The Call. May the words of our mouths and the mediations of our hearts be acceptable in thy sight oh Lord our strength and our redeemer.

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1 S T M A R K S E P I S C O P A L C H U R C H The Call May the words of our mouths and the mediations of our hearts be acceptable in thy sight oh Lord our strength and our redeemer. A Monthly Newsletter Issue - March 2016 Worship Newly Baptized Community Lenten Services Altar Hangings/Vestments Holy Week Schedule Palm Sunday Formation Youth Page 4th Rotation of Christian Formation Bishop s Ball Pictures Youth Retreat Pictures Stewardship Vestry Update Financial Update B&G Workday Day Light Savings Outreach School Supply Update Eagle Scout Project Parish Transitions High Tea Wine Book Club Baseball Outing Parish Life Meeting Page 2-5 Pages 6-8 Pages 9-11 Page 12 Pages Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the church of God that is in (insert city name here), to those who are sanc=fied in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their lord and ours. This is the standard gree=ng Paul uses when he has a maeer of import to impart to a courageous community of 1 st century Chris=ans. He addresses the body with respect and holds up their iden=ty and purpose in lohy and inspiring phrases. His strategy seems to have worked as his leeers survive to this day and are remem- bered weekly across the globe. Taking a page from his book, Sarah, called to be a priest in the Church of Christ Jesus by the will of God, writes to the church of God that is St. Mark s, Huntersville, to those who are called to be saints and counted as beloved by all faithful. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. In the forty six days of Lent, the church calls us to a season for poignant remembrance, a season for self- examina=on and repentance, a season for contempla=ng our mortal nature, the health and vigor of our souls, and a =me for siqng reverently with the sacrifice God made for us in the offering up of his Son. In the chao=c over scheduled world in which we live, this call is not easily answered. Time in prayer taken on the day aher Ash Wednesday becomes harder and harder to maintain. The journal entries become shorter. The inten=on of making all Wednesday services becomes a source of guilt and dread when one or two or more go unaeended. The language of Lent, the prayers and colors and intent of Lent are worthy and compelling as well as appropriately convic=ng but rather than feeling burdened by what we have leh undone, a beeer response might be to give thanks for the efforts we managed successfully. Perhaps we say, this Lent, I got to one midweek service and gave thanks to God. This Lent, I read ¼ of a medita=on book. This Lent, I chanted the Great Litany when I d have preferred otherwise! Maybe this is the year to put all Lenten discipline into the final week. The faithful don t have to commit every year, but this year might be your year to consider coming to all five Holy Week Services at 7:00 pm. Come for the care of your soul. Come because you need that very inten=onal experience of walking the week with Christ to the cross. This is a fine way of observing a Holy Lent and it is a 1

2 way all faithful believers should prac=ce at least once in their lives. Those who have walked that way aeest that the experi- ence is rich and meaningful. With the exuberance of Paul, I say, save the dates now! An invita=on to a Holy Lent, an invita=on to Holy Week is just that, an invita=on not a compulsion. But know this, in extend- ing the invita=on, your church has taken seriously its charge. A place has been set for you to experience something sublime and holy. Serious Chris=ans do not think of missing Christmas or Easter services, not because of guilt or fear of nega=ve consequences but because they receive something persuasive and inspiring in the experience. The same is true of liturgies offered in Holy Week. Charged with the care and cure of the souls of this body, I ardently encourage you to consider your Holy Week plan. What will you say yes to, what will you put down? We grow stronger in our faith when we engage new experiences and prac=ces. Come see what the Holy Spirit has in store for you as you are surrounded and supported by your fellow Chris=ans in the most important week of your faith. With thanks for you, keeping faith with you, your sister in Christ, Welcome the Newly Baptized Caroline and Matthew Huber With parents Kenneth and Larrisa 2

3 Community Lenten Services All are Welcome! Members, Visitors, Passersby, Commuters, Guests coming to other meetings. Each Wednesday in Lent at 7:00, St. Mark s Worship Committee welcomes you to a service of prayer and reflection. Stop in. Enjoy the quiet and beauty of our Holy Space on this peace filled hill. Let your soul find rest in the mediations. Let your spirit be comforted by the prayers. Let your presence at this hour be your Lenten Discipline. Mar. 2nd Mar. 9th Mar. 16 th Mar. 23 rd 7:00 Bread & Wine Broken and Poured 7:00 Taize Prayers 7:00 Tenebrae 7:00 Stations of the Cross Huntersville Town Square Come See Our New Lenten Altar Hangings and Vestments 3

