Worship Prayers August 23

THE TIME OF CENTERING:  God of light and truth, you are beyond our grasp or conceiving.  Before the brightness of your presence the angels veil their faces.  With lowly reverence and adoring love we acclaim your glory and sing your praise, for you have shown us your truth and love in Jesus Christ our Savior.  Amen. 

CALL TO WORSHIP

Leader:      God says, “Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters.”

People:      Come, all who are hungry.  Come.

Leader:      We have come to feast on the living bread that we might minister to the world’s hungers.

People:      We have come to drink from the waters of life that we might minister to the world’s thirst.

All:             Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.  Let us worship God, the Source of every blessings.  Amen. 

   PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Almighty God, we come into your presence with thanks for all that fills our lives with joy:  the love of family and friends, the comfort of our homes, the challenge of work, and the delight of leisure.  Forgive us as we have so often place these good things before you, failing to see them as your gifts.  In this time of worship, stretch our understanding, that we may know our lives in the perspective of your gracious love.  Teach us to live with righteous intention for the world, and to be at home wherever your spirit leads us; through Jesus Christ, our Savior.  Amen.

St Mark/Red Cross Emergency Shelter

Members of our St Mark congregation.  Sometimes things must come to an end; therefore I would like to inform you that the St Mark/Red Cross Emergency Shelter Program is also coming to an end.  In agreement with the Red Cross, utilization of St Mark as an emergency shelter will be shelved for the time being.  Why!  So much to do, so much to volunteer for and not enough time.  This decision will allow our volunteers to imbed their time and talents on other on-going outreach ministries.  If and when there is an area-wide emergency, I'm sure St. Mark will provide financial aid and volunteers for support. 

Thank you to all those spiritual leaders and volunteers who willingly gave their time and talent so those misfortunate could be comforted and secured.

 

Peace to you all.

Your St Mark Shelter Manager

 2 Timothy 4:17  But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.

Worship prayers August 16

THE TIME OF CENTERING:  Teach us, good Lord, to serve you as you deserve; to give and not to count the cost; to show kindness and not seek to find fault in one another, to toil and not to seek for rest; to labor and not to ask for any reward, save that of knowing that we do your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen. 

CALL TO WORSHIP

Leader:      I was glad when they said to me, let us go to the house of the living God.

People:      This is the day when we rejoice in God’s act of creation.

Leader:      This is Sabbath, when we rejoice in the resurrection of Jesus the Christ.

People:      We give thanks that once more, God has brought us together, that we might refresh one another.

All:             Peace to all who enter here, peace this day and every day, in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen. 

   PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Merciful God, you pardon all who truly repent and turn to you.  We humbly confess our sins and ask your mercy.  We have not loved you with a pure heart, nor have we loved our neighbor as ourselves.  We have not done justice, loved kindness or walked humbly with you.

Have mercy on us, O God, in your loving-kindness.  In your great compassion, create in us a clean heart and renew a right spirit within us.  Do not cast us from your presence, or take your Holy Spirit from us.  Restore to us the joy of your salvation and sustain us with your bountiful Spirit through Jesus Christ, our Lord.  Amen.

Severe weather this summer? No sweat.

The following is taken from the American Red Cross Notes, August 2015 edition.

Along with popsicles and BBQs come summer thunderstorms, wildfires, heat waves and even the possibility for flooding. You can make sure your family stays safe by taking a few easy precautions to stay prepared for the unexpected.  Click on the red box below for more info.

Be Red Cross ready this summer

 Psalms 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble

Why Do We Attend Church?

Saturday Evening Worship

When I was a little girl, my mother told me, "The best friends you'll ever have are found at church."  Sure, I have high school, college, teaching friends that I love going out to lunch with, but now that I am retired, most are not here on a daily basis when I feel low or need encouragement.

"Church friends" are a special kind of friend.  If you think "church friends" are those you say hello to when passing the peace at worship, you are missing out on so much.  They are the people you share your joys and sorrows with in prayers. They are the people who send you cards when it's your birthday or a casserole when you are recovering from illness.  They are the people you work beside at the ABC Sale or plan the next luncheon with.  They are the people you study the Bible with.  They are the people you share your special skills with:  decorating, gardening, finance, teaching, music.  They are part of your community of believers.

