RE:MARK’S · with handbells, choir, and brass quintet. All three services will include...

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Worship Opportunities in December More information inside! December 2: Advent I 8:30 & 11:00 Holy Communion 9:45 Faith Formation Wednesday, December 5 6:00 Advent Service at St. Mark’s Lutheran December 9: Advent II 8:30 & 11:00 Holy Communion 9:45 Faith Formation Wednesday, December 12 6:00 Advent Service at St. Mary’s Episcopal December 16: Advent III 8:30 & 11:00 Holy Communion 9:45 Faith Formation 3:00 Youth Christmas Party Wednesday, December 19 6:00 Advent Service at St. Paul’s United Methodist Friday, December 21 5:00 Longest Night Service December 23: Advent IV 8:30 & 11:00 Holy Communion 9:45 Faith Formation December 24: Christmas Eve 4:00, 7:00, and 10:00 Christmas Eve Services December 30: Christmas I 8:30 & 11:00 Holy Communion, Lessons & Carols 9:45 Faith Formation RE:MARK’S DECEMBER 2018 December Advent Schedule In addition to the four Sundays in Advent, we have the opportunity to worship with our ecumenical part- ners on Wednesday evenings. We will meet at 6:00 for dinner, with worship following at 7:00. This year the Deacons are preaching not to be missed! November 28: St. Eugene Catholic December 5: St. Mark’s Lutheran December 12: St. Mary’s Episcopal December 19: St. Paul’s United Methodist Parent's Night Out Saturday, December 8th, 5pm9pm Dinner, crafts, games, a service pro- ject, and more! Children through grade 5 are invited to come have some Christmas fun led by the Youth Group while parents enjoy an evening to themselves. There is no charge for this event, but the youth will collect a free will offering to help support future ministry trips. Please see Sign-Up Central for more information and to let us know that you’re coming. The church staff extends our warmest wishes to all for a blessed Christmas season and a happy and healthy New Year. Pastor Trexler, Deacon Katie Rivers, Cantor David Anderson, Scottie Miller, Eileen Cram, Pastor Linda McHenry, Vicar Matt Hoffman, Debbie Layne, Gage Hampton Altar Guild Shining Party It’s that time again! Time to shine the silver and brass and get everything ready for Advent and the New Year. The annual Altar Guild Shining Party will be Saturday, December 8 th at 10:00 am.

Transcript of RE:MARK’S · with handbells, choir, and brass quintet. All three services will include...

Page 1: RE:MARK’S · with handbells, choir, and brass quintet. All three services will include candle-light, and more good Christmas music than you can shake a liturgically colored candy

Worship Opportunities in December More information inside!

December 2: Advent I

8:30 & 11:00 Holy Communion

9:45 Faith Formation

Wednesday, December 5

6:00 Advent Service at St. Mark’s Lutheran

December 9: Advent II 8:30 & 11:00 Holy Communion

9:45 Faith Formation

Wednesday, December 12

6:00 Advent Service at St. Mary’s Episcopal

December 16: Advent III 8:30 & 11:00 Holy Communion

9:45 Faith Formation

3:00 Youth Christmas Party

Wednesday, December 19

6:00 Advent Service at St. Paul’s United Methodist

Friday, December 21

5:00 Longest Night Service

December 23: Advent IV

8:30 & 11:00 Holy Communion

9:45 Faith Formation

December 24: Christmas Eve

4:00, 7:00, and 10:00 Christmas Eve Services

December 30: Christmas I

8:30 & 11:00 Holy Communion, Lessons & Carols

9:45 Faith Formation

RE:MARK’S DECEMBER 2018

December Advent Schedule

In addition to the four Sundays in

Advent, we have the opportunity to

worship with our ecumenical part-

ners on Wednesday evenings. We

will meet at 6:00 for dinner, with

worship following at 7:00. This year the Deacons are

preaching — not to be missed!

November 28: St. Eugene Catholic

December 5: St. Mark’s Lutheran

December 12: St. Mary’s Episcopal

December 19: St. Paul’s United Methodist

Parent's Night Out

Saturday, December 8th, 5pm—9pm

Dinner, crafts, games, a service pro-

ject, and more! Children through grade 5 are invited

to come have some Christmas fun led by the Youth

Group while parents enjoy an evening to themselves.

