HAVE YOU GIVEN THIS SOME THOUGHT? 

Foot Washing on Maundy Thursday:

“YOU’RE GOT TO BE KIDDING!”

Nope – we’re not.   One of the accounts of the foot washing that took place at the Last Supper has Peter essentially saying to Jesus, “You’ve got to be kidding.”  He didn’t want Jesus to wash his feet, and yet Jesus said it had to be done. Why?  Service.  He was calling each of those who followed him to follow his example of

serving others first.  So we’re going to do as Jesus suggested: “Wash each others feet!”  Hard to do? You bet.  Hard for everyone. Hard to do because it involves touching someone else? Yes, that too. But it says a great deal about who we are and how we’re suppose to relate to each other.   So let’s get over our reluctance to understand this sacramental action.  Plan to come forward this Maundy Thursday to have your feet washed, and if you’re able to wash the feel of someone else.  Husbands and wives, or parents with their children may find this particularly meaningful.

8 Worship Planning Meeting: Tuesday, March 18th at 7:30

We invite the designated representatives of various groups connected to worship to attend. Others in the parish who are interested in worship and who want to help us make plans are also welcome to attend. We need to put our heads together to make sure we’re ready for the services of Holy Week and Easter. 

 

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March 11 – 9:30 -2pm

                         

I (we) plan to attend the Lenten Quiet Day to be held Tuesday, March 11, 9:30 am-2:00pm.  Details will follow.

 

Name___________________________________________________

 

 

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March 15-  9-Noon

            

I (we) wish to attend the Journal Writing Workshop.

 

Name__________________________________________________