Go-getters Going Out to Lunch

I have two friends whose husbands are handicapped.  Oddly, they both attended the same nearby church.  They both confess they have stopped going to church because it's just too hard.  My response to them has been they are missing out on so much.  When your life becomes difficult is EXACTLY the time your church becomes an important element in your life.  To stay at home can be so isolating.  Just coming to Wednesday evening dinners can open up a person's world.  If anyone understands messy lives, the church people do.  We have all been there and can help with prayers, Stephen's Ministry counseling, a meal or two.

I have read many statistics on how our country while remaining "spiritual" has stopped going to church.        This makes me sad for those people.  On Facebook the other day, a friend posted a link to a blog which also discusses the importance of going to church.  Click here.

Children's Ministry delivering boxes for needy children

Encourage neighbors, friends and acquaintances to attend church.  We will soon be starting a new programming year with a new interim pastor.  What a great time for someone to start attending.  We have Sunday School classes, Midweek, Go-getters, the PW Brunch and New Member classes beginning.  Click here for more on what St. Mark Presbyterian has to offer.

Small Group going out to dinner

Book Club

Jaclyn Morgan

Worship Prayers August 9

THE TIME OF CENTERING:  God of daybreak, our souls wait for your light more than those who watch for the morning.  Let your Holy Spirit illumine our hearts with the light of your redemption, a new day, a new life in Christ.  Amen 

CALL TO WORSHIP

We are not here because we have found God, but because God has found us.  God has called us to accept the cost and discover the joy of discipleship.  God’s promise is of forgiveness of sin and fullness of grace, courage to work for justice in the face of evil, power to make peace, hope against hope that God’s purposes will be fulfilled.  Blessing and honor, glory and power, be unto God, now and forever.  Amen 

   PRAYER OF CONFESSION

In confession, O God, we acknowledge our failure:  we have failed to hear your Word and have heeded, instead, the world’s words; we have failed to seek your light and have sought, instead, lesser lights; we have been forgetful of your will and have followed, instead, our own whims, wishes, and wonderings.  But we long, O God, for your empowering love.  Have compassion on our failure.  Lift from us the mantle of despair, and free us to live in fullness as your children.  Amen

Circle Of Concern Charity Golf Tournament September 14

The 11th annual Circle Of Concern Charity Golf Tournament is almost here, September 14.  Registration is on and closing fast so get your team registered 'now'!  Click here for a link to the registration form or pick a brochure up at the Welcome Center:  Registration

If you don't have a team, no problem, signup and we will place you with others who are also singles.

This year we will have four (4) hole-in-one awards for the serious golfer or the lucky golfer.  Prizes are:  Apple I-Pod Mini, Bushnell GPS Watch, Taylor Made Irons, and a $10,000 Grand Prize.

There are two ways you can pay to play or donate.  To pay by credit card, call Circle Of Concern at 636-861-2623.  To pay by check, make your check out to St Mark Presbyterian Church, attention COC Charity Golf Tourney and along with your registration form place in the church office Golf Mailbox or mail it to the church.  You do NOT have to play in the tournament to support Circle and this worthy cause; you can support Circle as a “Sponsor” or “Friend” with a cash donation.

Please visit http://www.discoverstmark.org/events/charity-golf-tournament/ for more information on registration, sponsors, donations, payment, etc.

Bob Lienemann, Event Coordinator for more information

Proverbs 19:17; Whoever is generous to poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.

Thank you and please keep those ‘in need’ in our hearts and prayers.  Personal disasters can happen to anyone and at any time.

Our Interim Pastor is coming. . . .

St. Mark’s Session approved Rev. James Kelly Poinsett as interim pastor at a special session meeting Monday, August 10, 2015. We are thankful to have a person whose skills and experience match our perceived needs. Rev. Poinsett has helped congregations develop a renewed sense of purpose while sustaining continuity, energy in church life and maintaining staff cohesion and morale. He has also successfully worked to support increases in giving, attendance and mission participation with a God centered approach. His preaching style is to relate scripture and theology in accessible, practical ways that speak to listener’s experiences.

While Rev. Poinsett comes to us from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, his parents live in Union, Missouri.

With Jim Poinsett’s leadership, St. Mark will have the opportunity to discern God’s call as we begin a self- study.

Rev. Poinsett will begin his work with us September 21, 2015. This is an exciting time for St. Mark Presbyterian . As a community of believers working together for God’s Glory, we thank the Lord for his many blessing.