There is no charge for this event, but the youth will

collect a free will offering to help support future

ministry trips. Please see Sign-Up Central for more

information and to let us know that you’re coming.

The church staff extends

our warmest wishes to all for a

blessed Christmas season and

a happy and healthy New Year.

Pastor Trexler, Deacon Katie Rivers,

Cantor David Anderson, Scottie Miller,

Eileen Cram, Pastor Linda McHenry,

Vicar Matt Hoffman, Debbie Layne, Gage Hampton

Altar Guild Shining Party

It’s that time again! Time to shine the silver and

brass and get everything ready for Advent and the

New Year. The annual Altar Guild Shining Party

will be Saturday, December 8th at 10:00 am.

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Dear Ministry Partner,

Sociologist Gordon Dahl has noted, “We worship our work, work at our play,

and play at our worship.” Work, play, and worship are important for a

balanced life. To the extent that we engage in all three regularly, our lives

are richer.

Work provides a channel for us to take part in society: to create, to distribute,

to serve, to manufacture. Martin Luther held work of all kinds in high regard.

He spoke of each person’s work as a vocation—a calling from God. Whether

prince or servant, it was important to do a job well, thereby glorifying God and deriving the most personal

meaning from it.

Today, a good portion of life’s meaning continues to come from work. But not all people work, and

unemployment stress includes a sense of diminished personal worth. Physical disability separates some people

from meaningful work. For the chronically unemployed, life often becomes aimless. Even retirement can be

unsatisfying for those who only find meaning in work.

All work and no play, however, makes for an unbalanced life. All of us, whatever our age, need playtime.

Play is a time for re-creation and relaxation, and as such, play is therapeutic. Play offers time for the child

in us to bubble to the surface for a breath of fresh air, renewing us in the process.

Play takes many forms—from a vacation to taking a day off for golf, gardening, collecting, or stirring up a

new concoction in the kitchen. Sometimes, play leads us to team sports for the pure enjoyment of it. At other

times, play includes involving ourselves in the world of children. Children are naturally playful, and their

exuberance can help us rediscover the gift of play.

Worship serves as the third element in a balanced life. Worship embraces communication between God and

God’s people. Worship is reflective, healing, and rejuvenating as it provides a vehicle for receiving God’s

grace as well as offering our gifts.

However, we often put too much emphasis on all the things we do in worship, as if we might earn God’s favor

through our worship. But worship serves its purpose best when it emphasizes God’s action for us, rather than

what we do for God.

Work, play, and worship each serves best when not confused with the others. Work should not be worshipped,

nor should play become work, nor should the need for play be overlooked. Rather, we are much more likely to

thrive when we celebrate all three—work, play, and worship—authentically, regularly, and with enthusiasm!

Happy New Church Year!

Pastor Trexler

FROM THE INTERIM PASTOR

Advent Daily Devotions, including several

entries from Pr. Trexler, can be delivered to

your inbox beginning December 3rd. To be

included, go to http://eepurl.com/bcbuf9

and enter your information.

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WELCA Christmas Party

All women are invited to attend (and

bring a friend to!) the Women of the Evangelical

Lutheran Church in America’s annual Christmas

party. The afternoon includes wonderful food,

socializing, and special entertainment! December

13th at 12:00 pm, at Trinity View Retirement Home,

2533 Hendersonville Road, Arden. Lunch will be

$12.50. Sign up with Susan Morgan (828-688-4176)

or on the Sign-Up Central bulletin board by Decem-

ber 6th. A carpool will leave St. Mark’s at 11:00 am. Faith Formation Class for

December: Mary Had a Baby

Each Sunday of Advent come and learn

about a different African American spiri-

tual as we prepare for the coming of our Savior.

