PRAYER FELLOWSHIP The Prayer Circle meets every Monday morning that the church is open at 9:30AM. We begin with a devotional and a prayer. Then we lift up the names and situations that have been requested in the worship service or requests given to the pastors, the church office or a Prayer Circle member.
The Prayer List is updated every week and is available at the Welcome Center on Sunday morning or always in the Prayer Circle mailbox in the church office. We also send cards to members unable to attend church. Our group is small but dedicated, and I appreciate the faithfulness of our members. We welcome everyone who would like to join us!
Respectfully submitted, Pat Marshall
PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN St. Mark Presbyterian Women is an organization for women within our church. We enjoy fellowship, Bible study and supporting local, national and international missions. Our challenge is to accept the gifts God has given us and to use those gifts to assist in the life and work of the Church.
The Board of Presbyterian Women meets the first Wednesday of each month and is made up of women who serve as officers, Circle leaders, and project chairs. As of 2023, our Presbyterian Women have 5 Circles and approximately 80 active members. Most Circles meet on the third Wednesday or Thursday of the month from September to May; Ruth Circle meets year-round. Three circles meet during the day and two meet in the evening. One circle meets monthly on dates determined by its members. Two circles are using the Horizon Bible Study and three circles use other materials. All circles meet in person either at church or in member’s homes.
Presbyterian Women continue to host a monthly book club. Book club meets on the fourth Wednesday of the month at 9:30 am for discussion of a book selected by the group, with no meetings in July or November. The club meets at church in person with a zoom option.
The mission work of PW is funded through individual gifts and two fund raising events: The Spring candy sale and the Christmas Boutique held in November. PW holds layette drives in the spring and fall in which many beautiful items are donated and gifted to Newborns in Need. In February PW sponsors the Blanket Sunday collection to support the emergency efforts of Church World Services. Additionally, PW continues to contribute to the work of the Presbyterian Church USA through our annual pledge and offerings.
Our annual brunch was held in September. The theme was “Hanging out with Presbyterian Women”. More than 60 St. Mark Women and their friends and family attended a delicious brunch. Mary Beth Powell, with the assistance of her dancing team, once again presented a wonderful program. We learned many interesting facts about the much-maligned sloth and how we can take inspiration from them in our spiritual lives.
For our October fall outing, after lunch at Kohn’s Kosher Meat and Deli, we toured the St. Louis Kaplan Felman Holocaust Museum. It was a moving and informative experience with many testimonials from survivors and their families. We learned about the causes of the rise in fascism in the twentieth century and how we should be on guard to ensure tragedies like the holocaust never happen again.
We ended the year on a high note, with the PW Christmas Boutique and Angel Street Café. Begun in 1984, PW has been holding this event yearly, with a two-year hiatus in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid. This year, our profit from the Boutique exceeded $8000. The profits from the event, along with candy sales profits will be distributed to mission in early 2024. Thank you to everyone who assisted in making the Boutique a resounding success.
The board held its December meeting at The Hearth Room in Town and Country. Together, we celebrated the events of another spiritually fulfilling year through devotion, fellowship, and of course good food! Looking forward to 2024, PW plans to host a Mid-Winter Event on January 24. The theme will be “Feasts of the Bible”. There will be an educational program accompanied by delicious homemade Jewish delicacies. In February we will again hold our annual PW retreat at Todd Hall in Columbia Illinois. A very special thanks to Pastor MP who continues to be an invaluable resource in keeping our women connected and spiritually healthy. We are so very blessed to have her.
Respectfully submitted,
Sharon Tharp, Moderator, St. Mark Presbyterian Women
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