Worship & Congregational Activities

NITTANY VALLEY FELLOWSHIP CONCLUDES SUNDAY EVENING SERVICES IN LENT AT ST. MARK: Congregations of the Nittany Valley Fellowship conclude their Sunday evening worship services during Lent on April 6 with a worship service at St. Mark. The service begins at 7pm. The offering taken at the service will go to Samaritan's Purse and their efforts to help those whose lives are still impacted by Hurricane Helene.

The worship service will include Holy Communion. The service also will include words and reflections written by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German Lutheran pastor who was a leading spokesman for the Confessing Church, a resistance movement against the Nazis. Bonhoeffer was killed in a concentration camp on April 9, 1945.

STUDY ON BONHOEFFER DURING LENT: Pastor Kevin Shock along with Pastor Nathan Pile, director of Camp Sequanota, are leading a study on Dietrich Bonhoeffer during Lent. The gatherings are held 7pm Tuesdays on Zoom (not the St. Mark Zoom) and conclude April 15. The study is based on a curriculum titled, “House Divided and a World of Fire” by Lori Brandt Hale.

You can find the Zoon link at sequanota.com. On the site you also can find the reading schedule and participant guide, which is recommended to download in preparing for each gathering.

HOLY LAMENT: A MIDWEEK WORSHIP SERIES IN LENT: St. Mark holds its midweek online worship for Lent on Wednesdays, concluding on April 9. The services start at 6:30pm and are on Zoom and Facebook Live.

The service on April 2 centers on “Individual Lament,” while the April 9 service reflects on “Communal Lament.”

HOLY WEEK AT ST. MARK: Holy Week begins on April 13 with Palm/Passion Sunday. During worship that Sunday we will hear both Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem as well as a reading of his passion. The service launches the church into Holy Week.

On April 17, the church marks Maundy Thursday when Jesus gathered with his disciples and was arrested that evening. Worship at St. Mark is at 7pm. The service includes Holy Communion and a stripping of the altar.

April 18 is Good Friday, the day the church remembers Jesus’s death on the cross. Worship at St. Mark is at 7pm.

On April 19, a short worship service will be posted on Facebook and St. Mark’s YouTube channel. Pastor David will lead a service or prayer, scripture reading, and reflection as we share the day in between — in between Jesus’s death on Good Friday and his resurrection on Easter Sunday. The video will be posted at 9am.

YOUTH EASTER PARTY: St. Mark is having an Easter party for kids and families from 5 to 6:30pm Friday, April 18 (Good Friday). The party will include pizza and activities. If you plan to attend, please contact Pastor David, so we can have a headcount for food. Families are invited to stay for the Good Friday worship service at 7pm.

EASTER SUNDAY!: He is risen! Celebrate Easter Sunday at St. Mark. We will have Easter breakfast from 9 to 10am in the Fellowship Room. Easter Sunday worship begins at 10:30am. Come and celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

NEXT MONTHLY COFFEE HOUR IS APRIL 13: St. Mark’s next monthly Coffee Hour is following worship on April 13, which is Palm/Passion Sunday. It is a time to enjoy some hot beverages and treats, and enjoy some fellowship time together.

MENTAL HEALTH AND THE BIBLE: Pastor David is leading an online Bible study that looks at mental health through the lens of scripture and faith. The study ties into May’s being Mental Health Awareness Month. The study begins 6pm April 30 on Zoom and will be held each Wednesday through May 28.

SPRING CLEANUP AND LANDSCAPING: St. Mark will have its annual Snydertown Road Cleanup and church property cleanup day on Saturday, April 26, starting at 9am. We will start by walking along Snydertown Road and picking up litter. Some helpers also can provide help cleaning up inside the church. After that, we will spread mulch and conduct general grounds cleanup of the church property. The road cleanup consists of light walking while carrying a trash bag and lasts approximately one hour. We estimate that with enough help, the work around the church property also can be done within one to two hours, and we will have lunch following. We appreciate any help you can provide this day. All supplies and tools are provided. More information will be coming. If you are interested in helping, contact Pastor David, so we can have an estimate for how much food is needed for lunch. In the event of rain, the cleanup day will be on May 3.

PARSONAGE COMMITTEE: The committee that is discussing the future of the parsonage and the possibility of selling it met on March 23 and has developed a plan for fact finding and a plan to present all relevant information, including profit-and-loss analysis, risk factors, SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis to the congregation in the form of a discussion and information packet by April 27, in anticipation for a planned congregational vote, currently scheduled for June 1.

If you have any questions or comments, please let any member of the committee or Pastor David know, so that all voices and conversation points are heard, understood and organized.

SUMMER CAMPS: If you or someone in your home is interested in attending Camp Sequanota or Camp Mount Luther this summer (or another Christian camp), St. Mark has money in its budget to help with the cost. Contact Pastor David if you are interested in having someone attend a camp this summer.

ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION HELP: St. Mark is celebrating its 200th anniversary as a Lutheran congregation in 2025! A celebratory weekend will be held July 26-27 (please pencil that into your calendars). We can use your help!

