Peace and Global Witness Offering

 

What is Giddings-Lovejoy Presbytery doing to serve as a Peacemaker? Guns to Gardens is a ministry of the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship and is part of the Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy Dismantling Racism and White Privilege Team. In the last two years G2GSTL has sponsored gun recycling (to be turned into garden tools) events, informative sessions on abating gun violence, and cohort training in the St. Louis area. More information is available on https://www.presbypeacefellowship.org/gun-violence-prevention#guns-to-gardens

How is the money collected by the Peace and Global Witness Offering spent? Here are a few ideas of the cost of specific items:

· Supplies for displaced students $30

· Refugee food basket $50

· Teacher training $85

These gifts add up to a greater impact, considering all the churches involved. Online the Presbyterian Giving Catalog gives lots of ideas for specific gifts. No matter what is chosen, it all adds up and has impact. Be part of that and give generously.

Peace and Global Witness Offering

“A Season of Peace” begins September 1 and concludes October 6, World Communion Sunday. The Peace and Global Witness Offering (previously the Peacemaking Offering) will be collected during that time. This year is the 40th anniversary of this offering, which was approved by the 192nd General Assembly in 1980.

Whenever the church gathers for worship, we are assured of Christ’s peace. We celebrate that we are connected, we are loved, and we are not alone. Through participation in the Peace and Global Witness Offering, our congregation is extending Christ’s peace throughout our community and our world. Peace begins with each of us.

Our participation in the Peace and Global Witness Offering provides funds for peacemaking programs locally and in the wider world. Those programs range from working to eliminate all forms of human trafficking to supporting the work of a mission co-worker.

Twenty-five percent of the total St. Mark collects is retained for local use, which goes to the Presbyterian Children’s Home and Services and St. John Episcopal Peace Meal. Use the special envelope in your September packet or simply mark your check for the Peace and Global Witness Offering. Thank you for your generosity.

PENTECOST SPECIAL OFFERING

 

The Pentecost “season” for the Special Offering, begins April 1 and is completed on Pentecost Sunday, May 19, when we will welcome our 2024 Confirmation Class into “membership” at St. Mark. The red paraments, stoles, balloons, and a lot of hoopla appears. It is a time of celebration. T

his offering is instructed to serve the needs of children at risk and young adults. Forty percent of the offering is retained by St. Mark and will be distributed to Presbyterian Childrens’ Home and Services and to Isaiah 58 for their Back-to-School Backpack program. 

The remaining portion that goes to the Presbyterian Mission Agency is devoted to ministries with youth and young adults and working with child advocacy for children at risk. Think of how fortunate our own children and young adults are and the challenges for so many others. Be generous in your gifts. The envelope is in your April packet or just specify “Pentecost” on the memo line of your check to St. Mark Presbyterian. Your generosity is appreciated

Christmas Joy Offering

What child is this? Jesus Christ, a perfect gift from a gracious God.

Through the Christmas Joy Offering, we reflect God’s perfect gift to us, with generous support of church leaders among us—past, present, and future—who have pointed us to God.

We honor and celebrate leaders like retired pastors, church workers and their families who have faithfully guided and led us but who now find themselves in critical financial need. We honor and celebrate emerging leaders like students in schools and colleges equipping communities of color, who develop leadership skills as they pursue their education and prepare to bring their gifts in service to the world God loves so much.

Let’s continue St. Mark’s tradition of strongly supporting the Christmas Joy Offering. Use the envelope in your packet or simply designate the Joy Offering in the memo line on your check made out to St. Mark.

Peace Offering: PCHAS

 Peace and Global Witness Offering

A gift to the Peace & Global Witness Offering (celebrating its 40th anniversary) enables the church to promote the Peace of Christ by addressing systems of conflict and injustice across the world. Individual congregations retain 25% of this Offering, serving issues within their community. The Presbyterian Mission Agency utilizes their portion of funding to advocate for peace and justice in cultures of violence, including our own, through collaborative projects of education and Christian witness.

