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THE ST. MARKER

FEBRUARY 2013

St. Mark United Methodist Church 413 Geddes Avenue, Charleston, SC 29407 Church Office Phone: 843-766-5239 Email libby.massalon@stmarkchurch.info

Rev. Jonathan Holston, Resident Bishop Rev. Patty Parrish, District Superintendent Rev. Scarlett Hester, Pastor Mr. Dale Wilson, Director of Education Ms. Michele Russell, Director of Music Mrs. Libby Massalon, Administrative Assistant

SUNDAY Worship services 9:00 & 11:00

Sunday School 10:00 UMYF 6:30

MISSION STATEMENT

St. Mark United Methodist church seeks to live as a witness to the Kingdom of God through worship, teaching and evangelism. Our purpose is to make disciples for Jesus Christ by reaching up to God in worship, prayer and spiritual disciplines, reaching down into the scriptures and the Christian faith in study and obedience and reaching out to each other and our world in service, witness and friendship. We rely on the guidance, gifts and power of the Holy Spirit as we carry out the mission of this congregation. *********************************************

Our sympathy and prayers are expressed to:

The family of Bryan Shuler who passed away on January 11, 2013. Bryan’s parents are Bernell and Margie Shuler, and his sister is Susan Mitchum. Linda Curry on the death of her mother, Margie Duncan.

Congratulations to:

Terra and Brian Burke and big sister Sydney on the birth of Kendall Marie. Kendall was born January 8, 2013, and weighed 7 lbs 8 oz.and was 20 ¾ in. long. Jane Claiborne is her happy grandmother.

IN OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS Home: Dean James, Joan McCambridge, Lillian McLean, George & Thelma Muckenfuss, Mary Lu Piersol (with daughter Jackie Brinson), Bob & Maureen Ratcliff, Robert & Mary Jane Scaffe, Leila Shealy, Bernell & Margie Shuler, Margaret Skinner, Ann Smith, Lib Way, Lisa Lockwood, Susan Porter, Ann Willis.

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Ashley Park – 1451 Tobias Gadsden, C’ston 29407: Betty Beach (Apt. 307), Dot Connor (Apt. 111), Tommy & Margaret Johnson Ashley River Plantation: Shirley Kaiser (P.O. 81133 C’ston 29416) Life Care: Dot Caulder (2600 Elms Plantation Blvd. North Charleston, SC 29406) Summit Place of Daniel Island: Gordon (Newt) Cummings Military & their families: Master Sgt. Jay Piersol, SFC Mark Elsey, Sgt. Maj Chris Barnard & Susan Barnard, LTJG Edward Dawson, LCDR Spencer Baker, Betsy Donoho Rousch

FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS 2 Ronnie Knight 3 Terri Stewart 3 KL Smith IV 5 Charlene Dupuis 5 Heather McCoy 6 Robert Wilcox 8 Cynthia Sunde 8 Callie Ann Auerbach 10 Amanda Russell 12 Sally Duncan 13 Susan Porter 16 David Altman 16 Douglas Williams 17 Cameron Cottle 18 Sadie Weiss 19 Bryan Rusch 20 Ron Buchheit 21 Ricky Linker, Jr. 22 Morgan Choate 25 Jackie Brinson 25 Keith Schowe 25 Gloria Maxey 25 Dean Bays 29 Madison Igou

FEBRUARY ANNIVERSARIES

14 Rhonda and Newell Cummings

MAY GOD BLESS YOU WITH MANY

MORE Note: If you have a birthday or anniversary in December and we omitted it, please let us know so that we can correct our records.

VOLUNTEERS

Children’s Church Children’s Sermon Feb. 3 Kerri Weiss Communion Feb. 10 Jandi Withrow TBA Feb. 17 Amy McCabe TBA Feb. 24 Andrea Dolan TBA

Nursery Volunteers: Feb. 3 Stacey Shealy Feb. 10 Cynthia Sunde Feb. 17 Lisa Smith Feb. 24 Amy McCabe Acolyte/crucifer Feb. 3 Brandon Weesner/Sydney Brown Feb. 10 Ryan Capps/Morgan Weesner Feb. 17 Molly McCabe/Emily Lanter Feb. 24 Sophie Weiss/ Ellie McCabe

ZUMBA ANYONE???

Come and join in the fun. Sundays at 4:00 p.m. in the Social Hall.

ALL are welcome. There is no charge. Just a fun way to get some exercise and good

Christian fellowship. No experience needed.

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NOTES FROM LIBBY - Statement of Giving for 2012 is on the table in the Narthex. - Offering envelopes are available on a table in the Narthex. -The FLOWER CALENDAR for 2013 is not yet full. If you would like to donate flowers one Sunday, please let the office know. The cost this year is $52.95. Dear St. Markers, I will be out of the office for at least one month beginning on January 23rd. There will be volunteers who will sit in for me and I thank them in advance. Please keep Glenn and me in your prayers. Libby

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UMW SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD Each year the UMW selects someone or a couple

from St. Mark who have dedicated so much of their

time and effort to service and mission. This year it was

decided to give the Special Mission Recognition to a

couple who very quietly go about the work of the

church and the community, never seeking the limelight

or even a pat on the back. She grew up here at St.