RETURN TO BETHLEHEM

December 6—9

Groce United Methodist Church

954 Tunnel Road

This is a recreation of the Bethlehem marketplace as

it might have been long ago. Experience the streets

of Bethlehem, the sounds and smells, and overhear

conversations of the townspeople. Performance

times and dates:

Thursday & Friday, 12/6 & 12/7: 6pm—8:30pm

Saturday, 12/8: 2:00pm—8:30pm

Sunday, 12/9: 2:00pm—6:00pm

ST. MARK’S HAPPENINGS IN DECEMBER

Lutheran Men in Mission Christmas Party

All men are invited to join the Lutheran Men

in Mission for their annual Christmas

party on December 7 at 6:00 pm, at

Fireplace Restaurant. Please see

the Sign-Up Central bulletin board

for more information.

Christmas Eve Services

There will be three worship opportunities

on Christmas Eve this year. At 4:00 pm

there will be a service featuring a

participatory pageant, where all are invited help tell

the Christmas story. At 7:00 pm and 10:00 pm

we will have our traditional Christmas Eve services

with handbells, choir, and brass quintet. All three

services will include candle-light, and more good

Christmas music than you can shake a liturgically

colored candy cane at.

Festival of Lessons and Carols

On Sunday, December 30 we will have

our annual Festival of Lessons and Carols

at 8:30 and 11:00. The festival of lessons

and carols has been an English tradition

since at least 1880. For many years, the

choir has sung the carols on behalf of the

congregation. Nowadays Lutherans

continue this tradition, but the congregation get to

sing the carols! Don’t miss this opportunity to hear

again the Christmas story, and sing carols new and

old. Both services also include Holy Communion.

St. Mark’s Holiday Hours—

Please note the church office will

be closed beginning December

25. Normal office hours will

resume on Tuesday, January 2. Merry Christmas!

Christmas Concert: December 15, 7:30 pm

Join AmiciMusic, Asheville’s award-winning musi-

cal ensemble, as pianists Alex Watson and Daniel

Weiser team up on a single piano to perform some

wonderful four-hand holiday classics, including a

great arrangement of Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker

Suite,” Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride,” and fun

versions of carols and other Christmas favorites.

Concert is on Saturday, December 15 at 7:30 pm.

Admission for church members is $15; general ad-

mission $20. Children 18 and under are free. Tickets

are available at the door. For more information and

to buy discounted seats in advance, please visit:

amicimusic.org/concert/four-hand-holiday-2/

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Holiday Shopping Online?

You can donate to St. Mark’s

and do shopping at the same time!

I’m sure a lot of you visit amazon.com to buy your

gifts. What if this year, you went to

smile.amazon.com and shopped there instead? You

can choose a charity to support—and why not

support St. Mark’s. Amazon will donate a percent-

age of your shopping to us! And it’s your Amazon

account—the only difference is charity!

Steadfast House December

The Steadfast House collection for

December is toilet paper. Please place donations in

the wooden bins by the playground doors.

Attention All Children and Youth!

On Saturday morning, January 12, 2019

from 10:30 to 12:00 the Yarn Angels are

hosting the 2nd Youth Yarn Workshop. Youth of all

ages are invited, and we encourage you to bring a

friend. We had a wonderful turnout last year and

would love to see you and more this year. Please

save the date; more details to follow soon.

HOW ST. MARK’S IS INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY…

GET INVOLVED

Christmas Giving Tree

Our Giving Tree is waiting for you!

Please take a tag or two from our

tree in the commons, and return with

your special gift by December 9. See Daniel Dudde

or Deb Layne with your questions.

Noisy Buckets—December 30th

Get your change ready—December 30th is Noisy

Buckets. The collection will be given to the

ABCCM Fuel/Heating Fund.

CROP Hunger Walk Update

The final total is in, and it is an awesome $19,075!

Once again, thank you for your participation, and for

Thrivent’s sponsorship and support of this incredible

event! Note: We are aware that the quality of the

t-shirts was not up to the standards we expected,

and we received a refund from the printer. This

refund is included in the $19,075 total.

Wildfire Relief : Prayers and Gift Cards

Needed

Due to the wildfires in Northern California people

in the Lutheran church in Paradise lost everything.

