Saying Grace...from Roy. Worship and Lectionary for October

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1 the saint mark messenger the newsletter of Saint Mark Presbyterian Church October 2012 Worship 9:30 and 11:00 AM Church School for all ages 9:30 AM Saying Grace...from Roy In this column I m going to be more personal than usual. I've been reading this wonderful little book recommended by a church member, "Watching Baseball Smarter: A Professional Fan's Guide for Beginners, Semi-Experts and Deeply Serious Geeks. I came across this quote by Yogi Berra: "you can observe a lot by watching." I think that proves that Yogi is a Zen Master. This is similar to Jesus advice to consider the lilies of the field Mindfulness is the key to a well-considered life and central to the banishment of boredom. I'm mindful of the beauty in my life. It s a beautiful Saturday and I'm sitting on my deck. Our dog Patrick is basking in the sunshine fully alert, which is obvious when the hummingbirds zip in. I am thinking of the recent nightly news interview with the young woman who survived a flesh eating disease though she lost her hands and feet. She was radiant and positive. "It could have been anyone, she said smiling, when asked if she blamed anyone, including God, for her plight. "It just happened to be me. So I have to deal with it." I am humbled by her testimony. I hear it as a call to gratitude for how richly blessed I am. I have hands! I have feet! In fact, I am training for a marathon, now running 16 miles with much joy. I climb high mountains with considerable risk. I type and have full use of my fingers. A close personal friend is dealing with cancer; two of our parishioners are also dealing with the horrors of cancer. We pray and cry, though I don t often show my tears. Many people near and far are carrying heavy burdens. All of these things make me deeply grateful and aware of the mercy of God. The days have shifted to cool mornings and bright blue skies, which reminds me of the poet Gerard Manley Hopkins who wrote, "the world is charged with the grandeur of God/it will flame out like shining from shook foil. I hope you will celebrate World Communion Sunday October 7 with the Resurrection Dance Theater of Haiti who will be with us in worship and performing that evening. This is one will we can support our mission partners and help rebuild Haiti. Worship and Lectionary for October October 7: World Communion Sunday with Resurrection Dance Theater of Haiti in Worship Spirit and Service Sunday One Service of worship 9:30 AM Job1:1, 2:1-10; Ps. 26; Heb. 1:1-4, 2:5-12; Mark 10:2-16 October 14: Job 23:1-9, 16-17; Ps. 22:1-15; Heb. 4:12-16; Mark 10:17-31 October 21: Job 38:1-7(34-41); Ps. 104:1-9,24,35c; Heb. 5:1-10; Mark 10:35-45 October 28: Reformation Sunday Job 42:1-6,10-17; Ps. 34:1-8(19-22); Heb. 7:23-28; Mark 10:46-52 :

2 October 2012 Saint Mark Messenger 2 Saint Mark is Certified as an Earth Care Congregation Recognized at an Event at the White House Earth Care Congregations, a national program from the Presbyterian Mission Agency, is a 2-year-old program helps churches be good stewards of God s creation. Five churches in the county are certified as Earth Care Congregations: Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church in Bethesda, Geneva Presbyterian Church in Potomac, New Hope Presbyterian Church in Derwood, Warner Memorial in Kensington, and the newest is Saint Mark. We are among almost 100 congregations in 30 states and the District of Columbia that also are certified based on a point system in categories that include worship, education, facilities, and outreach. Recertification is required annually. Churches must also take the Earth Care pledge to celebrate and protect God s creation by educating the community, managing facilities in a responsible way, and encouraging public policy that restores and protects the earth and oppressed and neglected people. In recognition of this achievement, the 5 local Earth Care Congregations were invited to attend Greening America s Congregations: The Faith Community and Energy Efficiency last Thursday, September 13 at the White House. Gerald Aldridge represented us. During this event, senior administration officials called on faith-based organizations to save energy and strengthen stewardship of the environment by improving the energy efficiency of their houses of worship with help from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency s ENERGY STAR program. Saint Mark attends White House Conference The White House Office for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships hosted a conference titled Greening America s Congregations through Energy Efficiency on September 13. Panel two discussed Motivating Change through Campaigns and Pledges and featured speakers from PCUSA, the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change, The National Council of Churches and others. The final panel was the most interesting as they presented Stewardship in different Faith traditions: Islamic Society of North America, Judaism, Hindu Americans and Protestants (United Methodist Church). The energy and enthusiasm built throughout the day, and the 100+ conference attendees left with a renewed commitment to Creation Care as well as to cooperation with other faiths. Gerald Aldridge represented Saint Mark at this conference. Help still needed! Resurrection Dance Theater of Haiti Update Thank you to those of you who have volunteered to be host families for our friends from the St. Joseph s Family of Haiti! We still need one more family to host 2 of the guys. We have opportunities to serve in other ways (particularly with meal preparation!) while they are here. Information will be posted in the atrium, in the weekly e- news, and in the Sunday bulletin. November Trip to Haiti On November 4th, Diane Wirono and Lyn Hill will be joining Pastor Roy Howard on a visit to our partners in mission, the St. Joseph s family of Haiti. The Saint Mark Global Mission Ministry will be applying for a matching grant from National Capital Presbytery for a specific mission partnership project, which we will be identifying on this trip. It will have something to do with the rebuilding of Wings of Hope, the home for disabled children and youth, that is part of the St. Joseph s Family. Your prayers are appreciated as we continue to build our relationship with our mission partners in Haiti. Congregations and Faith Based groups from around the country were represented with three different panels covering different areas. The first panel presented experiences from Michigan, Chicago and other areas documenting stewardship achievements in energy conservation.

