The Gospel According to St. Mark's

Please note that we have one morning service at 10:00 am this Sunday! We're celebrating Banner Sunday, the culmination of Sunday School, plus the 20th anniversary of Catechesis. This is also the day in which we formally install the Reverend Michele Morgan as Priest-in-Charge at St. Mark's! We'll follow the service with a baseball-themed luncheon to which all are invited.

Also be aware that the D.C. Bike Ride is taking place this Sunday morning. Those traveling from points west - and especially from Virginia - will need to seek an alternate route and allow a few extra minutes to get to the church. Click HERE to find out which roads are closed and when.

From the Reverend Justi Schunior, Associate Rector

Friends,

I want to let you know about a very important event. On Wednesday, May 24, Abigail Disney, grandniece of Walt Disney and director of the documentary Armor of Light, Rep. Elizabeth Esty, and film subjects Rev. Rob Schenck and Lucy McBath are hosting a special event about Christianity and guns. They would love to invite the St. Mark's Episcopal Church community to join them for the film, conversation, and catered reception. We screened this documentary last December with the Newtown Action Alliance, but Ms. McBath was not able to join us. She is a compelling speaker.

Tickets are free! Here's a short overview:

The Armor of Light

film and discussion

May 24, 2016

Capitol Visitor Center

Congressional Atrium and Auditorium

5 PM Reception

6 PM Film

7:30 PM Discussion with Rep. Elizabeth Esty (D, CT-5), director Abigail Disney, film subjects Rev. Rob Schenck and Lucy McBath

All guests must RSVP at bit.ly/AOLCVC to be guaranteed a seat.

The Armor of Light follows the journey of Rev. Rob Schenck, a leading evangelical minister and fixture on the political right, as he tries to find the courage to preach about the growing toll of gun violence in America. Along the way, Rev. Schenck meets Lucy McBath, the mother of Jordan Davis, an unarmed teenager who was murdered in Florida for playing his music too loud. Also an Evangelical Christian, McBath's personal testimony compels Rev. Schenck to reach out to pastors around the country to discuss the moral and ethical response to gun violence. It's the heart of Abigail, Rev. Schenck, and Lucy to start meaningful, biblical conversations with faith leaders and pastors throughout our nation and to seek God's will on this topic.

Please feel free to share widely to anyone you think might be interested, but Capitol rules prohibit us from posting publicly online.

Peace,

Justi

From Peter Sherer, Senior Warden

Dear Ones,

Latest News on the All Parish Retreat at Claggett

All Parish Retreat June 11-12 payments are due now: Please bring a check to church this Sunday or mail in - made payable to "St. Mark's" with "CLAGGETT Retreat" in the Memo line! Kit Arrington and Josie Jordan will be collecting checks after the 10 am service on Sunday so look for them.

Due to an overwhelmingly positive response, registration for the Annual Parish Retreat is almost sold-out. Very few rooms are still left! Your last chance to register is to sign-up online: Click HERE, or register at church on Sunday.

If you want to ride the bus to Claggett please let Kit know right away. We need an accurate count very soon so we know what size bus to order. Kit can be reached at mailto:kit@tulsablue.com

Many Thanks to Jessie Babcock and Valeri Byrd

Jessie and Valeri have been leading the Liturgy Planning Team as Worship Co-Chairs and are about to step down after years of faithful service. One of the 12 Challenges we faced a year ago was to continue to provide creative liturgy and they have met that goal and then some. No matter what part of the worship service is your favorite, you have to say that liturgy has been creative, thoughtful and spiritually rewarding. If this is an area of parish life you would like to contribute to then contact Linda Chandlee or Mary De Nys who will be taking the lead.

A Special Lunch this Sunday

After the 10 am service on Sunday where we will install Michele Morgan as our Priest-in-Charge, we will have a baseball themed lunch created by Stephanie Deutsch and her band of helpers. The baseball theme acknowledges Michele's faithful enthusiasm for the Minnesota Twins. Please plan to stay and bring the kids because we are going to have big fun.

