Annual Report: Deacon Committees (Part 2)

 COMMUNION COMMITTEE 

This was a transitional year for the Communion Committee. It was not until April that, using advice from Pastor MP, we developed a workable map and guide for Communion Servers to follow. Servers receive their trays below the Chancel. Only the pastors must navigate the steps. Each server is assigned a portion of the sanctuary. Elements are passed from both sides except the one closest to the South wall and the choir loft. Thanks to input from Nancy Sutch, we worked out the procession from the back once servers have finished serving each element. The Communion Committee buys the elements. The star crackers are gluten free. Trays are set up before each Communion service and individual servers assigned to stations in front of the Chancel. They sign up using Signup Genius and receive their instructions via email.

FLOWER COMMITTEE

The donation of sanctuary flowers is a wonderful way for our members to honor loved ones and commemorate special events during the year, while, at the same time, helping to beautify our church. During our most holy seasons, Easter and Christmas, members can purchase Easter Lilies and Poinsettias. All plants purchased can be taken home by those who made the donation and shared with whomever the member chooses. 

During 2024: 1) A total of 41 sanctuary bouquets were ordered from a local florist. 2) A total of 9 seasonal silk floral arrangements were purchased to be used for the Sundays when none have been donated by church members. There were also silk floral arrangements purchased for use during the Easter and Christmas seasons. 3) For the Easter season, 18 families donated a total of 37 Easter lilies which were ordered from a local greenhouse for our sanctuary on Easter Sunday. 4) For the Christmas season, silk poinsettia plants were placed in the sanctuary at the beginning of the Advent season prior to the arrival of the live plants. 21 families donated a total of 48 poinsettia plants which were ordered from a local greenhouse for our sanctuary for the Sunday prior to Christmas and for the Christmas Eve services. 

A special thanks to the members of St. Mark who so generously provided flowers during the year. Your participation is greatly appreciated and brought beauty, joy, and a personal church connection to so many. Hopefully you were blessed by the blessing you provided.

WORSHIP SUPPORT COMMITTEE – Liaison Committee Members:  ushers; greeters;  Sanctuary setup;  Communion; Pastor MP - Liturgists . Worship Support provides help when needed for the above groups. Thanks to Pastor MP and her technical know-how, ushers, liturgists, and Communion support moved to using Signup Genius, making the process of contacting members to perform those functions much easier. Towards the end of the year, work began on transitioning greeters to Signup Genius also. In 2024, three new individuals joined the ushers. As noted above in the Communion committee description, the Communion team worked with Pastoral Staff and Session as the communion process evolved to fine tune the procedure. Pastor MP continues to manage the Liturgists. 

One Great Hour of Sharing: Lent and Easter

 

Since 1949 One Great Hour of Sharing has been the single largest way that Presbyterians join together to share God’s love with our neighbors in need around the world. Each gift helps to improve the lives of people in challenging situations through three impactful programs. 

• Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (32%) works alongside communities as they recover and find hope after the devastation of natural or humancaused disasters. 

• Presbyterian Hunger Program (36%) takes action to alleviate hunger and the systemic causes of poverty so all may be fed. 

• Self-Development of People (32%) invests in communities responding to their experiences of racism, oppression, poverty, and injustice and educates Presbyterians about the impact of these societal ills.

 Additionally, St. Mark supports the Marian Medical Water Mission, which works to provide clean water to communities in Africa. Let’s continue the St. Mark tradition of “digging”! You can use the special yellow envelope that was in your packet for March, or you can write a check to St. Mark and indicate OGHS or Marian Medical Mission in the memo line.

Annual Report: Deacon Committees (Part 1)

CAREGIVING COMMITTEE 

The caregiving team reached out to members in many ways: 

1) We sent cards to many homebound or ill members, as well as families with loss. 2) Delivered various gifts to homebound members including flowering plants, mums, cookies and 24 advent bags. 3) Offered refreshments after funerals. 4) Made a “we care meal” and delivered it to members twice a year. We also made/delivered desserts to senior living residents and accompanied the treats with plants.

CIRCLE OF CONCERN 

 This committee is responsible for the collection of food, paper, cleaning and personal care items donated by our congregation, and the delivery to Circle of Concern located in Valley Park, MO. Church members are informed of Circle of Concern’s needs in our monthly newsletter and weekly bulletin. In addition, Deacons deliver special collections made by our preschool, children and youth ministries. During the past year, 113 bags (1,265 lbs.) of all items were donated to Circle. Also, 7 boxes (138 lbs.) of canned goods were collected and donated from our November “Giving Thanks” dinner.

