• Each month the food pantry “Most Wanted” list was included in worship bulletins and the monthly Messenger newsletter. The congregation responded with over 5,000 pounds of food. This included over 600 pounds of food contributed during the Giving Thanks meal and the Youth’s very successful Souper Bowl of Caring, where 735 pounds of food as well as $1,306 were donated. In addition to food over 1,000 pounds of personal care products (which are not food stamp eligible) were contributed for donation to Circle of Concern and Isaiah 58. Underwear and socks were collected for Isaiah 58 and the winter coat drive yielded over three hundred new and “like new” coats for Isaiah 58 as well other cold weather clothing.
• Representatives from Marion Medical Mission, Isaiah 58, Lafayette Industries, Circle of Concern, Mound Ridge, Newborns in Need, Peace Meal and Presbyterian Children’s Homes and Services were guest speakers on February 11, at our annual Discover Mission Sunday. Each participated in the service, provided displays, and welcomed questions and discussion before and after worship.
• The annual Lenten Water Challenge began with Ash Wednesday and concluded at Easter. During the challenge, we are encouraged to drink only clean tap water for the 40 days of Lent and donate the money not spent on other beverages, to support the building of clean water wells in Africa. We were blessed to be able to contribute $6,133, approximately enough funds to drill a total of 13 wells. During Christmas Alternatives an additional $5,000+ was contributed, funding 11 more wells. A record year!
• St. Mark’s second Rise Against Hunger meal packing event was held in June. It was a tremendous success packing 15,000 meals, surpassing the donation of 14,000 meals packed in 2023. This was a joyous intergenerational event. The meals were sent to the Philippines.
• In August, after a week of many members working together sorting and organizing donated items, St. Mark hosted the annual Attic Basement Closet (ABC) rummage sale. The ABC Sale is our major fundraiser for our local mission partners. It takes much planning and can only be accomplished with vast St. Mark member support. Approximately $14,000 was raised.
• Equal Exchange sales at the church occur one Sunday of each month as well as during the PW Christmas Boutique and Christmas Alternatives. These sales support long-term trade partnerships that are economically just and environmentally sustainable between small farmers and consumers. Throughout the year, articles in the worship bulletins and the monthly Messenger newsletter introduced the congregation to some farmers and their environmental farming methods. St. Mark was named a top 100 congregation in 2024 for it’s consistent support and activity volumes. Equal Exchange coffee is also purchased and served by the Fellowship Committee for St. Mark hosted activities.
• Christmas Alternatives was created 24 years ago to address the challenge of finding the perfect gift for someone who has “everything.” This is accomplished by donating in honor of the recipient to designated international mission partners that help deserving people who have so little but need so much. This year over $13,000 was raised which was donated to PCUSA mission co-workers Chenoa Stock and Jenny and Rev. Jed Koball, Medical Benevolence Foundation, Marion Medical Mission, Presbyterian Children’s Homes and Services, PCUSA international food and income security missions, and Rise against Hunger.
• Christmas gifts were collected and donated to children supported by Isaiah 58 and Presbyterian Children’s Homes and Services (PCHAS). This was a partnership with St. Mark Presbyterian Women who contributed 50 gifts for children who receive services from PCHAS. The Children’s Ministry Angel Tree collected 90 gifts for Isaiah 58. Sixtyone shoe boxes were filled with donated items for the children served by the Spirit Lake Mission in North Dakota. All boxes contained gloves and hats and many additional age appropriate items.
• In addition to the activities mentioned above, local mission partners received monetary grants totaling $14,850. The funds were procured by proceeds from the ABC sale along with designated and undesignated mission donations. Recipients were Lafayette Industries, Mound Ridge, Presbyterian Children’s Homes, and Services (PCHAS), Peace Meal, Circle of Concern, Isaiah 58, and Rise Against Hunger.
• Peace Meal received $3,000 from Endowment for the acquisition of a new range to replace their failing vintage range. St. Mark’s gift was matched by 20 other supporting organizations to ensure the old range could be safely deinstalled and disposed of along with necessary safety improvements for ventilation and fire suppression.
• St. Mark continues to be a steadfast supporter of PCUSA Special Offerings with over $13,000 remitted during the year. Special Offerings include One Great Hour of Sharing, Pentecost, Peace and Global Witness, Christmas Joy, and Matthew 25. • St. Mark also provided general mission support to the Giddings Lovejoy Presbytery of $25,000 and $17,750 in per capita during 2024.
• Presbyterian Women also make monetary donations to mission partners and that activity is reflected in their section of the annual report.
• St. Mark members donated many hours each week volunteering. Each weekday you’ll find members at the two food pantries we support: Circle of Concern and Isaiah 58. Throughout the year our members also volunteered at Peace Meal (coordinated by Bruce Cranston), Lafayette Industries (coordinated by Marilyn McMillan), and Mound Ridge (coordinated by Mike Vroman).
• This year St. Mark sponsored an adult mission trip to Spirit Lake, North Dakota, where our members utilized skills in construction to aid elders of the tribe and persons with disabilities. We look forward to another adult mission trip in 2025.
It is with much joy and gratitude that this report is submitted by the Mission Committee. Our prayer is that as a congregation, we continue to live out our call “to be the church”!
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