People at Faith Lutheran in Chico also had families

in Paradise who lost everything. The fire jumped the

canyon and spread so fast that people did not have

time to grab anything. There is an immediate need

for gift cards from Target and Wal-Mart to be used

by the survivors to buy clothes and other daily

necessities. If you would like to help, please place

cash in an envelope or a check in the offering

plate made out to St. Mark’s Lutheran Church

and mark it for “wildfires.” The money gathered

will be sent to Faith Lutheran Church, Chico, CA,

who has set up a special fund to buy and distribute

gift cards to those in need. Your prayers are also

very important. There are still many people

unaccounted for in the area. If you have further

questions, please talk to Judy McKay whose sister

Caryl is a member of Faith Lutheran Church, Chico.

Thank you for your prayers and contributions,

-The St. Mark’s Kairos Sisters.

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FINANCIAL REPORT

October 2017

Operating Fund October YTD

Income budgeted $42,533 $425,334

Gifts received $26,790 $396,876

Expenditures $35,092 $385,470

Difference $(8,302) $11,406

Building Fund October YTD

Gifts received $2,302 $42,598

Amount needed $2,201 $22,651

Difference $101 $19,947

Rooted in Faith

Balance of funds $203,811

Bills paid to date $605,855

NEWS AND UPDATES

December Scripture Readings

December 2: Jeremiah 33:14-16; Psalm 25:1-10;

1 Thessalonians 3:9-13; Luke 21:25-36

December 9: Malachi 3:1-4, Luke 1:68-79;

Philippians 1:3-11; Luke 3:1-6

December 16: Zephaniah 3:14-20; Isaiah 12:2-6;

Philippians 4:4-7; Luke 3:7-18

December 23: Micah 5:2-5a; Luke 1:46b-55;

Hebrews 10:5-10; Luke 1:39-45

December 30: 1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26; Psalm 148;

Colossians 3:12-17; Luke 2:41-52

Welcome New Members! Ruth Smith & Tommy Ransdell, aka, Theo & Tal’s parents, have always wanted to settle in the beautiful

Asheville area, and Tommy found a job that eventually got them here! He works as a CPA, and Ruth has the

hardest job of them all, as she stays home with their 2 year old twin boys. They enjoy UNC Basketball (Ruth’s

school) and App Football (Tommy’s school), but most things they do are based around Theo and Tal — and

they like trucks!

Ray and Beryl Mack discovered and then, lucky for us, re-discovered St. Mark’s. Be sure to ask them to

share that story. Beryl is a wife, a mom, a volunteer, a musician, and enjoys deconstruction. Ray is a retired

chemist, purchasing agent, and business manager, and nowadays he enjoys relaxing with a nice, friendly game

of bridge. Hailing from Texas and Louisiana, Beryl and Ray moved to Asheville because of the weather and

season changes, and they came to St. Mark’s when they found out Vicar Matt was here!

Mark and Dana Fitzsimmons have known about St. Mark’s for a very long time, although they had never

been here to worship. Mark has recently retired from Nativity Lutheran as their senior pastor for 20+ years,

and he told Dana she could pick their new church. They came to St. Mark’s and felt right at home, and we

enjoy seeing them every week! Dana is a teacher for Head Start, and also likes group exercise, reading, and

entertaining. Mark is a Campus Pastor for Lenoir-Rhyne University at the Columbia campus, and he enjoys

swimming, hiking, traveling, and reading. Eileen will be glad to know that they are also bridge players!

Norm and Tricia Bumby have also moved here because of the weather! Last year was a battle between

Norm’s snow blower and the ridiculous amount of snow that fell in Maine. The snow won and the Bumby’s

now live in Weaverville. Norm is a retired pastor and hopes to continue in faith and grace at St. Mark’s. Tricia

is a Lutheran deaconess and a retired organist who has already been officially adopted by the Yarn Angels!

JD Slater grew up in Old Fort, NC, but has settled up the mountain in Asheville where he works as an HR

Professional with Goodwill. Please ask him about all the amazing programs happening at the Goodwill right

here in Asheville! When he is not serving his community, JD enjoys traveling, reading, playing games (Bunco,

anyone?), and spending time with his wife, Cat, and daughter, Isa.