Here in St. Louis a portion of St. Mark’s offering goes to Presbyterian Children’s Homes and Services, which offers a continuum of care for youth—transitional living services for youth leaving foster care, mentoring, and intensive in-home care for families in crisis. Annually over 2,000 clients are served. Give generously to assist with this work.

How PCHAS helped…

Most fathers are bound by a commitment to do the best they can for their children. Serving families and fathers, like Samuel, is what Presbyterian Children’s Homes and Services does.

Samuel was thrust back into parenting after his adult daughter and her husband were killed in a car accident. The couple left behind two devastated children. With no other options, Samuel immediately became a father to his orphaned grandsons. He was forced to deal with the trauma of losing a child and raising two young boys simultaneously.

This difficult transition proved to be more than Samuel believed he could handle. He knew he needed help and contacted PCHAS. Samuel focused on learning new parenting skills and developed the tools he needed to help his grandsons heal from their trauma. Today, Samuel and his children are thriving!

St Mark is proud to support PCHAS by sharing a portion of the Peace and Global Witness Offering.

Photo by Andre Ouellet on Unsplash

One Great Hour of Sharing—Lent and Easter

Lent, leading up to Easter on April 9, is our opportunity to participate in the One Great Hour of Sharing, one of the four Special Offerings of the PCUSA. In a world of disaster, hunger, and oppression, millions of people lack access to sustainable food sources, clean water, sanitation, education, and opportunity.

The funds collected at St. Mark connect us to the larger church in mission and ministry to be “repairers of the breach” (scripture Isaiah 58), focusing on material need. The three programs supported by One Great Hour of Sharing - Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, the Presbyterian Hunger Program, and Self-Development of People - all work in different ways to serve individuals and communities in need. Click here for more information.

Additionally, St. Mark supports Marian Medical Mission, which works to provide clean water to communities in Africa.

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.

The Perfect Gift

 

Each year during the Advent and Christmas season, we turn our eyes to Bethlehem and celebrate the wondrous gift of Jesus Christ, our Savior.

God has blessed the Church with incredible leadership in every time and place, but those leaders often need to be supported by their communities as well. This Offering addresses the support needed by some of our leaders, including supporting leadership development for communities of color, and providing support for Presbyterian church workers in their time of need.

Christmas Joy Offering

 

The Christmas Joy Offering has been a cherished Presbyterian tradition since the 1930s. The Offering distributes gifts equally to the Assistance Program of the Board of Pensions and to Presbyterian-related schools and colleges equipping communities of color. The Assistance Program provides critical financial support to church workers and their families. Presbyterian-related schools and colleges provide education and leadership development while nurturing racial and ethnic heritage. This has been a Presbyterian commitment for nearly 140 years and St. Mark has participated for over 20 years. Be a part of adding to that history in 2022.

PENTECOST OFFERING

When we think of Pentecost we think of the color red—the red of youth, joy, discovery, and growth. Pentecost is always the seventh Sunday after Easter and this year we will celebrate on June 5 and welcome our Confirmands to membership at St. Mark. A gift to the Pentecost Offering helps the church encourage, develop, and support its young people, and it also addresses the needs of at-risk children. St. Mark retains 40% of what is collected to distribute locally. This is your chance to make a difference for children and youth at risk and young adults.

December 2021 Christmas Joy Offering

Our gifts support dedicated pastors, church workers, and retirees who find themselves facing urgent financial needs. This can range from supplements to maintain independent living to emergency funds to meet unexpected expenses.

Additionally, 50% of the offering goes to support Presbyterian-affiliated racial ethnic schools and colleges, enabling students to develop their gifts and find their callings.

The Joy Offering was initiated in the 1930’s and is just as essential today. $1.1 million of gifts from 2020 have been used this year in support of current and retired church workers and the Presbyterian-related schools and colleges equipping communities of color. The need is no less in 2021. Please give generously.