4 Holy Week Services March 20-27th Sunday 8:30 St. Mark s 9:30 Christian Ranson Middle School 11:00 Ranson Middle School, Lunch to follow 5850 Statesville Rd. Charlotte, NC Monday 7:00 pm Family Seder Meal St. Mark s *RSVP on bulletin board in Osborne Hall Tuesday 7:00 pm Healing Service St. Mark s Wednesday 7:00 pm Stations of the Cross Discovery Place, Walking Tour, Huntersville Thursday 7:00 pm Maundy Thursday Liturgy, Foot washing & Altar Stripping St. Mark s Friday 7:00 pm Good Friday Liturgy of Solemn Collect St. Mark s Sunday 8:30 & 11:00 Easter Eucharists St. Mark s 4

5 St. Mark s & Ranson Community Sharing Faith & Feast Service Sunday, March 20, 29, 11am Ranson Middle School Meal Follows RSVP to Ransonfaithfeast@stmarksnc.org 5850 Statesville Road Charlotte, NC Join us with our Ranson & Preschool Partners for Palms, Passion Narrative, Eucharist & Lunch Treats from the Diocesean Moveable Feast Truck The 11am service will take place near the main entrance at the round about. Parking is available in the upper lot for those with mobility concerns & the lower lot for all others. Sunday School For All Ages 9:30am 5

6 Formation Info. A few days ago our youth went to Kanuga for our annual Sabbath Retreat. We explored the music of a popular artist who isn't by nature Christian. If you asked the artist, he would probably say his music isn t even religious it s just who he is. When we listened to his music with our Christian ears and watched the music videos through our Christian lenses, Jesus was very easy to find. We saw ways to love God and love our neighbors as ourselves. We also talked about our Jewish ancestors and how it was very easy for them to see God in all things and in all places. They believed that any breath, people, plants, flowers, of the field God, the the word (right) was letters that breath the God. Yod Heh. When understand context, God in many things places we did not understand before. thing that takes a animals, trees, even the insects acknowledged creator. Even Yaweh made of up cause us to name of Heh Vah we God in this comes to life and in many see or We found God in the music of Macklemore. We found God in the slushy snow tubing slopes. We found God hiking, in waterfalls, and in each other. Where is a new place or an old forgotten place that you can find God today, this week, or during this season of Lent? Winter Outreach Day March 19th 6

7 CHRISTIAN FORMATION 9:30 to 10:45 Sunday Mornings 3rd Rotation: March 6th - April 17th Children Ages 3-5th grade will meet upstairs in the Parish House During this rotation our children will be learning about God as the Creator through scripture. We will be using the same Episcopal Curriculum that we used during our Communion Classes. These classes will provide great context, hands on crafts, and intangible experiences with the creation story. Our children and teachers have really enjoyed the communion curriculum and are looking forward to this new rotation with new materials! Youth: Ages 6th grade - 12th grade will meet in Founders Hall, Downstairs Youth Space The Dirty Dozen John the Baptist ate bugs. Peter and Paul fought about daily dietary customs. Mary Magdalene was the first person to tell anyone of the Resurrection. All of these things were very out of the ordinary during their time. Christ was a counter-cultural figure. This theme occurs over and over again. The people in scripture are not the only people who took this idea to heart. Who else in the world has taken on this counter-cultural model, and what did they do with it? We will discover people of modern time who have taken this theme and modeled their life around it. We will ask questions about how it looked and felt for them, and how it could look and feel for us. We will try to understand what it means to be counter-cultural today. Adults: Post High School and up (Founders Hall, Osborne Hall) Building the Beloved Community: Context & Conversation on Racial Justice & Reconciliation [T]he end is reconciliation; the end is redemption; the end is the creation of the Beloved Community. It is this type of spirit and this type of love that can transform opponents into friends. It is this type of understanding goodwill that will transform the deep gloom of the old age into the exuberant gladness of the new age. It is this love which will bring about miracles in the hearts of men. -Martin Luther King, Jr. (1956) In 2016, it is only necessary to review headlines on news services and social media to understand that the vision of Dr. King continues to be largely unfulfilled. Our nation and world remain divided by race, ethnicity, faith and religion; and by fears born of isolation and ignorance. The old adage goes that the most segregated hour in the United States has been and remains the worship hour on Sunday. In an effort to face this issue, the Diocese of North Carolina adopted a resolution in 2015 calling on congregations to undertake at least one initiative annually to address systematic racial inequality and injustice. St. Mark s will take up this charge during the Adult Christian Formation hour beginning March 6 and ending April 17. Our effort will be to build a context for reconciliation. We will lean on our own experience, questions and shortcomings. We will turn toward the American Historical record (primarily through documentary film). And we will work to find our place in the realization of the Beloved Community. Please join our facilitator, Michael Thompson Professor of History at Pfeiffer University, beginning March 6. 7

