And many thanks to all who came out for our Blessing of the Animals last Sunday - it was a beautiful day, with David Gunning's piano and guitar to accompany us. Special thanks to Michael Edison for setting up chairs.
Soon it will be time for All Saint's Day, Thanksgiving, Ingathering Sunday, and our Christmas Bazaar. We are busy bees preparing for these special events and services, and I hope you can all take part in them, in whatever way feels best to you.
As you know, we continue to livestream each Sunday's service, so that those who don't feel quite ready to come inside can join in worship and praise and prayer. Both services are at 10 am. Masks and distancing continue to be required, of course, and, although we can't sing, we have David's beautiful music to listen to and to enrich our worship.
Autumn always brings new energy - just like the squirrels, we scurry to prepare for these upcoming events. Please get out your calendars and mark these special days:
Sunday, Nov. 1: All Saint's Day, and the Commemoration of All Souls: 10:00 am with incense and candlelighting
Friday, Nov. 19: Pick up of Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner Boxes, and placing them in the church refrigerator (helpers welcome! Contact Vickie or Bunny)
Saturday, Nov. 20: Distribution of free Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner Boxes to our hungry neighbors (helpers welcome! Contact Vickie or Bunny)
Sunday, Nov. 22: Ingathering Sunday
Saturday, Dec. 5: St. Mark's Christmas Bazaar 9-3 (Santa Hats provided, and helpers needed - contact Jerry Mayer)
Please, of your mercy, pray for the soul of our friend Ray, Rick Tomlinson's dear friend and a big helper at our church. Raymond Eugene Buchanan II died suddenly last week, and we feel acutely the loss of his gentle presence. A Requiem Eucharist will be scheduled at St. Mark's in the near future; all are invited.
I ask that you keep the following people in your prayers: Fr. Van Gardner, in ICU after repeat brain surgery for a brain bleed, and for Gary Stone, recovering from hospitalization for blood clots. For John Hopkins, Alyson's husband, struggling with heart and kidney failure. Cecelia Callaway, Marian's mother, in a nursing home in New Jersey. Margarita Martin, at home after a stent placement, David Kaplan, struggling with leg problems, and Dorothy Richards, in a leg brace following a knee fracture. We pray also for David Lamkin, John and Eartha's son, diagnosed with a recurrence of leukemia, and for Martin Lamkin, navigating congestive heart failure. And we give thanks for the recovery of Assistant to the Bishop Bob Ihloff after double knee replacements. May they all feel the sure presence of God, the healing power of Christ, and the consolation of the Holy Spirit. Know that everyone on our Parish Prayer List is prayed for by name every day, led by Carolyn Workman of the BMT.
Please, of your kindness, don't delay in sending in your regular pledge every week. Simply mail your check to the church:
St. Mark's on the Hill Episcopal Church
1620 Reisterstown Road
Baltimore, MD 21208
...or pay your pledge online: simply click on this link:
episcopalmaryland.org/my-offering/
and under our church's name just put in your pledge amount. Thank you so much; we are hard pressed to meet our expenses during this challenging time, and your pledge makes all the difference.
Thank you for your prayers, phone calls, texts, and emails - it's a blessing to hear from you, and a blessing to continue to pray for you.
Blessings in this new season, and I'll "see" you on Sunday mornings at 10, either in person or on Facebook Live! Until then, know that God loves you so, and is always, always with you. Please stay vigilant and safe!
