Friday, February 21, 2014

St. Mark's United Methodist Church, San Diego – Wednesday, 19 February 2014 “The Messenger”

St. Mark's United Methodist Church, San Diego – Wednesday, 19 February 2014 “The Messenger”
Dear Friends,
Spencer Tophan, our Youth Director and I spent part of last week in Pasadena with 141 representatives from over 30 different churches of various denominations though out North America with one intention, to build up the Church through "Sticky Faith."  St. Mark's is collaborating with these various churches and denominations as part of the 2014 Sticky Faith Cohort.  We will be working independently and collectively identifying and developing programming that will build and strengthen an intergenerational church.  As I was explaining the concept of the conference to a friend, he said he did not like the name Sticky Faith because it sounded tacky.  My friend preferred something like Lasting Faith but regardless the name, he did agree with the concept of the program.
Sticky Faith is a result of research conducted by the Fuller Youth Institute, a group within Fuller Theological Seminary.  Sticky Faith was designed to prepare youth for life after youth group, but it is more than just building faith in the youth, it is about building and sustaining community in the Church.  Not just the local church but the global Church.  The goal is to introduce and build faith that is internalized and externalized, personal and communal, mature and maturing.  These are concepts that Spencer and I, as well as Rev. Craig will be sharing with the church as we look at ways to build on things that we are currently doing as well as creating new and innovative ways to help faith stick without being tacky.
As we continue to celebrate 60 years of being St. Mark's it is exciting to see Sticky Faith on our horizon.  We will take the strength of our multi-generations and build an intergenerational community that will allow us to stick together through another 60 years and beyond.
See you in church,
Jeri 
Sunday School Cancelled March 2
Please note that Sunday School will be cancelled on the morning of our anniversary celebration, March 2. This way, everybody will have the opportunity to be worship. Talk to your children about the meaning of the celebration. The nursery and toddler rooms will remain open for children through age five years.
Spring and Summer Opportunities
By Risa Vargas
Cal-Pac Camps Programming Intern
It's hard to believe that advent is behind us and this new year is unfolding right before our eyes! At Cal-Pac Camps, we are gearing up for some very exciting programs this spring and summer. Registration for our new spring backpacking trip for high schoolers and young adults, and summer camp for all ages are open now and any registration made before March 1st will receive a $50 discount!
In addition to our traditional programs at each site, we will also have several specialty camps, including wilderness backpacking, arts, film, and surf camps. We are looking for adult volunteers for each week, lay people and clergy! Is there someone at your church who would love to be in this kind of ministry? Maybe even you?
This year, each camp will be designed by a leadership team of three to five people, perhaps you or someone in your congregation are feeling led to be part of camp this year. Please spread the word and pray about the possibility of being part of a team. Of course, we are also looking for talented and caring counselors for every program.
Dates, descriptions of programs and camper registration can be found  here:
http://calpaccamps.org/2014%20Summer%20Camp.aspx
Applications to serve on a leadership team and to be a counselor can be found here: http://apps.calpaccamps.org/
Our hope is to fill each camp staff with many voices, experiences, and gifts from every part of the conference. Your presence, and the presence of your church matters in camping ministry.
Please let me know if you would like me or any of our camp staff to come speak at your church! I would love to come talk with your congregation about attending and volunteering at camp.  I can be reached at risayv@gmail.com or 760-954-9698
Mark Hayes Concert
Mark your calendars for March 2, 2014.  We will be enjoying the music of Mark Hayes, guest composer, artist and arranger. Yes, he is really coming to our church and has written a choral anthem especially for our choir to celebrate the 60th anniversary of St. Mark's United Methodist Church. This anthem will be premiered on Sunday morning, March 2nd in worship.  Sunday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. Mark Hayes will direct our choir, organ and instruments in a concert which will feature anthems and music from the church year all written by the guest composer. Your family and friends will want to be present, both morning and afternoon, for this celebration of music in honor of St. Mark's 60th anniversary.
Art Show Planned
St. Mark's Religious Art Festival is coming soon.  There is still time to let your friends and neighbors who are artists know about our show on the theme of "Visions of Peace."  Each artist may enter up to three works in any fine art medium. We will receive entries Friday, March 14, 5:30-7:30 p.m., and Saturday, March 15, 9 a.m.-12 noon. Information about entry fees and other details are in the show prospectus, which is available in the church office or the church website: www.stmarksumcsd.org.
The Awards Ceremony will be Saturday, March 22, at 1:30 p.m.  Dr. Pam Ogdin Rosemier will provide our special music for the ceremony. A reception will follow in the social hall.
