GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND SERVICE
During 2021, Covid-19 was still very prevalent. We had more than half of our meetings online, via Microsoft Teams. Thanks to MP who is our staff liaison—she helped bring a spiritual aspect to our meetings. Despite Covid-19, Deacons continued to do their committee work, and we helped with various activities of the church like the Jerusalem Festival and Fall Festival. Since we were unable to hold a typical ABC sale we tried something new that could be held outside—the Trunk and Sidewalk sale. This enabled us to raise about $3,000 for our mission partners. I am proud of our Deacons for getting God’s work done, even in the midst of the Covid-19 difficulties. Listed below are the accomplishments of our individual committees.
CAREGIVING COMMITTEE – The Caregiving team reached out to members in many ways: 1) sent cards to various homebound or ill members, as well as families with loss, 2) delivered various gifts to homebound members, including chocolate eggs, Easter bags, flowering plants, mums, cookies and Advent bags, 3) sent gift cards for college students, and 4) offered refreshments after six funerals.
Thirty boxes of chocolate filled eggs with Valentine’s cards and four meals were delivered in February. In March, cards were sent to Church members. Committee members wrote, “Just wanted to let you know the caregiving group has been thinking of you and keeping you in our prayers.” We signed our own names. In April we delivered Easter goodies: 2 plastic eggs, each with a “Rejoice and be glad. Christ the Lord is Risen Today!” and “Hallelujah! He lives!” note inside. The eggs were placed in a cellophane bag with grass and candy then tied with a bow--40 Easter bags of goodies were delivered during Holy Week.
Because of Covid-19 restrictions, several meetings were held in the Church parking lot. For the 4th of July a flower/plant/flag combo was delivered to 31 members. Other activities included $10 Amazon Gift cards for 15 College kids in September, Mums & cookies to 31 Church members in October, and Advent bags (made by Sara)were given at the end of November—these Advent bags were filled with 24 small wrapped gifts and were delivered to 24 couples or Church members. The tags read “Enjoy a gift a day during this Advent season knowing your St. Mark family is thinking of you.”
CIRCLE OF CONCERN/FOOD COMMITTEE – This committee is responsible for the collection of food and personal care items donated by our congregation, and the delivery to Circle of Concern located in Valley Park, MO. Members are informed of Circle of Concern’s needs in our monthly newsletter and weekly bulletin. In addition, deacons deliver special collections made by our preschool, children and youth ministries.
CLOTHING/SHOES COMMITTEE – During Calendar Year 2021, the clothing committee was able to collect 69 bags of clothing using the clothing box located in the St. Mark parking lot. We collect the clothing donations on behalf of the St. Vincent DePaul Society. The organization sorts donations for sale in their stores to raise money for the needy in our local community.
COMMUNION COMMITTEE – This year, the Communion Committee was required to find out how to have Communion and protect the Congregation from COVID-19. St. Mark had been closed to in-person worship from March 2020 until May 16, 2021. It was proposed by Cay Noble that we use “Truevine” chalices. After checking reviews on it and other similar products, this proved to be the “best in class” --500 were ordered and we were able to use these chalices in our first in-person Communion on Jun 6, 2021. We have continued distributing the chalices along with a tissue for their disposal for services on Saturday evenings and the first Sunday of each month. We have three ordained members, one at each door of the Sanctuary to distribute the chalices and to collect the empty ones after each service.
FLOWER COMMITTEE – Flowers are a wonderful way to honor loved ones and commemorate events. Our members can do this and at the same time help beautify our church. As a donation, the flowers then bring cheer to someone who 16 could not attend church, being delivered often with a visit by one of our deacons. Following Covid-19, in 2021 we safely resumed flower orders and deliveries in July. There was a total of 22 chancel bouquets ordered from a local florist. Of these, 9 were taken home by the donors, and 13 were delivered by the deacons to homebound members. For Christmas, 22 families donated a total of 59 poinsettia plants which were ordered from a local greenhouse for our sanctuary for Advent. After Christmas, 6 plants were taken home by the donor and 50 were delivered by deacons to homebound members. We are very thankful for the congregation who provided plants and flowers in 2021. We look forward to a “flower-filled” 2022 that continues to decorate our church and bring cheer to our homebound.
HEALTH & WELLNESS COMMITTEE - The Health and Wellness Committee organizes blood drives; organizes CPR/AED/First Aid training classes; maintains eight first aid kits and two AED units located throughout the church property. The committee sponsored four Red Cross blood drives this year. Results were: sign-up of 218 donors and collection of 230 units of blood. COVID-19 blood drive guidelines were followed. In September church members and employees of St. Mark Preschool were offered the opportunity to participate in the online American Heart Association First Aid/CPR/AED course followed by the Metro West Fire Department Hands-on CPR/AED session. Total cost for each participant was $37.50. Hands-on sessions were held October 20th and November 3rd. Two-year certificates were issued to twenty-four participants on November 24th by the Metro West Fire Department. The committee continued to monitor the viability of two HeartSine Samaritan AEDs (Automatic External Defibrillators) and the inventory of seven first aid kits.
