SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY
In today's reading from Deuteronomy we are called to choose life by loving and obeying God. Much of today's gospel reading echoes portions of the Ten Commandments. Jesus' instructions to the crowd reveal a pattern of behavior that honors both God and the neighbor, resulting in life and health for the whole community. We, too, are invited to embrace these commandments, not out of fear of retribution, but because God has promised that to do so means life for us.
THIS SUNDAY AT ST. MARK'S
9:00 am - Holy Communion with Children's Time - Sanctuary
9:00 am - Endowment Committee Meeting - Break Room
10:00 am - Journeys in Faith - Fireside Room
10:00 am - Refreshments and Fellowship Hour - Heritage Hall
10:00 am - Confirmation - Confirmation Room
10:15 am - Sunday School - School Rooms
11:00 am - Choral Eucharist Worship Service - Sanctuary
12:15 pm - Refreshments and Fellowship Hour and Thanksgiving Celebration for Pr. Tita - Heritage Hall
4:00 pmAmerican Bach SoloistsSanctuary
GAME ON! ST. MARK'S BOARD GAME NIGHT ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 4:30 P.M. TO 7:30 P.M. IN HERITAGE HALL.
Come for a night of board game fun, food and fellowship! Please free to bring your favorite board games. If you don't have any games to bring, please don't worry; we'll have plenty of games for all ages (3 to 103) and abilities on hand. Pizza will be served (free-will offering).
FEBRUARY 11 PROPERTY PROJECT MORNING
Spring and the Lenten Season will soon be here! Please join the Property Ministry Team on Saturday, February 11th, starting at 9 AM for a morning of activities and projects to prepare the church building and grounds for the coming months.
FESTIVE AND THANKSGIVING COFFEE HOUR FOR PR. TITA VALERIANO ON SUNDAY, FEB. 12
Please join the festivities after the 11:00 service this Sunday in thanksgiving for Pastor Tita and her family, Jen and Ta’al.
ST. MARK’S HANDCRAFTERS RETREAT AND REPORT FROM MACEDONIA
Knitters, crocheters and all handcrafters are invited to join a retreat on Saturday, February 18th, in Heritage Hall beginning at 10 AM. Greg Jahnke will report back on the handmade items St. Mark’s sent to The Republic of Macedonia during his recent trip there with Thrivent Builds.
WELCOME JOURNEYS IN FAITH PARTICIPANTS!
Sunday during our 11:00 liturgy we will welcome several people who are
journeying toward baptism and affirmation of baptism.
Please welcome them to St. Mark’s as we support them with our prayers.
HIGH SCHOOL LUNCH OR AFTER LUNCH TEA AND DESSERT ON FEBRUARY 19TH WITH PASTOR RON.
We will meet in Heritage Hall right after Pastor Ron’s Welcome Fellowship.
INVITATION TO PARENTS OF CONFIRMATION STUDENTS
Parents and students will gather together on February 19th during our class to formally meet Pastor Ron. We will meet in our Confirmation Classroom after taking communion at the 9:00 am service. Please bring snacks to share.
WOMEN’S MONTHLY STUDY GATHERINGS
All women are welcome to come and study together at our evening and/or morning Women of the ELCA Gatherings. In February our groups will meet on:
Second Tuesday – February 14 from 11:00am to 1:00pm in the Fireside Room
All women are invited to come for study at 11:00 and then at noon to eat their sandwich or salad and share fellowship. Drinks and dessert will be provided. Our Bible Study of Galatians will focus on “Children of God through Faith” as found in the January/February issue of Gather Magazine.
If you have any questions, please contact Suzanne Smith at 415.285.7438 or suzathome@comcast.net.
SPIRITUALITY AND AGING GROUP
On Mondays from 11:00 - 12:00 Pr. Elizabeth will be hosting a group on "Spirituality and Aging" in the Brockie lounge of Martin Luther Tower. This group is open to the St. Mark's community as well. This group will offer a safe place to reflect on aging issues in light of our faith - whatever our faith may be or wherever we are in our faith journey.
DONATIONS INVITED FOR THE ST. MARK’S SENIOR CENTER LUNCHEONS!
Once a month, we provide a low-cost and delicious meal for all Martin Luther Tower residents and Seniors from St. Mark’s.
We are looking for donations of gift cards, candy, toiletries, movie tickets, hats, mittens, throws, and other household items to raffle off for the residents. The raffle would be free for all who attend the luncheon and your donations would be greatly appreciated.
Please contact Pr. Elizabeth (ekdale@stmarks-sf.org) if you can donate any items.
INVITATION TO THE SOUP MAKERS IN THE CONGREGATION!
