ABC (Rummage) Sale is coming!

Please sign up on the poster located in the Narthex; your help is needed to make this event a

grand success for our Deacons and their missions. The chairpersons for each department are anxious to work with you to make this fun for one and all -and to show the community that our sale is the best one ever!

Your help is needed for: setting up (Wednesday, July 20, 9:00 am), collecting and sorting (Sunday, July 24, through Thursday, July 28) and/or assisting the days of the sale, July 29 and 30, including the "take-down" starting at noon on Saturday, July 30. Please contact Cindy Bartell, Vicki Chabot or Becky Pierce if you have any questions. Interested in providing some of the food for the workers? Contact Marie Holt or Marti Fruechte, please.

Remember, we are anxious to have your terrific donations, but we are unable to accept any of the following: cribs, high chairs, car seats, encyclopedias, magazines, sofas, loveseats, mattresses, entertainment centers, televisions, computers, monitors, keyboards, cords for computers, cell phones, or Christmas trees. Sorry!

Click here to see the results of last year's sale.

Thanks in advance for anything you can do to help!

A Word from the Pastor

“St. Mark Presbyterian Church is a traditional, friendly church – cultivating our relationships with God as we cultivate our relationships with each other. We believe in caring for and supporting one another, and deepening our faith through the active use of our time, talents and treasures.” St. Mark Mission Study Report

The Mission Study Team has completed their work and released their report to the Session and congregation. The MST, which includes Jan Boehme, Debbie Brown, Bob Lienemann, Kim Michel, John Northrip, Jean Steward, and Sharon Yoder, has produced an informative and enlightening Mission Study Report. The Mission Study Team’s hope was to paint a clear picture of where this church has been, where it is today, and how God might be leading St. Mark into the future.

One of the goals of the Mission Study process was to help St. Mark gain clarity about its core values. When the Mission Study Team analyzed the responses from the Congregational Conversations and the Congregational Surveys, four significant values emerged and seem to shape this church’s identity: traditional, friendly, caring, and active. The identification of these values will be the launching point for St. Mark to embrace a new beginning by creating a unified vision for ministry and calling a new installed pastor.

I invite you to read the Mission Study Report. It has been emailed to all who are in email contact with

St. Mark; the Mission Study Report is also available on the church website http://www.discoverstmark.org/about-us/discerning-god-at-work/, or can be requested from the

church office. The next step will be for the Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy to approve the Mission Study Report later this summer. Once they do, St. Mark will be able to form a Pastor Nominating Committee and begin the search for an installed pastor, most likely in October.

I want to personally thank the Mission Study Team for all of their hard work and their thoughtful and prayerful approach to this task. I would also like to thank all of those who participated in the Congregational Conversations and the Congregational Surveys – it was a privilege to hear the many heartfelt remembrances, proud accomplishments, common strengths of this congregation. It was also refreshing to hear the candid, sometimes painful, assessment of deficiencies. All necessary steps in creating a spirit-filled vision for the future.

The Mission Study Team has had the rare opportunity to review the thoughts, attitudes, and experiences of our church. This Mission Study Report is a tool for the Session, and the congregation, to foster conversations throughout the church that will develop into a unified vision for ministry in St. Mark’s next 50 years.

Worship Bulletin from Bicentennial Celebration

 Thanks to Ethel McLuen for sharing this Worship bulletin from St. Mark Presbyterian's  July 4, 1976, the Bicentennial Celebration.

 The service began with traditional prayers and confessions and the hymns "My Country 'tis of Thee" and "Faith of our Fathers".  (Click on the photos to enlarge them)

 And then was the presentation "I Love America" written by John W. Peterson and Don Wyrtzen which included readings, special musical pieces by the chancel Choir, and a flag ceremony by the Scout Color Guard. The program had three parts:  "Patriotism for America", "Praise for America", and "Prayer for America".

Other pages in the bulletin included the usual announcements, thanks to the musicians and historical commentary about hymns and the program:

America- The words were written by Dr. Samuel Franceis Smith in 1832.  He gave the hymn to Lowell Mason, and it was first sung at a 4th of July Sunday School patriotic celebration of American Independence in Park Street Church, Boston, 1832.  It soon became popular (everywhere) and is known as the American National hymn----even though it is an official or semi-official turn of about 20 nations.  It's tune is of German origin rather than English.

