December 2014 ST. MARK S..INTO CHRIST ~ OUT TO SERVE Please join us on Sundays: + Sunday School starts at 8:45 + Nursery opens by 8:45 + Holy Eucharist at 9:00 a.m. There is a certified nursery attendant available from 8:45-10:15 on Sundays. Non-Profit Org. U. S. POSTAGE P A I D Casper, WY 82601 PERMIT NO. 126 Tuesdays: 9:30 a.m. ~ Bible Study Wednesdays: 5:00 p.m. ~ Youth Group ST. MARK S OFFICE: (307) 234-0831 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday - Thursday 9:00 a.m. - Noon on Friday (The office is closed for a lunch hour.) Special December Services Monday ~ Dec. 22 at 5:30 p.m. is our Blue Christmas Service In a season when many feel a sense of loss or depression, for whatever reason, let this service offer you the reality of God s love for us. Join us in Christmas readings, prayers of remembrance and healing, and celebrate the Eucharist along with singing some or out quieter Christmas carols. Sunday ~ Dec. 21 at 9 a.m. ~ Sunday School Christmas Pageant Wed. ~ Dec. 24 Christmas Eve with Holy Eucharist 4:00 p.m. Family Service 9:00 p.m. Anthems and Carols 9:30 p.m. Candlelight Mass Christmas Day ~ 10:00 a.m. A simple and joyful service for all ages.
What We are About Part I: God s Incarnation, not Our Perfection No matter what you believe, there is bound to be at least one other Episcopalian who agrees with you. Robin Williams, from his list of top 10 reasons to be an Episcopalian. In his brilliant way, Robin Williams hit upon one of the challenges for the Episcopal Church; our characteristic and essential openness can make it challenging for us to speak about what is at the heart of our faith. During the coming year I will be using my articles in the Lion s Roar to explore what we are really about. We can do this best by looking at pairs of ideas that define the boundary between what we are about and what we are really not about. Especially during Advent and Christmas many of us are working extra hard in order to make our creations more perfect. We pay a lot of attention to making our things, events and activities perfect, or at least very good. I don t know if you have ever tried this, but I have even tried to make my spiritual life more perfect during Advent and Christmas. Some of this is in response to the teachings of the church and to some parts of scripture that give the impression that being faithful is in some way about being a better person. In the centuries following Jesus time some Christians responded to God s faithfulness through extreme activities that sometimes seemed to be mostly about trying to be more perfect, trying to be more like God. Having heard their stories of perseverance and dedication many modern Christians have the idea that faithfulness is mostly about us doing more, or doing better or even being perfect in some way. There is very little in Jesus story to support this idea. Jesus story is about God s incarnation in our lives, not about our perfection. Jesus was born into the most imperfect time and place we can imagine; an unmarried young woman, living in a land ruled by a powerful and merciless king, becomes pregnant and gives birth to Jesus in a place where they kept the animals because there was no other place for her to take shelter. God s incarnation is not about us being perfect. It is about God loving us more than we can imagine, so much that God is with us in the very worst places and times of our lives. This is what we are about. This is why we are here. We are here because we know we will never be perfect. We are here because we know we need God s love and grace. With thanksgiving for the light of God s love shining in God s people in this place, Philip +
The Ministry of the Vestry Like living stones let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood... you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God s own people in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:5, 9 We are all ministers in this church, God s church. In many different ways we are called to proclaim the love and redeeming grace of God in our lives. There is one group of our members that takes on an extra level of responsibility in the ministry of the church: our vestry. The ministry of the vestry is to build a strong foundation for all of the other ministries of St. Mark s Church. Being a vestry member is a commitment of faith. Vestry members: * Strive to grow in the love of God and demonstrate a commitment to following the way of Christ. * Attend Sunday worship on a regular basis. * Are encouraged to pray on a regular basis for the members and leaders of St. Mark s Church. * Grow their own leadership skills and the leadership of our congregation through study and discussion. Vestry members work to strengthening our community as the body of Christ. Vestry members: * Welcome people of all faith backgrounds, economic and social situations, and political persuasions. * Be a listener. Listen to members, staff and other Vestry members. * Learn about the gifts and needs of our congregation through participation in events and programs. Vestry members lead our congregation. The Vestry is responsible for faithful and legal management of the financial and physical resources of the church. Vestry members: * Participate and serve as a liason for one of our ministry teams. * Attend annual meeting, our January budget meeting and monthly vestry meetings. * Serve as a teller once each month. As we end 2014 I hope you ll join me in thanking the members of our vestry for their faith, their leadership, and for their work to strengthen our community as the body of Christ. Members of our 2014 vestry: Dorothy Brown, Jane Clemmons, Audrey Cotherman, Jim Cunningham, Chuck Engstrom, Thad Hunter, Mark McAtee, Kathy Morton, Laurie Reese and Margie Roberts. As we prepare for 2015 I invite you to consider serving as a member of our vestry. New vestry members will be elected at our annual meeting on Sunday, January 25 th. Our vestry needs the voices, ideas and experiences of young people and old people, of newer members and very experienced members. If you are interested and would like more information please talk to me or to one of the retiring members of the vestry: Jane Clemmons, Mark McAtee and Laurie Reese. Philip +
Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world. Your Vision Team continues to work through the information you offered over these last 6 months! Guest Preacher on Dec. 14th Some of the walls that have divided Episcopalians from other Christians have crumbled during recent decades. 40 years ago you could divide Christians into three groups: * Bible & Prayer oriented (Baptist) * Mission oriented (United Church of Christ) * Worship oriented (Episcopal) It is much more difficult to divide Christians today. Today many of our Baptist friends are very interested in liturgy, especially the ancient liturgies that used to be the exclusive territory of Episcopalians and Roman Catholics. Today Episcopalians have adult Christian formation programs that are very similar to those that used to be the exclusive territory of Baptists and other conservative churches. Today all Christians want to be mission oriented. I have experienced this breaking down of barriers in my clergy group that meets every Wednesday morning. One of my clergy friends is Pastor Libby Hugus, who leads a new worship community called The Table. The Table is comprised primarily of young adults and they meet in a home in our neighborhood. Libby graduated from Nazarene Theological Seminary in May 2012. One of her passions is the issue of hunger, especially as it relates to the Biblical idea of God s justice. We will continue to cross the barriers that used to divide us as Libby serves as our guest preacher on December 14 th. I hope you ll be there! Philip + Youth Group Volunteers Youth group meets every Wed. starting at 5 p.m. On Nov. 12 they gathered in the Food Closet storage room downstairs and packed many food sacks to have on hand during this busy time for our Food Closet. The visits to our Food Closet have greatly increased this fall so it is wonderful to have bags ready to go so we can replenish when we need to. So thanks to our Youth Group and regular food packers! I couldn t do it without you! Cindy Volunteer Needed We need one or two people to help keep our busy boards supplied for children to use during the service. Please contact Cindy if you are interested in helping with this easy task that helps keep kids entertained during services! Thank you!
Please Join Us for a Kitchen Shower! December 14 following the 9:00 service Members of the Meals and Receptions committee prepare meals for events held at St. Mark s church. The committee also keeps the kitchen stocked with supplies that are used for Sunday coffee as well as for many other activities that occur in the church. This season we are asking you to consider making a donation to the kitchen. We are always in need of coffee (regular and decaffeinated), Crystal Lite lemonade, tea bags, sugar and creamer, dish soap, dish cloths and dish towels, Ziploc storage bags (quart and gallon size), dish brushes, magic erasers. We could also use a good electric can opener and some good kitchen knives. We use a few items that are available through Knapp supply. These include: Grey dish tubs we could use 3 or 4 of these. Napkins Paper Placemats Electric Dishwasher soap (Tell Knapp it is for St. Mark s and they can look up what we use.) Thanks for considering a gift to the kitchen. Coffee and treats will be provided by members of the Meals and Receptions committee. The Lion Gift Shop Janet and I apologize for the sporadic pattern of being open and closed and not being consistent. As with everyone life gets in the way! We hope you all stop in soon to see the new items we have purchased. We have adorable Christmas stockings and if you haven't browsed through "Jesus Calling" you might want to! It is a wonderful daily reflection journal! As always we would love to have your suggestions of items you would like to see in the shop remember t-shirts make great stocking stuffers!!! With Thanksgiving, Harper and Janet As you put up your Christmas Tree this season we invite you to share the following Christmas Tree Blessing. Christmas Tree Blessing Holy Creator of Trees, bless with your abundant grace this our Christmas tree as a symbol of joy. May its evergreen branches be a sign of your never-fading promises. May its colorful lights and ornaments call us to decorate with love our home and our world. May the gifts that surround this tree be symbols of the gifts we have received from the Tree of Christ s Cross. Holy Christmas tree within our home, may Joy and Peace come and nest in your branches and in our hearts. Amen. Author Unknown
Sunday School Thank you to all who donated and participated in St. Mark s Sunday School s November food drive. The children had so much fun putting their hands to work for the food closet. We bagged over thirty bags and learned about the mission of the food closet. The Sunday School will perform a musical piece on December 21 st this year in lieu of a pageant. We have already started practicing. Lyrics and YouTube links will come home so your children can practice at home, or in the car, or while playing or while eating dinner. There will be no Sunday School December 28 th. A book entitled Let Us Pray will come home with each student soon. We will spend time with this book next year, so please take some time to read with your child or have them read it to you. Please let Kristina or Pam know if you have any questions. Stewardship St. Mark s Stewardship thanks you for your response to our Stewardship program. As of November 21nd we have received 52 pledge confirmations for 2015. (We had 64 at this time last year.) Please prayerfully consider your pledge for 2015 if you have not yet filled yours out. Pledge cards can be found in the Parish Hall, along with the appropriate boxes to put your pledge in. Getting Ready for the Holidays? Yes, we are too. If you take a look at our church calendar you will see that there is plenty happening at St. Mark s Church. During the next month Cindy, Philip and a small army of volunteers will be producing bulletins for all of our Christmas services in addition to a Christmas letter and all of our other regular bulletins and our newsletter. A few of us will be preparing for this flurry of activity with an Advent workroom clean-up party. We ll be tidying up our church workroom where all of those bulletins and letters are produced on Friday, December 12 th from 9 a.m. to noon. If you are interested in joining us contact Laurie (reesenest@bresnan.net) or Jane (goodrichjane@mac.com). If you would like to help decorate the Parish Hall for the holidays, please contact the office. It would be great to have some help getting our tree and lights, etc. up by mid-december. Thank you! Cindy Extra Cookies Needed! We are asking for cookie donations for our Christmas Eve services receptions. You are welcome to drop them off ahead of time in the kitchen if that is more convenient. Thank you for your help!