Worship Prayers August 2

THE TIME OF CENTERING:   Gracious God, we thank you for the support and love that we find in community with you and with each other.  Center our hearts, minds, bodies and souls upon your love in this worship celebration, so that our love will flourish for you.  Amen.

  

CALL TO WORSHIP

Leader:      Clap your hands, all you peoples; shout to God with loud songs of joy.

People:      For the Lord, the Most High, is awesome, a great king over all the earth.

Leader:      God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.

All:             Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises.

   PRAYER OF CONFESSION

God of love, in the wrong we have done and in the good we have not done, we have sinned in ignorance; we have sinned in weakness; we have sinned through our own deliberate fault.  We are truly sorry.  We repent and turn to you.  Forgive us and renew our lives through Jesus Christ, our Lord.  Amen.

For the sermon "Tenderly Reinforced" Click here.

ARC Swimming Safety Tips

American Red Cross Swimming Safety Tips

 

For the past 100 years, the American Red Cross has helped millions of kids, teens and adults learn how to swim and become lifeguards or instructors. Now we’re working to cut drowning rates in half by teaching even more people how to be safe in the water. Swimming can be fun and safe, but with an average of 10 Americans dying from unintentional drowning every day in this country, both adults and children need to learn the basics of swim safety before taking the plunge. Whether you’re headed to the ocean, the lake or your local pool, we have 5 important questions before you dive in. Test your knowledge and learn important water safety tips for you and your family >>            The Red Cross trains more than 2 million people each and every year. Learn more about Swimming and Water Safety courses and Lifeguarding Courses. Acts 27:43  but the centurion, wanting to bring Paul safely through, kept them from their intention, and commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land,

Blessing of the Backpacks

Don't forget "Blessing of the Backpacks", Sunday August 9 at 9:30 AM.  And, start the school year off with a clean car too!  The youth will be sponsoring a car wash with free will offering on Sunday also.

Youth Work Trip Day One

Facebook posting from the director of an urban garden in Little Rock, Arkansas:

Jimmy Parks

I'm sorry I didn't get before/after pics but a group of young adults from St. Mark Pres outside St. Louis MO, led by Katie Mullins Sternhagen, did an outstanding days work at The Field in NLR on Monday. They cleaned the chicken coop, organized a mess of lumber, cleaned fence rows, weeded/mulched veggies, and generally sweated their...off from 7am in the morning until I said "mercy!" about 1pm in 105 degree heat index. The chickens are happier, the cucumbers are easier to pick, and I can see the beehives from the barn again! Thanks! Thanks!Tricia and Aaron and Josh take note. McDave was helpful on the tractor too. Good day's work toward making homelessness suck a little bit less in central Arkansas.

For more information on this mission, click here.

Worship Prayers July 26

THE TIME OF CENTERING:  Jesus, Good Shepherd of the sheep, by whom the lost are sought and guided into the fold: feed us and we shall be satisfied, heal us and we shall be whole, and lead us that we may be with you, and with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

CALL TO WORSHIP

Leader:      Come, let us gather in the awareness of God’s love.

People:      God’s love has brought us to this place; it has made of us a church.

Leader:      We can live with confidence and hope, in the assurance that we are forgiven and accepted by a power greater than ourselves.

People:      Let us praise this God of endless grace, and offer our hearts’ true worship.  Amen.

   PRAYER OF CONFESSION

O God, we are to be signs of your presence.  Yet we confess that we sometimes hurt people through our pride, rather than showing the way to the healing waters of your Spirit.  When we are discouraged ourselves and poor in spirit, we are unable to be signs of joy or hope or good news.  Forgive us, and give us grace to be earthly reminders of your love.  Amen.

Carbon Monoxide

Taken from the FEMA E-Brief, July 31 edition

Carbon monoxide poisoning is a leading cause of death after storms in areas experiencing power outages. Using alternative sources of power can cause carbon monoxide to build up in your home and poison your family. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas created by burning fuel when using portable generators, gas ranges, burning wood, or by running your car. 

 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers these tips for staying safe when the power goes out:  

·       Never us a generator inside your home or garage, even if the doors and windows are open;

·       Keep generators at least 20 feet from your home;

·       Install battery-operated or battery back-up carbon monoxide detectors near every sleeping area in your home; and

·       Check detectors every six months to be sure they are working properly.

The most common symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are headache, dizziness, nausea, and confusion. If you think you are experiencing carbon monoxide poisoning, get fresh air and seek immediate medical attention!

1 John 4:18 - "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear ... "