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God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. -- 1 Corinthians 1:9
In the years I spent in the ordination process, there were many times in which I was asked to "articulate [my] call." In other words, I was asked to tell the story of how I believe God was calling me to be a priest. That story is too long for a couple of paragraphs, but suffice it to say that there were a number of times during my childhood and young adulthood where I heard God's call--through other people, experiences, or simply an inner conviction that I was on the right path. Over 20 years of ordained ministry later, I remain convinced of God's call in my life, specifically to gather together a community of followers of Jesus committed to what I have referred to as "deep discipleship, engaging worship, and passionate service." God's call is persistent and ongoing!
As I moved through the ordination process, also called the "discernment process," I came to more and more of the realization that the call of God is not limited to ordained ministry. Everyone has a call from God. It might have started as a call into the church community through baptism, but God doesn't stop calling us, giving us gifts for service, and sending us out to use those gifts for God's glory. While one might think of this service as most fully expressed at church, we are all called to both be a part of a church community AND to "seek and serve Christ in all persons" each and every moment of each and every day of our lives. How is God calling you, at this time in your life, to follow Jesus?
--Tom+
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BFF Brief: Painting nearly complete, concrete nearly done!
We're in one of those awkward times in which, when one shows up at the job site, it is hard to discern progress. But progress is indeed being made! The last bits of taping and plastering are being done, doorways are being readied for doors, and walls are being primed and painted. The front of our building is taking shape, with our outside ramp nearly completed and the forms for the stairs up to the new Parish Hall being done. Wainscoting and trim are going up around the new Parish Hall in the next few days. The elevator is still in the process of being installed, hopefully completed by the end of next week.
Our committee continues to meet and monitor progress. We are grateful to those who have paid off their three-year pledges early as well as those who have added to their already generous donations. A reminder that we continue to take donations via our web site and pledges through our Accounting Manager. Our "Close the Gap" Capital Campaign is in its final weeks, officially ending at the Annual Meeting on Sunday, January 26, but we will continue to raise money for the remainder of 2020 to retire as much of our construction debt as possible. At this point, while we are unlikely to be in the building in the next couple of weeks, our hope is to be in by Ash Wednesday, February 26. We shall see!
-- The Building For the Future (BFF) Committee
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UPCOMING EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
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 THIS Sunday, January 19:
Altar Guild Commissioning
CANCELLED due to weather.
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SPECIAL SERVICE & MEETING
Sunday, January 26, 2020
Single 9 am Service followed by Annual Meeting and Potluck
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 It appears as though we will NOT have our new Parish Hall available to us in time for our Annual Meeting on Sunday, January 26. The schedule for our day is as follows:
9 am Combined (8 & 10 am)
Holy Eucharist - Church
10:15 am Annual Meeting - Church
11:15 am Building For the Future
Facilities Tour
11: 30 am Potluck in Hafer House
At our meeting we will elect three new members of the Vestry (Kris Conrad, Bill Dames, and Kathy Garrett), receive financial reports, and be updated on what 2019 was like for St. Mark's and the hopes we have for 2020. Please join us!
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Men's Breakfast
Saturday, February 8th at 8 am
Hafer House Kitchen and Ballroom
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 Please join the Men of St. Mark's (aka Mark's Men) as we gather for the first of what we hope will be quarterly breakfasts on Saturday, February 8th at 8 am in Hafer House. Coffee, conversation, and other breakfast fare will be served. We will also talk about the upcoming Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper on February 25. Join us!
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Mark your calendars:
Ash Wednesday Services
February 26 at Noon & 7 pm
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Please mark your calendars and plan to join us for the Ash Wednesday Imposition of Ashes at Noon or the Imposition of Ashes and Holy Eucharist at 7 pm on Wednesday, February 26. This is the solemn beginning of Lent and serves to help us “remember that we are dust, and to dust we shall return.”
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2019 Giving Statements
will be delivered by January 31.
Please contact Roger Hercl, Accounting Manager, with any questions or corrections.
THANK YOU FOR
GIVING TO ST. MARK’S!
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Every Monday at 10 am:
Monday Bible Study on Isaiah
Hafer House Library
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 After taking the holidays off, our Monday Morning Bible Study has resumed, but with a new book of the Bible. We have plunged into what is likely to be a year-long study of the book of the prophet Isaiah (60+ chapters of it)! Please join us for coffee, scripture, and (often) cookies on Mondays at 10 am in the Library at Hafer House. Newcomers welcome!
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Report! Report! Annual Report
and Lion Tales Articles Due
Annual Report - January 21
Lion Tales - February 4
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As our Annual Meeting approaches, we are asking that all Program Leaders submit at least a paragraph or two summarizing their program activities for 2019 and hopefully some preliminary plans for 2020. This 2020 Annual Report is useful for current congregational members, future members, and as an historical record. Please email or bring reports to the office no later than THIS Tuesday, January 21 so we can print the reports by the Annual Meeting on Sunday, January 26. Thank you for your leadership!
ALSO, the Winter 2020 (January/ February/March) quarterly issue of the Lion Tales newsletter is just around the corner. While you are sitting at your computer finishing your Annual Report, please take time to compose a short article for the newsletter and get it to the office no later than February 4. We have previously had some difficulties getting articles, which has delayed and limited publication, decreasing the usefulness of this communication tool. Please submit your articles ASAP!
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Book Study and Potluck
The Meaning of Mary Magdalene: Discovering the Woman at the Heart of Christianity by Cynthia Bourgeault
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 The book group began 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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Rector's Reflections
