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For Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power. Christ the Power and Wisdom of God. For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. - 1 Corinthians 1:17-18
Nearly 10 years ago (in 2011), the late Steve Jobs was often quoted as saying "It just works" when referring to various Apple products. This was the year of the new iPad, an updated iPhone, and iCloud. Apple was, and is, famous for using technology to make things seem magical, effortless. Now St. Paul would hardly describe being a disciple of Jesus as effortless or easy, but I do think he would have identified with the phrase "It just works." If one stops to think about it, Christianity is pretty incredible. We believe in a God that created all things and then entered that creation as a little child who grew up, walked on this earth, taught and healed people, and was then betrayed by one of his closest followers. He was tortured and killed on a cross, buried, and then rose from the dead and appeared to many before returning to the divine realm. Next time you recite the Nicene Creed, think about what you are saying we believe (or at least struggle to believe)!
But the reality, for me and hopefully for you, is that as foolish as this whole faith in Jesus thing seems, and as counter-intuitive as the idea of trusting in a faith of love and humility seems in a world of cynicism, indifference, hate, and power struggles, being a follower of Jesus, a disciple, a Christian, just works. We don't exactly know how it works, but it does! It gives us the strength and hope to move forward in a world of strife, division, and desperation. We are baptized into God's family, fed each week by the Body and Blood of Christ at the Eucharist, united with fellow believers, and sent into the world to be Christ's hands and feet 2,000 years after he walked the earth. The Gospel (Good News) is that God, in Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit working in and through us, continues to free us and others from the bondage of sin and death and raise us to a new life of grace. May we be unafraid to live and proclaim this message in our words and actions.
--Tom+
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BFF Brief: Elevator installation, last plastering and painting and finish carpentry!
Two years ago this week, our Vestry met following the Annual Meeting to elect officers and to authorize the search for a General Contractor to build what would become our Church Center and Community Center project, with a new Parish Hall, restrooms, kitchen, food pantry storage, classrooms, and offices. Now, at another Annual Meeting, we will celebrate the reality taking shape. This week the elevator is being installed, the bathrooms prepped for tile, drop ceilings hung in the classrooms, and finish woodwork painted and placed in the new Parish Hall. There are ceiling lights in the offices and hallways. We are only a couple of weeks from completing the "rough" construction and moving on to the installation of fixtures, cabinetry, and carpeting. While we will not be able to hold our Annual Meeting in this new space, we are hoping (and praying!) to be able to hold our Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper there a little more than a month from now. We shall see!
Our Annual Meeting brings to a close our "Close the Gap" supplemental capital campaign. The campaign raised about $30,000 and prompted several people to pay their BFF Fund pledges early, helping us with our cash flow. We have about $75,000 of multi-year pledges still to come, which we will use to pay off the loan we are making to ourselves from the St. Mark's Fund. While we DO have final numbers for our building contract, there are several items (like kitchen appliances, our phone system, computer network, and office moving costs) that are yet to be determined. We remain grateful for the huge amount of financial and prayerful support we have received throughout this time. We encourage those who would like to increase or begin such financial support to do so via this link or by contacting our Accounting Manager at by clicking here with a pledge. We are getting closer and closer!
-- The Building For the Future (BFF) Committee
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UPCOMING EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
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SPECIAL SERVICE & MEETING
THIS Sunday, January 26, 2020
Single 9 am Service followed by Annual Meeting and Potluck
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 Our Annual Meeting is THIS 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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THIS Sunday, January 26:
Sock-it-to-me Sunday!
Bring new pairs of socks to donate to the Maslow Project
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 If it's the
last Sunday in January
it's...
You are invited and encouraged to bring new pairs of socks to church to be donated to the Maslow Project. Socks cam be infant through adult sizes. Last year we brought in 567 pairs of socks. Can we break 600 pairs this year?! Come join us and see--and bring your socks!
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 REMINDER: THIS SUNDAY is ALSO Food for the Fourth Sunday!
Please bring your blue bags of Food Pantry donations to be dedicated. Thanks!
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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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HELP NEEDED: Medford Food Project PANTRY UNLOAD
Saturday, February 8 - 2 to 3 pm
Hafer House
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 The Medford Food Project is coming up on Saturday, February 8th. We will not be able to unload boxes into our new storage room and so we will continue to need help putting a couple of pallets of boxes into Hafer House. We will need help between 2 and 3 pm on Saturday. If you can help text, call or email Geni Hilton at 541-261-7607 or click here. She will call you Saturday afternoon when we are leaving Access so that you have 10 or 15 minutes to meet us at the side door of Hafer House. With enough help it will take about 15 minutes of your Saturday.
Thank you for your help!
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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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Northwest Seasonal Workers Association:
Super Bowl Tamale Benefit
Tamale Orders due THIS Monday, January 27 - $10 half doz., $20 doz.
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 Do you want real home-made and hand-made tamales? Here's your chance to order them, learn how to make them, or both! The Northwest Seasonal Workers Association (NSWA) is now taking orders for tamales to be picked up from First United Methodist Church on Saturday, February 2 from 10 am to 2 pm. Orders are due THIS Monday, January 27. Suggested donation is $10 for a half-dozen or $20 per dozen. There is a sign-up sheet in Hafer House or contact Rev. Tom by 9 am on Monday to order.
ALSO, the NSWA is looking for people to help MAKE tamales (over 3,000!) this week. Shifts are 9 am to Noon, Noon to 3 pm, 3 pm to 6 pm, and 6 pm to 9 pm THIS Monday through Friday. Contact the NSWA office at (541) 773-6811 to volunteer. Thanks!
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Every Monday at 10 am:
Monday Bible Study on Isaiah
Hafer House Library
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 Our Monday Morning Bible Study continues 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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Lion Tales Articles Due SOON!
Deadline is Tuesday, February 4
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 Thanks to all of you who contributed to our Annual Report, which will be presented at the Annual Meeting this coming Sunday, January 26. We appreciate your efforts!
The Winter 2020 (January/February/ March) quarterly issue of the Lion Tales newsletter is just around the corner. If you have not already done so, 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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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!
Want to set up a recurring gift for THIS year? Click here!
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A REMINDER: THIS Sunday, January 26
Rector's Reflections
