Join us - LWR OKTOBERFEST Potluck!

Sunday, October 16 (4:30-6:00pm) 

A fun Fall evening of assembling Personal Care Kits and Baby Layettes for Lutheran World Relief, and enjoying the tastes of our own Oktoberfest! This will be the last assembly before the Fall shipment on October 21. Sign-up in the Narthex to bring Sausage, Sauerkraut/Cabbage or Potato dishes and drop off any donations in the LWR box! ITEMS NEEDED TO PACK 150 PERSONAL CARE KITS!!!

 94   BATH TOWELS (52"x27" or smaller), dk colors

300     SOAP BARS (4 to 5 oz.)

90      TOOTHBRUSHES

148     COMBS-wide tooth

122     NAIL CLIPPERS-Metal

Questions? Contact Vangie Billingsley, Elaine Rodning or Catherine Terrill.  Thank you for your on-going support of those in need of basic items!

Looking Ahead

Global Mission Event -- Saturday, November 12 at St. Mark's (more details later)

Children's Faith Formation

Children's Lesson for Sunday, October 16--This week's Bible story is "Paying Taxes" from Matthew 22:15-22.  The religious leaders tried to trick Jesus, but Jesus wouldn't fall for it. Instead, Jesus taught them to do the math: God made you + Jesus says "Give to God the things that are God's" = Give yourself to God.

 Spark Family Page

Children's Sunday school takes place in the Children's Faith Center from 9:45-10:45am, with gathering for making connections with children's teachers and leaders and conversations with one another starting at 9:30am in C4 (K-5th) and C6 (3's and 4's).  Please see Char Leone if you would like to register your child for Sunday school.

Adult Faith Formation

Tuesdays

• 5:15pm Fully Alive Women's Bible Study (Fireside Room).

Wednesdays: 

• 9:30am -- Women's Bible Study (PCC1)
• Noon Lunch and Bible Study (PCC1)
• 6:00pm (Fireside Room) Come for a time of visiting, sharing stories and reflecting on scripture with Pastor Shjerven. This month's topic is, "Spirited Sisters: Stories of New Testament Women."  Stop by the narthex to get some dinner or dessert and bring it to the Fireside Room for warm conversation and connection! 

Sundays:

• 9:45am--Adult Forum Schedule for October -- "Christian Environmental Ethics and the State of Commencement Bay" (Parish Commons Classrooms)
• October 16 -- Leslie Ann Rose, Senior Policy Analyst at Citizens for Healthy Bay (CHB), will give an overview of the State of Commencement Bay with the focus on a particularly difficult site at the mouth of the Hylebos Waterway.
• October 23 -- Leslie Ann Rose will continue her analysis of the state of the Bay with a focus on the Ruston Site.  The controversial project to covert this highly polluted site to a small town of high-end condos will be the focus.
• 11:00am Adult Class (PCC1)
• Making Sense of the Christian Faith:  Using materials by Dr. David Lose, we will examine the major classical teachings of Christianity, focusing on one topic each week. 

Ecumenical Book Discussion Group

Join neighbors from St. Andrew's Episcopal Church and St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church as we meet to discuss Rev. David Beckmann's book, "Exodus from Hunger" and enjoy refreshments and community with one another.  We will meet on four Monday nights from 7:00-8:30pm:  October 17 (hosted at St. Mark's), October 24, November 7 and November 14.  Beckmann's book is available for purchase at www.amazon.com and costs approximately $12.00.  You do not neet to pre-read any of the book for the first session.  Questions?  Contact Pastor Shjerven:  rebecca@smlutheran.org

"Life Together" is the theme of a book study at Mortvedt Center, Tacoma Lutheran Retirement Comunity, on Tuesdays, at 11:00am through November.  The book "Life Together" was writen by Dietrich Bonhoeffer in 1938, while this strong witness of the faith was developing an underground seminary in Pomerania.  Through his hard experience under Nazism, Bonhoeffer realized the vital importance and priceless privilege of Christians relating to one another. Leading the study is Dick Rodning, whom you may call for more details at 761-9198.

Youth  and Family News   --

SR ALYVE (9-12th grade):

• SR ALYVE Youth Group Thursdays, 6:15-8:00pm in the Youth Room. The faith life and story of Martin Luther with Ingelaurie and Bruce.
• Sunday School  9:45-10:45am in the Fireside Room with Ingelaurie.  "Why are there so many versions of the Bible?"    
• Corn Maze-- Sunday, October 16  Meet at the church at 4:00pm if you signed up to go.  Cost $10.00 per person. 

