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1 The Newsletter of Saint Mark s Parish JANUARY G E T S E T... G O!! Jan 1 Jan 2 Office closed Door of Hope Dinner 6:00 p.m. Dad s Night Out 7:30 p.m. Dog Haus Jan 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 Wednesdays Men s Fellowship Breakfast 7:00 a.m. Bible Study 9:30 a.m. Goodman Home Jan 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 Thursdays Choir Rehearsals 7:30 p.m. Music Room Jan 4 Jan 6, 13, 20 Jan 6 Laundry Love 6:30 p.m. Eagle Rock Sundays Adult Education 9:00 am. Brown Library Altar Guild Meeting 8:45 a.m. Rector s Office Epiphany Party 9:30 a.m. Jan 7, 14, 21, 28 Mondays Centering Prayer 10:00 a.m., Ross Home Jan 8 Education for Ministry Boy Scout Committee Meeting Women s Soup 6:00 p.m. TBD Jan 8, 15, 22, 29 Tuesdays Boy Scout Meetings 6:00 p.m. Meeting House Jan 9, 16, 23, 30 Wednesdays Choristers Rehearsals 3:15, 4:00 p.m. Music Room Jan 12 Jan 13 Jan 13, 20 Jan 16 Jan 19 Jan 21 Jan 26 Jan 27 Cub Scout Pinewood Derby 2:00 p.m. Writer s Workshop 12:30 p.m. Music Room Sundays Youth Group Meetings 12:00 p.m. Vestry Meeting ACTS Food Pantry 10:00 a.m. Community Church Martin Luther King, Jr Sunday Office closed Education for Ministry Spotlight 8:30 a.m. Brown Library Annual Meeting Sunday ONE SERVICE 9:00 a.m. Meeting to follow in Endowment message: The Book of Common Prayer points out the duty "of all persons to make wills while they are in health, arranging for the disposal of their temporal goods, not neglecting, if they are able, to leave bequests for religious and charitable uses." (BCP, page 445) Creating or updating your Will or your Trust should be one of your New Year's Resolutions.

2 FROM THE RECTOR The Gift (poet unknown) The Wise Men had grown heavy in their steps, And in their dreams That dull report of what they d mastered; And their camels found it harder than before To rise from their knees. The child they sought Was no one in particular Just the sun regaining its warmth, A flourish of green in the midst of winter, A simple solstice of the soul. When they had left their burdens (the jewels, the fine perfumes, the gold) They dropped their robes of purple, Stepped out of them into the night, Leaving no one the wiser. They walked unnoticed out of myth, Their beards flowing in the hot desert wind, Winter frozen in their minds, Their steps lighter than anyone imagines. He never knew, That child high on incense in his mother s arms, That his recurring dream Of a time when kings would vanish from the earth, Was just a memory of that night, A gift of that unheralded departure. A woman in my writing class recited this poem to us from memory at our last gathering of the season. The moment she had finished, we asked her to speak it again. She did. I asked her to send it to me so that I could share it with you as we enter the season of Epiphany. The poem was given to her in a writing class decades ago, and she has not been able to trace its poet, even in the age of the internet. I ve been trying to find her as well, but so far, with no luck. She remains elusive. Like the Wise Men, she left behind a precious gift. I feel in her poem an invitation, a prompt for the season when three important strangers showed up at Mary and Joseph s door with extravagant presents for a boy they didn t know, and were changed for having met him. Can their story be ours in this new year? Faithfully, Carri+

