GIVING BACK TO GOD AT

ST. MARK

LUTHERAN CHURCH

There are many ways to give back to God to say “thank you”. You may give back in your family or community. At St. Mark, we provide many opportunities which support our mission:

The Mission of St. Mark Lutheran Church

is to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ

through Word and action.

Our various ministries support that mission.

WE CELEBRATE OUR FAITH

✟   There is a place for you at worship services on Sundays and Festivals.

✟   The Worship and Music Committee meets to plan worship and related activities:

✟   We celebrate at two services every Sunday morning - 8:30 am and 11:00 am (10:00 am - the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend through

      the Sunday prior to Labor Day). Please call to see if we have a 6 pm Worship and Praise Service scheduled.

✟   Altar Guild cares for our altar and baptismal fonts and beautifies our worship space.

✟   Ushers welcome those who worship each Sunday and take the offering, assisted by St. Mark youth members

✟   Communion Assistants distribute the blood of Christ.

✟   Cantors and liturgists help lead worship.

✟   Lectors read the Word.

✟   Adult Choir helps lead the singing of hymns and offers praise.

✟   Many worship services are supported by PowerPoint which is prepared by a team of members.

✟   Worship services are often blessed by music led by various groups such as Gifts of Praise, Nancy Scharff, The Drexel Hill Middle School

     Girls’ Chorus and The Upper Darby High School Encore Singers.

✟   Many baptisms at St. Mark mark the beginning of faith being passed on.

SCATTERING GARDEN AND TREE OF LIFE

✟   The scattering garden is a final resting place for many of our loved ones.

✟   The Tree of Life remembers loved ones.

WE CARE FOR OUR CHILDREN WHILE THEIR PARENTS WORSHIP

St. Mark provides nursery care during worship and Sunday School for the convenience of those who have young children.

WE WELCOME THOSE WHO WORSHIP

The Welcome Ministry greets those who arrive for worship, provides information for visitors and gives a loaf of home made bread to each visitor.

WE WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

We are blessed by new members who join St. Mark during each year.

WE GROW OUR FAITH

✟   Prayer Circle regularly prays for those who request prayer. Prayer requests are distributed by e-mail or placed in mail boxes.

✟   St. Mark’s Bible Study group Friday afternoons at 12:30 pm at Holy Spirit.

✟   Adult Group meets during the Sunday School hour.

WE CARE FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT AND SPACE

✟   We recycle. We are currently studying ways in which we can better give back to God by other ways of caring for our environment.

✟   We collect old cell phones.

✟   The open space provided by St. Mark’s grounds is a blessing to our entire community. There is a group of dedicated individuals who keep

      it beautiful.

✟   Countless new trees an shrubs have been planted in the last several years.

✟   A cleaning service and our Facilities Coordinator keep space clean and attractive.

✟   We hold outside flea markets.

WE FEED OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST

✟   Partnering with Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Wallingford and provide 60 (of 160) meals which are taken to the Life Center of Eastern

      Delaware county.

✟   St. Mark’s Meals for Members (and others) provides meals, when they are requested, to those who are ill or temporarily not able to

      prepare their own meals.

✟   St. Mark supports the Clifton Heights Food Bank which is housed at Trinity Presbyterian Church.

✟   We provide a meal for University Lutheran’s Feast Incarnate homeless ministry.

✟   We participate, each year on Super Bowl Sunday, in the Lutheran church’s Souper Bowl program which collects donations for World

      Hunger.

WE SUPPORT AND CARE FOR OUR YOUTH

✟   We hold a dance, during the school year, for local youth. The “Fun Party Night with DJ”dance provides a safe place for elementary aged

      kids to have fun and contributes to our Property Fund.

✟   Information about St. Mark’s Youth Group can be found on Facebook at “St. Mark Youth Group”.

✟   In March of each year, Lutheran youth in the 6th through 12th grades, meet at Harvey Cedars on Long Beach Island for an uplifting

     retreat.

✟   In July of each year, St. Mark youth entering 6th grade through graduating seniors travel to Cape May for a retreat filled with worship and

     fun.

✟   St. Mark’s Youth Choir (pre-school through 5th grade) practices at the end of the Sunday School hour and frequently sings during worship

      on Sunday morning.

✟   Before youth make their first Holy Communion, they receive instruction, make bread, have a pizza dinner and visit a shut-in, taking

     communion.

✟   Before youth are confirmed, they receive two years of instruction. They also participate in service/learning activities such as visits to the

      Food Bank and Philadelphia Museum of Art.

WE FORM THE FAITH OF CHILDREN

✟   Each year, St. Mark’s Christian School has an enrollment of over 100 children, all of whom learn about God and Jesus.

✟   Our KidsTime and Before and After Care Programs care for children from our school and the local public and Roman Catholic

     elementary school in a safe environment.

✟   Each year, St. Mark’s Christian School Summer Camp provides care for over 75 children ages 3-10 in a Christian environment.

✟   St. Mark’s Sunday School teaches God’s Word and passes on the Christian faith to our children.

✟   St. Mark’s Vacation Bible School shares the Good News of Jesus Christ with our children and children from the neighborhood.

