Narrative Budget Stewardship 2016 Standing on the Promises of God STANDING ON THE PROMISES, the 2016 theme for generous living, reminds us that repeatedly God makes covenant with us to be God s treasured people. Together, we acknowledge our partnership with God in covenant when we recite the Loyalty Vow, promising to support each other and the Church through our prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness. Now, more than ever before, our church needs every one of us STANDING ON THE PROMISES, upholding each of the cornerstones that are the foundation of the church. At St. Mark s, we believe deeply in making our commitment to continue the ministries of Jesus Christ through the Church as we reach out to the Baytown community and beyond to respond with God s love and care through generous and joyful giving of our prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness. We will be making our first financial commitment to grow the ministries of St. Mark s on Commitment Sunday and we are excited about the enthusiasm, hospitality and hopefulness. For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. - Jeremiah 29:11 Learn About: Worship Youth Ministry Children s Ministry Missions Other Ministry Areas Pledging VBS 2015
Chancel Choir Our Chancel choir is led by our Choir Director, Kelly Bird. They meet every Wednesday to prepare for Sunday worship. During Lent and Advent, they have special music during the service. Hand bells perform during Advent and Easter. Our Chancel Choir at Advent During Advent, they combine with the children s choir to put on a Christmas Cantata that features music for the whole family and holiday treats after the concert. Worship Worship is fundamental to the St. Mark s community and key to its spiritual vitality. Worship is what makes us children of God. Between staff, music, three worship services, and worship elements, St. Mark s spends around $51,700.00 on Worship. TRADITIONAL On Sunday mornings we have two traditional worship services in our Sanctuary. Our first service, starting at 8:30, begins with a period of musical reflection, followed by hymns, Scripture readings, a message and Communion. This service is ideal for those who like to partake in the Holy Sacrament weekly and prefer traditional worship. The service is also the shortest of our services, letting out by 9:20 on most Sundays to allow for the congregation to participate in Sunday School, which begins at 9:30. Our second traditional worship service, 10:45, also begins with a period of musical reflection, followed by hymns, Scripture readings and a message. This service, however, only celebrates Communion on the first Sunday of the month and certain special Sundays. In addition the chancel choir performs most Sundays and the hand-bell choir and other singing groups perform regularly.
Praise Band In Refuge, Justin Cellum, our Director of Contemporary Music, leads our Praise Band Team. The rest of the band is made up of volunteers from the congregation. We are blessed with some amazing singers and musicians, especially with our youth. The Praise Band plays the latest in contemporary worship music but with our own unique sound. Our Amazing Praise Band REFUGE Refuge is a dynamic and Christ-Centered worship community at St. Mark s UMC. Each Sunday we gather for worship in a casual atmosphere with a deep spiritual focus. We celebrate God s grace and love and seek to change our lives and the world around us. Refuge is a Christ-centered community. Every week at Refuge we celebrate the Eucharist (commonly called Communion or the Lord s Supper). As Jesus asked his followers 2,000 years ago to remember Him, we seek still to remember Jesus and keep Him at the center of our lives. Communion in Refuge Refuge is a Scriptural community. Every worship service centers on the reading and teaching of Scripture. Our worship series emphasize deep looks at how Scripture can help guide our lives and challenge us to live the lives God has placed within us.
Methodist Youth Fellowship Every Sunday afternoon at 4:00pm our Youth come together in fellowship. We like to say it is where Faith, Fun, and Fellowship Collide! Many times we play homemade games like broom hockey, Frisbee golf, or capture the flag. On occasion, we bring in activities like a climbing wall, art lessons, or laser tag. And always we have a meal together. Parents volunteer and help us out a lot, but we still have costs for materials and supplies. All MYF group activities including t-shirts, campouts, Senior Graduation Banquet, and Ski Trip total about $26,000. Youth Sunday Lakeview Traditions Continue Considered by many clergy to be the Cradle of the Call, Lakeview shines on as a place to hear God and understand Him better. Each year, we have students answer the call to ministry because of their time at camp. Lakeview Methodist Conference Center in Palestine, Texas is a reunion of all the South District churches in the midst of the piney woods. St. Mark s is a leader among the churches, and continually brings over 50 campers each summer. Some of the cost of camp is bundled into the Youth budget to help families offset the rising expense of sending their kids to all of our summer activities. We also carry the cost of the transportation to and from camp, to ensure our church members are safe. Katie Russell and Drew Selensky at the Senior High Campout. Lakeview offers many students an opportunity to make friends, experience the outdoors and nature, and to meet God on a more personal level. While difficult to put a monetary value on spiritual growth and development, we spend at least $6500 per summer on camp.