3 October 2012 Saint Mark Messenger 3 Local Mission Summer's over, school is back, and Saint Mark is gearing up for a great Local Mission year! School Supplies Drive is once again a success! First, a big thank you to the Casper Family for their leadership in this year's School Supplies Drive benefiting Interfaith Clothing Centers. Although we received fewer supplies this year, our cash donations increased to over $500! Thank you, Saint Mark, for your continued generosity! Saint Mark supports our troops at the National Military Medical Center at Bethesda Last month, Saint Mark received a request for support from the USO, an organization that serves our troops and their families. The USO is seeing the largest numbers of in-patients at the hospitals since the war started; many are multiple limb amputees. Right now at the National Military Medical Center at Bethesda, the number of inpatients on the wards is staggering 54, when they usually have They are working as hard as they can to boost morale. To do so, the USO staff and volunteers have come up with a new program called USO-Metro Comfort and Care Bag that they would like to distribute to current in-patients on the wards and also to new patients as they arrive. The value of the basket is about $100 per patient and includes 2 new release DVD s, $10 Dunkin Donuts and Subway Gift Cards (both are located in the hospital), puzzle books and small games, snacks, and some additional comfort items. Saint Mark's Local Mission Ministry sees this as an opportunity to show God's love to those who have given more than we can ever imagine. We have donated $500 to this effort and are now looking for a matching donor to boost our support to $1000! If you are interested, please see Barbara Welsh or Teddy Ferguson. Cash donations are also being accepted online at osubscriptionid=7814> For program designation, select Hospital Services. THANK YOU! Opportunity to meet Manna's new Executive Director Manna Food Center has hired a new Executive Director, Minerva Delgado. Minerva is excited to meet the Saint Mark Congregation and will be worshiping with us on Spirit and Service Sunday, November 4, and speaking to the Local Mission Ministry and all other interested folks during the meeting times following the service. Saint Mark has a strong and long history with Manna and its mission, and we are eager to get to know Minerva and learn about her vision for this organization that does so much to help our neighbors. Learn about the DREAM Act On Election Day this year (Tuesday, November 6), Marylanders will be asked to weigh in on an important ballot initiative -- the DREAM Act. The Local Mission Ministry would like to lead a civil discourse on this subject, sorting through the facts and fiction, so that we can all make an informed decision before we vote. Please join us after the 11:00 AM worship service on October 14 to hear from a student who stands to benefit from this program and one of our colleagues from Action in Montgomery. Please see Dick Pavlin or Barbara Welsh for more information. AIM news Action in Montgomery has persuaded County Executive Leggett to adopt an affordable housing plan for seniors, increasing the options for low-income seniors. County Council members are also supportive of the need to increase affordable housing options. Personnel Susan Victor, our office administrator, has decided to pursue graduate studies. Her last day with us was September 7. Suzanne Lofhjelm has graciously agreed to work temporarily in the office (about 30 hours per week) at least through the end of the year. The personnel ministry is taking this time to evaluate the staffing needs in the office before hiring permanent new staff. We appreciate your patience during this time of transition. The Session is giving Susan Victor a small gift to thank her for her years of service. If you would like to contribute to that gift, you can leave your contribution at the office marked for Susan's gift. We will accept contributions through Oct 1.

