Fall Festival
Last Saturday we were hosts to Captain Hope’s Kids for our Fall Festival.  As you may remember last year, we had plans for a large number of kids to be our guests but many were too ill to come.  We did not have that trouble this year.  The Bodybuilding crew worked like trojans, the parish responded to the call for help – even friends of the parish were in force.  I counted no less than 43 plus our own kids thrown in for good measure.  We had games, food, face painting, bags for the TONS of candy and prizes given to the children.  The crew needed to sponsor an event like this is large.  The adults have to be willing to submit to Safe Church, set aside time in their busy schedules, and then be open to having a conversation with children who are in less than idyllic situations.  Thanks to all who came, supported, worked, and prayed – each one of you truly brought the Kingdom of God down to earth.

Vestry/Delegate Elections
In a previous Parish Update, I informed that St. Mark’s has made some significant upgrades to our Bylaws.  Bylaws are those rules and procedures that the parish leadership agree to follow.   I encourage you to review the Bylaws to understand how we conduct the business of our parish.  The Bylaws are on our website and also a printed copy is posted on the vestry bulliten board in our Parish Hall.

One area of modification is our Vestry/Delegate election process.  We have returned to ask those running for elected office to complete a very short form (Addendum I of our Bylaws).  This Application For Vestry/Delegate Nominee Consideration allows the candidate to communicate directly with those who will be casting votes.  We returned to these forms because the parish wanted more information from the candidates about their vision for St. Mark’s than just the few words that were spoken right before the elections at our Annual Meeting.  This form, once completed, will be given to the Nominating Committee by the candidate for processing, printing and distribution to the parish before our Annual Meeting on Sunday January 23, 2011.

This year’s Nominating Committee is composed of outgoing Vestry members Kathy Whitgrove and Vicki Redden along with Tootsie Morton as the unelected representative from our congregation.  As in previous years, this committee continues to exercise broad authority in shaping the Vestry of the following year.

Two weeks ago, I asked the congregation to begin to pray about serving at the Vestry level.  There is plenty of time to continue in your prayerful deliberations but the forms must  be received by the Nominating Committee by January 2, 2011, three weeks before the elections on January 23, 2011.  This gives our office time to gather the information, assure the qualifications are met and then print early enough so all will have a chance to review the information and decide who will lead our parish.

This will be a critical election in my opinion.  We continue in our ministries, we are seeing new faces in our congregation but we do need to do more in asking people to try St. Mark’s.  This is fast becoming the most presenting issue to be addressed by our parish.

Sunday School
Sunday School continues to be a bright spot for us.  The Sunday School teachers are now in the second unit of the catechism, “Believe In The Creed”.  There will be a Sunday School meeting soon to begin discussing the goings on in Christmastide.  I am so grateful for all who participate in this important ministry to our children.

St. Mark’s Fall Take Out
The Women of St. Mark’s is having their Fall Take Out on Sunday October 24.  Proceeds from the sale of quiche, meat pies, side dishes, dessert pies, and other baked goods will go to the Women of St. Mark’s outreach ministries.  Please mark your calendars and come  hungry and ready to support their efforts.

As always, if you have any questions, please contact me or a member of the Vestry.

May God bless you and St. Mark’s,
Fr. Greg