Our Words Influence Our Attitudes and Our Staff Leadership

In the year before I was fired as an association executive (back in 1992), my initial response to callers who asked “how are you doing?” was “hangin’ in there.”

In retrospect, I realize that the phrase “hangin’ in there” represented a negative signal from the No. 2 exec in the organization. And, those simple words passed along an attitude to volunteers and staff.

God Will Take Care of You

 "But I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.  I will sing to the Lord.  Because He has dealt bountifully with me."  Psalm 13: 5-6

My favorite hymn, "Be not dismayed whate'er be tide, God will take care of you" has kept me going through many trials of my life.  My father had just passed away and we were heading to the Mayo Clinic for final diagnosis with my dear husband of 24 years.  We received the devastating news that Jim had ALS and probably wouldn't be here for Christmas, 1990.  Our daughters were 12 and 20.

Men's Fellowship Breakfast

 The St. Mark Presbyterian Men's Fellowship usually meets every 3rd Saturday morning.  Although originally intended to be a prelude for a work day, it has evolved into mostly an opportunity for the men to have breakfast and socialize.  Once a year the wives and widows of the group are invited for breakfast.  This year we had waffles, strawberries, scrambled eggs, sausage, sweet rolls, juice and coffee at the cost of $3----for the men, the women were guests.

Donkey Tales

 

 As part of our series of "Musical Mondays" highlighting the music programs, hymns at St. Mark Presbyterian, we present photos from "Donkey Tales", a musical presented by the children at St. Mark focusing on the Bible tales with donkeys.  Set on a ranch with donkeys, many of the songs were western melodies.

Recycling God's Love

 Last year's Daughters of God luncheon, gave us a preview to this year's theme. (Click here)  We were told at that time, to be on the look out for an outfit to wear from the church rummage sale.

This year's luncheon sponsored by the Fellowship Committee will be on Saturday May 11, but signs advertising it have already started appearing.  They are asking for donations of paper and plastic products such as plates, napkins, cups and utensils that might have been leftover from a holiday, party, retirement or other occasions.  A wicker basket (see photo) for donations is in the Narthex.

The program this year will include a very stylish fashion show.  Attire will be something you have purchased second hand, someone has give you or something in your closet that is well worn and probably needs to be recycled.

Small Group Dinner

 Our Small Group originated with Saturday night worship at St. Mark Presbyterian Church about 2 years ago.  We have grown in spirit and friendship and highly recommend the experience.  Each group is different, but ours meets once a month for a study and we go out to dinner about once a month.  We had a great time, shared a lot of laughs even though there was an undercurrent of sadness since our leaders will soon be moving to Florida.  To them, we say, "Blessings on your new adventure."

Boston Marathon Tragedy

Sometimes the only prayers we can lift up to God are in our tears. 

I am deeply saddened by the attacks in Boston today. I pray that the loving arms of God be upon all the runners, spectators, friends and families, emergency personnel, as well as the attackers. 

Jesus has called us to pray for our enemies, and hopefully your faith has called to do the same.   It ain't easy though.

Hopefully, we can look with compassion and understanding upon this tragic incident of violence and realize what underlies violence.  Violence is a reality and will always be present. We have all committed acts of violence, whether they be physical, emotional or verbal.

The Gift of Music

It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name.  O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night, to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre.  For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy.  Psalm 92: 1-4

Music has been a part of my life ever since, at age seven, I started singing at Webster Groves Presbyterian Church.

When I was an Air Force cadet training during World War II, I was a frequent soloist in the chapel services that were conducted there.  The chaplain I sang under was in charge of chaplain programs for the entire Southeast training command.  During my training I experienced stomach cramps that were diagnosed to be double hernia.  I spent several months under hospital care, including four weeks of hospitalization prior to surgery.  Because of that I worried that I would be washed out of cadet training. I asked the chaplain if he could help me if I was no longer allowed to finish.  He wrote some numbers on a card and handed it to me saying, "This is my personal telephone number.  Call me anytime day or night if you need help.  If you wash out, I'll make you a chaplain's assistant."  Fortunately, I never needed t make that phone call.