The program ended with "George Washington's statement on religious freedom (1/27/1793)

We rejoice. . . . that every person may here worship God according to the dictates of his own heart. "
 

Worship Prayers for June 26

PRAYER IN PREPARATION:  Gracious God, we give thanks for your church, and give thanks for the body of Christ you have called together here.  You have called us to be a special people, entrusted to preach the gospel and share ourselves with each other and our community.  May your Spirit, all around us and acting through us, lead us to freedom as we soar to new heights.  Give us courage and strength, teach us to lose ourselves in you and become eternally one in peace.  Amen.

CALL TO WORSHIP

We look in the mirror and what do we see?

         We see people who strive to be faithful, even as questions and struggles challenge us.

We look in the mirror and how do we see?

         We see with hearts that are open to God’s love, with lives which seek to trust

                     when all evidence tells us not to be so foolish.

We look in the mirror and who do we see?

         We see the God of grace who leads us into life’s challenges.

  

   PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Gracious God, who calls us always into the unknown, refresh us with your mercy.  When we hesitate to speak of your hope, forgive us and give us voice.  When we find it difficult to love one another, forgive us and give us new compassion.  When we want to stand with the high and mighty, forgive us and put us next to the poor and the oppressed.  When we hide behind our fears and doubts, forgive us and send us out to share your grace.  When we cannot believe your Word of new life, forgive us and fill us with your joy.

Daily Prayer for July 1

FRIDAY July 1

You, O Lord, are full of compassion and mercy, slow to anger, and rich in kindness.

Numbers 24:1-13; Romans 8:12-17; Matthew 22:15-22

God our creator, you made all things in your wisdom, and in your love you save us. We pray for the whole creation. Overthrow evil powers, right what is wrong, feed and satisfy those who thirst for justice, so that all your children may freely enjoy the earth you have made, and joyfully sing your praises. Take all our doubts and uncertainties, O God, and fill us with such faith that we may be confident of your love and loyal in the service of him who died and yet lives for us, Jesus Christ the Lord. Merciful God, you bear the pain of the world. Look with compassion on those who are sick; cheer them by your word, and bring healing as a sign of your grace. God of comfort, stand with those who sorrow; that they may be sure that neither death nor life, nor things present nor things to come, shall separate them from your love. (Add your prayers,) Amen.

As God's own, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, and patience, forgiving each other as the Lord has forgiven you, and crown all these things with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

(Opening sentences, prayers, and blessings are from the Book of Common Worship. Readings are from the daily lectionary in Daily Prayer. Both are published by Westminster/John Knox Press.)  A week's daily prayers can be found at the Welcome Center in the Narthex.

Church Music---Contemporary or Traditional

Bellefontaine Methodist Children's Choir

As a non-choir person, I love the contemporary hymns and tend to roll my eyes at the old-time religion hymns, usually hearing the squeaky, squawking voice of my children's choir director from 60 years ago, Mrs. Sheets.  She wore her hair in braids wrapped into two cinnamon rolls just over her ears (long before Star Wars), wore orthopedic shoes, wire-rimmed glasses and sang with fervor!  Honestly her voice was like finger nails on a chalk board.  Did I mention she sang loudly?  " Little Church in the Wildwood" was one of her favorites (and I liked the drum-like "Oh, Come, Come, Come, Come, Come"--- that was an alternate chorus I took advantage of which helped drown out the squawks)

Then, there were my mother and grandmothers always singing an octave below everyone else.  In order to see, I stood on the church pew with them singing in my ear. Their occasional flat singing drowned out any hope of ever hearing the hymn as it was written.  So, my experiences with traditional church hymns is not so rosy through my cracked and critical childhood lenses.

The contemporary hymns have several advantages:  I don't have to read music, and they are in my key!  I don't have to strain my voice to hit the high notes, nor go an octave lower as my family did.  These hymns many not be rich in tradition nor scripture, but I can sing them!

