May 15, 2015 
In This Issue
From the Junior Warden
From the Music Director
Traffic Alert 5/17
Service Notes & Music
Sunday Service Schedule
About the Gospel
Quick Links
The Gospel According to St. Mark's
From the Reverend R. Justice Schunior

Friends,

Tomorrow, ten of our youth will be confirmed at the National Cathedral. On Sunday, we will celebrate the hard work that all of the class members did to come to a decision - and not all chose to be confirmed. We also honor the work of their class leaders - Wendy Couchman, Clif Grandy, and Nancy Lucas. Kit Arrington did amazing work organizing logistics, especially in the absence of a Director of Youth and Family Ministries. 
I have mixed feelings about confirmation. In order to be confirmed, one must be baptized. And baptism is full initiation. When a priest holds an infant in her hands and proclaims that the child is marked as Christ's own forever, it cannot be undone. A small child cannot understand what is going on, but then again, neither do I. I still can't exactly say what is happening during communion or ordinations or marriages either. A professor of mine once said, "Beware of using the 'mystery' defense!" But he also said that there are times when the "mystery" defense is valid. Some things in our spiritual lives are a mystery. So, in some ways, confirmation isn't really that necessary. It doesn't make one more Christian or more a member of St. Mark's.

And yet, we call confirmation an adult decision about faith. In the first youth confirmation class I co-led, the priest brought up a scene from "Fiddler on the Roof" (a timely example for us!). It is the scene when Tevye asks his wife of many years if she loves him. They had an arranged marriage that had nothing to do with love. They slowly realize and shyly confess that they do, in fact, love each other. This thing, a marriage, happened to them, but now they decide that it is actually a joy and a blessing. While I've told all of the class members that this decision in no way means that they stop thinking about or even changing their minds about their faith life, it is an opportunity for each of them to claim for themselves this thing that happened to them as children.

Another highlight on this coming Sunday is that our preachers will be our graduating seniors, Hanna Andrews and Eva Dalzell. These are two remarkable young women who have grown up at St. Mark's. Whatever decisions they make in the future about their faith lives, St. Mark's will have had a profound effect on them. I am excited to hear from them - they make me hopeful for the future.

The Rev. Josh Thomas will be back with us as presider this Sunday. I know getting to church will be a little difficult - the Capitol Hill Classic is this weekend. However, it will be a wonderful chance to honor our young people (Banner procession and confirmation class acknowledgement will only be at 9am) and see what the future of our church looks like. 

Peace,
Justi  

P.S. Here are a couple of photos from last weekend!

From our workday last Saturday. We had over 20 people help out!


Our vigil at the Capitol for "All Mother's Children"

 

From Doris Burton, Junior Warden

  

AN EVANGELICAL CALL: IT'S SPREAD-A-BAG-OF-MULCH SUNDAY!  We have bags of mulch that need to go into the newly-planted bed along the building. Come after Sermon Seminar or the 11:15 on Sunday, May 24 (Memorial Day--no pub lunch).  Get one bag onto the garden and stay for ice tea, lemonade, and ice cream! Get your friends together to work one bag and earn the gratitude of your long-suffering Junior Warden. No rsvp's needed!

 

From the Director of Music

Dear St. Mark's,

 

Please join us for a Choral Evensong service on Sunday May 31st at 5pm in the nave.  This beautiful service will include hymns, readings, and special choral music sung by the Chancel Choir.  A "holy happy hour" reception will follow.

 

Peace,

JEFF

From the Office

TRAFFIC ALERT: Sunday, May 17, the annual Capitol Hill 10K begins at 8:30 am and starts at Peabody Primary School (425 C Street NE). Street closures begin at 8:00 am and streets around Stanton Park will be closed until noon. More info on their website: www.capitolhillclassic.com.

 

Prelude   
Aria, Flor Peeters (1903-1986)

 

 Opening Hymn

214 Hail the day that sees him rise, Tune: Llanfair

 

A Song of Praise 

S 236 Benedictus es, Domine, John Rutter (b. 1945)

  

(11:15) Psalm 1              


Offertory Anthem

Light of the World, Words by Edward Capel-Cure, Music by Edward Elgar - Chancel Choir                               

 

Presentation Hymn

193 That Easter day with joy was bright, v. 5, Tune: Puer nobis

 

Sanctus  S 125, From A Community Mass; Richard Proulx

 

Fraction Anthem  WLP 879, Dorothy Papadokas

 

Music During Communion

(9:00) Allelu, Sing Praises! Words & Music by Michael Jothen

    Boys & Girls Choir; Nadine Hathaway, director; with members of the Chancel Choir

WLP 763 As we gather at your table, Tune: Raquel

Hymn 603 When Christ was lifted from the earth, Tune: St. Botolph

(11:15) Reflections on "Endless Song" Arranged by Michael Ryan - Handbell Choir

 

Closing Hymn

460 Alleluia! sing to Jesus! Tune: Hyfrydol

 

Postlude

Toccata Breve, Neil Harmon

Schedule of Services 
Sunday, May 17, 2015
Seventh Sunday of Easter
Banner Sunday
 

9:00 am Banner Sunday Procession + Holy Eucharist + Laying on of Hands

The Reverend Josh Thomas, Presider

The Reverend R. Justice Schunior, Co-Presider

N.B., there will be no Children's Chapel this week. 

   

10:00 am Sermon Seminar

Ms. Hanna Andrews and Ms. Eva Dalzell, Preachers

 

11:15 am Holy Eucharist + Laying on of Hands

The Reverend Josh Thomas, Presider

The Reverend R. Justice Schunior, Co-Presider

Ms. Hanna Andrews, Preacher

 

5:00 pm Contemplative Eucharist 

The Reverend Josh Thomas, Presider

Ms. Eva Dalzell, Preacher 

About the Gospel
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