Discipleship and Small Study Groups Breaking down into smaller study groups or Life Groups, we are able to accommodate the needs on a more intimate and personal level. Groups require curriculum and supplies, and of course, snacks. UMARMY 2015 YOUTH Ministry Discipleship retreats like D-Now, often carry extra costs beyond what the students are asked to pay. Group food and programs add to the expense. Overall, we spend at least $2000 on materials and programming for Christian Discipleship. Missions are Huge for Us! A tradition of incredible giving and serving continues in the Youth department, where we make a difference doing All the Good We Can, Wherever We Can! Big House Designed to teach them when they are young, Big House (Believing In God and Helping Others Understand Service Everywhere) provides a long weekend mission work camp experience for students during Junior High years. Students bring tools, gloves, a sleeping bag, and a willing and open heart. Although families bear some of the cost, the church carries a large portion of the overall expense. Approximately $4000.00 is spent on this amazing mission trip. UMARMY Growing up servants through the High School years, UMARMY (United Methodist Arms Reaching Out in Missions by Youth) is a seven day mission work camp in the Texas Conference. Days on job sites and nights of genuinely heartfelt worship are fertile ground for life-changing decisions and long enduring relationships. Families help pay for their student s experience, but our church provides programming, leadership, and supplies for a cost of about $5500.00 each year. Angela Tallent meets a UMARMY client. Mini-Missions Seeing a need and filling it whenever possible is part of teaching the Youth to be mission minded. When we can, we do what we call mini-missions for our members. We spend about $500-$1000 on various projects throughout the year.
Nursery Staff Our nursery staff consists of five women, each paid $9.50 per hour, who work 12-20 hours per month. Their duties include: nursery assignments, assisting with Sunday school, and children s church. They also serve as extra help during summer programs. Approximately $400.00 per year is spent on craft supplies, literature and appreciation in this area. Kinder and Third Grade Bible Presentation Children s Ministry Many great things have taken place over the past year. We have: Given out Third grade and Kindergarten bibles: Cost approximately $600.00 Hosted over 100 children and parents at our annual Easter Eggstravaganza. Candy and items for eggs cost around $400.00. Christmas Music Program: $300 spent on music and backdrop. Participated in Day of Caring We have also had an active Tweens Ministry, a devoted Nursery Staff, fabulous Summer Events, a mountain top experience at VBS, and many upcoming events for the Fall. Christmas Program Tweens Ministry Our Tweens are our fourth, fifth, and sixth grade boys and girls. The Tweens are learning about God through devotionals and our Sunday school. We also meet once a month for Tween Scene. These events include dinner, entertainment, fellowship and devotions. This costs us on average $300 an event. This year we have increased our Tween group and have around 20 each month at Tween Scene. We also took the Tweens on a trip to Bandera, TX. It was a blast! This year we also had 10 6th graders go through confirmation and join the church. We are so proud of our Tweens! Tween Scene Color Wars!
Summer 2015 Children and their families were invited to join us for a variety of activities each week during the summer for Totally Tuesday s. We rented out a theatre room to watch Minions ($5 per child, included a ticket and snack pack), had Painting With A Twist come to SMUMC (charged each child $5 to offset cost), and rented 3 water slides for all of Children s Ministry. We also had a wonderful Summer Intern who helped immensely. This totaled $3900.00. Totally Tuesdays are Totally Fun! Conquering Challenges with God s Mighty Power! Vacation Bible School VBS this year was Group s Everest. Each day we hosted approximately 150 children and 40 plus volunteers. The children from Church Women United Childcare Center were in attendance as our missions outreach recipients. Our budget for VBS 2015 was $4000.00. We spent an additional $700.00 out of the general fund. Items purchased for VBS include starter kit, craft supplies, props/ backdrop supplies, t-shirts, posters, decorations, and snacks/drinks. There is no way we could accomplish all these things without some wonderful volunteers. They make all the difference! Upcoming Events November Tween Scene, Christmas program (after service practices in November; meal provided for children), Nativity Pieces and December Tween Scene. We are so thankful for the opportunity to share Christ with your children. We hope that you will continue to support Children s Ministry and St Mark s with your pledges and your presence.
