Click here to see pictures of the Memorial Wall Dedication

All Saints Sunday, November 2, will be the dedication date for our Memorial Wall. Thank you to Doug Pollei, the Memorial Wall Committee and our St. Mark members and friends for their support in making this a reality. The Memorial Wall will provide a beautiful tranquil setting for meditation to remember all our loved ones and friends who now rest in God’s care. Our dedication will be at 10:00 a.m. and our monthly breakfast will follow the dedication.

At both worship services, the names of friends and family members who have died this past liturgical year (November 1, 2007 through October 31, 2008) will be read as their lives are remembered before the Lord.
 

As Lutherans we know that we have been given the most precious gift from God in our Lord Jesus Christ. We know that we have been set free — “for by grace you have been saved through faith…” (Eph 2:8). It is in this freedom and in our fear and love of God that we turn to serve our neighbor, for the sake of our neighbor only and not for ourselves. This year, November marks both the end and the beginning of our liturgical year. Our youth will be focused on this celebration through fellowship and service activities.

Upcoming Youth Events

Elementary School Youth
Our Elementary School youth will be meeting on Saturday, November 22 from 10:00 a.m.—12:30 p.m. During our time together, we will have a New Year’s Eve party as we celebrate the end of the Church year! We will make our own party hats and decorations marking the liturgical seasons of Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Pentecost, the weeks following Pentecost and Christ the King Day. And of course we will have lots of games (with prizes for all)!!

Middle School Youth
Our Middle School youth will meet on Saturday, November 1 at 1:00 p.m. to prepare our All Saints Sunday breakfast, which will be served November 2. We will prepare breakfast casseroles and baked goods. Chef Barb will be directing our activities in the kitchen.

A Middle School youth Meet n Eat will be held on Sunday, November 9 from 12:15 p.m.—3:30 p.m. We will head to McDonald’s for lunch (bring money) and then work on decorating ornaments for the St. Mark Giving Tree. We will also have a chance to work on the ceiling tiles and the wall in the Middle School room.

High School Youth
Our High School youth will meet on Tuesday, November 25 to set up the Giving Tree and enjoy fellowship activities. Check the church bulletin and the website for the times.

Pastor Daniel Campbell, professor of World religions at St. Petersburg College continued with part 2 of his presentation at our October 7 general meeting. Pastor Dan provided a review and comparison of the beliefs of Christianity and Judaism, and will join us early next year to discuss Islam.

Our annual fall luncheon will be held Tuesday, November 11 at St. Mark Village beginning at 11:30 a.m. All women and their guests are invited to attend. The cost for this festive lunch is $10. Please let Arlene Ditmars know if you will be in attendance.

Christian Service will meet on Tuesday, November 25 at 9:00 a.m.

Our bears are here! Pick one up Sunday, November 2 and return it by Sunday, November 23. Please attach the tag provided with your bear with your name. This will allow us to insure that all bears are accounted for. The dressed bears will be distributed to needy children for Christmas by the Salvation Army.
 

Thank you to everyone who participated in our Fall Work Day. Much work was done before and after our Saturday work day. Our Sanctuary floor has been stripped and polished, our pew chairs dusted and vacuumed, windows have been washed, our library and Memorial Wall has been painted, landscaping replanted, and the list goes on…… A special thank you to Dale Woodworth, Jerry Rude, Carl Kehlenbach, Doug Pollei, and the Altar Guild. St. Mark has been blessed with many volunteers who work to keep our property looking beautiful for the Glory of God.

Did you know there are organizations that can help us stay in our homes as we grow older? Across the nation there are communities that are known as “intentional aging-in-place” organizations helping people spend their later years at home. For areas like ours where this opportunity is not available, there are still individual organizations that offer help. The following are recommended by the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA). These organizations might be worth exploring:

AARP
601 E. Street NW Washington, DC 20049
888-687-2277, www.aarp.org/family

American Assoc. of Homes and Services for the Aging
2519 Connecticut Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20008
202-783-2242, www.aahsa.org/consumer_info/default.asp

The Eldercare Locator
9887 4th Street N, Suite 100, St. Petersburg, FL 33702
800-677-1116; 727-217-8111, www.eldercare.gov

The National Aging in Place Council (“A guide to Aging in Place”)
1400 16th St. NW, Suite 420, Washington, DC 20036
202-265-4435, www.naipc.org

For more complete articles on these organizations, look on the table in the Narthex.

