23rd Psalm: My Neighbors

 

The Lord is my neighbors 

I have no complaints 

We all pay dues

To mow the common field 

And hang out by the pool

Life is good

We are fair 

For the sake

Of our community. 

We watch out

For each other 

And live alert

Not in fear

Our security lights

And cameras

Give comfort.

Each summer we get 

Together and party 

We remind each other

To use sunscreen

And our cups overflow 

Let goodness and 

Kindness surround me

All the days

Of my life

While  I live

In my home

Among theirs for

Many long years. 

John Northrip

Photo by Bill Nino on Unsplash

While studying the Psalms in Sunday School Class, Pastor Dave Burgess, encouraged us to think about other ways of stating the 23rd Psalm since most of us don't really have shepherds in our lives.   We are grateful for all who agreed to share their thoughts.

LENTEN WATER CHALLENGE

 

Unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation kills more people annually than all forms of violence, including war. In the world, 663 million people do not have access to clean water. About half of the world’s population who lack clean water live in Africa. 

Marion Medical Mission has played an active role in the fight against dirty water. Since 1990, they have built over 31,000 wells in Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia providing over four million people with a sustainable source of safe drinking water. 

For the past 20 years, St. Mark has supported Marion Medical Mission through our Christmas Alternatives Gift Fair. During the past 4 years, St. Mark member donations have funded the construction of more than 30 wells. You are encouraged to drink only clean tap water for the 40 days of Lent. Giving up the morning trip to Starbucks or the evening glass of wine might be a tall task for some, but it will help us comprehend how much money we spend on beverages. Moreover, we can use the money we save to support more wells in Africa. 

We are blessed to have clean water in our community, and this challenge helps us to understand the needs of those who have less, and support groups who are working to provide living water for all God’s children.

Order of Worship April 3, 2022

 CENTERING PRAYER (St. Augustine of Hippo)

“Look upon us, O Lord, and let all the darkness of our souls vanish before the beams of thy brightness. Fill us with holy love, and open to us the treasures of thy wisdom. All our desire is known unto thee, therefore perfect what thou hast begun, and what thy Spirit has awakened us to ask in prayer. We seek thy face, turn thy face unto us and show us thy glory. Then shall our longing be satisfied, and our peace shall be perfect.”

 

PRELUDE (Sunday Worship) Little Prelude and Fugue in A minor Bach (1685-1750) 

WELCOME and ANNOUNCEMENTS 

CALL TO WORSHIP (Psalm 126)

 

When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,

we were like those who dream.

Then our mouth was filled with laughter and shouts of joy.

We rejoiced: “The Lord has done great things for us.”

May those who go out weeping, earing the seed for sowing,

come home with joy, carrying their sheaves.

Come! Let us worship our God together!

 

 

† HYMN      “Fairest Lord Jesus”      Hymnal #630

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

 

Purifying God, we grow comfortable with the way things are in our lives, in the church, and in the world. We do not always welcome the new life you offer in Christ, for you overturn our notions of power and protocol. Sure of our own righteousness, we are critical of others. Wanting to control our assets, we hoard the gifts you give us. Forgive us, we pray, for seeking our gain at the expense of others. Help us bend our lives toward your own life of self-giving and sacrifice. Fill our lives, our homes, our churches, and the whole world, with the abundant love of Christ until you make all things new. We continue to pray in Jesus’ name. (Silent Confession)

 

 

ASSURANCE OF GRACE

 † SHARING THE PEACE OF CHRIST The peace of Christ be with you. And also with you.

 †GLORIA PATRI Hymnal #581 

TIME WITH CHILDREN (Sunday Worship) (Children 5th grade and younger may leave to attend Sunday School) 

SCRIPTURE John 12:1-8 

SERMON “Life Is a Part of Death” Rev. Dr. Dave Burgess 

† AFFIRMATION OF FAITH Westminster Confession of Faith, Shorter Catechism Question One 

Q. What is our chief end? A. Our chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy God forever. 

OFFERING When I Am Lifted Up Courtney 

Chancel Choir 

† THE DOXOLOGY Hymnal #606 

† HYMN   “We Gather Here in Jesus’ Name”    Hymnal #510 

THE CELEBRATION OF HOLY COMMUNION 

Invitation to the Table 

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving and the Lord’s Prayer  

Words of Institution    

Sharing of the Bread & Cup    

Prayer After Communion 

† CHARGE AND BLESSING

 † BENEDICTION “Shalom, chaverim” (Sunday Worship) 

POSTLUDE (Sunday Worship) Intonatio Sexti Toni Scherer (1631-1712) 

† You are invited to stand, as you are able 

Scripture for April 2 and 3

 John 12:1-8

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

By James Tissot -
Online Collection of Brooklyn Museum;
 Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 2007, 

12 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about a pint[a] of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.[b]” 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you,[c] but you will not always have me.”