Mark, played basketball, participated in MYF, Sunday

School, and the choir. She married a wonderful man

who has made St. Mark his home as well. Together,

they participate actively, and are frequently behind the

scenes working to get things done every week as well as

for special services. They have served in several

capacities here at St. Mark – UMM President, Sunday

School teachers, PPRC, and Lay Pastor Program to

name a few. They come early every Sunday to sweep

the sidewalks, make the coffee, and do whatever is

needed to prepare for worship. In their jobs and

neighborhood, they also continue to “do unto the least

of these.” They would tell you they don’t do anything

special, but we all know better. The world is a little

better because of these two, and we are happy to

honor Mike and Elaine Gooch with this year’s Special

Mission Recognition Award. Thank you, Mike and

Elaine, for all you do!!!

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YOUTH NEWS Feb. 2 – 10:30 Make Cornbread at church Feb. 15 – 17 – REVOLUTION! Call Elizabeth Weesner, Lisa Smith or Dale Wilson for more info.

UMM Chili After Church

Our United Methodist Men will sponsor “Chili after Church” on Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013. For only $3.00 you can get a large cup of chili and cornbread. You can purchase as many as you like, freeze the extras for future meals, share with neighbors, or invite friends over to enjoy and watch the Super Bowl ! MMMMmmmm. Hot chili on a cold afternoon – What could be better?!?!?!

****************************************** OUTREACH, MISSION, EVANGELISM

NEEDS & NEWS The Outreach, Mission, and Evangelism Committee is in need of water bottles. If you drink bottled water, please bring your empties to church with you. There will be a box in the narthex for collection. Please keep watch on St. Mark's Facebook page and web page for information concerning Water Missions Walk for Water. There will be a link on these pages to use to register with the St. Mark team for the walk or to send in your donation supporting the team. Coins for Christ - This year we will be collecting seasonally rather than monthly for Coins for Christ. Our next collection will be a Lenten collection for the Heifer Project. We will have plastic eggs available starting on Ash Wednesday for you to collect your coins and dollars during the season of Lent. The filled eggs will be presented as an offering on Easter Sunday. Our goal for this Lenten season is to purchase a cow through the Heifer Project which is a $500 donation. Please consider your gifts prayerfully this Lent. Edie Kent Outreach, Mission, and Evangelism *********************************************

GOOD NEIGHBORS Please note that the February and March Good Neighbors Luncheons are changed so that those who wish to attend the John Wesley Lenten services may do so. In February, we will meet on Thursday the 21st at 12:00. In March, we will meet on the 28th at 12:00. Good Neighbors is a group of seniors (mostly, but not entirely) who meet monthly and enjoy a covered dish meal. All are welcome to join us in Heidtmann Hall. Our usual meeting date is the 3rd Wednesday of each month. FROM PASTOR SCARLETT

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Did you know?

One half of the proceeds from the drink machine go to the youth for their projects throughout the year. In 2012, they used the money to shop for Operation Christmas Child. The remaining half purchases more drinks. We recycle. There are bins throughout the church: in the narthex, in the kitchen, beside the drink machine and in the workroom. The recycling bin in the kitchen is in a labeled drawer near the large sinks. Recycling is good stewardship. Homeless people and people living in motels cannot cook. Pop top cans and other ready to eat foods are appreciated. This morning a man asked if we had some soap or toothpaste. I think a few travel sized personal hygiene items would be nice to have on hand. Just a few years ago, someone died of malaria every 30 seconds. Today, that rate has been halved: someone dies every 60 seconds of malaria. The United Methodist Church has contributed over 1,000,000 insecticide treated bed nets, trained more than 5000 local community health workers in Africa, and established more than 300 hospitals, clinics, health posts in Africa. At St. Mark, we continue to support this mission: we will play softball again this Spring! Pay attention, date TBA. For more information about our UMC malaria mission, see www.imaginenomalaria.org Lent will begin in a few short weeks. On the Sunday night before Ash Wednesday, our youth will gather to burn the ashes from last year’s Palm Sunday celebration to make the ashes for the Ash Wednesday service. On that Tuesday night, we will have a pancake dinner at St. Mark. (See next article from Relay for Life Team). Just so you know, the tradition of a pancake dinner before Lent is hundreds of years old. Traditionally, people emptied their homes of all rich foods: butter, sugar, cream, and so forth during Lent and maintained a bland, plain diet. So that nothing would go to waste, they ate pancakes the night before Ash Wednesday. So let's have pancakes! Tuesday, February 12!

