Dear Members and Friends of St. Mark's,

As we move into December, the lights are up in front of the church, the trees are up in the sanctuary, and two mission projects are underway.  We talked about both of them in church last Sunday.

First, a team from St. Mark’s travels to the Tijuana area this Saturday December 3 to build a house, in partnership with International Relief Teams (IRT).  The outpouring of support for this has been wonderful, and more people signed up than could participate, so it looks like we will be planning to do it again.  Thank you to all who are participating, and to those who donated money to support this.  And a very special thanks to Eric Robinson who, with the St. Mark’s Men’s group, initiated the project and is coordinating the details.

Second, our children have launched their Advent Giving Project, which this year supports Lindsay School at Christ United Methodist Ministry Center.  The Lindsay School supports young, unwed mothers by offering independent-study and in-person learning opportunities.  Our children are collecting new coats, shoes, and socks for young women, young children, and babies.  Bring your donations to church anytime!

Just as missions and giving are central to St. Mark’s Advent season each year, we also have many festive, fun and peace-filled events to look forward to:

• Taizé services will be held in the sanctuary on Thursdays at 6 p.m. (beginning December 1) during Advent. Taizé is a quiet, prayerful form of worship, and the services will be preceded by an informal, simple meal in the social hall at 5:30.
• Christmas at St. Mark’s, a concert featuring all our choirs (with a special visit from the toy soldiers), will be in the sanctuary this Sunday, December 4, at 4:30 p.m.
• Medieval Dinner presentation will be Saturday, December 10 at 5:30 p.m. in the courtyard and Social Hall.
• “Messiah” sing-along with our choir, soloists and instruments, will be Sunday, December 11 at 4:30 in the sanctuary.
• Living Nativity and cookie reception will be Saturday, December 17 in front of the sanctuary.
• Longest Night Service, for those dealing with grief or loss during the holidays, will be Wednesday, December 21 at 6:30 p.m. in the sanctuary.
• Christmas Eve services, with carols, choirs, bells, brass, timpani, and candle-lighting, will be Saturday, December 24 at 5:30 and 8 p.m.
• Christmas Day service will be Sunday morning December 25 at 9:30.

Also, there are two excellent adult-study opportunities for Advent and beyond, on Mondays at 1 p.m. and Tuesdays at 3 p.m.

A special thank you to all who have responded so generously to “Generous Gratitude,” our 2017 Stewardship Campaign.  Our results so far are in this Messenger.  We still have a ways to go to meet our income needs in the new year.  If you haven’t yet responded, please mail your pledge today.  Thanks!

See you in church!

Craig