Potato Cheese, Tomato, Lentil, and Chicken Noodle . . . if you make the soup, we will eat, enjoy it and praise your soup making abilities!
We need soup for our Wednesday evening community dinners on these dates: March 8, 15, 22, 29, and April 5. Sign up at www.stmarks-sf.org/lenten-soup-suppers if you can make any kind (vegetarian preferable) of soup for 25 hungry people.
You can use the church kitchen to make the soup or simply drop it by - but we hope that you will stay and eat it with the rest of the community and then worship at our “With Awe and Love” service beginning at 6:45. Soup at 6:00 - worship at 6:45 - for Lent! Thank you.
ST. MARK'S OFFICE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED IN 2017!
We are in great need of new Volunteers who are looking for an opportunity to serve St. Mark's in 2017. Volunteers are needed to staff our church office, which is in the Urban Life Center. It is an excellent way to stay attuned to all that is happening at St. Mark's! Volunteers are needed to staff the office for a few hours each day between 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. We will be most grateful for any amount time you can volunteer on a weekly basis. You will be answering telephones, answering questions, distributing mail and packages for staff as well as ULC building tenants, greeting visitors, helping with mailings to congregation members (when needed), helping assemble the weekly Parish Announcement bulletin (usually on Thursdays), plus assisting the staff and Pastors, however and whenever needed.
If you are interested in joining this important ministry, please call the St. Mark's office or contact Jane Borg either by eMail(janebborg@att.net) or during a Sunday Coffee Hour. All are welcome, no prior office experience is necessary. We are a child and pet friendly office!
HELP A FAMILY AT BERNAL GATEWAY
URGENT REQUEST for household items for a newcomer family at the Bernal Gateway apartment complex: a Latina mother with three children.
They need 4 wooden chairs (they have only a table; brown color preferred); a vacuum; a set of drinking glasses; a large package of toilet paper; two dozen bars of soap (Dove suggested). If you can donate any of these items or can contribute some money to help purchase them, please contact Linda Krauskopf (415-285-4424). We hope to fulfill this request THIS WEEK! THANK YOU!
WEDNESDAY COMMUNITY DINNER AND WORSHIP
All are invited to our weekly community meal at 6:00 and worship at 6:45. Come and relax over a meal with members and visitors of the St. Mark's community. Immediately afterwards, join the Pastors and our Director of Music for a lovely, contemplative worship service at 6:45 in the sanctuary. The service lasts 30 minutes and will include Holy Communion.
This weekly worship service is a wonderful time to receive with open hearts the gifts and presence of God. Come and rest. Come and be refreshed. Come and just be!
We are also looking for volunteers to help make community dinner possible! If you are available to pick heat/prepare food or help clean up after the dinner, please contact Winnie Heslin at heslin@stmarks-sf.org or call the church office at 415.928.7770.
NEW JOURNEYS IN FAITH GROUP STARTING IN THE NEW YEAR
All are invited to join this newest group of Journeys in Faith. Take advantage of this opportunity and set aside time this winter and Lent for faith reflection and renewal. Together, we journey to Easter, learning more about our faith and faith community. And, together we consider and prepare for joining St Mark's, being baptized, or affirming our baptism. You are welcome to join usthis Sunday at 10:00AM in the Fireside Room. If you are interested or have questions, contact Liv Beck (beckliv@gmail.com, (415) 205-3292) for more information.
PREPARING FOR LONG-TERM CARE
Did you know that developing a long-term care strategy can help you: Preserve your independence? Protect income and Assets? Reassure your family about the future? Please join us for a complimentary presentation to learn more. Saturday, March 11, 2017 10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. J P Murphy Club House, 1960 9th Avenue (at Pacheco), San Francisco. RSVP to Linda Jackson at Thrivent Financial at 415-437-7370 or email linda.jackson@thrivent.com. Lunch will be served.
WORSHIP LEADERS THIS SUNDAY
Director of Music...Dr. Timothy Zerlang
Assisting Ministers...Liv Beck (9); Steve Ernst, Linda Jackson (11)
Lectors...Suzanne Smith (9); Bertie Brouhard (11)
Chalice Bearers...Nadine Robinson (11)
Acolytes...Tayte Sall and Linda Jackson
Sacristan and Altar Guild...Richard Boyle, Ed Chitty
Ministry of Welcome...Viknesh Silvalingam, Rachel Letchumanan (11)
Coffee Hour Chairs...Gail Culp, Cal Culp, and Phil Krikau
Next Week’s Coffee Hour Chairs...John Elford, Marge Okuley, and Hiroko Nagata