4 October 2012 Saint Mark Messenger 4 Youth Group Activities this month: Sunday, October 7: RDTH Performance Sunday, October PM: Discussion Night Sunday, October PM: Discussion Night Sunday, October PM: Family cookout at the Hodges Need Help Writing those College Essays? If so, Deacon Ward Tietz (who makes a living crafting words into coherent sentences and teaching others to do the same!) has offered to assist you. All you have to do is give him a call or send him an to let him know. wtietz@comcast.net Cherub Choir Cherub Choir (K-3rd) now sings during the first 15 minutes of Sunday School (9:30-9:45 AM) in the K-1st Sunday School room. Upcoming dates when the children will lead worship in song: * October 21 (with the Choristers) * November 18 * December 23 (Christmas Pageant); rehearsal on Saturday, December 22 If you have any questions, please contact Teresa Larson - tjl20854@gmail.com. Welcoming Ministry Thinking Like a Host by Henry G. Brinton From beginning to end, the Bible teaches us how to be hospitable. Throughout the Old and New Testaments, we find stories of people acting as hosts, welcoming strangers, and discovering that there is something truly holy in their acts of hospitality. Yet, we have largely forgotten this in the life of the church. Unfortunately, many Christians today go to church with the attitude of a guest, not a host. We are concerned more about ourselves than about those who visit with us. Consider this mindset: As guests, we are focused primarily on having a good time. We enter the church, and look for our friends. We pass personal judgment on the furniture, decor, and feel of the place. We sit where we want to sit, with little regard for making room for others. We listen to the church s music, and decide whether we enjoy it or not. As guests, we are basically consumers, concerned about our personal comfort. The experience is all about us. How different it is to be a host. In that role, we are focused primarily on serving others. We greet our guests at the door, and seek to connect them with people they would enjoy. We make sure that the church is set up in a welcoming way decorated appropriately, well-lighted, and conducive to people getting to know one another. We sit in places that will leave room for others, and help them to feel comfortable. As hosts, we are concerned about the comfort of others. The experience is all about them. This means being on the look-out for strangers instead of friends, making the church hospitable, ensuring that worship is welcoming, and picking music that our guests would enjoy. Just imagine that! Actually picking music for others, not for ourselves. As hosts, we are constantly challenged to be concerned about the well-being of others. And when we do this, God is always present in surprising and wonderful ways. When we show hospitality to strangers, we are really entertaining angels. When we welcome a newcomer, we are actually welcoming Jesus. Hospitality to people is the very same thing as hospitality to God. If you want an authentic experience of God and I think we all do then the place to begin is by welcoming strangers. 4 th and 5 th grade class! Do they need a bigger table? Henry G. Brinton is senior pastor of Fairfax Presbyterian Church in Fairfax, Virginia. This article is adapted from his new book, The Welcoming Congregation: Roots and Fruits of Christian Hospitality (Westminster John Knox Press, 2012), and used with the publisher s permission. It is available at The Thoughtful Christian and Amazon.

5 October 2012 Saint Mark Messenger 5 Saint Mark Book Lovers Book Lovers, our Saint Mark book discussion group, meets the third Monday of the month at 7:30 PM throughout the year in the parlor at Saint Mark. Please join us! October 15: House Rules by Jodi Picoult November 19: Breakfast with Buddha by Roland Merullo December 17: The Giver and Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry The entire list is on our website! Planned Giving - Bequests You ve demonstrated tremendous commitment to your family and church throughout your life. You ve given time, money, resources and shared your faith in many ways. As you look toward your heavenly future, what will you leave as a tribute to this life-long journey of faith? After providing for your loved ones, consider leaving one last testament of faith through your Will that will make a great impact on your church, community and world. If you would like to discuss a bequest, please contact a pastor or a member of the Planned Giving Committee Laura Brouse-Long, Tom Champion, Lee LaRoche, or Joe Piff. Quill of the Clerk At our recent meeting, the session: * Shared a meal, studied Acts 9:32-43, and discussed the spiritual practice of prayer. *Received a letter from Susan Victor resigning her position as Saint Mark Office Administrator * Scheduled the dates for the ordination and installation of officers (1/6/13), the officers retreat (2/1 & 2/2/13) and the annual meeting of the congregation (2/3/13) * Discussed the budget status which, while generally on target, shows that property and administrative expenses are trending higher than budgeted * Heard a report on the Legacy Campaign, for which $774,000 was pledged and $396,000 has been paid, and on the expenses for the sanctuary renovation, which were under budget. * Authorized an employment contract with Suzanne Lofjhelm, as a temporary employee, to provide office administrator services to the Church for up to 30 hours per week until permanent staffing can be arranged. * Heard a report from the Stewardship Ministry on plans for the fall stewardship campaign. Consecration Sunday will be 11/18/12; all pledges will be needed by 12/9/12 in order for session to create a budget Sara Coe, Clerk of Session Brochures are available in the desk in the atrium. Spirit and Service Sunday October 7 One Service of Worship at 9:30 Ministry Meetings at 11:00