During the last months many things have changed, but what remains constant is God’s love and support of us. We are still very much together, and that offers each of us the challenge and opportunity to support those who have served us and now need some assistance and to help those Presbyterian organizations serving young people of racial and ethnic backgrounds. Please give generously to the Christmas Joy Offering. The envelope is in your December packet or just designate it on your check.

Christmas Joy Offering –Being Together

God saw the great needs of the world and offered a perfect gift, a gift that brought God and humanity closer together. God’s perfect gift to us, Jesus Christ, offered the power of being with us. According to Matthew’s Gospel, one of the names given to Jesus is Emmanuel, which means “God is with us.” 

During these past months, many of us weren’t able to be together in person. But we have always been together in spirit, and in faith. God has been with us. And through our gifts to the Christmas Joy Offering, we are together with those who need our love and support. 

Because God is with us, we see the potential of students of color who will become our leaders and we seek to come alongside them, to encourage them, to be with them. 50% of your gifts make it possible for students to learn and grow in faith at Presbyterian-related schools and colleges equipping communities of color. 

Because God is with us, we see church workers who have critical financial needs and we come alongside them, to assist them — we are with them. 50% of your gifts provide assistance for current and retired church workers and their families with critical financial needs. Thank you for your gift to the Christmas Joy Offering — for when we all do a little, it adds up to a lot.

The Joy Offering was initiated in the 1930’s and is just as essential today. The need is no less in 2020. Please give generously.  Click here for more information.

Let Us Pray ~ God, you are indeed with us. Because of your son, Jesus, we are inspired to be with those who lead your Church but find themselves in need. And we are inspired to be with students at Presbyterian-related schools and colleges equipping communities of color, who have the potential to lead your church and world in the future. In the name of the Christ, Emmanuel, we pray. Amen.

Christmas Joy Offering

DECEMBER 2019 CHRISTMAS JOY OFFERING. Our gifts support dedicated pastors, church workers, and retirees who find themselves facing urgent financial needs. This can range from supplements to maintain independent living to emergency funds to meet unexpected expenses. 

Additionally, 50% of the offering goes to support Presbyterian affiliated racial ethnic schools and colleges, enabling students to develop their gifts and find their callings. The Joy Offering was initiated in the 1930’s and is just as essential today. The need is no less in 2019. Please give generously. For more click here.

Let Us Pray ~ God, you are indeed with us. Because of your son, Jesus, we are inspired to be with those who lead your Church but find themselves in need. And we are inspired to be with students at Presbyterian-related schools and colleges equipping communities of color, who have the potential to lead your church and world in the future. In the name of the Christ, Emmanuel, we pray. Amen.

ST. MARK RECOGNITION

As we designate a special day and time of year to give thanks, it is also a great time to acknowledge the amazing commitment that St. Mark has made in support of others.

The Giddings-Lovejoy Presbytery has recognized congregations that have participated in the four annual Special Offerings (One Great Hour of Sharing— Easter, Pentecost--May, Peace and Global Witness—October, and the Joy Offering— Christmas. St. Mark has participated in all four offerings for twenty-two years!

Additionally our congregation is one of twenty in the presbytery who has reached the designation as a Certified Hunger Action Congregation. Thank you to everyone for your commitment and participation

Lenten Special Offerings

A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who contributed during Lent! St. Mark raised over

$13,000 combined total for One Great Hour of Sharing and the Lenten Water Challenge! Because of your continued dedication in supporting these great causes, the following totals have been received as of May 24th.

One Great Hour of Sharing raised: $6,633.41

• Presbyterian Hunger Program (36%) = $2,388.03
• Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (32%) = $2,122.69 
• Self Development of People (32%) = $2,122.69

Water Challenge raised: $6,428 Each well costs $450. With the money St. Mark raised, 14 wells can be dug!

Pentecost Offering

Our 50th Anniversary and
 Pentecost Celebration

When we think of Pentecost we think of the color red—the red of youth, joy, discovery, and growth. A gift to the Pentecost Offering helps the church encourage, develop, and support its young people, and also address the needs of at-risk children. St. Mark retains 40% of what is collected to distribute locally, which goes to Presbyterian Children’s Home and Services and UKirk, a national ministry serving on college campuses. This is a chance to make a difference for children and youth at risk and young adults.

