Adult Forum Opportunities-Sun., March 13

9:45 & 11am--Mary Jo Larsen introduces us to the St. Mark's Prayer Labyrinth.  (see article about the Prayer Labyrinth below).

TODAY- 4:00-5:30pm

"Demystifying Immigration:  A Panel Discussion"

Tacoma Community House invites the faith community to St. Mark's Lutheran Church for a panel discussion exploring the state of immigration today, the barriers facing immigrants in our own community, and what can be done in response.  All are welcome.

Announcing the St. Mark's Prayer Labyrinth

You are invited to stop by the Parish Commons for a quiet time of reflection and to walk the labyrinth.  A host will provide you with helpful materials for your prayer journey.  The labyrinth and the practice of praying the labyrinth will be introduced at the Adult Forums on Sunday, March 13.  It will be open March 18, 19, 25 and 26 -- Fridays 6-9pm and Saturday mornings 9-noon.

A prayer labyrinth is a labyrinth used to facilitate prayer, meditation, spiritual transformation, and/or global unity.  The most famous prayer labyrinths today include an ancient one in the cathedral of Chartres, Fance, another in the cathedral of Duomo di Siena, Tuscany; and two maintained by Grace Cathedral, an Episcopal church in San Francisco.

A labyrinth is an ancient symbol that relates to wholeness.  It combines the imagry of the circle and the spiral into a meandering but purposeful path.  A labyrinth is an archetype with which we can have a direct experience.  We can walk it.  It is a metaphor for life's journey. It is a symbol that creates a sacred space and place.  Labyrinths have long been used as meditation and prayer tools.  

Practicing Hospitality at St. Mark's

The first few minutes after the conclusion of worship are very important; use this valuable time to seek out and engage in conversation people you haven't talked to before. 

Resist the urge to find your good friend, to do some "business" for the church, to be first in the coffee/donut line; instead, follow your commitment to live out our mission statement here at St. Mark's and show that we are a place for God's grace!  People receive that Grace when you share your love and friendship.  

Youth  and Family News   --

SR ALYVE (9-12^th grade)

• Sunday School (March 13) 9:45am-will attend the Adult Forum in the Parish Commons (re: Prayer Labyrinth) 
• Holden Youth Weekend-May 21-23 (Sat.--Monday).  Cost: $160 per person (includes boat ride, lodging and meals). Scholarships are available.  Please let Ingelaurie know ASAP if you want to attend. 
• SR ALYVE Youth Group -- meets Wed., March 23, 6-7:15pm in the Youth Rm.  Dinner available at 5:15 in the Narthex.

 JR ALYVE (6-8^th grade)

• 6^th grade Sunday School (March 13)- 9:45am-- The Ten Commandments (continued)
• Confirmation (March 13)-9:45am-- Temptation of Jesus
• Youth Group-Weds., Mar. 16  6-7:15pm in the Youth Wing.  
• Montana Mission Trip-July 22-29.   Next meeting-March 13, 12:15pm in the Youth Room.  

Thanks to everyone who helped out and attended our Shrove Tuesday Pancake Feast.

Parent Volunteers are needed to assist in the Nursery beginning April 3.  Two (2) shifts are available each Sunday:  8:30-9:30am and 9:45-10:45am.  Please sign up in the nursery for the times you are able to help.

Children's Faith Formation

   

Stewardship of the Body

Faithful stewards recognize that all the good things we enjoy in life are gifts from God.  Stewardship reminds us that we are called to receive, nurture and share our material possessions, abilities and talents, friends, family, faith and even our physical bodies.  This Lent, as we enter into a time of spiritual renewal, you are invited to explore a Christian spirituality of the body and renew your commitment to nurture your physical health on Thursday evenings, 5:30-6:30pm, beginning March 10 until April 14.  A sign-up sheet is located near the church office door, so that we can prepare the right number of handouts.  Questions?  Call Carol Guenther, 752-4966, ext. 110.

Lenten Prayer Wall

The prayer quilt is hanging in the Parish Commons again this Lenten season.  If you wish to add a prayer to the quilt, please see instructions on the table nearby.  This quilt serves as a reminder during the season of Lent, to pray constantly and for one another and for the needs of the world around us. 

Poetry in the Month of May 

May is Poetry Month at St. Mark's, and the artists-in-residence for that month are hoping to involve as many members of the congregation as possible.  To accomplish that, the artists-in-residence for May are inviting everyone to stop by the Poetry Table in the Narthex and fill out an interest form if they write poetry, if they have favorite poems they would like to share in May, if they love to hear poetry read, or if they know of congregation members who would be interested.  There will be a focus on poetry as another part of our spiritual life and there will be something for everyone in May.  Throughout March and April, we hope to gather the names of those who would be interested in adult forums, workshops, evening readings, "poem of the day" emails, displays, Sunday service activities, or even a publication where poetry is featured as part of our faith journey.  More information is available from Tim Sherry at timsherry@comcast.net or 253-531-3480.

