Adult Faith Opportunities:

9:45am -- in Parish Commons Classroom 1

There will be no regular 11:00am Adult Classes during the season of Lent. 

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 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 global unity.  

A labyrinth is an ancient symbol that relates to wholeness.  It combines the imagery 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 

 - you can... 

• greet those who come through the doors to St. Mark's
• volunteer at the Welcome Center and share information about our programs
• wear a name tag -- introduce yourself to someone new
• smile!

Youth  and Family News   --

SR ALYVE (9-12^th grade)

• Sunday School (March 20) 9:45am-will attend worship together.  March 27 to Chambers Bay Prayer Labyrinth. 
• SR ALYVE Youth Group -- meets Wed., March 23, 6-7:15pm in the Youth Rm.  Dinner available at 5:15 in the Narthex.
• Service Saturday-- March 26 10:30-12:30 at St. Mark's

 JR ALYVE (6-8^th grade)

• 6^th grade Sunday School (March 20)- 9:45am--will attend worship together.
• Confirmation (March 20)-9:45am-- will attend worship together.   

M&M's for Montana are available now in the Narthex.  Please pick up a tue of M&M's, eat, enjoy and then once you've collected a tube full of quarters, dollars, etc. please return.  Your donation goes to support the Middle School youth going to the Rocky Boy Reservation, July 22-29.  Thanks.

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 until April 14.   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. 

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.

Women of St. Mark's -- Spring High Tea

Time:   3:00-5:00pm

Date:  April 2, 2011 -- Tickets available in the narthex Sunday, March 20 and March 27. 

Cost:  $5.00 each.  (You may also reserve a table of 8).

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.

Narrows Cluster of the Women of the ELCA-- Potluck Luncheon

Date:      Saturday, March 26th

Time:       9:30am to 1:00pm

Where:   United Lutheran Church, 1231 S. 76th St.,                   Tacoma, WA 98408

  ,

Join with JAPAN... ELCA and LWR

May 1 -- 4:30-6:30pm - Potluck

Join us in prayer for the people in Japan and all those affected by the Pacific Earthquake and Tsunami at a Japanese themed potluck on May 1 from 4:30-6:30pm.  Donations will be accepted and sent to the ELCA's Pacific Earthquake and Tsunami fund, 100% of which will be used for disaster response in Japan. 

We will be assembling Health Care Kits for LWR...as the need is urgent to continue to supply these essential kits to those affected by disasters worldwide.  Starting on March 20 there will be a sign-up sheet for the potluck and our LWR box to collect Health Care Kit supplies.  All are welcome!  Thank you for your continued support of these events to help those in need, share in prayer and make a difference in our world. 

Each Kit contains:  Hand Towel and Washcloth (dark colors), bar soap (4-5 oz), in original wrapping; toothbrush in its original packaging; one sturdy wide-toothed comb; one metal nail clippers, band-aids.

Poetry in the Month of May 

May is Poetry Month at St. Mark's--Poetry is there every Sunday in our liturgy.  It is the basic language of our hymns.  We use poetry in our prayers.  The Bible so often uses poetry to tell God's story. It is one of our most important ways of communicating as Chistians, and in the month of May we will celebrate poetry at St. Mark's.  The artists-in-residence organizing the celebrations are interested in involving as many in the congregation as possible, and we invite everyone to stop by the poetry table in the Narthex to fill out an interest form that will help in planning for May.  More information is available from Tim Sherry at timsherry@comcast.net or 253-531-3480.

Save the Date!

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

Religious and spiritual beliefs are an important part of how many people deal with life's joys and hardships.  Faith can provide people with a sense of purpose and guidelines for living. 

When families face tough situations, including health problems, their religious beliefs and practices can help them fight feelings of helplessness, restore meaning and order to life situations, and promote regaining a sense of control.  For some families, spirituality can be a powerful and important source of strength.

Medical studies have confirmed that spirituality can have a profound effect on mental states.  In a study of men who were hospitalized, nearly half rated religion as helpful in coping with their illness.  A second study showed that the more religious patients were, the more quickly they recovered from some disorders.  A third study revealed that high levels of hope and optimism, key factors in fighting depression, were found among those who strictly practice their religion.

Many husbands and wives seem to be "married" . . . 

to their career, TV, sports or their children.  Re-examine your married lifestyle and your priorities and rediscover the newlyweds you once were by attending 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 has been extended 

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

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

Lutheran World Relief

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

Health Kits-- we need toothbrushes and soap  (See article above about helping assemble Health Kits for Japan -- May 1 potluck).

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.