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December Birthdays

1 Joan Galvin

3 Bruce Gutknecht, Brittany Kittel

David Rowe

4 Richard Taylor

5 Sara Larschan

6 Brett Davis

7 Thera Powell, David Van Tassel

8 Bear Davis

9 Richard Burns, Susan Morgan, Elsie Signor

10 Sierra Kindley, George Kroncke,

Xayvria Noel

11 Melissa King, Elaine Pope

12 Louis Taylor

13 Adam Powell

14 Becky Knight

15 Riley Kelling, Carol Mott

17 Ray Polasky, Jack Wilson

21 Jenny Surnett

22 Rob Hubler, Raven Robinson

24 Chris Brown, Miles Webb,

Paula Whitener, Natalia Gohdes

25 Susan Van Tassel

26 Dominic Saccone

28 Sarah Dawson

31 Meredith Crowell, Kari Warren, Zoe Muse

Gloria Fritch

16 Albert & Susan Morgan

20 Warren & Bonnie Wheeler

24 Dominic & Diane Saccone

28 Henry & Judy McKay

2018 LUTHERAN WORLD

RELIEF TOTALS

The total number of resources

shipped to LWR from the 10

participating churches that

brought their boxes to St. Mark’s

collection point are shown below.

The column on the right shows

the increase in the number of

items over the 2017 totals.

Quilts 866 +130

Fabric Kits 7 +3

Personal Care Kits 300 +170

School Kits 314 +12

Soap 183 lbs

The grand total was 192 boxes weighing 4,687 lbs.

Of these totals, St. Mark’s contributed 250 quilts,

110 school kits, and 76 lbs of soap. Well done good

and faithful servants! Thank you, thank you to all

who labored, donated, assembled, packed, labeled,

weighed, and loaded. We couldn’t have done it

without you.

Longest Night Service

December 21 is the Winter

Solstice, when the

northern hemisphere has

its shortest period of day-

light and longest night.

While the world tells us

that we must be merry,

jolly, and filled with good

cheer for the entire month,

the reality for many is much different. Despite the

joy that rightly marks this season, the pain of the

world still surround us. Many have lost loved ones

recently, or struggle with the memory of deaths that

happened during the holidays. Others cope with

depression as the seasons change and the light fades.

In recognition of this, we will hold a Longest Night

service at 5:00 on December 21. Whether you are

struggling with sadness or are simply interested in a

service that deals more honestly with the human

condition, please consider attending this service.

Did you know? St. Mark’s is on the world wide

web! Visit www.stmarkslutheran.net today, where

you can read this very newsletter, listen to recorded

sermons, submit a poem to the webmaster, view an

online photo directory, find information about the

ministries of St. Mark’s, see the latest calendar of

upcoming events, and so much more! Go online

and connect with your family at St. Mark’s today.

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CHURCH COUNCIL ELECTION BIOGRAPHIES

On Sunday, December 2 during the Sunday School hour (9:45 am) we will have our annual Congregational

Meeting. Please read on for biographies of those who have graciously volunteered to serve us!

Joan Galvin has a strong spiritual and lay-leadership background, having served/participated in Via de Cristo

faith renewal retreats, as well as Kairos prison ministry. At St. Mark’s, Joan has served on long range

planning, volunteered for Room in the Inn, and has lead numerous spiritual retreats and faith formation classes.

Currently, she is a member of the St. Mark’s Kairos group and the Racial Healing Team. She has been one of

the key organizers of the Inter-denominational VBS for the local African-American community. Joan has a

graduate degree in adult education from NC State, and has a wealth of experience in adult education. She

brings passion, energy, and commitment to a future role on Council.

Nick Mueller has been a member of St. Mark’s since 2004 when he was born. He was confirmed this past

summer and he enjoyed going to his first youth gathering in Houston, Texas. Nicholas is currently a freshman

at Asheville High School where he enjoys playing in the marching band and discovering new subjects such as

engineering. Nicholas is a diehard Green Bay Packer fan, he enjoys playing baseball and going out for a round

of golf. Nicholas looks forward to serving on the church council this year.