3 Door of Hope Dinner: January 2, 6:00 p.m. Contact George Rothwell if you are interested in providing a dish and/or participating in the dinner. This is a good way for teens to get service hours by taking part in this ministry. Dad s Night Out: January 2, 7:30 p.m. The Dad s Group meets on the first Wednesday of the month for dinner and fellowship at the Dog Haus on Green Street. For more information, contact Pete Carlson (626) or Nic Arnzen (310) Writing As Spiritual Practice: Sunday, January 13, 12:30 p.m. Music Room. All are welcome to discover and express themselves through writing. Whether or not you think of yourself as a writer, we all have stories to tell. Join this time of listening to your own life and discerning God in it. Women s Soup: Tuesday, January 13, 6:00 p.m. Place: Kathleen s on No. Lake Ave Calendaring meeting for the year RSVP to Betty Butler or Dorsey League Saint Mark s Education for Minstry(EfM) presents EfM Spotlight Krista Tippett - Becoming Wise -An Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living- Saturday, January 26, 2019: 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. All are welcome to join us as we shine a bright light on our Education for Ministry Program and share a typical EfM session with all of our community. As we make the transition from the wondrous season of Epiphany to the more reflective season of Lent, what better activity than to share thoughtful, provocative and inspiring conversation that deepens our experience of this significant transition. In gratitude to our community, the students and mentors of Saint Mark s EfM group will offer this behind the scenes experience of a typical EfM meeting: a short reading, discussion and reflection and brief opening and closing worship. As focus for the morning, we will be reading, discussing and reflecting on short readings from Krista Tippett s latest book Becoming W ise which we will be happy to provide for you prior to the event. They are quick reads and can be done at the session, too. Whether you have been curious about what the heck EfM is anyway, are an EfM graduate, or looking for some spiritual food, you will find it at this annual public Education for Ministry event. Please RSVP to: Erik Forrester erikfor27@gmail.com or Maria Horner maria@catalinaislandcamps.com Youth Group Jan 6 Epiphany Party, 9:30-10:30 a.m. Jan 13 Youth Group, Noon Jan 20 Youth Group, Noon Jan 27 Annual Meeting No Youth Group Meeting Epiphany Party-January 6, 9:45-10:30a.m. - This year, we'll hold our annual Epiphany party on Sunday morning. Children and adults are invited to join us as we worship and play together. There will be a craft, story, kings cake, and procession. We can't wait to see you there! NOVEMBER YTD YTD Budget Pledge Income 342, ,456 Other Income 63,420 20,634 Total Income 405, ,089 Expenses 408, ,026 Surplus/ (Deficit) (2,295) (35,937) Sunday, January 27 ONE service, 9:00 a.m. Annual Meeting to follow in the All members and friends of Saint Mark s Parish are invited to attend the meeting to see where we ve been in mission and ministry during the past year and where we are going in the year to come. Annual Meeting elects new Vestry members and delegates to Diocesan Convention; receives the Stewardship, Treasurer s, and Rector s reports; recognizes retiring Vestry members; and celebrates the mission and ministry of the Parish. All members 16 years and older who have regularly attended the worship of the parish for at least one year are eligible to vote at the meeting and are encouraged to attend and participate. Childcare is available. Reminder: All Ministry Leaders should look in the mail or their for a request for an update on the 2018 activities of their ministry that will be included in the Annual Report. Prayer List to be Reset On January 1, we cleared our Parish and Daughters of the King prayer lists in order to refresh them for the new year. If there is someone you wish to keep on the prayer list, please let the church office know.

4 What I m Reading by Paula Walker Did you know the U.S. has the highest rate of incarceration in the world? 1 in every 15 people born here today is expected to go to prison. For black men, this figure rises to 1 in 3. Death Row is disproportionately black, too. I read Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson about a year ago. Stevenson, an African- American lawyer and social justice activist that grew up in the racially segregated South where Jim Crow laws were embedded in the culture. Growing up having witnessed injustice led him, after graduating Harvard Law School, to, instead of starting a lucrative law career, create the Equal Justice Initiative, an organization that pursues justice for prison inmates wrongfully convicted and harshly sentenced. Just Mercy left me wondering how our country that touts freedom and justice for all could be so calculatingly unjust and very often embedded deeply in racism. This book shines a bright light on the brokenness of our justice system, and the precarious and dangerous position that the law and justice system places on black men. One of the most compelling stories in Just Mercy is about Walter McMillian. Mr. McMillian was accused of killing a white woman. But, in spite of multiple eye witnesses that verified Mr. McMillian couldn t have committed the crime because they were guests at his barbeque, he was convicted and sent to death row. It took Stevenson 6 years to get Mr. McMillian s sentence revoked. Unfortunately, there is no real restitution or compensation for the psychological, emotional and spiritual trauma (being threatened with murder on a daily basis, witnessing other inmates be killed, and more) inflicted on Mr. McMillian, and others like him for unjustly serving time in prison. The entry back into society for wrongfully convicted people is brutal and very often unsuccessful. Just Mercy is a book well worth reading. But, read with caution. It tells a story that will stay with you for a very long time and most likely change your perception of mercy and redemption. It is the book that led me to a strong desire to work in prison ministry. Come back in February to read Lynn Marini s review of Reaching Out by Henri Nouwen. Note from the Editors: We need new submissions! Remember the book that made you laugh, brought you to tears, left you a bit wiser, or helped your spirit grow? Share your experience in words. Tell us: Why you chose to read the book, a summary of the storyline, how the book impacted you, and why you think everybody should read it. Send your review to Joanne Morse (church@saintmarksaltadena.org). We look forward to reading all about it.

5 JANUARY Sunday, January 6, 2019 Feast of the Epiphany Parker Garrett, preaching The Rev. Carri Patterson Grindon Nursery care available. Snacks after service. 9:30 a.m. Epiphany Party, Parker Garrett, preaching St. Mark s Choir sings. Nursery care available. the. Sunday, January 13, 2019 First Sunday after Epiphany 8:45 a.m. Altar Guild Meeting, Rector s Office The Rev. Betsy Hooper Rosebrook, preaching Nursery care available. Snacks after service Nursery care available. Coffee Hour immediately following the service in the. St. Mark s Choristers sing. Nursery care available. the. Sunday, January 20, 2019 Second Sunday after Epiphany Holy Eucharist Nursery care available. Snacks after service During the service, Sunday School for ages 3 to 5th grade in the St. Mark s Choir sings. Nursery care available. the. 12:00 p.m. Youth Group Meeting Sunday, January 27, 2019 Third Sunday after Epiphany ANNUAL MEETING ONE SERVICE 9:00 a.m. Choral Holy Eucharist Annual Meeting to Follow in the Coffee Hour provided by the Vestry 12:00 p.m. Youth Group Meeting 12:30 p.m. Writers Workshop, Music Room