February 2011 Parish Update

St. Mark’s has been very busy since the New Year began, take a look at the highlights.

Annual Meeting: At the end of January we celebrated our successes and even our challenges at our parish Annual Meeting on the 23rd.  We spoke about ways we can thrive as a parish. First and foremost, we must, as a congregation, invite people to experience God at St. Mark’s. It seems so strange that we spend so much time in our ministries here and support this wonderful parish but we don’t invite as we should. Second, this is the year we begin to refine our vision and mission here at St. Mark’s. The Vestry Retreat on March 5th will feature Carrie Boren from the diocesan office. She is an expert in developing strategies for a parish to find its voice and mission in the world. And finally, Carrie will return two more times in 2011 to St. Mark’s to show us how to easily and quickly “tell our story” to those we encounter in our community. Friends, I can’t tell you how important it is for us to invite people into the presence of our Lord Christ as He is found at St. Mark’s.

At the Annual Meeting, we said thank you to Kathy Whitgrove and Vicki Redden as former Vestry members and to Jenifer Jones and Kathy Whitgrove as Delegate to Diocesan convention. We voted and welcomed to the Vestry, Jeff Gardner and Paulette Austin. We also reelected Kathy Whitgrove to Delegate and added Jeff Gardner to complete that team.  Thank you to those who served and to those who offered themselves to the parish election process.

Confirmation at St. Mark’s with Bishop Stanton: On February 6th , our own Bishop Stanton came to St. Mark’s to lead us in the offering the sacrament of Confirmation to seven of our membership. After the service, we retired to our Parish Hall to participate in our Annual Chili Cook Off.  If you were not there, you missed some great chili. Thank you to all who set up, cooked, and tore down the party, it was a wonderful time.

Jim Rider Tree: We have two new trees in our yard through the generosity of members and members who have moved away. The first gift came from former members of this parish in memory of our own beloved Jim Rider. Another gift for a second tree came from a current group of members who wanted to pitch in to beautify our corner on 6th and O’Connor. The two trees, both Hybrid Red Oak, look great.

 

Future Offerings and Notices: Please make some space in your calendars for up coming events:

• Beginning Sunday February 20 through April 3, 2011 the Bodybuilding group will kick off an Easter basket drive for Captain Hope’s Kids.  We need baskets, eggs, candy and other goodies to go into Easter baskets for kids of all ages.
• On Wednesdays, beginning on March 2, St. Mark’s will be offering a Wednesday Bible Study at 11:15am and Wednesday Noon Holy Eucharist.
• Our Annual Haiti Fundraiser kicks off on March 6th, after service.  The funds will go directly to offer scholarships to the Bishop Tharp Institute in Haiti.
• Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper in the Parish Hall on March 8th from 6 to 7:30pm.
• Ash Wednesday Services on March 9 at 7am and 6:30pm.
• Wednesday Evenings in Lent, we will gather for Stations of the Cross and Holy Eucharist.
• Quiet Day sponsored by the Daughters of the King on March 19, 2011.