The show will be open for viewing Saturdays March 22, 29, April 5, 12, 19, and 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Persons are needed to sit with the art either 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. or 1 - 4 p.m. each of those days.  If you can help, contact Judy Edelblute at judyedel@san.rr.com or 858-278-0255.
Women's Retreat
Save the Date
April 4-6, 2014, St. Mark's women and their friends will once again gather at Pine Valley Bible Camp to relax, rest, refresh and restore.  Registration will continue on Sunday, February 16.  Cost is $150 and installment payments are accepted.
Lenten Small Group Forming
Dr. Pam and Rev. George Rosemier are opening their home once again for a four-week, small group Lenten study. We'll start on Fat Tuesday, March 4 at 6:30 p.m. with a robust Mardi Gras fête. Then we'll delve in to the Word of God as we consider the trials of Jesus and His last words on the cross. For more information, contact Karen at kwscanlon@gmail.com or 858 272-7357. Be prepared to enjoy new associations.
Hunger Walk
The Community Christian Service Agency (CCSA) will hold its Annual Hunger Walk on Saturday, March 15 at DeAnza Cove on Mission Bay.  Please be sure to sign up on the patio following worship on Sunday.  All ages are encouraged to participate.  If you can't walk, please support someone with a pledge.
Next Week at a Glance  
Sunday, February 23, 2014
8:30 A.M.    Pastor's Sunday School/NR
9:00 A.M.    Youth Fellowship/Rm 10
9:30 A.M.    Worship
10:45 A.M.  Joyful Noise Choir/CR
                  Blood Pressure Screening/NR
                  Missions Meeting
11:00 A.M.  Foundation/NR
12:00 P.M.  Tongan Fellowship Worship
2:00 P.M.   Choir Rehearsal/SH
Monday, February 24, 2014
6:00 P.M.     Carillon Bells/SH
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
11:30 A.M     Healthy Hearts/SH
6:30 P.M.      NAMI Family to Family/NR
7:00 P.M.      Church Council/SH
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
11:30 A.M.    Healthy Hearts/SH
3:00 P.M.      UMW Executive Committee/Lib
5:00 P.M.      Peace Ringers/SH
5:30 P.M.      Bible Study/NR
6:00 P.M.      Glory Ringers/SH
Thursday, February 27, 2014
4:30 P.M.      Hallelujah & Cherub Choir/CR
5:20 P.M.      Chimes/SH
7:00 P.M.      Boy Scouts/SH
                    Chancel Choir/CR
Saturday, March 1, 2014
8:00 A.M.       Mark Hayes Choral Workshop/Sanc
Sunday, March 2, 2014
8:30 A.M.       Pastor's Sunday School/NR
9:00 A.M.       Youth Fellowship/Rm 10
9:30 A.M.       Worship
10:45 A.M.     Joyful Noise Choir/CR
12:00 P.M.     Tongan Fellowship Worship
4:30 P.M.       Mark Hayes Concert/Sanc
*If you have any questions or would like to add an event to the church calendar, please contact Malinda Whiteley, Church Secretary at 858-273-1480 ext.10 or smumcsdoffice@gmail.com.
Staff Office Hours
Rev. Craig Dorval
Senior Minister 
Monday - Thursday   
10:30 A.M. - 6:30 P.M.
Rev. Jeri Newell-Davis
Associate Minister       
Tuesday - Friday  
9 A.M. - 3 P.M.
Spencer Topham
Youth Director
Tuesdays: 2 pm - 6 pm
Wednesdays: 9 am - 1 pm
Thursdays: 9 am - 11 am
Fridays: 9 am - 1 pm
1st, 2nd & 3rd Sundays: 9 am - 11 am
Malinda Whiteley, 
Church Secretary
Monday - Friday
8 A.M. - 3 P.M.
About Us
St. Mark's United Methodist Church
3502 Clairemont Drive
San Diego, California 92117
858-273-1480
To contact any member of our staff, visit our staff information page.
Rev. Craig Dorval, Senior Minister
Rev. Jeri Newell-Davis, Associate Minister
M'Lu Colbourn, Director of St. Mark's Preschool
Frank Williams, Music Director
Craig McIlwain, Organist
Jo Anne Hammond, Director, Carillon Bells
Robin Haber, Director, Glory Ringers and Peace Ringers
Christina Peer, Director, Chimes
Cheryl Eubanks, Children's Choir Accompanist
Spencer Topham, Youth Director
Marya Chuong, Website
Malinda Whiteley, Church Secretary
Angel Cardenas, Church Custodian
60 Years A Church
Celebrating the 60th Anniversary of St. Mark's, 2014
This is the fourth of five articles reviewing the history and service of our church.  A grand celebration of our 60th anniversary will occur in worship March 2, 2014.