Christmas Flowers Once again poinsettias will be presented at the altar on Christmas Eve and your requested memorial(s), thanksgivings and/or honoring will be listed in the Christmas Eve bulletins. An offering or $25 per request would be greatly appreciated and checks should be made payable to St. Mark s Altar Guild-Flowers. Please send your request by email or fill out the Christmas Flower form on the Special Services page. stmarkscasper@aol.com Your requests must be in by Dec. 17 th. Mark Your Calendars! St. Mark s tradition of Stir-up pudding mixing will be on Sunday Dec. 14 following the regular service. Everyone needs to get a good stir in! The pudding will be served following both Christmas Eve services. Also, everyone needs to be polishing their acts for the GONG SHOW scheduled for Saturday, January 24th. More details will follow in the January newsletter. Cross Roads Kitchen Reminder: products continue to be for sale on the back table in the Parish Hall to benefit the Cross Roads Program even thought the program is currently under restructuring. We will have an update after the board meets this month. Thank you for your continued prayers and support for this program and the ladies involved. St. Mark s Celebrates Molly Dryer! On Sunday, Nov. 2nd, Molly Dryer was honored by the Altar Guild and congregation as she retired after serving many years on the Altar Guild. Molly has been an incredible servant in Christ s name in many of St. Mark s ministries over the years. Well done, good and faithful servant 2014 Ministry Reports Deadline Ministry reports are due by Dec. 29 th at the very latest! Please send your ministry report for the 2014 Annual Report by email by 12/29. If you chair any ministry at St. Mark s you need to turn in a summary note about your ministry for 2014. Please include those that serve with you on the committee. Please submit to stmarkscasper@aol.com Molly Dryer and the Altar Guild Please talk to Claudia Wilson if you might be interested in serving on this wonderful ministry as new members are needed with the recent retirement of some of our long-time members.
St. Mark s Church Episcopal Church Rector: The Rev. Philip Major Parish Administrator: Cindy King The Ministers: The Entire Congregation! Vestry Treasurer: Neal Johnson Serving through 2014: Jane Clemmons (Sr. Warden) Mark McAtee, Laurie Reese (Jr. Warden) Serving through 2015:Chuck Engstrom, Thad Hunter, Margie Roberts Serving through 2016: Dorothy Brown, Audrey Cotherman, Jim Cunningham and Kathy Morton Ministry Team Contacts Acolytes Lara Gilbert Altar Guild Claudia Wilson Adult Education Lara Gilbert Building Committee Bill Mortimer Coffee Hosts Kathy Mortimer Communications Cindy King Cross Roads Cindy King, Pres. Day School Kristina Hunter Episcopal Relief & Development Fellowship Ted Gilbert Finances Traute Gilbert Food Closet Laurie Reese Foundation Randall Harris Healing Prayer Ministry - Susan Massey Liturgy Fr. Philip Major Meals & Receptions Pat Hrnicek Music - Beverly Reese Outreach Bob & Jane Tanner Pastoral Care Rev. Kathy Robinson The Lion - Harper Park, Janet Mills Soul Knitters Emma Lou Closs Stewardship Sue Blevins Sunday School Pam Brondos Ushers Margie Roberts, Web Site - Clint Hernandez Welcome Ministry Worship Leaders Nancy Johnson Youth Ministry Nancy Bronder Please contact Cindy King with newsletter information or input. 234-0831 701 S. Wolcott Casper, WY 82601 307.234.0831 Email:stmarkscasper@aol.com www.stmarkscasper.com www.wyomingdiocese.org