Good Read: Gentle Suggestions for Doubting Christians

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In his blog post at The High Calling Blogs, Gordon Atkinson offers some interesting thoughts on his “…slowly evolving, personal rule of life and faith,” as it pertains to being a “doubting Christian”. Have a read and leave a comment if the Spirit moves you.

I’m a natural-born skeptic. I find it hard to believe in things unless I can be convinced of their reality with proof or at least very clear evidence. C.S. Lewis pegged me with his observation that some people will commit to nothing rather than end up being wrong about anything. If professor Lewis hadn’t died the year I was born, I might think he had been reading my diary… Read the entire post here.

Three St. Mark’s Haiti Fund Scholarships Awarded!

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Earlier this year, Saint Mark’s established a Haiti Fund following the devastating earthquake in Haiti on January 12, 2010.

Donations were received from parishioners and a fund raising event was held in February. A Committee was then established to determine how to make the best use of the donations and contributions from Saint Mark’s fund raising efforts. After exploring various options, the committee decided to contribute the funds in support of the Bishop Tharp Institute of the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti (BTI).

Three scholarships were awarded to students entering the September Term of the 2-year business program offered by the BTI. Photos and bios of the three award recipients have been posted on the bulletin board in the Parish Hall. Be sure to have a look!

Pere Kesner Ajax, the Executive Director of BTI, will visit St Mark’s for an after-church briefing on Sunday, November 21. All are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Thanks to all who contributed to this worthwhile cause. Your generous donations will enable these three young people to continue their studies and help rebuild Haiti in the years ahead.

Please contact Paulette A. for more information.

Jesus Came To Save Sinners

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“These are the words that Rite 1 congregations hear just after the priest pronounces God’s absolution for our sins. There is such comfort in these words. As we have been moving through the Epistles we have been noting that this literature contains a lot of instruction…” — Listen here, or download the MP3!

Take a Peek at the Saint Mark’s 2010 VBS Photo Albums!

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Early last month, the children of Saint Mark’s participated in a week-long Vacation Bible School program called ReNew-The Green VBS.

This program, an environmentally-focused vacation bible school curriculum, inspired both kids and adults to grow in faith, have fun, and change the world as they learned to practice stewardship of God’s creation. In short, it was a blast!

Children participated in three age groups: Preschool, Lower Elementary, and Upper Elementary. Preschoolers had their own activity site where they learned the Parable of the Sower and explored creation through free play and other activities.

Lower and Upper Elementary groups also learned the Parable of the Sower and alternated between various activities highlighting what each person can do to grow in faith and care for creation.

Planned activities enabled participants to encounter the part of creation we call community and helped the children recognize God at work in our relationships with one another.

We hope you’ll take a moment to browse through the two photo albums below and leave a comment to let us know what you think!

Barbecue Meat Loaf

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INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 onion, finely chopped
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cans tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce

DIRECTIONS

Mix together beef, bread crumbs, onion, beaten egg, salt, pepper, and 1/2 can tomato sauce.

Form into loaf and put in shallow pan.

Combine the rest of the sauce and all other ingredients. Pour over loaf.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Baste occasionally.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Recipe adapted from Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church Women’s Cookbook, 1996.
Contributed by Ann M..

Do you have a favorite recipe from one of the Saint Mark’s cookbooks? Tell us about it! Leave a comment…

Forgiveness

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“The slave, Onesimus, has done the unthinkable. He has stolen his master’s valuables and run off. Somehow or another the slave and Paul meet up and during their time together, Onesimus has been converted. The slave is now a believer in our Lord Jesus…” — Listen here, or download the MP3!

September 2010 Parish Update

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I used to think summer was a time of rest, when the church refreshed itself for the balance of the year.  I now think that while the number of ministry activities is reduced,  the ones that take their place require equal effort in the Lord.

Take VBS for example (see the photo albums).  We had 18 formal team members who came together and delivered an outstanding message to the kids.  But just underneath those 18 were another cadre who cooked taco meat, brought extra items, and let’s not forget the ever present Jr. Warden’s posse among others.  VBS was a little different this year in that the food, art, music, teaching, and activities were formed around the Parable of the Sower.  The program was wonderful.  We had our own VBS-aged kids plus some of their friends and by any account, they enjoyed the program.  This was a huge effort by our parish for our kids – thank you!

Now that summer is waning, the ministries that take a siesta are gearing back up.  The Tuesday night Bible Study is returning along with a full semester of Sunday school.  The choir will resume practice just after the Labor Day break, and the First Sunday EYC meeting starts up just after service.

We have a lot going on in the parish right now so there is a ministry opportunity for every person.  As God continues to lead His people deeper into His service, consider speaking with any of the ministry heads about how to participate.

May God bless you and keep you,

Fr. Greg

Adventure Team Visits the Museum of Biblical Arts

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Tuesday, August 24th, Saint Mark’s Adventure Team gathered for lunch at the Blue Mesa Grill before visiting the Museum of Biblical Arts in Dallas.

From the Museum’s Website: “We serve all backgrounds and denominations—particularly those interested in art history, because an understanding of Biblical themes is critical to both an understanding of the humanities and Western Culture. The Museum is a cultural crossroads utilizing art for tolerance and understanding—reflected in our various archeological exhibits and decorative art from Israel and the Holy Land.

Learn more about the Museum of Biblical Arts and the museum’s collections here.


The Saint Mark's Adventure Team enjoying lunch at The Blue Mesa Grill.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

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“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever. What a great comfort we have today in the letter to the Hebrews, and today we will discover why this is so… especially in these times when people are under great stress.I would say that almost every person in this congregation has been touched in one way or another by the changing circumstances of the past year or so. Some have had their retirement trimmed, others have had to seek a different job, and still others are in the midst of personal family crises…” — Listen here, or download the MP3!