RELAY FOR LIFE

Are you the missing piece? They say it takes a

village to raise a child and it will definitely take a

village to help cure cancer. Please help support

this cause that is near and dear to many hearts

within our congregation.

January/February Happenings:

We will have hearts available for $1 for you to place in honor or memory of someone who had or is still battling cancer. We plan to display these in our social hall for all to see throughout February. They will be available beginning January 27th after both services. We will begin selling homemade sugar hand scrub on January 27th with all proceeds going to Relay for Life. So if you are giving up sugar for Lent, don’t be sad, you can still enjoy it, just in another way! Lastly, we will have a Pancake Supper on February 12, 6:00 – 7:00 for Shrove Tuesday with all proceeds going to Relay for Life. The cost is $5 and will include pancakes, fruit and coffee or juice. Shrove Tuesday is a reminder that we are entering a season of penance. It is also known as Pancake Tuesday. This tradition comes from a time where rich foods were eaten on the day before Lent and fasting begins. Pancakes were chosen due to the rich ingredients such as eggs, milk and sugar. Please plan to join us for pancakes and fellowship on Shrove Tuesday.

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Susan Caulder wrote the following poem to honor her Dad, Robert McKenna, who suffered from Alzheimer’s. Thank you, Susan, for sharing this.

They’re There, But They’re Not… They are here, but they’re not

They eat, sleep, smile and dream,

We recognize them, they look the same

But they don’t seem to see us

They don’t seem to know us.

They are here, but they’re not

We sometimes see an old expression, a

recognized gesture

Some form of their old selves

But as soon as we see it, it’s gone and the

blankness returns

And we’ve lost them again.

They are here, but they’re not

We long to speak to them to get their advice

To hear them say they remember.

To hear them say they love us and miss us

To hear them say anything at all that

makes sense.

They are here, but they’re not

They slowly fade away and slowly their bodies

decline

Sometimes not fast enough

Sometimes we wish for the end to come because

the pain we feel

Sometimes we feel guilty for not doing

enough

They are here, but they're not

I Wonder what they are thinking, what they are

dreaming.

Do they remember in their dreams?

Are they happy in there? Is there joy in their

lives?

Do they know peace?

They are here, but they’re not

Then one day the call comes in, our loved one

has finally gone

The call of all calls, the one we’ve

anticipated and feared.

The final good bye has finally come and surprised

grief grips our souls.

We don’t understand the grief, but it hits

hard.

Gone.

Gone to be with the Lord. Where they will have

new bodies and new minds and where there is

joy and there is peace.

They are not here, they are gone.

PLEASE HELP US The St. Marker is published each month

and is distributed primarily by email and our website (www.stmarkchurch.info). We will be mailing copies to our shut-ins and providing copies in the Narthex to those who do not have Internet access. Please give us your email address if you have one and are reading a hard copy of this. You may do this by sending your email address to Jacki at jsratledge@comcast.net . We know we are probably missing some people! If you have know of someone, please tell us!

Also, if you have any information, pictures or praises to share in our newsletter, please email them to Jacki Ratledge or call her at 843-571-0054. We would appreciate having all items to her no later than the 20th of each month if at all possible. Items sent after this will be considered as time and space allow. *************************************** THOUGHTS AS WE BEGIN OUR LENTEN JOURNEY “THE WALK” Those of us who walk along this road do so reluctantly. Lent is not our favorite time of year. We’d rather be more active – planning and scurrying around. All this is too contemplative to suit us. Besides we don’t know what to with piousness and prayer. Perhaps we’re afraid to have time to think, for thoughts come unbidden. Perhaps we’re afraid to face our future knowing our past. Give us courage, O God, to hear your word and to read our living into it. Give us the trust to know we’re forgiven, and give us the faith to take up our lives and walk. Ann Weems, Kneeling in Jerusalem

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FEBRUARY 2013

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

1 2 10:30 UMYF make

Cornbread

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 UMM Breakfast

UMM Chili After Church

7:00 UMW General Mtg.

10:00 Prayer Group

7:00 SPRC

10 11 12 13 14 15 16

3:00 Stewardship

Pancake Supper 6:00 – 7:00

12:00 J Wesley UMC Lenten Service

7:00 Ash Wednesday Service

UMYF REVOLUTION

Columbia, SC

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Youth return from REVOLUTION

10:00 Prayer Group

12:00 J Wesley UMC Lenten Service (SMUMC doing lunch)

Wonderful Wednesday

12:00 Good Neighbors

24 25 26 27 28 12:00 J Wesley

UMC Lenten Service

Wonderful Wednesday

LOOKING WAY AHEAD - Vacation Bible School - June 23 - 28

Scripture Readers for February Feb. 3 9am Jane Clairbourne Feb. 17

th 9am Ashlyn Shealy

11am Samantha Davidson 11am Melissa Petersen

Feb. 10th

9am Matt Caulder Feb. 24th

9am Gary Shealy

11am Kaitlin Petersen 11am Hannah Warren