“We at St. Mark’s are on a journey seeking God in you, ourselves and all creation”

Weekly Schedule

Sundays           8:00 AM            Holy Eucharist

9:15 AM            Sunday School

           10:30 AM           Holy Eucharist

2^nd Sunday        9:00 AM            Breakfast – Sept. - May

Wednesdays     6:00 PM            Centering Prayer

Fridays             8:00 PM            AA Meeting

Saturdays         8:00 AM            Centering Prayer

 The Right Reverend Bertram Herlong     Bishop of Tennessee

The Reverend Battle Beasley               Rector

Frank Brannon, M. Div.                        Pastoral Care Coordinator

George Kurz                                       Senior Warden

Linda Clendening                                 Junior Warden

Karen Seufert & Les Worsley               Treasurers

Kelly Stovall                                        Clerk of the Vestry

 Next month deadline for submissions is Sunday, July 24^th 2005

Dear People of God,

This work you all have invited me to do puts me in a position of “it is the best of times,
it is the worst of times.” That is I am invited to be present in people’s lives for the best
moments and for some of the worst moments.

It is in either case, as any priest will tell you a great privilege. A number of us here at
St. Mark’s have had the honor of being invited into Gary and Suzie Abrahamson’s lives
over the past months. I have watched and participated as the community of Christ lived
out the meaning of being that community.

We journeyed together on a road that was filled with obstacles and challenges and life
and death. We journeyed together proclaiming our faith on the Resurrection. I trust and
pray that our efforts gave Suzie and Gary comfort. I know that their witness to the faith
has given me the grace to be present and for that I shall ever be thankful.

Thank you all for inviting me into this community and into your lives. Thank you Suzie
for your grace and compassion and Gary may you continue to go from strength to
strength in God’s Kingdom.

Peace,

Battle + 

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!

Thanks for all the used inkjet and laser cartridges and cell phones donated to be recycled for the benefit of Wilson County Teen Court. The collection box for these items is now in the dining area by the bulletin boards.

  The director of Teen Court is Mrs. Linda Schenk  and the fundraiser is Mr. Larry Blankenship, both of Lebanon.

  This is a program for first time, non-violent offenders up to age 18.  The concept behind Teen Court is “Restorative Justice”, helping the teen repair harm done to the community, family and the victims.  After the teen admits guilt, Teen Court determines the sentence, which typically includes community service, time on teen court, curfew, letters of apology, and referral to classes, such as Better Choices.  The roles of jury, bailiff, clerk, prosecuting and defense attorneys are filled by Wilson Co. high school teens.

  Benefits of Teen Court are:

To the community, repair of any damage done.

To the court system, reduction of caseload and reduction of number of repeat offenders.

To the teen involved, interruption of a potential pattern of criminal behavior, opportunity to avoid a  criminal record, and  improvement of self-esteem.

To the student volunteers, a better understanding of the judicial system, improving their speaking skills, and a feeling of having an effect on the safety of their community. 

This is a valuable program and your support is greatly appreciated.

 THANKS FROM ST. LUKES

 Our monthly letter has arrived from St. Luke’s Community House thanking the wonderful people of St. Mark’s for their generous contribution last month of $66.66.

Your generous contribution helps low income working families, seniors and individuals in West Nashville to overcome difficulties in their lives and reach their potential.

The letter will be posted on the bulletin board in Reynold’s Hall if you would like to read it.

^{VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!!}

 Judy DeHarde of the Second Harvest Food Bank Pantry at Hamilton United Methodist Church has written to ask me to let the St. Mark's folks know there is a great need for volunteers at the Pantry.

The jobs are easy - and very rewarding.  I guarantee you will leave feeling doubly blessed by what you have received and by what you have been able to share.  The pantry is open Monday and Wednesday from 4 to 6pm and Saturday from 9 to 12.

If you can fill in one of the slots below, please email Judy at jdeharde@comcast.net.

Right now we need one volunteer for Wed. May18th,    Mon. May 23,   Wed. May 25,    Wed. June 15,    Mon. June 20,    Sat. July 2,  Wed. July 20,    Sat. Aug. 6,    Wed. Aug. 17 and Mon Aug. 22.

Thank you for considering this way of service.

July Birthdays

Alan Branch                       4

Greg Noren                        5

Herb Stewart                      5

Gretchen Miller                   8

Linda Floyd                        14

Mickey Sturm                     16

Dale McDonald                  20

Toni Hall                            23

Theresé Sievers                  25

Russell Campbell                28

Gene Gwyn                        31

July Anniversaries

Don & Mary Ann Campbell      24, 1957

Lorna & Greg Noren                  2, 1976

Cindy & Steve Page                 31, 1999

Les & Pat Worsley                   18, 1970

 More new babies!!