Hugs,

Peter

From Doris Burton, Junior Warden

Around the house....

It's been a quiet week for the Junior Warden.

Monarc was on-site Tuesday to see about some construction-related issues and a list of repairs. They will be replacing the mysterious light fixture in the Adams Room, getting our gutters cleared of spring tree-fall, installing the pressure reducing valve on the dishwasher making it usable again, adjusting the cabinet doors above the sales desk to clear instead of scratching the desk, getting a bid on re-insulating the air handler we had repaired last summer, sealing cracks that developed as the building settles, and giving us an estimate for having the nave high beams cleaned and checking the cross hanging system for safety. Soon it will be time for our first annual review: Brian Newhouse, our rep, will scour the entire building, top to bottom, and report any issues we've overlooked, suggest repairs, and prepare estimates.

Charlie Rupp, the day after returning from Paris, found several of our electronic locks not working properly and is arranging for the locksmith to adjust.

It's wonderful when someone reports a problem and is willing to solve it:

Part I: After collecting a handful of splinters, Tom Getman offered and this week finished sanding and sealing the oak railing along the high altar. You may never have seen it but it is part of our historic building and like windows and floor should be cared for. Who knows? You may get that opportunity when we celebrate our sesquicentennial. And...
Part 2: Andy Wenchel and Bill Dickinson spent Thursday adjusting the flagstone and brick in the courtyard. Re-installed after construction, they were uneven and Andy was very concerned someone might trip.

Thank you, Gentlemen! Your work is greatly appreciated by all.

Tuesday, I will meet with PMM to review their first month with us. Should you have any questions or concerns, please let me know. This has not been easy: there were small things Green's men did that we took for granted so covering it all has been challenge.

Garden: Our garden and new plants have had plenty of water and already the weeds pulled two weeks ago are returning with a vengeance. In their 'honor', you are invited to join the newly-created Fiacres: those who have agreed to care for one piece of the garden for the season. Named after St. Fiacre, an Irish hermit known for his medicinal plantings and who became the patron of gardens (not Parisian taxicabs), anyone who gave one day of service for the second year is a 'postulant' member; any one (or several) who takes on a segment, immediately moves up to 'novice', etc. Please let me know if you'd be willing to occasionally (your time and availability) weed a section of the garden (groups welcome!). Garden waste bags provided free of charge. I'll have the chart on Sunday and welcome your participation! (p.s. the garden fund has a balance of $58.61)

For the taking...We have some items no longer needed. If you're interested, please contact me about checking them out and/or collecting them from storage. Of course, I'm always happy to accept a small contribution toward the improvement of the building or gardens.

A floor-standing air purifier
A fire-escape ladder (hooks onto a window sill)
Office letter trays (black plastic)

Rerun: Last fall, I passed along a website that proved its usefulness during the recent primary season. I was asked to repeat it: www.nomorobo.com allows you to register your land line to block robo calls: the phone will ring once and stop. The call is re-routed to a blocking system (cell phones are not yet able into this system). We normally get at least 3-4 per day but during the primaries, the number climbed to 8-10 so this was spectacularly helpful.

Summer Service Schedule...aka there is no summer service schedule!

For the past several years, in July and August, we have moved from two morning services to one service at 10:00 am. Lots of us go away on vacation for part of this time; the choir takes the summer offl; and sometimes, for large stretches at a time, there is only one clergy person. This is why we made the change in the past.

However, as we focus more and more on how we can grow our church and be welcoming to new people, we have decided to keep all three services throughout July and August. While there's no hard data that proves that when churches cut services, membership declines, there is strong anecdotal evidence for it. The diocese tells us that when they've tracked ANY kind of service changes in the few parishes they have tracked, they all resulted in near term attendance loss.

When services change, the challenge isn't for the committed few, it's for the rest of us mortals. Most families need months to get into a new routine, and summer brings enough change without also changing church time. And for the newcomer, it can be a disaster -- they either don't come because of the new time (not realizing it will soon be the old time), or they come and start to build an expectation about it and then are asked to change that expectation before they've become committed. These are reactions we want to avoid.