The Many Ways of Outreach
St. Mark's has a long history of reaching out to others.  We offer weddings and memorial services to non-members as well as members.  The Living Nativity, Easter Egg Hunt, and annual yard sale are among activities that bring non-members to the campus.  The facilities are also available to non-religious groups.
Current youth activities include Boy Scout Troop 260, which was first chartered in 1958 and has always met at St. Mark's. Girl Scouts first met at St. Mark's in 1994.  The current Cadette troop meets the last Friday of each month to plan outings and other activities.  Many years ago we had a youth theatre group; that was before we remodeled the social hall and removed the big stage.   We even sponsored Pop Warner football teams in 1998 and 1999, and a Little League team in 1999.  Our youth had up to four volleyball teams active in a church league 1975-2002.  They included both church members and non-members.  Our youth group has done annual service projects for many years.  Since 2002, these projects have been sponsored and supervised by Sierra Service Project. 
Adult visitors we welcome include members of five different Alcoholics Anonymous groups that meet weekly in room 9.  In the past we have provided a meeting place for other support groups.   Again this year, the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill is presenting a 12-week Family-to-Family course at St. Mark's.
St. Mark's Preschool opened on September 16, 1968 licensed for 44 children 9:30-11:30 a.m. Monday-Friday.  They have expanded to seven classrooms serving about 200 children each week.  Care can include lunch and/or afternoon enrichment classes for an extra fee.
The Religious Art Festival began in 1963.  After Harriet Torrens won first prize at the Coronado Art Show with her painting "Humility," St. Mark's borrowed a number of other religious themed paintings from artists in Spanish Village and held the first show.  The next year a juried show was held during Lent.  A juried show has been held every spring since; this year's show will be March 16-April 27.  The first digital arts and photography show was organized in 2004 and is held every fall.
In 1974 St. Mark's was one of seven churches that organized the Clairemont Christian Service Agency, which served clients from a house owned by St. Mark's at the corner of Clairemont Drive and Rappahannock.  When the agency opened a second office in Pacific Beach, the agency changed its name to Community Christian Service Agency.  It currently has support from 31 member churches.  In 2013 it served over 23,000 clients with emergency food, clothing, and referrals to other services.  The San Diego District United Methodist Churches support similar services at Chollas View UMC and Nestor UMC.  Whenever you donate food or funds on the first Sunday of the month you are supporting all three of these service centers.
St. Mark's Concert Series began in the 2001-2002 season.   Its two-fold goal was 1) to provide the opportunity for the community to hear good music and 2) to provide a venue for artists, especially young artists, to showcase their talents.  Over the years we have heard a wide variety of choral and instrumental performances.  Admission is always free, but a freewill offering is taken.  The Concert Committee appreciates the generosity of donors that give so that expenses have always been covered.  Perhaps you are one of those donors.
The Missions Committee has had many projects over the years including the annual Alternative Christmas Market and establishing covenant relationships with one or two missionaries a year.  This year we are related one missionary, and also support to the outreach program at Linda Vista United Methodist Church.  Over the years we supported Joan Johnson and Harriett Ellis as they made mission trips to Guatemala and Africa.  Various church members served on district work teams for three annual trips to Waveland, Mississippi to aid in Katrina recovery building projects.
Non-Methodist projects also received our support.  We sponsored three refugee families: the five-member Von Stockhausen family from Indonesia in 1961, the ten-member Do-Thien family from Vietnam starting in 1965, and a Laotian family of eight briefly in 1980.  One of the homes we own north of the church was leased to Interfaith Shelter Network for several years starting in 1990.  The lease ended when the agency centralized its outreach in a single apartment complex elsewhere in the city.  Also, St. Mark's was part of the SHARE program 1984-1997 where families could receive a box of food each month for $30-40 plus two hours of community service.
One of the primary purposes of United Methodist Women is to support mission projects nationally and around the world.  Every year at least 60% of the funds they raise support missions.  Also, they provide a Thanksgiving dinner for the St. Mark's church family and their friends on the Tuesday before the holiday. UMW also coordinates dinner provisions for the Storefront shelter for homeless teens on the fourth Monday each month.  Many church families have assisted with this task over the years.  Your help is welcome.
Last October St. Mark's had a Day of Service.  After a brief worship service, we scattered to serve our community.  The projects ranged from a canyon clean up and baking cookies for firefighters to decorating Christmas bags for CCSA and making cards for and visiting the home bound.  It was intended to show that what ever your age or ability, you can reach out to others.  After reading what St. Mark's has done in the past, we hope you will help us continue our long tradition of reaching out to the community.  We need to leave the church building to go out and be the church.
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St. Mark's United Methodist Church
3502 Clairemont Drive
San Diego, CA 92117 United States
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