Read full chapter

Daily Prayer April 1

The sacrifice acceptable to God is a humble spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Daily Readings for Friday, April 1, 2022

• Morning Psalms 22; 148
• First Reading Exodus 2:1-22
• Second Reading 1 Corinthians 12:27-13:3
• Gospel Reading Mark 9:2-13
• Evening Psalms 105; 130

Eternal God, you draw near to us in Christ and make yourself our guest. Amid the cares of our daily lives, make us attentive to your voice and alert to your presence, that we may treasure your word above all else. O God, you are infinite, eternal and unchangeable, glorious in holiness, full of love and compassion, abundant in grace and truth. Your works everywhere praise you, and your glory is revealed in Jesus Christ our Savior.

Therefore we praise you, blessed and holy Trinity, one God, forever and ever. Eternal God, send your Holy Spirit into our hearts, to direct and rule us according to your will, to comfort us in all our afflictions, to defend us from all error, and to lead us into all truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Add your prayers.) Amen.

Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God through him.

(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.)

God Is Near

 1 Peter3:8-17

Quietly trust yourself to Christ your Lord, and if anybody asks why you believe as you do, be ready to tell him, and do it in a gentle and respectful way. 1 Peter 3: 15

THE CROSS TIMES THREE

JESUS DIED FOR ME

SUFFER NO MORE

OPEN THE DOOR

LET GOD IN

YOU WILL WIN

PASS IT ON

IN A SONG

STOP LISTEN LOOK

SHARE HIS BOOK

WITH THOSE WHO NEED

ONE LITTLE SEED

OF LOVE OR HOPE

OR PATIENCE TO COPE

IN ANY LAND

LEND A HAND

OR GIVE AN EAR

GOD IS NEAR

Dear God,

Help me spread Your work by my actions, with the hope that the life I touch will touch another. Amen.

Renee Vetter

Reprinted from 1998 Lenten Devotional with permission from the author.

Photo by Eric Mok on Unsplash

FELLOWSHIP COMMITTEE: Annual Report

 

Fellowship in 2021 has been slow to start but really started to get going in the summer! We continued to meet monthly via Zoom, in person in the church parking lot when the weather would allow and in the narthex as the cooler weather crept back. 

The Fellowship Committee was able to begin hosting morning Coffee Service, “Coffee on the Grounds”, outside during the warmer summer months when in-person worship began. We served coffee and chilled water bottles from a kitchen cart. Coffee service moved indoors in the fall, and has continued through the end of 2021.

 Fellowship also led the church in celebrating Dave’s 4th year Anniversary! The committee baked pies and shared them outside during a summer concert in August, a sweet treat with lots of well wishes! We were also able to host MP’s 2nd Anniversary, with more homemade pies outside in early November! It was such a blessing to be able to gather with our church family in gratitude for our pastors and their tireless work! 

Instead of hosting the Giving Thanks meal, we were able to share homemade Pumpkin Bread, baked by the committee. We included a prayer for each family and gave out 150 loaves for members to eat at home the week before Thanksgiving. 

Members of our committee also assisted Children’s Ministries with Palm Sunday activities, VBS lunch service and Advent Program. Since our budget was still very robust at the end of the year, we invested in some Bistro Tables, and new Coffee Service equipment to encourage fellowship during coffee hour before church begins. The new equipment made its debut in early January 2022. So please come by, visit for a bit and enjoy a cup of coffee! We are hoping that the new coffee corner will be a place for people to gather and enjoy some time together. Coffee service continues to include coffee, flavored creamers, a variety of sweeteners and water. 

Respectfully submitted, 

Nina Collier, Fellowship Chair

23rd Psalm: My Protector

 

The Lord is my protector, I shall not fear.

He wants me to stay calm and relax, he encourages me to be in nature.

He restores my soul, he leads me to be attentive to others and act where needed.

Even though there will be times of difficulty, I will fear not, for you are always with me, to protect with your word and through the Spirit.

You are with me even in life’s troubles, and you bless me in abundance.

Surely you will will be with me to the end of my life when I will be in the kingdom forever.

Nancy Sutch