CIRCLE OF CONCERN GOLF TOURNAMENT 

May 20 arrived at Aberdeen Golf Club, Eureka, Missouri with a sold-out event of 144 golfers, 54 volunteers and ideal temperatures with just the right amount of sunshine. The event raised over $37,000 with all proceeds benefiting Circle of Concern, one of several local missions supported by St Mark Deacons. St. Mark has served as the event sponsor for the past 18 years and has worked in concert with Circle of Concern staff and volunteers to create goodwill within the community for both entities as well as raise needed funding. The following demonstrates the direct impact St Mark had on this years’ tournament: 1) Members funded $11,000 in Sponsorships and auction items 2) 21 members served as volunteers on the day of the event. 3) 5 members participated as golfers. 4) Members recruited 34 other golfers. 5) 3 members served on the Golf Committee. Thank you, St. Mark members, for sharing your time, talent and resources to make this event a success.

HEALTH & WELLNESS COMMITTEE

The Health and Wellness Committee organizes blood drives; organizes CPR/AED/First Aid training classes; maintains seven first aid kits and two AED units located throughout the church property. The committee sponsored four Red Cross blood drives this year. One hundred sixty-one (161) units of blood were collected.

The committee continued to monitor the viability of two HeartSine Samaritan AEDs (Automatic External Defibrillators) and the inventory of seven first aid kits. On June 1, the committee, in partnership with the Metro West Fire Protection District, presented a Hands-Only CPR & Stop the Bleed classes for thirty-seven (37) members. As an added bonus, the Metro West personnel conducted a thorough review of our first aid kits to the class. They also introduced our AED unit with instructions on its use.

STEPHEN MINISTRY 

For the next year, Stephen Ministry will be primarily focusing on grief support efforts. Those efforts will include Grief Share, Grief Through the Holidays, facilitating Blue Christmas and continued scheduled contact with those suffering a loss.

Worship Prayers March 16

 CENTERING PRAYER* *J. Birch, faithandworship.com

 

           God of Love, God of Peace, this fractured word cries out in pain, burns deep into my soul, and challenges me to make a difference.
           God of Love, God of Peace, God of this world, scarred by grief and tears ignorance and  fear, soften hearts of stone and begin with mine.
           God of Love, God of Peace, create within me a heart for people, a desire for change, for new beginnings to start this day.

 

CALL TO WORSHIP (Psalm 27)

 

The LORD is my light and salvation; whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

One thing I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after:

to live in the house of the Lord all my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.

Come! Let us worship our saving LORD together.

 

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

 

Merciful God, you made us citizens of heaven, but we confess we have set our minds on earthly things. We let our desire for security restrain our commitment to serve the poor. We let our fear of danger curb our obligation to love our enemies. We let our love of things dull our generosity to the needy. We let our craving for public status prevent our honesty about hidden sins. Yet, you know the desires of our heart and nothing is hidden from you. By the power of the Holy Spirit, conform our sin-weakened bodies to the glory of Christ, that we may be the body of Christ for the world. (Silent Confession)

 

 

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH – The Apostles’ Creed

 

OFFERING

 

Invitation to the Offering

 

Christ gave his life for us. Let us offer ourselves and our gifts to God

 

Prayer after Offering

 

Let us pray…O God, we behold your goodness to us. Accept the offering of the work of our hands, and use us for the sake of Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.

 

Scripture March 16

 Luke 13:31-35

Jesus’ Sorrow for Jerusalem

31 At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, “Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.”

32 He replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’ 33 In any case, I must press on today and tomorrow and the next day—for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!

34 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. 35 Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’[a]”

Read full chapter

Photo by K Kannan on Unsplash

Daily Prayer March 14

I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever.

Exodus 32:21-34; 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10; Matthew 5:11-16

Eternal God, through long generations you prepared a way for the coming of your Son, and by your Spirit you still bring light to illumine our paths. Renew us in faith and hope that we may welcome Christ to rule our thoughts and claim our love, as Lord of lords and King of kings, to whom be glory always. Fill your church with the power that flows from Christ‘s coming, that, in the midst of the sinful world, this may signal the beginning of a renewed humanity, risen to new life with Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. We thank you, O God, that you call all people to worship you and to serve your purpose in this world. We praise you for the gift of faith we have received in Jesus Christ. We praise you also for diverse faith among the peoples of the earth. Help us all to celebrate your goodness, act upon your truth, and demonstrate your righteousness. (Add your prayers.) Amen.

The God of peace, who brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, make you complete in everything good so that you may do God's will, working among us that which is pleasing in God's sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever!

(Opening sentences, prayers, and blessings are from the Book of Common Worship. Readings are from the daily lectionary in Daily Prayer. Both are published by Westminster/John Knox Press.)