8 Youth Winter Retreat Kanuga February

9 February Vestry Update St. Mark s Vestry met on Thursday, February 18th for its monthly meeting. The meeting began with a theological reflection on Mark 2:1-12, the story of the paralytic who was healed and forgiven early in Jesus ministry. Vestry then moved into a discussion of the work ahead for A major focus this year will be Stewardship. Several parishioners have responded to the call to join St. Mark s Stewardship Committee; they have begun developing a year-long Stewardship plan that will include christian formation on the theology of stewardship and cultivating new fundraising avenues (members interested in joining stewardship should contact Libby James, committee chair, or Rick Hunt, vestry liaison). A second major focus in 2016 will be exploring next steps for the legacy campaign now that the rejuvenation of our worship space has been completed. A task force has been formed and discussions will begin soon. Reverend Sarah also shared plans for the next Adult Christian formation offering: Michael Thompson s class on racism in America and our Christian response. We hope many members will join us for this timely and important conversation. Vestry concluded the meeting with a discussion of our roles for the year. Mary Kendrick will serve as Senior Warden and will continue her work with the Parish Council. Tom Watson will continue as Junior Warden and will lead Building and Grounds. Eileen Lampro will serve as liaison to Welcome, Jordana Gheraibeh will serve as liaison to Pastoral Care, Robbie Roberts will work with Christian Formation, Jennifer Addington will support Parish Life, Rick Hunt will support Stewardship, and Heath McMullen will continue to serve as liaison to the Finance Committee. Please contact any vestry member with questions, concerns, creative ideas for co-creating the community you need to encourage your faith. 9

10 2016 Stewardship Update Current pledge total $304,050 All other an=cipated income Matching ContribuBon from Member Family $25,586 Non- Pledge Offerings $23,000 Other Income (use of space by outside groups) $15,000 Sales Tax Refunds $3,000 Daisy Shipp McCoy FoundaBon Trust Income $34,000 Total Budgeted OperaBng Income $404,636 Expenses we approved in the annual mee=ng for 60 days. Staff $239,112 Diocesan Support $40,927 Campus Maintenance & UBliBes $44,896 Office AdministraBon & Other $28,195 Youth & ChrisBan FormaBon $7,555 Outreach & Escuelita Support $13,300 Parish Life, Pastoral Care, Stewardship & Parish Retreat $8,500 Worship & Music $5,750 %7 pledges unfulfilled based on historical average $21,284 Total 2016 Budgeted Expenses $409,519 Current Budget Deficit $4, Addi=onal Cost to fund full Bme Director of Chris=an Forma=on $20,627 Deficit to fund St. Mark s at appropriate level for 2016 mission & ministry $25, pledge notes 111 pledge cards of 150 have been received Average Pledge $2,739 *No addibonal pledge cards or gics have been received since this informabon was last reported in the February Call 10

11 CHURCH WORK DAY SUNDAY APRIL 3rd. Come for Worship, Work, Fellowship & Food All are welcome! Mark your calendars! Help us spruce up our space. Come to church in your work clothes, stay to pitch in and have lunch. What to Bring/Need to Know Work clothes Work Gloves Wheelbarrows and or Carts (for hauling mulch) A willingness to give an hour or 2 anytime between 8:30 and 2:00. (Many hands make light work so let s knock it out) Services will be held at 8:30 and 11:00 with Christian Formation at 9:30. Lunch will be served at noon. Come worship and stay to work or come early to work and stay to worship. The workday will begin at 8:30 and continue past lunch. Our normal Sunday Schedule will remain in place. This way members can choose which service/programs to attend, while still having time to lend a hand. Help us to be good Stewards of our space as we prepare for Spring, Confirmation and the Bishop s visit Please contact Tom Watson with any questions. tom@cedarsdavidson.com 11

