Worship, Education, & Congregational Life

SUMMER WORSHIP SCHEDULE: With June comes St. Mark’s summer schedule for worship services. The schedule for June through August will be the following: indoors at 10:30am on the first and fifth (if there is a fifth) Sunday of each month; outdoors under the pavilion at 10:30am on the second and fourth Sundays of each month; and outdoors under the pavilion at 6pm on the third Sunday of each month. Don’t worry, we will keep reminding you of the time and place!

Outdoor services happen, of course, weather permitting. If weather conditions or something else causes us to change anything happening at St. Mark, we will use our Call Multiplier system with an announcement, send out an email to anyone on our email list, and post on our social media platforms — Facebook and Instagram. If you aren’t on our Call Multiplier list and/or email list, and would like to put on them, message Pastor David.

SCRIPTURE AND SLICES: How about chewing over some scripture while chewing and enjoying some pizza? Pastor David will be at Brothers Pizza (4616 Nittany Valley Drive, Lamar) 5:30pm Wednesday, June 10 for a time to gather around food, fellowship, and talk about a piece of scripture. If you plan to attend or have any questions, contact Pastor David.

YOU CHOOSE THE HYMNS — PART 2: St. Mark will once again dedicate a worship service where you may have had a say in the hymns that are sung! Following a wonderful service of favorite hymns on May 10, we still have more favorite hymns to sing and learn about, and we will do so during the June 21 (Father’s Day) worship service. Pastor David will again talk about each of the hymns, giving some background and scriptural references that they include.

PROPERTY UPDATE: The Property Committee will be getting quotes for carpet cleaning in the Sanctuary and also to improve the lighting.

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 questions or need help, please contact Gary Gates or Heidi Simmons and they can talk you through the online procedure. It’s easy and costs you nothing additional.

SHARE YOUR NEWS: Have you recently received a promotion at work? Changed jobs? Does your child/grandchild have a ball game or a part in a play coming up, or made honor roll? If there is something you would like to share with the St. Mark community, let us know! 

It is wonderful that we share our prayer requests and if we or someone we know has any needs. It also is good to share news that is something we want to celebrate as we journey on in our lives of faith here. We can celebrate together.

If you want to share any news, email stmarksnydertown@gmail.com and we can include that in our weekly or monthly communications. And if you or another family member is doing something that is open to the public, such as a ball game or play or concert, etc., let us know and we can pass it along for people to mark on their calendars if they are able to attend.

We share the Good News of Jesus Christ with one another and with all we meet, and we can share in the good news each of you in this community may have.

COUNCIL MEETING HIGHLIGHTS: Highlights from the council’s meeting on May 14:

• Pastor David is considering how to improve the church’s streaming worship services and other technical aspects that especially help with outreach and benefit people who are homebound. The church received a $2,000 grant from the Allegheny Synod to help with the church’s technology. Any suggestions or ideas are welcome.

• The next council meeting is 7pm Thursday, June 11.

YOUTUBE CHANNEL: Yes St. Mark has its own YouTube channel @stmarksnydertown. Currently, the site has videos of Sunday 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.

ENJOY SINGING? JOIN THE CHOIR: St. Mark Choir welcomes anyone who is interested in singing. 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. Thank you!

GIVING ONLINE: Did you know you can make offerings to St. Mark online and also set up a schedule for continued offerings securely 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.