Worship & Congregational Activities

EXPLORE “FIGURES OF OUR FAITH”: This is a summer school kids can enjoy! St. Mark hosts “Figures of Our Faith,” a week of Vacation Bible School. It will be held 5:30 to 7:30pm July 21-25. Each day that week we will explore a major figure of our faith, including Moses, David, Mary, Peter, and Paul.

The days include a Bible lesson/story, games, activities, and a simple meal for dinner. There also will be little beautification service project around the church as part of St. Mark’s youth service group, Service and Snacks, and making tye dyes with Jana Marie Foundation.

The week is free for kids to attend. To register, email stmarksnydertown@gmail.com. If you have any questions, contact Pastor David.

CALLING ALL RECEPTION HELPERS: July is a very joyful and very active month at St. Mark. The Christians with Rhythm Choir’s annual summer concert is 6pm July 13, with a reception of refreshments following. Then the church’s 200th anniversary worship service is on July 27 and will include a light lunch reception following the service.  There are signup sheets in the narthex if you would are able to donate food items and/or assist in other ways for either event or both events. Thank you so much for your time and support!

ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION: St. Mark’s celebration of 200 years as a Lutheran congregation takes place the weekend of July 26-27. On July 26, a dinner will be held at Nittany Valley Fire Hall (5101 Nittany Valley Drive, Mill Hall). The event begins at 4pm with a fellowship hour with refreshments. Dinner is at 5pm. Following the meal, there will be trivia, a performance by Unity, the showing of a video, and a time to share memories. Invitations were sent out. If you did not receive one and would like to attend, contact the church at stmarksnydertown@gmail.com.

On July 27, a special worship service will include former pastors talking about their memories and time of service at St. Mark. The service begins at 10:30am. A light lunch will be served following worship. If you can help with preparing sandwiches, side dishes, desserts, etc., there is a signup sheet in the narthex.

We hope you can join us for one or both days as St. Mark celebrates this special year of 200 years as a Lutheran congregation!

KEEPSAKE TO CELEBRATE THE BICENTENNIAL: St. Mark has been breaking bread together as a Lutheran congregation in Snydertown  since 1825! This is truly something to celebrate — and commemorate! To honor this event, we are offering breadboards/cutting boards that are engraved with, “St. Mark Lutheran Church, 850 Snydertown Road, Howard, PA. Breaking Bread Together Since 1825”

The boards are 11 inches long, including the handle, and 7 inches wide. Each breadboard is made of bamboo, and is environmentally friendly. The cost is $13 each. You can place your order by contacting Pastor David, or write your name on the order form in the narthex. Cash or check  will be due by the end of the May, and bread boards will be delivered to you. Checks can be made to St. Mark Lutheran Church, and write “Bread Boards” on the memo line.

These breadboards make great gifts for family members and friends. 

THE GREAT OUTDOORS: Outdoor worship for summer continues at St. Mark! The schedule for July and August will be the following: indoors at 10:30 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.

WORSHIP WALKS: Pastor David is holding worship walks once a month during the summer. The walks are a time to enjoy nature, fellowship, and have a brief worship while walking. The time will include prayer, scripture reading and reflection, and Holy Communion. 

The next worship walk is 6pm Wednesday, July 16 at Porter Township Recreation Park. The walk will be along the 1/2-mile walking trail that outlines the park. The Worship Walk in August will be on August 13. If you would like to suggest a place or have any questions, contact Pastor David.

COUNCIL MEETING HIGHLIGHTS: Some of the items discussed at the June 12 council meeting include:

• Council is developing a plan for the sale of the parsonage following the congregational vote on June 1. Council plans to employ a realtor who will perform an analysis of the property and market conditions, assessing what may need to be repaired/replaced/refreshed and any potential impediments to a sale. A letter to Davis Realty Management will be written to declare our intentions to sell the property.

• The camcorder that has been used to record concerts at the church is broken. Council authorized money from Memorial Fund and Endowment Fund to replace the system. The equipment will be an upgrade over the broken unit and will have other possibilities.

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.

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. Thank you!

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).