Change the World Each month the Mission Committee highlights a nonprofit organization or ministry that is in need. We then collect our spare change for that organization the entire month. Every penny counts! January Pregnancy Resource Center $165.29 February Big House/UM Army $313.15 March Relay for Life $191.90 April Day of Caring $132.37 May July Mission Trip $265.97 June Food Pantry/Intl Disaster Fund $478.94 July/August Emma s Hugs $595.18 September Day of Caring $100.56 October Cease Addiction Now $103.85 November Thanksgiving Food Drive December Gifts for kids at the Church Women United Childcare Center Day of Caring Missions Here at St. Mark s we believe that God is calling us to care for those that are in need. St. Mark s focuses on five areas in mission in Baytown. These five areas are helping to fill a local food pantry, providing necessities for local nonprofit agencies, getting involved in our local schools, helping the community with service projects, and providing monthly opportunities for giving to help Change the World. In the past year we have focused on: Thanksgiving Food Drive Collections for the food panty Community Garden Day of Caring Change the World Short Term Mission Trips Coat Drive YMCA Backpack Drive Communion Offerings Missionaries in Mexico and Tanzania Out hope is that God will use us to be His hands and feet here in Baytown and throughout the world. St. Mark s spends $102,900.00 on Missions and our apportionments annually.
Stepping Stones The purpose of Stepping Stones Day School is to create a Christian environment equipped to stimulate early growth and development while widening the child s horizon of interest. UMW Circle Meeting Other Ministries St, Mark s supports other ministries here in Baytown by providing a great space for groups to gather, provide office support, and provide office supplies. United Methodist Women St. Mark s United Methodist Women continues to build on a rich heritage of mission outreach. Our members are involved in church and community projects that make our world a better place in which to live. To foster a positive selfimage, activities are planned to encourage each child s acceptance of his/her own talents and the talents and abilities of others. Experiences are lovingly prepared by qualified teachers to help each child grow spiritually, emotionally, physically, intellectually, and socially. Stepping Stones pays St. Mark s $30,000 a year to help offset building use costs and insurance. They also reimburse the church for copies made and maintain the playground. The local unit helps prepare its members for leadership in the organization and in the local church, as well as leadership in community organizations. We have a purpose that is fulfilled through our participation in local projects and through our financial support of projects beyond Baytown. United Methodist Men This group meets the first Saturday of the month for a program and breakfast. They also have an annual fish fry that is delicious. We love our Stepping Stones Kids! Scouts Our Scouts St. Mark s is proud to be the home church of Troop 208. We have over 100+ families involved in Cub Scouts. Our Boy Scout Troop has over 40 students. We also have a Venture Crew, Sea Scout Ship, and an Order of the Arrow Chapter. The Scouts continue to win awards in their respective areas and represent St. Mark s with integrity and leadership.
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Why Pledge? The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. ~2nd Corinthians 9:6-8 Christian Stewardship is everything we do after we say we believe. This includes what we do with our financial resources. As a follower of Christ, we are called to commit ourselves to God s ministry here on Earth. When we give of our time and resources to God, through the Church, we support the ministries of the Church, We help those who are in need, and we keep our focus on God. Please prayerfully consider how you can give to God through your financial gifts and your spiritual gifts. Pledge Distribution from 2015 COMMIT TO DO THREE THINGS: Prayerfully consider your financial gift for 2016. Each of us is a part of God s beloved community and every gift makes a significant difference in the lives of those who will experience transformation in their lives this year through your generosity. When you have completed the commitment card, mail it back, bring it by the church office and ask to speak with our new Senior Pastor so he can personally express appreciation for your commitment. Make plans to be in worship November 22 to renew your promise to God and the ministries of St. Mark s. If you cannot be present, please celebrate with us by praying for the church and reciting the Loyalty Vow reaffirming that you do support Christ through St. Mark s church by your prayers, your presence, your gifts, your service and your witness. Reflect the love of Jesus Christ in all your words and actions as you embody the Church to all you encounter every day.
How Can You Support St. Mark s? Prayers- Pray regularly for your church and leaders. Presence Participate regularly in passionate worship. Attend a small group. Find a Sunday school class. Gifts Commit to financial stewardship, giving proportionately from you income toward your tithe. Contact Us For more information, please contact us! St. Mark s UMC 3811 North Main St. Baytown, TX 7521 (281) 427-7335 Visit us on the web at www.stmarksbaytown.com Service Serve the church through missions, ministry projects, a church volunteer, a choir member, a Sunday school teacher, an usher, or a greeter. Witness Share the love of Christ with all you meet. St. Mark s United Methodist Church 3811 North Main Street Baytown, TX 77521 St. Mark s Church Narrative Budget. Is published yearly. Periodicals postage at Baytown, TX. POSTMASTER: Return Service Requested. St. Mark s United Methodist Church, 3811 N. Main, Baytown, Harris, Texas 77521-3305. PERMIT NO PE #024768 St. Mark s UMC thanks God for...