The following paragraphs provide specific details about the various Circles. If you are not part of a circle, we hope you will plan to join one and become part of their meaningful activities.
CIRCLE 1, (the Martha Circle), led by Janice Simpson, meets at St. Mark (9:30 am) on the first Monday of each month from September to June.
CIRCLE 2, led by Diane Hirt, meets at Saint Mark (3:00 pm) on the first Monday of each month from September to June. If you want to know anything about the history of UMW at St. Mark, this is the group to contact. They have rich, solid backgrounds and contribute much to the UMW commitment of giving their time through study, reflection, and action. One of their favorite projects is giving monetary donations to Bethesda Ministries, which is a Social Services Ministry reaching out to those in need in our community and beyond. The main purpose of Bethesda Ministries is to do everything humanly possible under the guiding hand of the Lord to minister to the physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual needs of individuals that demonstrate a need and reach out for help. The ministry is overseen and guided by a volunteer Board of Directors. The day-to-day oversight is under the direction of the Executive Director. All services are offered at no cost, or a minimal fee, to the individual so that everyone who is seeking help can obtain it.
CIRCLE 3, led by Elaine Swanson is also known as the Abigail Circle. These active women who enjoy supporting various ministry projects meet in members' homes at 7:00 pm on the first Monday of each month from September to June. Topics significant to women are a big priority, and guest speakers at the meetings have addressed health issues, and other worthy projects such as sponsoring elementary-age boys in a campus cottage at the Tamassee DAR School. A privately funded, non-sectarian, not-for-profit agency, Tamassee DAR provides a "family" environment for school-aged children needing out-of-home care. Circle 3 members help the boys celebrate birthdays with parties, which have included a pool party, miniature golf, movies, dinner at a restaurant, bowling, and a pontoon boat ride on
Lake Hartwell. The boys have even attended Saint Mark CFN for the Halloween festivities. It's always a fun time for all! Members also put their baking skills to work making cookies for their Cookie Angel, Marlene Edlund. One member accompanies Marlene each month to Momingside Assisted Living and Seneca Residential to deliver the cookies and spread cheer. Abigail Circle "sisters" feel blessings abound when they gather and take on a mission!
CIRCLE 4, led by Gladys Chastain, meets at 7:00 pm on the first Monday of each month from September to June. These ladies collects, trim, and distribute Campbell Soup Labels for Red Bird Mission in Kentucky, which collects these labels and redeems them for items that are much needed at their campus. Red Bird Mission is a Methodist-based camp that helps to provide spiritual, educational, health, and community outreach ministries for children and adults. Some labels were redeemed to purchase buses that are needed for their mission work. How can Saint Mark members help? Baskets are provided in the Narthex and outside the Church Office for folks to deposit their labels. Thanks!
CIRCLE 5, led by chairperson Sonia Phillips, meets at 9:30 am on the first Monday of each month from September to June. This group has been pleased to provide Oconee Memorial Hospital's Maternity Section with two baby layettes each month. Each of the Circle Five members is assigned certain items to buy each month for completion of the baby layettes. Items typically included in each layette are a hooded bath towel, washcloths, a onesie, long pants, a gown, undershirts, a bottle, diapers, a rattle or toy, receiving blanket, wipes, burp cloths, and other miscellaneous items. The women in Circle Five say, "We certainly hope that those who receive the layettes enjoy them as much as we have enjoyed putting them together." Guess what else Circle Five members do? They donate to their Sunshine Fund each month and any monies left at the end of the year are given to St Mark UMC's "Neighbors in Need" Fund.
CIRCLE 6, co-chaired by Susan Buckalew and Sandra Stricker, meets at 7:00 pm on the first Monday of each month from September to June. The age of its members spans a wide range, and they are energetic! For many years they have supported the Wilderness Way Girls’Camp in Oconee County. This is a licensed therapeutic camping program that specializes in helping troubled teens discover innate natural strengths and achieve their fullest potential. Circle 6 has mentored the girls at Wilderness Way over the years in many ways. They have invited them with their counselors into their homes at Christmas. They have given them presents such as socks, sweatshirts, cameras, gloves, scarves, outdoor cooking pots – items that they need for living outdoors in a camp environment. The most recent Circle 6 event with the girls was at Valentine’s weekend when the women went to the camp to share a program on how women can find inner peace and acceptance even though there are many distractions in the world. It was a great Sunday afternoon, and the women in Circle 6 felt so fulfilled and blessed by the time they left! The girls sang to them, decorated the tables with Valentine “stuff,” and openly shared their feelings with the group. The women of Circle 6 feel that when they share their time with these girls, the women are the ones that truly benefit the most.
CIRCLE 7, led by Sandy James, meets at 7:00 pm on the first Monday of each month from September to June.
For more information about any of these Circles contact Peggy Moore (972-3462) or the church office (882-2603).