St Mark Festival and UMW Mission Luncheon

It was SRO in the Saint Mark Center Sunday April 22nd, for the Festival of Saint Mark. Howard Hanger had everyone in a very festive mood as he mixed serious introspection with Bible passages and lively music. Steve's message that we are one Saint Mark congregation, displayed how varied, and at the same time, how similar that we really are.

The UMW ladies fed over 200 a generous lunch. More importantly the money their Mission Luncheon raised allowed President Joanna Donegan to present Jennifer Dalenburg, our Mission Society missionary to Senegal, West Africa, a check for $1000.00 for her Nutrition Program. A similar amount of the luncheon proceeds will go to local food programs.

Howard begins the Prayer Bowl prayer

 

Ryleigh Vivian Greene receives her quilt - Jennifer Dalenburg receives her check

 

 

Mission Luncheon

The pictures really don't tell the story. The below three videos have 45 minutes of the lively and colorful 90 minute service. Relax and take a few minutes to relive or see for the first time what a great service it was. If you were not there, you will want to find out why you want to have dog breath. See the second video.

 

 

 

 

 

Mission to Senegal, West Africa

As many of you know, we had discussed the possibility of a follow-up trip to Eleuthera in late May or early June of this year; discussions with many of you have led us to conclude that we would not have the numbers of folks available to make this worthwhile, so we have decided to focus our efforts and our resources toward a trip to Senegal, Africa in February or March 2013, where we would be hosted by the Dalenburgs, missionaries supported by St. Mark UMC in their efforts there.  This would be a trip for about a dozen folks for 9-10 days at a cost of about $2000 per person, although we hope that fundraisers between now and then can reduce this cost.  This cost is highly dependent upon airfare, which we estimate at around $1500/person.

We planned two fundraisers - working concessions at Clemson baseball.The first was on on 4/15. On the 15th we had 22 people who worked for 6 hours. We will probably will get about $600 for the effort and it is a great way to build the team. See the pictures below. The second is the Florida State game on 5/13 (need to be at ball park at 4:30pm for 6:30 pm 1st pitch).  We need 24 people to work on Sunday afternoon, the 13th.

         

               Vending ice cream - Diane Caster      Diane, Rick Bender, and Susan Salis w Anna Baldwin in background

Also PLEASE let us know of your interest in the trip to Africa - we believe this would be a significant growth opportunity for St. Mark and participants! Email Bob and Lynn Dobson

 

Retirement Reception for Faye Monk

Celebrating her 25 years of loyal service to Saint Mark hundreds gathered in the Atrium Sunday the 19th to express to Faye how much we appreciate all that she has done for Saint Mark. Prominent in the reception line was Rev. Eugene Holmes, who was the Pastor at Saint Mark when Faye was beginning her volunteer service.

Faye proudly showed off the replica of the orginal Saint Mark church that Richard and Phyllis Christensen constructed for her.

 

 

 

Festival of Lessons & Carols

Join us as we relive some truly awesome moments from the Festival of Lessons and Carols during Christmas of last year whose purpose was to tell the Lord's story and help us to develop the loving purposes of God. The service began with a Concerto in b minor major by Handel. 

 Next we all join in with the Chamber Choir and Orchestra to sing the all to familiar and beautiful "Once in Royal David's City" 

 

 

Together we all sing of the coming of the Lord and his amazing redeeming love in "Come Thou Long Expected Jesus" followed by the Watt's Cradle Song...

 

Together we sing of God's great Glory with "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" with Orchestral accompaniment 

 

 

Finally, we sing "The First Noel" in remembrance of the Lord's first night with us and his coming to us 

 

 

To see the full program Click Here