Divine Reversals

 There is a popular saying in Missouri that if you don’t like the weather, just wait five minutes and it will change. This is especially true in March which famously enters like a lion and exits like a lamb. Just because it is pleasant today with blue skies above and a warm breeze blowing from the south doesn’t mean the chilly cold is done with us. Any seasoned Midwesterner knows March is the last month of winter much more than the first month of spring. If you want certainty with the weather, you will have to move to San Diego. If you want certainty with the political, economic, or social situation in our world, you’re plain out of luck.

Our world is currently more volatile than the 10-day forecast, and I know the fear, uncertainty, and anger it produces; I feel it too. This isn’t a message about the weather but about whether we will put our trust in the powers of the world or place our hope in the One who created, redeemed, and sustains creation. When I was younger, preachers used the Bible to reinforce a personal code of ethics. I remember a lot of “Thou Shall Nots…” I know there is value in this, but this is not Holy Scripture’s overarching message. As I age, I see the Bible as the most subversive text ever written. From the earliest parts of Genesis to the conclusion of Revelation, the Bible informs us God is not interested in reinforcing the status quo. God wants transformation, not just of the individual, but of every system that harms the poor, fosters prejudice, and attacks the marginalized.

The Bible tells of countless divine reversals. Esau could have killed his swindling heel of a brother, Jacob. Instead of drawing his sword, he opens his arms to embrace the one who hurt him (Genesis 33.) Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery in Egypt, but he didn’t turn them away when they were hungry. He tells his family, “Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today” (Genesis 50:20, NRSV.) There are multiple stories like this in scripture including Ruth, Esther, and Jesus; resurrection from the dead is the ultimate divine reversal. In the Lord’s Prayer, we ask for God’s kingdom to come and God’s will be done on earth as well as heaven. May we all take this to heart as we enter March, begin our Lenten journey, and make our way to the cross. I guarantee it will provide strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, no matter what fair or foul weather is on the horizon. 

In Hope and Confidence, 

Pastor Dave 

Board of Deacon's Report 2024

 "The opportunity for service and caring for God’s people is great. Through the example set by Jesus Christ, the deacons continually find ways to mobilize the strengths and resources of the congregation. In doing so, through faith, the deacons lead the congregation to accomplish tasks that serve the greater congregation and community.”– St. Mark Board of Deacons Mission Statement 

 The 2024 Board of Deacons at St. Mark's Church remained dedicated to their mission of mobilizing congregational resources and strengths to serve both the church and the broader community. Composed of 18 deacons serving staggered three-year terms and one youth deacon with a one-year term, the board operated through nine standing committees and supported several major fundraising events.

GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND SERVICE During 2024, our meetings continued as a combination of those who chose to attend online via Microsoft Teams and in-person. Pastor MP (our staff liaison) continued to bring a welcome spiritual and educational aspect to our meetings, and I’d like to personally thank Pastor MP for the support she continues to provide to me as Moderator and to the Deacons overall. 

As Deacons continued to do their committee work, we also supported various activities of the church like the Jerusalem Festival, Fall Festival, Rise Against Hunger, and the ABC Sale. The Rise Against Hunger event packed over 15,000 meals. The ABC Sale was a great success, enabling us to raise over $14,000 for our mission partners (see Mission Report below for more specifics). 

In 2024 we also continued to build our relationship with Lafayette Industries, which has been one of St Mark’s mission partners for many years, as it was originally started by members of St Mark, led by Ethel and Bob McLuen. Our continued thanks to Marilyn McMillan, our current Lafayette Industries liaison (and one of its founding members), for her persistence in reestablishing even more direct contact with Lafayette. In 2024 we continued our program of providing lunch to the staff once per month, and we look forward to continuing to strengthen our relationship with them in 2025.

I’m so grateful to and appreciative of our Deacons for continuing to help get God’s work done on behalf of our St Mark family! Bless all of you for your support and caring service! 

Living Last Supper

 

LIVING LAST SUPPER DRAMA Maundy Thursday, April 17, at St. Mark Have you heard? Back by popular demand, St. Mark will once again produce a dramatization of Jesus and the 12 Disciples as they reenact the story of the Last Supper. In support of the drama we need set decorations (plants, baskets, urns, vases, etc.), costumes and stage helpers. All support and interest is welcome! Please reach out to Donna Schiro, Cathy York or Bertha Larez if you can help in any way. Remember to invite your friends and family to this inspirational worship experience.

MARCH FOOD PANTRY NEEDS

• Oatmeal

• Chili

• Canned Fruit

• Shelf Stable or Dry Milk

• Deodorant*

All year long, we collect food and hygiene items for Circle of Concern and Isaiah 58 Ministries. Please place your donations on the mission table outside the church office.

*Non-food products cannot be purchased with food stamps.