WE PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION

St. Mark members provide transportation to and from worship events and to doctor appointments for those who need this assistance

WE VISIT GUESTS AND THE HOMEBOUND

✟   St. Mark members take our altar flowers to guests who worship with us and to those who are shut-in or hospitalized.

✟   We visit and take Holy Communion to those not able to come to worship.

OUR THRIFT SHOPS PROVIDE GREAT BARGAINS

✟   St. Mark’s Thrift Shops sell gently used donated children’s and women’s clothing and household goods at an affordable price. Their

     income helps to support many of our ministries.

OUR OH YARN IT! MINISTRY

✟   St. Mark members crochet or knit prayer shawls which are given to those who are ill or in need of comfort

✟   They also make blankets which are given to babies when they are baptized at St. Mark.

✟   St. Mark’s crochet ministry teaches individuals how to crochet.

OUR OTHER OUTREACH MINISTRIES

✟   In January 2010, St. Mark collected 120 pounds of shoes (approximately 100 pairs) which were donated to Soles for Souls.

✟   We sponsor an Alex’s Lemonade Stand each year.

✟   Representation on the Thrivent Delaware County Board helps us direct where Thrivent money is given in Delaware County.

✟   We support the Westbrook Park Youth Association.

WE SUPPORT THE ELCA

St. Mark supports our local and national synod through our contributions and our involvement.

WE ENJOY FELLOWSHIP

The many St. Mark fellowship opportunities include our:

✟   Coffee Stop in the Narthex.

✟   Spirituality Center in the Narthex - stop and cht or read/borrow a good book.

✟   Adults Only Dinner on the first Friday of each month - October through June.

✟   Good Works Circle met for many years to send cards to shut-ins, pray and share fellowship. This ministry is now held at Holy Spirit Lutheran

     Church.

✟   Fellowship/Social group meets on the third Thursday of each month.

OUR CHRISTMAS MINISTRIES

✟   Our Narthex Warmth tree is decorated with mittens, gloves, scarves and hats which are given to the Salvation Army in Darby.

✟   We purchase gifts to be given, along with cookies, to our shut-ins during a visit

✟   We purchase gifts to be given to our homeless Brothers and Sisters in Christ at the Life Center.

✟   We purchase gifts to be given to children through Lutheran Family Services.

✟   At Christmas time, we buy teddy bears which are purchased and dressed and returned for giving to the Salvation Army.

LEADERSHIP

✟   Church - by elected council members.

✟   School - by School Board appointed by council.

✟   Finance Committee meets quarterly to review our finances and, in December, to prepare our budget for the next year.

✟   Faith Journey group develops resources that will help us grow in faith and give back to God who has given each of us so very much.

WE PROVIDE A PLACE TO GATHER

Our Social Hall provides a place for our ministries and groups to meet and also a place where outside individuals can hold parties and meetings.

WE DO FUND RAISING

We do fund raising throughout the year as a supplementary way of raising money to support our many ministries.

✟   At Easter and Christmas, our Altar Guild sells Wolfgang Candy for the benefit of a St. Mark project.

✟   One of our members makes and sells jewelry which is tithed to St. Mark and one of its projects and candy which is sold for the benefit of a

     St. Mark project.

✟   During the year, we sell Acme and Giant gift cards. The proceeds from this fund raising project benefit one of more St. Mark projects.

✟   We also participate in an on-line fund raiser – iGive - and receive a tithe from Cal’s Automotive and Curran Heating when you use their

     services.

WE HAVE FUN

✟   In August of 2010, we held our first Kiddie Karnival for little kids.

✟   In October of each year, we hold our Pumpkin Patch. Proceeds help us pay our Synod benevolence and make a contribution to World

     Hunger.

✟   In October, during our Pumpkin Patch, we hold a Community Fun Day with lots of food, flea marketers, and attractions for kids and their

     families on our wonderful green lawn.

COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION

Throughout the year, we communicate the Good News in many ways so that our members and community are informed:

✟   Our website: www.thewelcomeplace.net.

✟   Our monthly newsletter “The Good News of St. Mark” and our monthly calendar.

✟   Regular press releases to local newspapers and television stations.

✟   Our database, Shepherd’s staff, allows us to maintain up to date information about our members and others. It is regularly used for

     mailings, etc.

✟   The weekly work of our tellers allows us to maintain and report accurate information about offering contributions.

OUTSIDE GROUPS FREQUENTLY USE OUR SPACE

Our space is used by a number of outside organizations, including:

✟   AA

✟   Brownies

✟   Bushido Martial Arts

✟   Camp Ophelia

✟   Compassionate Friends

✟   Girl Scouts

OUR SUPPORT STAFF

Our ministries are supported by our Church Secretary.

HOW CAN YOU HELP AND BE INVOLVED?

✟   Sign up in the Narthex for any of the ministries that you believe will let you use your gifts to thank God.

✟   Continue making your financial contributions to support all of our ministries.

✟   Your gifts to St. Mark of:

     ✟    Time

     ✟    Talent and

     ✟    Treasure

make all of our ministries possible.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ANY OF OUR MINISTRIES

E-mail thewelcomeplace@comcast.net or call the church office at 610-626-5295.

For God so loved the world that He gave

His only begotten Son; that whosoever

believeth in Him shall not perish but have

eternal life.

John 3:16