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He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
-- Luke 1:51-53 (Magnificat)
These words from what is known as the Magnificat are Mary's response to the announcement that God has chosen her to be the mother of Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, the Son of the Living God. It is amazing that she even had words and that we know them, as who was there to record them? Perhaps the reason we know them is that these words formed the text of an early hymn, and it was not a hymn that one could easily put on a Christmas card! This was a hymn of change, of rescue, of revolution! God was coming into the world in a new way and things would never, ever be the same again.
The miracle of the incarnation is summed up in three words: God needed help. The Creator of the Universe, in the form of a little child, needed Mary's help to be born, Joseph's help to be safe, and the help of many others so that Mary's words could come to pass in Jesus life and ministry. As we move ever closer to our own celebration of Christmas, it would be good for us to reflect on our own relationship with Jesus. How has following Christ affected our lives? How has it affected the world, or at least our little piece of it? Where and how do we see God at work in the world? Where, when, and how do we participate in that work? Pray and give thanks!
--Tom+
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BFF Brief: Drywall mudding and taping this week, concrete and elevator next week!
This week continues the progress being made with a HUGE amount of mudding (plastering) and taping going on to finish out the walls. Since we have a LOT of wall space, it will take some time to get that finishing process completed. Once done, we can move on to painting and other finishing work. The footings for our concrete ramp and walls have been poured, as has some of our new courtyard. We are hoping and praying that the ramp, walls, and the rest of the courtyard will be poured next week, finally giving us back our main entrance in time for Christmas Eve. We will see if the weather and the scheduling cooperates.
As we move towards completion, we are beginning to think about furniture and other items for the new space. We have received a generous contribution of $10,000 for round eight-person tables and chairs (with arms) to go with them. We will order them when we have a place for them! Since our "Close the Gap" appeal, we have had additional donations of around $30,000 as well as several thousand dollars of early pledge payments. We very much appreciate these generous contributions to help us close the $100,000 funding gap of our project ($160,000 minus multi-year pledges) and we continue to eagerly receive both contributions and pledges. Contributions may be made through our online giving link and pledges may be made via email to finance@stmarks-medford.org. Thank you again for your financial and prayerful support!
-- The Building For the Future (BFF) Committee
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Notes from the Organ Bench - Christmas Eve!
We are planning to have our Christmas Lessons and Carols Service on Christmas Eve this year (Tuesday, December 24th at 9:00 PM) instead of our traditional time of Sunday morning following Christmas.
In our sometimes broken, sometimes hungry, sometimes lonely and always busy world, many folks don't often find the time to seek out spiritual community at church. Christmas Eve can be especially meaningful and available for many!
So, we urge our entire congregation to make a special effort this year to invite acquaintances, friends and family to one or both of our Christmas Eve services. The 4PM Children's Pageant is always inspiring and fun, and the 9PM Lessons and Carols Service will include the Choir and lots of Carols, with a candlelit 'Silent Night' at the end.
Peace and Goodwill to All,
Rob Griswell-Lowry
Minister of Music
St. Marks (the Evangelist) Episcopal Parish
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 REMINDER:
Pledge Ingathering ends THIS Sunday!
As of December 13 we have
67 pledges for $186,848.
Our goal is 80 pledges for a total of $200,000. Would you pledge (or increase your existing pledge by) $80 per month ($20 per week)? If 13 people do, we’ll make it!
Please bring your pledge card to either the 8 or 10 am service, mail it to the church office, or submit one online here.
We hope to have all pledges by THIS Sunday, December 15.
Thank you for your pledge and financial support!
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UPCOMING EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
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Bring in the Gifts!
FNC Giving Tree ingathering THIS SUNDAY
Please bring purchased gifts or donate so our "elves" can shop!
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FAMILY NURTURING CENTER CHRISTMAS GIFTS!
It's time! Time to bring in all those toys you've purchased! St. Mark’s Outreach will provide tissue paper for FNC teachers to “dress up” the bags prior to gifting the children. Thank you for brightening a child’s Christmas.
SPECIAL NOTE: Children and their parents or grandparents are invited to meet Kit Nilles THIS Sunday at 4:30 pm at the front door of Target here in Medford for a shopping party. No drop-offs: adults need to attend with their kids.
Questions? Contact Marilyn Myers or Penny Klabunde or contact the church office at (541) 773-3111.
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While we assume that we will be occupying our finished building sometime in January, it is very difficult to plan without knowing when this might happen. Regardless, there ARE some things currently planned:
Sunday, January 5 - Epiphany Party
Sunday, January 12 - Ministry Fair
Sunday, January 19 -
Altar Guild Commissioning
Sunday, January 26 - Annual Meeting
In is anticipated that we will be in our
new building NO LATER than
our Annual Meeting!
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St. Mark's at the Manor:
New Schedule & Bible Study
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As we wind down the year, our schedule is as follows:
RVM Chapel Eucharist
Thursday, December 18 - 10 am
We will celebrate Christmas early!
NO RVM Chapel Eucharist
on January 2
Thursday, January 18, 2020
9:30 am - Bible Study (Location TBA)
10:30 am - Holy Eucharist, Rite I - Chapel
11 am - Winter Luncheon - Dining Room
All RVM residents are welcome to join us, and bring a friend!
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Annual Meeting Notice
The Annual Meeting of St. Mark's Episcopal Church
will be held on Sunday, January 26 following a combined 9 am Service
Candidates for the Vestry
Class of 2023 are:
Kris Conrad
Bill Dames
Kathy Garrett
Please join us!
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End-of-Year
Donation Reminder
Please be sure to get your 2019 BFF or General Fund donations to the church office no later than Monday, December 30 so that they may be recorded this tax year.
You may also give online
by clicking here.
If you intend to make an IRA-based contribution, please do so ASAP. See below for details.
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Last Advent Home Communion
Sunday from 6 to 7:30 pm
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 Please join us for our annual tradition of Advent Home Communions. These are dinners with an abbreviated Holy Eucharist service and holiday singing. The final Advent Home Communion is:
Sunday, December 15 - 6 to 7:30 pm
Jan Martin's House,
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Ringing in Christmas
Handbell Concert on December 15
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 First Presbyterian Church in Medford will be having their annual Christmas Hand Bell Concert on Sunday, December 15 at 7pm. Admission is free with a free-will offering of a food item to their Food Bank.
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NEW Book Study:
The Meaning of Mary Magdalene: Discovering the Woman at the Heart of Christianity by Cynthia Bourgeault
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 The book group will begin a new book on January 8: The Meaning of Mary Magdalene: Discovering the Woman at the Heart of Christianity by Episcopal priest Cynthia Bourgeault.This book is "a radical view of Mary Magdalene as Jesus’s most important disciple, the one he considered to understand his teaching best. That teaching was characterized by a non-dualistic approach to the world and by a deep understanding of the value of the feminine. Cynthia shows how an understanding of Mary Magdalene can revitalize contemporary Christianity, how Christians and others can, through her, find their way to Jesus’s original teachings and apply them to their modern lives." Books are $12 and are available at smile.amazon.com (St. Mark's gets a percentage!). Join us at 5:30 pm on Wednesday evenings in Hafer House for great food for body, mind, and spirit!
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From $5 to $15 and going...
Amazon Smile at work!
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Last quarter (July through September) St. Mark's made $14.93 at NO cost to Amazon buyers. This is up from $5 last quarter. If you shop Amazon, remember to visit smile.amazon.com. It's the same site as the regular one,
it just gives us money!
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Rector's Reflections