Several weeks ago in worship, I was singing the "Gloria Patri" and instantly went into the alto harmony as I always do.  And then it hit me: I have been singing this almost weekly in Methodist and Presbyterian churches in St. Louis and Pittsburgh----like a thread connecting all of my church experiences for 70 years.  If I took nothing else away from Mrs. Sheets' church choir, I'd learned the harmony to "Gloria Patri" which was in my key and didn't strain my voice.

I looked down at my "supportive" shoes with my wire-rimmed glasses and was flooded with other memories besides squawking voices and voices singing an octave down.  I now see the smiling face of Mrs. Sheets singing with such passion, the arms of my grandmothers around me to keep me from falling off the pew (where I was standing). And, the memories of being in the children's choir with friends and family learning the alto part to "Gloria Patri".

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, World without end.  Amen, Amen

Jaclyn Morgan

Stephen Ministry

Sometimes it's comfortable to do things the same old way: buy the same brand of breakfast cereal every week, drink from a favorite mug every day, snuggle into that old sweater that's a little too small. But sometimes it's good to stretch into something new. 

Stephen Ministry may be where God is calling you to S-T-R-E-T-C-H. A new training class is starting soon. Contact Bette Nuzum, Debbie Hames or Jean Steward today to find out more about this ministry.

John 13: 34 

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another."

Worship Prayers June 19

PRAYER IN PREPARATION:  Hear our prayer, O God.  As dawn breaks, you hear our voices.  We lay out the pieces of our lives and anticipate your presence among us.  You don’t mingle with the wicked, or invite Evil as your houseguest.  You banish the liars, and you will not tolerate the fraudulent.  It is through your unfailing love that we enter your house; you welcome us with open arms.  Lead us in your just ways, O God, set your straight path in front of us.  Amen.  (based on Psalm 5) 

CALL TO WORSHIP

Give ear to our words, O Lord; give heed to our sighing.

         Listen to the sound of our cry, for we pray to you.

You are not a God who delights in wickedness, and evil will not accompany you.

         We enter your house in awe: in reverence, we worship you. 

   PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Holy God, through your abundant love, you have provided us with a bountiful inheritance. Age to age, you reach out to us, offering love without boundary, and grace without exception.  But we have turned from the heritage you have given to us, we have turned from the pledge you have made to us.  We heed earthly rulers and powers, rather than listen for your word of truth.  We withdraw when we should act; we remain silent when we should speak.  O God, often our actions are at war with what we believe.  Forgive our transgressions, draw us close to you, lead us by your spirit of wisdom, fill us with your hope, which is our glorious inheritance.  

Mission Study Report - Completed

2 Corinthians 8:32   For I testify that they gave according to their ability and even beyond it.  On their own accord,
The Mission Study Team attended the Session meeting on June 20 to present the Mission Study Report.  The report has been approved by Session and will be presented to the congregation at the 9:30 service on Sunday, June 26th.  The report will then go to Presbytery for their approval.

Daily Prayer June 24

FRIDAY June 24, 2016

You, O Lord, are full of compassion and mercy, slow to anger, and rich in kindness.

Numbers 20:1-13; Romans 5:12-21; Matthew 20:29-34

God our creator, you made all things in your wisdom, and in your love you save us. We pray for the whole creation. Overthrow evil powers, right what is wrong, feed and satisfy those who thirst for justice, so that all your children may freely enjoy the earth you have made, and joyfully sing your praises. Take all our doubts and uncertainties, O God, and fill us with such faith that we may be confident of your love and loyal in the service of him who died and yet lives for us, Jesus Christ the Lord. Merciful God, you bear the pain of the world. Look with compassion on those who are sick; cheer them by your word, and bring healing as a sign of your grace. God of comfort, stand with those who sorrow; that they may be sure that neither death nor life, nor things present nor things to come, shall separate them from your love. (Add your prayers,) Amen.

As God's own, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, and patience, forgiving each other as the Lord has forgiven you, and crown all these things with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

(Opening sentences, prayers, and blessings are from the Book of Common Worship. Readings are from the daily lectionary in Daily Prayer. Both are published by Westminster/John Knox Press.)