6 October Saint Mark Messenger Saint Mark People Our sympathy is with Ruth Farzanegan whose mother, Margaret Graham, died September 2 just after her 101st birthday..she was a frequent worshipper at Saint Mark And to Doug Loock and family on the death of his mother on September 7.. The National Captial Presbytery Stated Clerk Search Committee is happy to share with you that Saint Mark member Sara Coe has been elected to the position of Stated Clerk. Congratulations, Sara! Summer Youth Mission Trips Middle School Trip to Massanetta in August (above) Senior High Trip to Montreat in July (below) Saint Mark Presbyterian Church Old Georgetown Road, Rockville, MD office saintmarkpresby.org The Rev. Dr. Roy W. Howard, Pastor pastor@saintmarkpresby.org; direct dial The Rev. LeAnn Hodges, Associate Pastor associate@saintmarkpresby.org direct dial Susan L. Victor, Administrator office@saintmarkpresby.org direct dial; Jeffrey J. Doenges, Director of Music, jjdoenges@aol.com Ellie Hagner, Editor and Webminder ellie@hagner.org Regardless of race, class, marital status, sexual orientation, ability or disability. Here you can find a home for your heart and an opportunity to serve Senior High Trip to New York City in June

7 October 2012 Saint Mark Presbyterian Church Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat :30 AM Men's Breakf, offsite 7:00 PM NIH Orch, FH 10:30 AM Parkinson, Parlor 7:30 PM Choir 11:00 AM AA5, :00 PM IMT, FH, MR 7:00 PM Deacons, 110 7:00 PM NIH Chorus, MR World Comm Sunday - Peacemaking Offering RDT Haiti in worship Food First Sunday 9:30 AM Spir it and Service One Worship Srv w/comm, FH FED HOLIDAY: Columbus Day, Church Office Open 7:00 PM NIH Chorus, MR 1:00 PM Clergy, 109 7:00 PM DAR, 110 7:00 PM NIH Orch, FH 7:00 PM Girl Scouts, 110 7:30 PM Choir 11:00 AM AA5, :00 AM All Ministries Mtg 12:45 PM -3:00 PM LCSS, Sanct, 3:00 PM-6:00 PM, FH, Kit 7:00 PM RDT Haiti event, FH :30 AM and 11:00 AM World Food Day 10:00 AM Newsltr Deadline

8 :30 AM and 11:00 AM Worship Service 9:30 AM Church School 12:45 PM -3:00 PM LCSS, Sanct, 3:00 PM-6:00 PM, FH, Kit 6:00 PM IMT, FH, MR 7:30 PM Book Lovers, Parlor World Food Day 7:30 AM Men's Breakf, offsite 6:00 PM Session, 109, 110 7:00 PM NIH Chorus, MR 7:00 PM Parkinson support, FH 7:00 PM NIH Orch, FH 10:00 AM Newsltr Deadline 10:00 AM Presbytery egiving Conf, FH 10:30 AM Parkinson, Parlor 1:30 PM NAMI Coalition, :00 AM AA5, :30 PM Choir :30 AM and 11:00 AM Worship Service 9:30 AM Church School 12:45 PM -3:00 PM LCSS, Sanct, 3:00 PM-6:00 PM, FH, Kit 9:00 AM Prt Newslr 7:00 PM NIH Chorus, MR 8:00 AM Setup for Beth Garden, FH 10:00 AM Bethesda Gard en, FH, KIt 12:30 PM NCP Council, 105 3:00 PM Cleaning after Beth Garden and for Literacy Council, FH 7:30 PM Choir 11:00 AM AA5, Reformation Sunday 9:30 AM and 11:00 AM Worship Service 9:30 AM Church School 6:00 PM IMT, FH, MR 7:00 PM NIH Chorus, MR Reformation Day Halloween Sep 2012 S M T W T F S Nov 2012 S M T W T F S :45 PM -3:00 PM LCSS, Sanct, 3:00 PM-6:00 PM, FH, Kit 7:00 PM NIH Orch, FH h:\calendar\smpccalendar.bcc Month: October 2012 LSCC: 1:30-5pm Printed 9/7/2012, 10:05 AM