So, this summer, keep coming to church! We will have offerings for children and families all summer long (Summer Sunday School; Children's Chapel; Family Services). If one of the things you liked about combined services was the chance to meet new people and worship in a different way, consider visiting a new service for a few weeks. There may be a few less people in the pews, the choir may not be leading us in music every week, but St. Mark's is open for business all summer long!*

* of course there are some exceptions. On special days of celebration or when we expect many folks to be away we will have one morning service at 10:00 am; the 5:00 pm service will continue as normal.

10:00 am Morning Services:

May 22 - Banner Sunday & Michele's Installation as Priest-in- Charge

June 12 - All Parish Retreat

July 3 - Fourth of July Weekend

July 24 - Crab Feast

September 11 - Kickoff Sunday and All Parish Picnic

October 2 - Earth Mass & Blessing of the Pets

From Jeff Kempskie, Director of Music

Dear St. Mark's,

On Sunday June 5th at 5pm the Chancel Choir will sing for the last time this season during a Choral Evensong Service. This beautiful, meditative service, an example of the rich Anglican choral tradition we inherit as an Episcopal church, will include Preces & Responses by local composer Gary Davison, canticles by Walmisley, a delightful a cappella anthem by Alice Parker & Robert Shaw, organ works by Herbert Howells and William Mathias, plus hymns and service music. A reception will follow in Baxter Hall.

Please mark your calendar on Wednesday June 8th for Hymns & Hoopla! Formerly known as Beer & Hymns, this fun evening will provide an opportunity to sing some of your favorite hymns while sampling a variety of beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks) in addition to tasty snacks and treats. Social time begins at 6:30 and the singing starts at 7:00. Feel free to drop in anytime - we'll wrap up by 9:30. Also, this is a fantastic opportunity to invite a friend to St. Mark's! Please e-mail me if you'd be willing to help by bringing a more substantial food item or an attractive non-alcoholic beverage, which we can reimburse you for.

Just a little further down the road, St. Mark's will host a series of early music concerts entitled "Baroque Bonanza II" beginning June 17th. You can view the complete list of performances here.

Peace,

JEFF

Service Notes and Music

Prelude
Dolcezza, Percy Whitlock (1903-1946)

Choral Introit
Now Glad Of Heart Be Every One! Peter R. Hallock - Chancel Choir

Opening Hymn

370 I bind unto myself today, Tune: St. Patrick's Breastplate

Gloria in excelsis

WLP 900 John Rutter

Offertory Anthem

If I Have My Ticket, Words & Music: American Spiritual, arr. Donald Moore

- Boys & Girls Choir; Libbi Rivera, director, Conrad Chaffee, piano

Presentation Hymn

380 Praise God, from whom all blessings flow, v. 3 alt. Tune: Old 100th

Sanctus, Memorial Acclamation, Amen, Fraction Anthem, Peter Crisafulli

Music During Communion

Something's Got a Hold On Me

When I'm Gone, Words & Music by Phil Ochs

- Teen Choir; Nadine Hathaway, director, Teddy Ammon, guitar

O Trinity, Most Blessed Light, Words by St. Ambrose, Music by C. Kenneth Turner

- Chancel Choir

Creating God, Your Fingers Trace, Words by Jeffery Rowthorn, Music by William Walker, arr. Ralph Johnson

- Teen Choir; Nadine Hathaway, director

Closing Hymn

362 Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! Tune: Nicaea

Postlude

Sortie, Percy Whitlock

Schedule of Services

Sunday, May 22, 2016

Trinity Sunday

10:00 am Holy Eucharist; Banner Sunday; Installation of our Priest-in-Charge

The Reverend Michele H. Morgan, Preacher & Presider

5:00 pm Contemplative Eucharist

The Reverend Michele H. Morgan, Preacher & Presider

About the Gospel

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