Wednesday Evening Worship Services, held in conjunction with Christian Body Building are held at 6:15 p.m. They provide a quiet respite??? to our busy week. The short services for the month of November are as follows:

November 5—Holden Evening Prayer

November 12—Evening Prayer (LBW) (Veterans are encouraged to attend this service and will be recognized.)

November 19—Thanksgiving for Baptism

November 26—Thanksgiving Eve at St. Mark Village
 

People, look east, and sing today – Love, the Guest is on the way.
People, look east, and sing today – Love, the Rose is on the way.
People, look east, and sing today – Love, the Star is on the way.
People, look east, and sing today – Love, the Lord is on the way.

ELW 248, People, Look East

What a joyous song we sing this Advent as we await the greatest gift that has been promised to us by our ever-faithful God as foretold by the prophets, proclaimed by John the Baptist and announced by God’s angelic messengers. Jesus Christ – pure and radiant Love – the Guest, the Rose, the Star, the Lord – is on the way.

We will gather together on Saturday, December 6 from 5:00—7:00 p.m. for fun and fellowship at our annual Advent Workshop. During this time together we will make crafts and ornaments that draw us into this watchful time of hope. A light supper of sandwiches and snacks will be served. Look for the signup sheet in the Narthex.

F.E.A.S.T., the Palm Harbor Food Pantry, stands for Food Emergency And Services Team. We are so grateful for the support of our congregation when every month we pass out our Bags of Blessings and your response is so generous.

A little about F.E.A.S.T.:

It was started in 1983 when the Palm Harbor United Methodist Church organized bags of groceries to give people requesting help from the church. Incorporated in 1989, they have expanded and grown over the years. Currently they have a warehouse on donated property at the Curlew United Methodist Church and distribution center at Grace Community Church in Palm Harbor. They are funded by gifts of individuals, businesses and donations of food from many of our area churches, Panerra Bread, Starbucks, Pizza Hunt, Publix, Sweet Bay and others. It is truly an Ecumenical movement of many churches and businesses helping those in need.

There is one part-time paid employee that manages the warehouse and food pick-up. Their Executive Director, Walt Anderson, and 30 other volunteers keep the shelves stocked, bag and hand out food, keep track of clients, do the bookkeeping, and attend to the millions of other details that enables them to keep operating. St. Mark youth volunteer at F.E.A.S.T. during the local Letter Carriers drive and grind coffee periodically for F.E.A.S.T. to distribute to their clients. Delaine Roberts has become a regular volunteer for F.E.A.S.T.

What type of donations can you put in your Bags of Blessings?

All types of canned and packaged food, including: Peanut butter and jelly, pasta and spaghetti sauce, tuna and tuna helper, canned fruits and vegetables, Jell-O and pudding, rice and Rice-a-Roni, canned pasta, Hamburger Helper, cereal, pork and beans, powdered milk, fruit drinks and personal hygiene products.

October, 2008

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

The current financial crisis affects our homes, our congregations and the communities where we live and serve. This is a critical time for God’s people to be present to and caring for those in greatest need. We are to embrace those who are suffering, and offer hope and support for those most crushed by present circumstances.

Many are struggling to make ends meet, to place food on their tables, and to pay for gas to get to work. There is concern about the security and future of savings and retirement plans. The economic downturn also threatens many jobs and places added stress on individuals, families and small businesses.

As your Bishop, I write to encourage all of our people to remember how important your own faithfulness in worship and offerings are during this time when greater demands are being placed upon the Lord’s Church to be providers of care and hope for our communities. It is in difficult times that we are made most aware of our need for that which only Jesus is able to give us in the community of God’s people through the Word and the sacraments.

I am very aware that this troubling and complex financial situation places increased demands upon the resources of our congregations and pastors to meet the challenges of sustaining ministry and programs within the church and in the community. As you are able, please give special consideration to increased giving to help make up for the loss of offerings and tithes from those more deeply affected by the financial crisis.

This is also a good time to enter into conversation and study about our economic life, priorities, and our own financial behaviors. The social statement of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on economic life, titled Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood for All, is a wonderful resource.

May you be blessed by God’s presence and love!

In Christ and His Love,

Edward R. Benoway, Bishop
Florida-Bahamas Synod, ELCA

St. Mark congregation will again join our brothers and sisters at St. Mark Village for a service of praise and thanksgiving on Wednesday, November 26 at 6:00 PM. St. Mark Village is located on Nebraska Avenue just east of US 19. We hope that many members of our congregation can join us for this worship service.

The service will be enhanced with beautiful music from our St. Mark Handbell Choir, "Bella Musica," the Senior Choir and the Youth Choir.

Please call the church office if you need transportation to St. Mark Village.