ISAIAH 58 COMMITTEE – A core mission partner of St. Mark, Isaiah 58 primarily serves the food insecure population in the Tower Grove/Shaw area of St. Louis city. An average of 800 visits are made to the ministry each month, representing approximately 2,000 individuals. The food pantry is in operation 5 days a week serving guests outside on the parking pad to maximize guest and volunteer safety from Covid-19 transmission. The free clothing closet reopened to guest access during the summer with a limit of 2 guests and a volunteer in the room at a time. On Fridays, there is fresh food distribution open to anyone, regardless of residence location, who wishes to partake of food donated by Whole Foods and Schnucks through Operation Food Search. Special events include Back to School Fair, Thanksgiving and Christmas food bag distribution, and the Holiday Store. The St. Mark congregation has donated food, hygiene products, school supplies, clothing, toys, and monetary donations throughout the year. As the overall level of donations have increased this past year, so has St. Mark volunteer involvement. We are good stewards of our generous gifts of time, talent, and treasures.
MISSION COMMITTEE – For a second year during the difficult pandemic time, St. Mark members have faithfully and generously supported missions. The Mission Committee connects with our mission partners, on an ongoing basis, to understand their most critical needs and how St. Mark can best respond to those needs.
The Mission Committee conducted several drive-through donations during the first half of 2021. Donation collections continued during the second half of 2021 with drop-offs in the church foyer. You supported Circle of Concern, Isaiah 58, and Presbyterian Children’s Homes and Services (PCHAS) throughout the year by donating several tons of food and personal care products as well as socks, underwear, backpacks, and supplies for children as they returned to school in the fall.
During Lent, multiple wells were donated to Marion Medical Mission and again during Christmas Alternatives. Donations of gift cards to UKirk, supplies to Lafayette Industries, and over 100 winter coats were divided between 2nd Presbyterian Church and Isaiah 17 58.
The Mission Committee and the PW women worked together to provide Christmas gifts for over 60 children in the care of PCHAS. The Angel Tree was a joint effort with Children’s Ministry providing 63 gifts along with 43 snuggly teddy bears from PW for children served by Isaiah 58. In addition, Isaiah 58 benefited all year from your generous gifts of clothing, household items, and an abundance of merchandise for their holiday store.
Over $16,000 in monetary grants were made to our local mission partners in 2021. Sources for these funds include designated and undesignated mission donations along with special offerings. Those receiving grants include Circle of Concern, Isaiah 58, Lafayette Industries, Mound Ridge, PCHAS, Peace Meal and UKirk. St. Mark members also provide many hours each week donating their time and talent directly volunteering at Circle of Concern and Isaiah 58 as well as at Mound Ridge and Peace Meal.
We celebrated our 21st year of Christmas Alternatives. The missions receiving donations were: PCUSA agricultural missions, secondary school scholarships for Plan Grande Dos (Nicaragua) and Kenyan Educational Project, Medical Benevolence Foundation, Marion Medical Mission, and PCUSA Mission CoWorkers in Peru; Rev. Jed and Jenny Koball, and Chenoa Stock. Through your generosity, over $10,000 was donated in 2021.
Planning for an adult mission trip began in 2021 for a mission trip to North Dakota to volunteer at Spirit Lake Ministry center July 10-16, 2022.
Many members worked to plan and implement the first ever Trunk and Sidewalk sale in July to raise funds for St. Mark Missions. Following the sale, planning began for the ABC sale and we are delighted to share that the ABC Sale is scheduled to return on August 5-6, 2022 (…should the way be clear…). To learn more about our local mission partners, their work, and their most critical needs, you are invited to Discover Mission Sunday on February 27th, 2022. These events will allow more St. Mark members an opportunity to serve. It is with gratitude that this report is submitted by the Mission Committee. Thank you, St. Mark members for your faithful mission support.
STEPHEN MINISTRY - Stephen Ministry’s goals are to provide one-on-one confidential care to anyone who wishes to receive it and to offer training and on-going support to those who wish to serve as Christian caregivers. Stephen Ministers help meet the needs of hospital patients and nursing home residents, new mothers, divorced or bereaved persons, and other persons facing the various stressors and transitions of life. We offer GriefShare referrals and will provide support through GriefShare classes once a year when Covid-19 protocol allows.
While the majority of this Christian care is to St. Mark members, we also minister to persons throughout the community based on referral from St. Mark members and other community resources. This year has brought many challenges to our care. We have looked to using the phone more and the use of Zoom to help us carry out our caregiving responsibilities. Our ministry during 2021 included: • Providing approximately 275 hours of care to those in need through personal visits, phone calls, cards and supervision • Distributing 36 booklets of Journeying Through Grief to persons after the loss of a loved one • Delivering 14 handmade prayer shawls to church members and friends • Continuing to guide and support each other through small group supervision.Thank you for your continued support as we strive to bring Christ’s care and light to those in need.
TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE – The Transportation Committee serves the congregation by coordinating and providing transportation to church services and events for those who are unable to drive themselves through the use of volunteer driven personal vehicles and the church bus. Volunteer members are trained to drive the church bus and to safely operate the wheelchair lift. Whenever there is a need, transportation on the church bus is available once a month on a designated Sunday for members at nearby senior living centers such as Meramec Bluffs and The Fountains. It is a blessing to have volunteer drivers and the church bus to be able to offer transportation to members who wish to continue to attend worship and participate in the life of the church when they can no longer drive themselves. As our congregation grows and ages, demand for this mission may continue to increase. Ensuring that drivers and assistants are properly trained in securing wheelchair-bound members is critical to safe operations and a comfortable ride for our members.
WORSHIP SUPPORT COMMITTEE – Worship Support has a team of dedicated people to help with ushers, greeters and sanctuary care. We handled getting the sanctuary ready for special services—this included the removal of hymnals, etc. when we first started back with in-person worship.
Respectfully submitted, Sharon Cardwell, Deacon Moderator