JR ALYVE (6-8th grade):

• 6th grade Sunday School  9:45am in the Purple room (Youth Wing)  "Giving your Gifts Away"
• 7/8th grade Confirmation,  9:45-10:45am in the Youth Wing-- girls and guys will meet together.  Theme:  Food  in your Way to Live book.  We will have a guest presented from 9:45-10:15am to talk to us about the Tacoma Food Co-op. 
• Corn Maze-- Sunday, October 16 Meet at the church at 4:00pm if you signed up to go. Cost $10.00 per person.  

JR/SR ALYVE (6-12th grade) -- LOL Thursday night Music and Arts   5:30-8:00pm.

Entertainment Books are on sale!  $25.00 each.  Discounts to Pomodoro, Steamers, The Hob Nob and much more. 

Women of St. Mark's

HOLIDAY BAZAAR (Saturday,November 5--9:00am) -- 

If you are making items for the bazaar, you may now bring them to the Church Office.  If you have knitted items to be felted, bring them to the office and we will arrange a felting time.  Along with handmade items, don't forget used books, used jewelry and collectibles.    We also need bakery items.  This may include cookies, breads, cakes, pies, and/or candy.  We will provide plastic containers to package your bakery items at our table in the narthex. 

• Carol Paulson is again our lefse chef, and she will need the following help:
  • Wednesday evening, November 2 -- bring 10 lbs. cooked russet potatoes
  • Thursday morning, November 3 -- we need mixers, rollers, bakers, and packaging people
• John Wascher and the Cook's Club will also need help in the kitchen.  Sign up to help on Bazaar day.
• Set-up will be Friday, November 4 at 9:00am

There are Volunteer Forms at our table in the narthex.  There are so many ways to help.   Last year over 50 people helped in some way.  We sold over $8,000 of donated items.  50% of the profits go to outreach and 50% of profits stay in-house.  Shop early for best selection.  Questions?  Contact Bonnie Wascher (bwascher@mac.com or 253-503-6765) or Carol Paulson, Helen Conroy, or Mimi Graves.

Look for remaining items on Sunday, November 6 between services.

Secret Pals -- Have you contacted your Secret Pal lately?  A note now and then is appreciated!

December 3 -- Advent Brunch --9:30am  "Christmas in Norway"

The Quilters meet each Monday at 9:00am to cut, sew, and create quilts for Lutheran World Relief. If you are interested in joining the quilting group, please contact Vangie Billingsley at 253-756-7766. If you cannot attend the weekly quilting times, there are many other tasks you can do at home, just ask!

The Spirit and Skills of Negotiation:

Collaborative Planning Cooperative Problem Solving

St. Mark's is proud to offer an extensive course entitled "The Spirit and Skills of Negotiation" taught by Bill Lincoln, recipient of the 2006 Greater Tacoma Peace Prize. He is the former Executive Director of the Conflict Resolution, Research and Resource Institute [CRI].  Bill is generously offering the course at no charge. Learn more about him by visiting his web site http://www.thelincolninstitute.cc. 

The seminar continues on - October 15 and 22, 8 a.m. - noon. Mid-morning coffee and refreshments will be provided by the Greater Tacoma Peace Prize Committee.  There is no fee for this course, but please register by contacting Rob Sievertsen 253-709-3916 / robs@precise-components.com.  For further information, contact Rob or Pastor Rebecca Shjerven rebecca.shjerven@smlutheran.org / 253-752-4966. A detailed syllabus is available from Rob Sievertsen or Janet Ruud ruudj1norw@aol.com / 253-988-6825.

From the Parish Nurses--

The Three Stages of Alzheimer's Disease

 Stage 2: Moderate Alzheimer's

Attention All Seniors, Caregivers, and Children of Older Parents! Join us on Sunday, November 13, 3:00-5:00pm at St. Mark's for a panel discussion. 

Getting old isn't as simple as it used to be:

• How can you best protect your assets so you can actually give you children an inheritance? 
• How much does long-term care really cost? 
• Is your spouse able to make important decisions? 
• What new laws affect the elderly? 
• And then there are the complexities of Medicare and Medicaid. 
• Are you really as prepared as you should be?  The Parish Nurses are sponsoring a panel discussion that will provide some of these answers for you.   We hope to have some local professionals available in an informal setting to help you make some of the necessary decisions you will soon be facing. 

Parish Nurse hours: Wednesday evenings (5:00-7:15pm), Thursday -- 9am-12noon or by appointment (call the church office @253-752-4966).  

Church Pictorial Directory 

To all who have participated in our church directory project, thank you!  IF you elected to have your complimentary 8x10 photo sent back to St. Mark's for pick up, some of the portraits are now in the church office.  Please stop by to pick up your portrait. 

If you have questions about this report, please contact John Wascher, treasurer, at jwascher@mac.com.

 Submissions to the weekly Bridge are due in the church office by Tuesday of each week!