Bow Tie Chicken Pasta

The recipe from last week's Midweek (April 10th) is from a Marquette High School Cookbook. The recipe is from Jill Kehlenbrink, Family & Consumer Science Teacher @ Marquette.

ENJOY!
Amy

Bow Tie Chicken Pasta
2 T. Butter
1 envelope Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix
1 c. dry white wine or Chicken Broth (I used broth)
1 can Golden Mushroom Soup
1 - 8 oz. tub of Cream Cheese with Chives*
4 boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts
12 oz. Bow Tie (Farfalle) Pasta, cooked & drained

Directions:
In a small saucepan, melt butter.  Add dressing mix.  Blend in wine or broth with wire whisk.  Stir in undiluted can of soup.
Blend in cream cheese; stir until smooth and gently heat through.  Arrange chicken in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish and pour sauce over chicken.

Hymnals - Part 2

Nice post Jackie.

While cleaning for our move to Florida, we found one of Barb's childhood Lutheran Sunday School song books (above).  It belonged to her mother. Unfortunately, the first six pages are missing so I can't tell when it was published but it appears to be from the 1930s!  Barb is taking it home to her Mom.

Do you have a story about a hymn or hymnal you would like to share?  Put it in the Communications Mail box or e-mail it to the church office telling them it is for the blog.

Hymnals

 Oh come, let us sing to the lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Psalm 95:1

We used to have a piano; we used to have several in our family who sang in the choir, but today all we have left are hymnals.  The Gospel Hymns, from before 1940, probably belonged to my husband's grandmother.  But two of those on the left are from St. Mark Presbyterian (The bottom red one is Methodist).  The top one is the hymnal we currently use.

Celtic Marble Cross

 A few weeks before the St. Mark Presbyterian Heritage Tour to Scotland in July, 1999, a member said to me that she'd like for me to get something for the church that would be special.  I had long thought it would be special to have a Celtic cross inside the church.  We have one on the peak of our sanctuary roof.  A Celtic cross has a circle intersecting the four arms of the cross, often with carvings over the face and the reverse of the cross.  The Celtic cross is associated with Scottish roots of the Presbyterian Church.

After a few days in Scotland, we were not seeing any cross like I had in mind.  I spoke to our tour guide about this, and he knew just the place to get a beautiful marble Celtic cross--in Ireland.

St. Mark Presbyterian Church is now blessed with a beautiful Celtic cross made of green Connemara marble from Connemara Marble Industries Ltd.  They make only four to six of these a year.   This dark and light green marble is found only two places in the world  in County Galway in Western Ireland and the Island of Iona, off the coast of Scotland, according to Ambrose Joyce, owner and managing director of Connemara Marble.  Our cross is from their Steamstown Marble Quarry, Clifton, County Galway. This is west of City Galway.

Finding the Strength of Christ's Love in Crisis

In our youth group and Bible study, we celebrate the power of story. We tell the stories of God's resurrecting love that we find in Scripture, in the world, in our community and in our own very lives.  We hope to give youth and families the power, the resources and a safe place to share their stories and listen for how God is moving through each other's lives.

Our Scripture for this week youth group meetings is Romans 8:38-39 from NRSV translation:

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Hendel's Market Cafe

 The Go-getters first outing of the year was to Old Florissant at Hendel's Market Cafe.  Built in 1873 as a market and general store, it was transformed in 1996 as a cafe.  We had a delicious lunch of hamburgers, tilapia, or salad.  And, as always great fellowship for the Senior Women at St. Mark Presbyterian Church.

A Week of Weeks

http://www.discoverstmark.org/

Thank you to Jerie for sharing this about the time between Easter and Pentecost.

"Easter isn't just a Sunday---it's a season.  One day out of 365 is hardly sufficient to celebrate the great mystery of our faith---that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead.  Accordingly, the season of Easter lasts seven weeks (a "week of weeks"), spanning the 50 days from the Sunday of the Resurrection to Pentecost Sunday and encompassing the festival of the Ascension of the Lord."

Click below to continue reading:
http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/worship/season-easter/