St. Mark’s welcomes Joseph Herbert Sievers born on 5-25-05 to Theresé and Herb Sievers weighing 9 pounds 4 ounces and 20 inches long.

St. Mark’s also welcomes Ian William Wise born on 6-2-05 to John Wise and Shelley Davis-Wise weighing 6 pounds and 18 inches long.

CONTINUING EPISCOPALIANS 

Continuing Episcopalians of Tennessee is an organization led primarily by laypersons from churches throughout the Diocese of Tennessee. Meetings are held about once a month in various churches, usually on Sunday afternoons. It is critically important to the future of the Episcopal Church in this diocese that as many people as possible become informed about the present divisions in our diocese and the ramifications of certain proposals and resolutions that will be offered at the next diocesan convention, and work toward calling a new bishop who can be an effective bishop for the entire diocese.

The mission of the Continuing Episcopalians of Tennessee is to preserve a place at the table for all Christians. We embrace a spirit of acceptance, and proclaim Jesus Christ through our Episcopal tradition of unity and diversity in service to the world. We remain faithful to the doctrine, discipline and worship of the Episcopal Church USA.

Goals are:

· To support one another, and to build a stronger sense of community and harmony in our diocese.

· Selection of a bishop loyal to the Episcopal Church USA and its heritage of inclusion of a range of theological views.

· Oppose diocesan alignment with the Anglican Communion Network, aka Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes, whose goal is separation from ECUSA. Their plan is to be recognized as an alternative "Anglican province" in North America, to get ECUSA kicked out of the Anglican Communion, and then to claim ownership of all assets previously held by ECUSA. That would include St. Mark's property!

· Full support of ECUSA and its ministries.

· Election of delegates to the diocesan convention of January 2006 who support the theological inclusiveness and “middle way” which is the traditional heart of ECUSA; who are well educated about the consequences of joining the ACN; who support election of a bishop loyal to ECUSA; and who oppose the exclusion of disparate views that currently characterizes diocesan decision making.

Find out what is at risk, and what you can do. Only a few months remain! Visit www.cetn.org for more information.

St Mark's Ministry of Animals?

I received an email from a friend just before leaving for the Sunday St. Mark's service.  My friend's old dog had passed away.  

As I drove to St. Mark's, I thought about the ministry to animals that I believe exists in a quiet way at our church.
I believe that St. Mark's carefully honors God's creation, so I thought I'd explain what I've observed just in the last few years:

American society seems to be more and more obsessed with their "pets", and you don't have to look far from St. Mark's to see the evidence.  There are now 2 super pet stores next to each other, just in Antioch alone.  Sometimes people who dote on their pets are seen as superficial, or even a bit nutty.  

However, what I've noticed is that there are some very real lessons God teaches us with His creation.  In Genesis, we are given "dominion" over the earth and creatures.  This is a great responsibility handed to us.  It becomes a very real lesson in mercy, I think.  God is allowing us a great deal of power over something He created.  Our job is to use that power as mercy, so that we care for His creation, not do harm to it.

Secondly, I've seen that as we enter a caregiving relationship with many types of animals, we often receive unconditional love and gratefulness. (except with cats, ha!  ) We are drawn to that love and thankfulness, knowing we don't totally deserve such admiration.  Like the plaque says, "Lord, help me to be the person my pet thinks I am."

Each of the areas of St. Mark's that honor God's creation - The Blessing of The Animals, the pet cemetery, the Fall Fest booth - are acknowledging the lessons of mercy and unconditional love we are to learn and practice in our faith.

In addition, when you acknowledge the importance of animals with someone who shares that particular belief, they seem to be naturally curious about other aspects of St. Mark's and hopefully, Christian faith as a whole. And thus, the ministry of animals becomes an outreach, where people find common ground in caring for God's creation.

When we read about Christ meeting and touching people, it was often in unusual ways: a woman at a water well, a man sitting up in a tree.  I'm thankful that St. Mark's seeks to touch people in creative ways, as well.  I wouldn't have known about this church if it weren't for the ministry to animals.  Neither would have another member - Karla Deal.  That makes 2 new members as a direct result of this creative ministry.  

My friend who just lost her dog has seen St. Mark's pet cemetery, and was impressed.  I'm hopeful that she may decide to attend a service someday soon, and meet some of the people of St. Mark's.

Michele Buc

COMPANIONS IN CHRIST

 Dear future members of Companions in Christ,

 Please be advised that this class is not what you think it will be.  It is not safe & it will, if attended to properly change your life.  To God be the glory.

 The purpose of this class is to form a community of people that will care for & about one another, that through the love of Christ, will reveal to each of us that we are loved & accepted right where we are in any circumstance. 

This process of becoming Companions in Christ for one another is laid out in such a way that one will learn about their individual beliefs, have those beliefs challenged & come to share in a knowing of who Christ is for each of us & why he calls us to community.