And, don't forget to wear red at worship this weekend!

Lenten Offerings

During Lent and especially on Easter, we have the opportunity to participate in the One Great Hour of Sharing. This is one of the Special Offerings during the year and it provides funding for the Presbyterian Hunger Program, the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, and the Self Development of People. The special yellow envelope was in your packet for March and others are available in the pew racks. Click here for more information.

Please participate along with your donation to Marian Medical Mission, working to provide clean water to communities in Africa.

“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” — Psalm 37:4

Pentecost Special Offering

This year the “official” Pentecost Sunday slides into June. Pentecost is always the “end” of the
“Easter” season…50 days following Easter. Pentecost is known as the birth of the church.
Pentecost Worship on June 3 is at 5PM and on June 4 at 9:30 AM.

Presbyterians honor that event with a Special Offering, which serves young people in God’s kingdom. The offering was established in 1998 and over the years since, Presbyterians have donated over eleven million dollars.


Forty percent of the funds remain with the local congregation: St. Mark supports the Presbyterian Children’s Home and Services and UKirk Presbyterian Campus Ministry. Twenty-five percent goes to Young Adult Volunteers, being used for development of future church leaders, assistance with individual student’s funding, and retreats and speakers. Another 25% is used to support ministries to youth ages 12-18. The remaining 10% is used for Child Advocacy, efforts to improve the lives of children everywhere. Be a part of these initiatives. Give generously.

One Great Hour of Sharing: Water

Project Highlight: Kenya

Matee Kakoo tells the story of her community in eastern Kenya before and after a One Great Hour of Sharing-supported sand dam was built.

Ms. Kakoo recalls that people in Mbangulo went hungry because they didn’t have enough water to cook food. Their primary school had insufficient classrooms because there was no water to make bricks. The children often missed school because they needed to get water for their families. The task of fetching water took most of the day, leaving little time for other activities. Women were at risk for sexual assault on their long journey to get water.

When the people of Mbangulo were first approached about constructing a sand dam, they were enthusiastic. They quickly gathered local materials that were combined with additional donated construction materials to build the dam.

Today, children are in school and there is even a shallow well on the school grounds to provide for the school’s needs—including new bricks for new classrooms. Food is more plentiful as the water allows people to grow gardens and they have more time to tend to them.

Ms. Kakoo expresses her gratitude for what this water project has done for her community, “It will be remembered by generations to come.”

Click here if the video doesn't appear.

One Great Hour of Sharing: Empowerment

Project Highlight: Bolivia

Your gifts to One Great Hour of Sharing join others to lift people out of poverty, restore their dignity and fight injustice.

In Bolivia, the traditionally marginalized Guarani people are finding their place at the table through One Great Hour of Sharing-supported efforts to provide assistance and education to indigenous people groups.

Choroequepaio is a community of ten Guarani families that were able to leave exploitative jobs as laborers and start over to build a better community and life for their families through programs supported by One Great Hour of Sharing. The programs helped them gain legal title to land as well as access training in improved agricultural techniques. At first, they lived in tents and received death threats from their nonindigenous neighbors.

Today, the community of Choroequepaio thrives. Papaya and citrus trees line vegetable gardens for the families to eat and sell in the market. Community leader Eyber Barrientos expressed his hope for the next generation because of the opportunities they now have, “We want to ensure that all the young people have the opportunity to go to secondary school and have access to the education that most of us did not have.”

Click here for more on how your donation helps others become more self-supporting.

Thanksgiving Offering

The gifts received through this special offering are distributed by our Pastors to those experiencing crisis.  Historically, funds have been allocated for energy and utility assistance, temporary housing and emergency food needs.  Please consider giving generously to our Deacon's Emergency Fund.

Deuteronomy 15:11English Standard Version (ESV)

11 For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’