Cook's Club - Episode 2

Sunday, March 20 at 3:30pm will be our second gathering of the Cook's Club. If you missed the first one, you missed a great time of fellowship and food. This time should be even better, so put this time on your calendar. Please let John Wascher (jwascher@mac.com or call 503-6765) know if you plan to come so he can buy the food accordingly. This time we will be making an entire Italian meal, Antipasti, four different kinds of pasta, marinara sauce with meat balls, chicken and pork scaloppine, salad and a surprise dessert. It should be a fun evening and you'll get some new recipes, some learning in Italian foods, and share the fellowship of other St. Mark's foodies.

John will let you know the price per person before the event.

Attention Thrivent Benefit Members 

Good News for Grace Upon Grace

The Neeb Family Foundation has offered St. Mark's a generous Challenge Grant for 2011. They have agreed to match up to $25,000.00 in new funds given, promised or pledged to Grace Upon Grace after February 1, 2011 and before December 31, 2011 and we are most grateful for their support. If you have not made a pledge yet to help us meet and exceed our monthly mortgage payments, here's your chance to double your impact! If you have made a pledge, any additional donations can go to meet this goal. Thank you to those who have already responded to this challenge. . . we still have $20,000+ to go!  Please contact Carol Guenther or Pat Buck for more details in the church office.

Women of St. Mark's

Spring High Tea - 3:00-5:00pm,  April 2, 2011

Wear your finest hat and gloves!  Vintage items on display.  Do you have a vintage wedding dress?  How about an interesting tea pot, tea caddy, tea strainer, tea cozy?  We invite you to bring a tea cup and saucer of your china pattern for display.

Sign up to help with cooking on Friday evening or Saturday morning. Or help with set-up, table decorations, or clean-up.  Or volunteer to make a dessert.  Questions?  Contact Bonnie Wascher, Carol Paulson, Helen Conroy or Linda Cerbone

Secret Prayer Pals will be revealed.  Bring a friend, neighbor, daughter, mother, etc. Nursery care will be available.

More information later.

Save the Date!

From the Parish Nurses -- "Spirituality and Physical Health"

Doctors and scientists once avoided the study of spirituality in connection to medicine, but findings within the past 10 years have made some take a second look.  Studies show that religion and faith can help to promote good health and fight disease by: 

• offering additional social supports, such as religious outreach groups
• improving coping skills through prayer and a philosophy that all things have a purpose.

Although research on kids hasn't been done, many studies focusing on adults point to the positive effects of spirituality on medical outcome.

• In a seven year study of senior citizens, religious involvement was associated with less disability and less depression.  Death rates were lower than expected before an important religious holiday which suggested to researchers that faith might have postponed death in these cases.
• Elderly people who regularly attended religious services had healthier immune systems than those who didn't.  They were also more likely to hvae consistently lower blood pressure.
• Patients undergoing open heart surgery who received strength and comfort from their religion were three times more likely to survive than those who had no religious ties.

"And Two Shall Become One..." 

Discover God's desire for your marriage on a Lutheran Marriage Encounter weekend.  Marriage Encounter is 44 hours where husbands and wives can get away from jobs, kids, chores, phones and computers--and focus on each other.  If you'd like greater depth, growth, and enrichment in your relationship, you'll like the different a Marriage Encounter weekend can make.  The next Lutheran Marriage Encounter weekend is April 1-3, 2011

in Seattle.  The registration deadline is March 20

for this weekend, so a quick response is encouraged.  Visit

www.GodLovesMarriage.org for more information and register today.  

Lutheran World Relief

Malaria Nets--People are dying from Malaria largely in Africa at the rate of 120 deaths per hour.  St. Mark's members responded generously to the recent appeal for mosquito nets to help curb that death rate.  A total of 215 nets will be purchased with the $2,150 collected for this work of Lutheran World Relief.  Thank you for your wonderful response.  These nets will especially help children and pregnant women.  Nets will also help stop the vicious cycle when people become too ill to work, thus too poor to access medical treatment.  Nets to save lives! 

Layettes -- we need baby caps and flannel (for diapers)

Health Kits-- we need toothbrushes and soap

Quilts--we need people who can sew tops at home

Our next shipping date is May 6 -- contact Vangie Billingsley (or the church office) for other ways you can help our LWR efforts.