First, we are asking anyone who has been a part of St. Mark to make a short video to talk about how they came to be a part of the church, what the church has meant for them, etc. Anything you’d like to talk about regarding St. Mark. We are going to put the videos together in one video that will be showing at the July 26 event.

We also are looking for people to help with various parts of the celebration. If you are interested in helping, contact Pastor David.

Also, if you have any photos or memorabilia pertaining to St. Mark, contact Pastor David. The Worship and Music Committee is putting together photo collections to be displayed during the weekend.

COME A LITTLE EARLY ON SUNDAYS TO EXPLORE YOUR FAITH WITH FAITH EXPLORERS: Our Faith Explorer (Sunday School) class offerings for all ages continue meeting. The classes meet at 9:30am in the second floor classrooms. The younger group watches fun videos and does activities, all centered around a faith lesson. The older group engages in a book study and discussion. If you are interested in helping with either of the classes, contact Pastor David.

YARD SALES DAYS ARE IN APRIL: The annual Snydertown Yard Sale will be held April 10-12. St. Mark will once again be hosting an indoor yard sale in the Fellowship Room during that time. There will be food, baked goods, and beverages available. All proceeds earned from the yard sale donations and food sales will support the Social Action Committee and the Food Pantry.

Help is needed for the Yard Sale. If you enjoy baking, we will appreciate donations of baked goods. Items also are needed for the yard sale. Items do not have to be priced and can include household items, home decor, garden goods, plants, pet items, small household appliances. and much more! (Please, no televisions, computer items, or clothing and books at this time. You can save those items for the annual Free Book Fair and Costless Closet event on September 20.) Any items for donations may be brought to the Fellowship Room April 8 and 9, between 9am and 8pm. Please place your items on the tables provided so that they are ready for the yard sale.

We also can use help as greeters at the yard sale, and kitchen helpers, where hot food will be served from 8am to 2pm each day. There are signup sheets in the narthex. We greatly appreciate any support and help you can give for this effort!

YOUTUBE CHANNEL: Yes, St. Mark has its own YouTube channel @stmarksnydertown. Currently, the site has several worship services. We are looking to include content that would be meaningful to you and your faith formation/journey. If you have ideas, please contact Pastor David.

CALLING ALL THRIVENT MEMBERS: If you currently hold Thrivent contracts, you are entitled to direct some of their charitable funds to organizations of your choice at no additional cost to you. You need to direct these funds each year so please consider choosing St. Mark as your recipient. If you have any questions or would like more information, contact Pastor David, and we can talk you through the online procedure. It is easy and costs you nothing additional.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: Volunteers to help with copying the monthly newsletter and mailing it to those who don't have email. If you would be interested, please contact Pastor David.

HELP TO SAVE OUR CHURCH GLIDE CHAIRS!: Our electric glide chairs have served us well for many years, and we hope to keep them working for a while longer. Here are some guidelines that we ask you help with to increase the chairs’ longevity:

• Please do not sit on chairs or allow anyone to sit on chairs unless they have mobility issues and are in need of the chair's assistance. No children should play on the chairs.

• If using the chair, or assisting someone to use it, please be sure that the chair is docked tightly to the end of the track when leaving the chair at either end of the track. If it is not tight, it will not recharge the chair and will be unusable for the next person in need.

• The upper level chair has an amber light at both upper and lower track stops, and if properly docked, both lights will be on. Please look for these amber lights to be on before leaving the chair.

• If you detect a problem with the chair's operation, please notify Pastor David at your earliest convenience. Thanks!

  
  

ENJOY SINGING? JOIN THE CHOIR: St. Mark Choir welcomes anyone who is interested in singing. Choir practice is held 7pm Tuesdays. Anyone who is interested in joining either the St. Mark Choir or Christians with Rhythm Choir, or both, is invited to join! If you have any questions, contact Pastor David.

HELPERS ON SUNDAYS: Thank you to everyone who volunteers to help on Sundays — greeters, readers, etc. It is much appreciated and needed! If you would like to help on Sundays, you can contact Pastor David.

GIVING ONLINE: Did you know you can make offerings to St. Mark online and also set up a schedule for continued offerings online using a credit card or bank account? This is done through the church’s online giving platform Tithely. Visit https://bit.ly/3bhr907 to give online. If you have any questions, contact Pastor David.

MEETING WITH PASTOR DAVID: If you would like to meet or talk with Pastor David about anything, either in person, on Zoom, or a phone call, you are invited to contact him to set up a time.

KEEP IN TOUCH WITH ST. MARK: Whether you are a member or friend of St. Mark, you can easily keep in touch with important announcements, prayer requests, and even receive brief daily devotions over your home phone or cell phone. If you would like to be included in the church’s Call Multiplier calling system, just give your name and phone number to Pastor David. Those who share the same home address but have different phone numbers can each receive calls on their phones.

Another way to stay informed of happenings at St. Mark is by being on the church’s email list. The church sends out a brief e-news item that goes out weekly, and you also can receive St. Mark’s monthly newsletter through email. If you would like to be added to our email list, contact Pastor David.

And you also can keep in touch and stay informed through St. Mark’s website and by following St. Mark on Facebook and Instagram (@StMarkSnydertown).