THE WEEKLY NEWS - St. Mark's Episcopal Church

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Pilgrimage to Kenya Builds Partnership with St. James St. Mark’s to forge new school partnership in Kenya Carrying bags of pencils, pens and boxes of crayons ‐ ‐ not to mention pockets full of candy, ten St. Mark’s parishioners will walk off the plane and across the tarmac in Eldoret, Kenya, on October 20. Dozens of Kenyans will be anxiously waiting to welcome them. For five days, our parishioners will build lasting partnerships with our friends at St. James Anglican Church in Kebuson. The group will visit schools where the 31 students being supported by St. Mark’s Church and School attend, and they will visit some of the 34 farmers we support each year by purchasing seed and fertilizer. These farmers are mostly older and very poor women who are raising the children of whose parents have died from AIDS. During their stay, our parishioners will live in shambas (small homes made of dirt and cow dung). Pastor Lisa, St. Mark’s School chaplain, will forge a new partnership between St. Mark’s School and Kaplelach School. The team will also visit with diocesan Bishop Christopher Rutto and other good friends, including the Rev. Paul Korir, who visited St. Mark’s several years ago, and Mama Ada Kuto, who is the visionary of this partnership. The Rev. Jim Cook and his wife, Karen, and son, Nate, will also travel along with the Rev. Michael McManus and his wife, Cathleen; Donna Raney, Marlene Everitt (senior warden), Renee Restino and Devon Placido. For more information about the partnership between St. Mark’s and St. James and how you can help send a student to school, provide seed for farmers, or assist with start‐up funds for small businesses, visit mamaadafoundation.org or watch for information after our team returns from the pilgrimage on October 28. St. Mark’s to Host “Hearts of Palm” Mission Hearts of Palm will host five, one‐week sessions from mid‐June through mid‐July Imagine 150 missioners from churches around the country serving northern Palm Beach County for a week’s visit, while sleeping, eating and resting at St. Mark’s Youth Center and Gymnasium, and you will see the vision of Hearts of Palm, a new mission being created by St. Mark’s. Modeled after other mission sites that our youth visit each summer, Hearts of Palm will host five, oneweek sessions from mid‐ June through mid‐July. Our staff and other local leaders will coordinate work sites around the county where service work occurs during the day. At night, the visiting groups will stay in the youth center and gym and have access to showers, the athletic fields and the safe, secure setting of St. Mark’s. Hearts of Palm will also organize meals and social events that are typical for summer mission work so popular among churches of all denominations and sizes. Although Hearts of Palm is in the early stages of design and development, St. Mark’s is excited to take a leadership role in offering a quality mission site in south Florida. Access to the beaches, proximity to Disney and the wide range of service opportunities in Palm Beach County make this a great mission‐site location. “Hearts of Palm also has the potential to become a serious revenue stream for St. Mark’s,” says the Rev. Jim Cook. “Not only can we do God’s work in the local community, we can be good stewards of our buildings and other resources at the same time. We are excited about this new opportunity made possible by the new building at Robb Field!”
St. Mark’s Children’s and Family Ministry gears up for a great year! An eclectic array of tea cups, treasured ceramic teapots and floral centerpieces set upon mauve tablecloths awaited the twenty five who came together for St. Mark’s tea for mothers of young children. The tea, held during our Youth Center/ Gymnasium’s opening week, was graciously hosted by the Episcopal Church Women (ECW) and provided a kick‐off for St. Mark’s newest Children’s and Family Ministry (CFM) program: MOPS, Mothers of Preschoolers! Since the tea, interested moms have been connecting with one another, visiting other MOPS groups and making plans for our very own MOPS. “I’m SO excited for us to bring this kind of experience to St. Mark’s for ALL moms of preschoolers!” shares Julie Ronan, St. Mark’s MOPS coordinator. Open to church, school and community mothers, MOPS provides an open, caring and accepting atmosphere where women can come together to share with each other about mothering. MOPS’ very first meeting at St. Mark’s will be held Wednesday, October 19, 10:00 a.m. in the youth center/ gymnasium. “MOPS encourages God‐based family living by providing a positive and supportive environment for mothers,” notes the Rev. Holly Ostlund, “Your help is needed to get MOPS up and running! Women with mothering experience are needed to serve as mentors and sponsors are sought to help underwrite the program enabling all mothers to participate. Your prayers are sought too!” In the past two years St. Mark’s Children’s and Family Ministry (CFM) has expanded to include: •SPORK!, a monthly gathering for families with children, offered usually the last Sunday of every month, provides lots of chances to get to know and interact with other families as we eat, enjoy free play time and participate in activities together! Our next SPORK! will be Sunday, October 30, 11:30 a.m.. beginning on St. Mark’s playground. Bring a friendly costume to wear (nothing scary!) as we learn about All Saints’ Day! •Our No‐Rehearsal‐Everyone‐Can‐ Participate Christmas Pageant allows all children, and their families, to join the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ at our 4:00 p.m. Christmas Eve service! •Children’s Christian Education classes are held Sundays at 10 a.m.: Lil’ K is an interactive multi‐ media‐based curriculum for preschool children ages 3‐5. Children get to know Lil’ K, Kai and Professor Sock on a weekly journey of discovering God's Word! Hands‐On Bible classes use games, snacks and crafts to help kids learn about God, because kids retain more by interacting with a lesson instead of just hearing it! Hands On Bible classes are offered for Kindergarten and Grades 1 & 2 and also for Grades 3 to 5. •Children’s Choir for young people meets Sundays, 9:10 to 9:50 a.m.! Learn fun songs, most with movement and action!, that the choir will share periodically as part of the 10 a.m. worship service! Aileen Maxwell heads up our Children’s Choir! All Children’s and Family Ministry programs and events are open to church and school families….and our community. So, come…..invite…...join the fun….join the learning! Children enjoy hands‐on activities at September’s Under the Sea kick‐off event! MOPS first gathering Wednesday, October 19 10:00 a.m. Youth center/gymnasium Child care provided SPORK! Sunday, October 30 11:30 a.m. St. Mark’s playground Bring a costume to wear! Children’s Choir Sundays beginning October 9 9:10 to 9:50 a.m. Room 309 To help with any of these programs, please contact the Rev. Holly Ostlund, 622.0956. To receive CFM notifications and updates send your email address to hollyostlund@stmarkspbg.org Watch for CFM information in the Sunday bulletin and in our periodic emails. Also check for postings on our website, stmarkspbg.org.
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THE WEEKLY NEWS - St. Mark's Episcopal Church

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