 In the end, you will, or at least will have had the opportunity to be in a closer relationship with Christ & with those Companions that have chosen to share this journey.  You will have experienced different ways of communicating with each other & Christ & you will be blessed, both during the journey & for all the days of your life.

 For more information call Liz Gilliam, Charles Cross, Donna  Floyd, Andrea Tucker, Cathey Gywn, Lauren  Cook, Pam Carr-Brannon, George Noren, Mary O & Dan Benedict, Shelley Davis-Wise, Iva Kurz, Lorna & Greg Noren.

COMPANIONS IN CHRIST 

You might ask, what is Companions in Christ & why would I want to commit myself to 28 weeks?

 Companions in Christ is a bus driving down the road on which we are all traveling on our spiritual journey.
 but, there is  catch....It is a Flintstones style bus, where your feet hang out & you have to peddle in your bare feet to make the bus move forward.

 In Companions you learn to know & trust the other travelers in the bus through reading & interpreting scripture.  You learn how to pray & meditate. You learn how to have an honest, open dialogue with your bus-mates.

You learn that we are all on a spiritual journey, traveling down the same path to God, only everyone is at a different mile marker, moving at different speeds.

The people in your Companions group are in the same bus, so you are together on your journey for a time.

It takes all of you peddling together--loving & supporting each other. Growing together in community to move that bus down the road.

You will learn that without community you are just sitting on the side of the road waiting for a tow truck that never comes.

Companions in Christ offers community & love & a deeper understanding of where you are in your spiritual journey.

So I encourage you to take that leap.  Take off your shoes & get on the bus.  God is waiting!

For more information call Liz Gilliam, Charles Cross, Donna  Floyd, Andrea Tucker, Cathey Gywn, Lauren  Cook, Pam Carr-Brannon, George Noren, Mary O & Dan Benedict, Shelley Davis-Wise, Iva Kurz, Lorna & Greg Noren.

 NEW!!! YOUTH BIBLE STUDY 

Recently one of our teen-agers asked for a youth Bible study class. Of course, I instantly agreed to do whatever I could. (I did refrain from jumping up and down and whooping loudly.) After some discussion we have decided on presenting an overview of the stories of the Bible and meeting Sunday evenings. Since then Fr. Battle has reviewed the material and approved it.

Donna Floyd has volunteered to be the second adult in attendance at the meetings. (Both Donna and I have already attended the required Diocesan training for working with youth.) But what happens if either Donna or I can’t be there? We really need a few adults to be “on call” just to come and be present if something comes up. If you can help out in this capacity, please let me know.

 The next thing on the agenda is for the parents and teen-agers to have an organizational meeting. That meeting is scheduled for July 10, 6:00, at the church. Parents, please come (bringing snacky food is optional and welcome, I’ll bring drinks). 

Last (and first, but that’s already been happening) PLEASE PRAY. It is vitally important for every meeting to be supported by prayer and for every young person and every leader to be receiving prayer.

 Valerie Drake

Pilgrims –

Three trips to Ecuador in 2005

 Frank Brannon and three others from our Diocese spent two weeks in Guayaquil, Ecuador, teaching clergy from the Dioceses of Literol this spring.  Our own Padre Cristobal Leon, Vicar at Santiago Apostol participated in these classes.  George Kurz will be in Ecuador 7-2-05 to 7-11-05 doing Diocesan work but he will get to visit Padre Cristobal and spend an afternoon in La Pila visiting our friends at Santiago Apostol.  Holly Granger, Melanie Paffor-Fallor, Elizabeth Gregory, and Holly’s niece from Nebraska, Carrie, will be in Ecuador 7-21-05 to 7-28-05 to visit our friends in at Santiago Apostol.  Holly and Carrie will stay four more days and visit the rain forest and Indian market in Otavala.  They will be home 8-1-05. 

Planned activities in La Pila this year include working with our friends to paint an Episcopal emblem on the outside of the church, leading a women’s prayer group, participating the Eucharist at Santiago Apostol, hosting a dance in celebration of the feast day of Santiago Apostol (St. James the Apostle), and participating in an activity with the school children.  We will bring a year’s supple of vitamins for 75 adults and 75 children which we plan to pack while we are in La Pila with the help of our friends. 

Thanks to everyone who has contributed funds to our Companionship program.  Direct contributions this year total more than $600, most of which was given at the dinner May 22.  Your contributions and budgeted funds will cover the costs of the activities our pilgrims plan to share with our friends.

Frank Brannon shared his experience teaching this spring at our dinner May 22^nd.  Look for pilgrimage stories from George, Holly, Melanie, and Elizabeth in August.

Please pray for our St. Mark’s Pilgrims.