Contents;                                     October 2004

Next month deadline for submissions is Sunday, August 22^nd.

Dear Dear People Of God,

I am sometimes accused of being too forgiving, [or at least preaching too much forgiveness] of

being too lenient with people who have failed to take responsibility for their actions or behaviors.

This forgiveness ranges from people who are late, miss meetings, gossip, fail to respond to phone

calls, all the mostly minor sins we have all committed once or twice; all the way to people who

have outright lied, stolen, are addicted to substances and are constantly scamming people, the

list goes on and on.

We can all think of someone who we believe is beyond reasonably expecting or deserving our

forgiveness. [And yes I have a list in my own mind.] Yet in the Christian life forgiveness is not an

option nor is judgment. Judgment is God’s prerogative and God’s alone. Forgiveness on the

other hand is the only currency God gives us to spend. We might have anger, fear, contempt;

pride etc. to spend, feel or express but that is not the currency God has given us in Jesus Christ.

Jesus came to make known to us God’s unquenchable Love for each and every one. Jesus came

so that we might know that God truly understands the depths of our hearts, what causes each of

us to sin against each other and thus against God. Jesus came to show us that the only way to

change this cycle of “sin and death” is forgiveness. And not simply His forgiveness but our

forgiveness of each other invite you in these times of conflict and distress, in our Church, our

nation and our world, to remember the great work we have been called to by God, the work of

reconciliation and healing of all God’s children. The core of that work is our forgiveness. Forgive

me and by God’s grace may I forgive you.

Battle +

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"Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation.  Through your goodness we have this money to offer, fruit of our labors and of the skills you have given us.  Take us, and all that we have, to do your work in the world.  Amen"

We pray these words every Sunday at St. Mark’s, but are we listening? 

“Take me and all that I have.  What you have given me Lord, my life,

my work, my all, I return to you.”  As Christians we do not dedicate

our talent and treasure that they may become God’s, but because they

are God’s.  Stewardship starts with the personal need of each one of

us to return to God a truly grateful portion of our income in thanksgiving

for all the blessings that God has given us. 

Each fall we have a stewardship campaign asking you to pledge your time,

your talents, and your money to support the Body of Christ which is St. Mark’s

Episcopal Church.  We have a building to maintain, an abundant property to

support.  We have a loving community of God’s people to nourish, and a

charge from God to care for the hungry and the homeless, the outcast and

the out-of-luck, the frightened and the forgotten.  Indeed, we depend on

God’s grace to sustain us in our ministry, but such grace must lead us

to action.  In asking for your pledge, we are but asking for your participation

in our church’s witness to God’s love at home and around the world. 

Over the next few weeks, please prayerfully consider your pledge to the

ministry of St. Mark’s and to the working out of God’s purpose in all

aspects of your life. 

And may God grant that these gifts and the offering of ourselves may

be made holy, and unite us in his love, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Amen.

                        Peace, 

                                    Liz Gilliam

                                    Stewardship Committee

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Thank You

The Stewardship Committee wishes to thank every one who completed our

Time and Talent / Rule of Life Survey.  To date, we have received 58 surveys,

and hope to receive a few more.  There is still a need for Acolytes at 10:30,

Coffee Hosts, and Sextons.

Please watch the rotation schedule published in The Gryhon’s Roar for the

scheduling of Chalice Bearers, Acolytes, Readers, Ushers, Oblation Bearers,

Coffee Hosts, Nursery Workers, and Sextons.  If you cannot serve when scheduled,

please swap with someone else on the schedule and let the Rector (361-4100) or

Les Worsley (361-6005) know the name of the person with whom you swapped. 

If you are unable to find someone with whom to swap, please let the Rector

or Les know and they will draft someone on Sunday morning. 

It is requested that Chalice Bearers and Acolytes be vested and in the Rector’s

office at least 10 minutes prior to the start of the service. 

Readers should arrive in time to review the lessons they are scheduled to

read that day – about 10 to 15 minutes prior to the start of the service. 

Ushers and Nursery Workers should arrive at least 15 minutes prior to

the start of the service.

As the need arises in the life of our congregation for other ministries,

someone will contact you or announcements will be made in church

about volunteering for the items in which you indicated an interest.

Thank you for all you do for St. Mark’s.

Pat Worsley ,

Stewardship Committee

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Volunteers Needed for Second Harvest

The Second Harvest Satellite Pantry at Hamilton United Methodist Church, which St. Mark's parishioners are supporting so generously with their Second Sunday donations, serves nearly fifty families each week – some with up to 8 members in their family! The pantry needs volunteers to help pack and distribute food boxes. Volunteers can work as little as one 2- or 3-hour shift each month.

The pantry is open on Mondays and Wednesdays from 4:00 until 6:00 p.m., and on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. until 12 noon. If you can volunteer at any of these times, please contact Volunteer Coordinator Judy DeHarde at  by e-mail at jdeharde@comcast.net.

You will be doubly blessed by your participation in this mission – when you put faces with the hunger faced by our neighbors, you will become even more thankful for all that God has given to you and your family.

October 24 on ABC-TV -- "Hunger No More: Faces Behind the Facts," a National Council of Churches documentary on the persistent problem of hunger in the 21st century, will feature U.S. Senators George McGovern and Elizabeth Dole, renowned ethicist Jeffrey Sachs, Bread for the World CEO David Beckmann, Church World Service Executive Director John McCullough, NCC General Secretary Bob Edgar, Joan Holmes of the United Nations hunger project, and leaders from several hunger programs mobilized by NCC member communions.  Producer Burton Buller of Mennonite Media and Shirley Struchen of the NCC are preparing a study guide to accompany the broadcast.  The program will be made available to ABC-TV affiliates nationwide beginning October 24; check latest local listings or call your local ABC affiliate to confirm exact date and time in your area.

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 \

October Birthdays

 Rebecca Simpson          5

John Seufert                  9

Cary Stephenson         12

Herb Sievers               13

Amanda Crouch          14

Pauline Hall                 15

William Udeh               15

Dorrence Stovall          17

Suzanne Lindsey          18

Linda ClenDening        20

Richard Hardison         26

Sharon Rice                 28

Peggy Tucker              29

October Anniversaries

Dorrence & Kelly Stovall                            6, 2001

Steven Failor & Melanie Pafford-Failor     10, 1992

Lesley & Alan Branch                               20, 2001

Cathey & Gene Gwyn                              20, 2001

Transfer

Tricia Hall transferred out to Church of the Good Shepherd, Brentwood.  We wish Tricia Godspeed in her spiritual journey.

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