12 Thank you all for your generous contributions of pencils, notebooks and loose leaf binders for our mid-year Ranson School Supply Drive. The many pencils we received were especially appreciated. This is a perpetual need among the students. Your support has again helped many students to be prepared and achieve their goals. Blessings, Liz Gail Eagle Scout Project at the McCoy Slave Cemetery Compliments of Grayson Parker If you have driven by the McCoy Slave Cemetery recently you might have noticed some work being done. We were recently contacted by a local scout in search of an Eagle Scout Project. As a result the McCoy Slave Cemetery now has a nice new entrance and fenced in area. The project was initiated and managed by Grayson Parker, a Life Scout with troop 173 sponsored by Fair View United Methodist Church along with Centre Presbyterian Church in Mt. Mourne. Grayson lives in the Cedarfield subdivision of Huntersville. He plans to attend Appalachian State University this fall. If you are driving by stop and take a look. 12

13 Birthdays Steph Ryan Herrin - 3/2 Riley Milholland - 3/3 David Stephens - 3/5 Vincent Boyle - 3/6 Alan Kathman - 3/7 Jessica DuBois 3/9 Andrea Seymour - 3/13 Heather Ferguson - 3/18 Jordana Gheraibeh - 3/21 Kevin Glover - 3/21 Doug Haraburd - 3/22 Bryson DeJong - 3/24 Elizabeth Wilson - 3/25 James Woolley - 3/25 Andy Christman 3/27 Chris Kendrick - 3/27 Hannah Savage 3/27 Anniversaries Philip & Melanie Blythe - 3/5 Rev. Ty & Debra Smithdeal - 3/18 Richard & Mary Beth Masline - 3/19 Prayers for continued healing: Robin Mason Judith Hundertmark Alex Mondlak Mary Beth Masline Martha Ann Springer James Self Pat Pagola Larry Reilly Patricia Woolley Joe Brown Victoria Mason Sue Layman Jackie Blythe Anna Gambill Tricia Stephens Alice Bayne Justin Wilson Debby Smith Verni Trully Lynn Ronkainen Cathy McCoy Maggie Whitaker Sherry Herdert Cair Shaffer Steve James Liz Cash New Members: Janet Mann Claudia Howard Judy Finn Don Siegel - 3/28 Jerry Schroeder - 3/29 Melinda DeJong - 3/30 Daubeny Freeman 3/30 Jim Wilson - 3/30 Panera Bread Pick Up Cheryl Jones 3/4 Alan & Lesli Kathman 3/11 Andrew & Libby James 3/18 Mark & Lacy Hamilton 3/25 13

14 HIGH TEA FOR LADIES OF A CERTAIN AGE 14

15 W.I.N.E. St Mark s Muses Book Club Women in Need of Entertainment WINE scheduled for March 6:30 at the home of Malinda Bivens 4419 Mountain Cove Drive Charlotte, NC Bring a bottle of wine or dish to share We will meet on Friday March 11th 1pm At the home of Tricia Stephens Please note we are changing the time of our meeting from the evening to the afternoons. Please contact Debbie Siegel debbiesiegel@bellsouth.net with any questions We will be discussing The Orphan Train. Please join us even if you have not read the book. Contact Genny Hinkle for a copy of the book or more information gnvvhinkle@yahoo.com PARISH LIFE MEETING Tuesday, March 29th 6:30 p.m. Osborne Hall FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016 CHARLOTTE KNIGHTS VS TOLEDO TI- GERS at the BB&T BALLPARK Parish Life has ordered us great seats again. A fun time is guaranteed! Registration will begin February 28th. Tickets are $17 each Outreach will also be sponsoring a small group of students from Ranson Middle School to join us. Contact Marsha Phillips for more information or mbp1936@carolina.rr.com Join us to help plan and discuss opportunities to promote fellowship and strong bonds within our congregation, our visitors, & the outside community. We are always open to new ideas that are ways for us to show our Christian love through fellowship, hospitality, evangelism. special events and projects. Parish Life and the Welcome committee will work together to achieve those goals. Attend a meeting and learn more about our missions! Questions: contact Jan Sanford: jsanfo1@yahoo.com Debbie Heggen:cuteandcabulous@gmail.com 15

16 St. Mark s Episcopal Church 8600 Mt. Holly-Huntersville, Rd. Huntersville, NC