Frank “Pat” Patton and Susan Reiser joined St. Mark’s in 1991. He has served two terms on council, includ-

ing a year as president and one as vice president. He also served several terms on the Benevolent Foundation

board, including a few years as a chair. Pat was a member of the Stewardship Team for many years, including

several as its leader. His other roles have included usher, lay reader, Sunday School co-teacher and kitchen

gopher when Susan would prepare the youth show meal, as well as other short term roles over the years.

Bonnie Richards has been a member of St. Mark’s since March 1993. She has served churches of various

denominations in several states as an Organist/Choirmaster and Administrative Assistant for over 45 years.

She became Interim Organist at St. Mark’s in 1994 and then Director of Music in 1995. In 2001, she left her

full-time job as Administrative Assistant at Emmanuel Lutheran Church and School in West Asheville to

become Parish Administrator at St. Mark’s. She retired from the Director of Music position at St. Mark’s in

2006 and from the Parish Administrator position in 2016. Since then, she has been actively involved with

several organizations including St. Mark’s Yarn Angels and Silver Sisters, ABCCM Medical Ministry

Pharmacy, the Asheville Alumnae Chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota (international music fraternity), and High

Country Estates Homeowners’ Association. She has also been singing with the Asheville Symphony Chorus

for the last 19 years. She looks forward to serving God at St. Mark’s to the best of her ability.

Cat Slater is a fresh face at St. Mark’s, having joined this past year along with her young daughter, Isa.

Cat grew up in Costa Rica and north Florida. Having graduated from Florida State University, she has worked

in Graphic Design Production, and the hospitality industry. Currently, she is part of the Grove Park Inn

Marketing Team. Cat has served on her neighborhood HOA and the Employee Culture committee at her place

of employment. She is warm, energetic, and engaging, and will bring a wonderful, fresh perspective to the

leadership of St. Mark’s. Cat, her husband JD, and Isa enjoy being part of the St. Mark’s family, and are

grateful for the warm welcome they have received from the congregation.

Judy Taylor is a life-long Lutheran and the daughter of a Lutheran pastor. She has been a member of St.

Mark’s since 1975, along with her husband, Bob. They have two children and four grandchildren. Judy has

a degree in Education from Capitol University, and has worked in the insurance, real estate, and health care

industries. She has served as a Sunday School teacher, and on the Long Range Planning and Christian

Education Teams. She has previously served on Church Council. Currently, she is a co-coordinator of Lay

Ministry and the new member photo board, and is a member of Yarn Angels and WELCA. Judy brings

a wealth of enthusiasm, experience, and commitment to a future role on Council.

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FROM THE RACIAL HEALING TEAM

Randy Warren, along with his wife Kari, son Matthew, and dog Marshall, moved to Asheville the summer

of 2015 and have been members of St. Mark’s ever since. As Owner and Coach at Warren Cycling LLC,

Randy is ably to enjoy WNC’s natural beauty, outdoor culture, and active community. Randy currently serves

on St. Mark’s Worship and Music Team and is a regular lay reader. Randy loves to travel (which his cycling

facilitates), but spending time with his family, whether exploring outdoors or just curled up at home watching

a movie together, is what really makes his heart sing.

Amy Zellers is a cradle born Lutheran enjoying retirement, hiking with her husband and taking care of a

houseful of rescue cats. Over the years at St. Mark’s she has chaired the Columbarium Board and the Worship

and Music Team, and has served on Church Council. She is currently a member of Worship and Music

and the Altar Guild. She serves as an assisting minister, acolyte, and for the last four years has been the

Council Secretary.

From the Racial Healing Team:

St. Mark’s relationship with WNC

Baptist Fellowship Church is

changing. Remember the summer

of 2017 when this relationship began

and we sat through a series of

classes together? I remember feeling

welcomed into their space, yet

awkward and uncomfortable with

my own sense of not realizing the

stresses the African-American

community suffers on a daily basis

because of the color of their skin.

Yes, this happens in “progressive”

Asheville every single day. But then

we had more classes, more breakfasts, a Sunday school class with Reverend LC Ray, a pulpit exchange with

Reverend Robbie Williams, choir practices, praise dancing, a post-VBC “par-tay”, and a Unity Service with

both congregations, all within a year! You might ask, “So is that it? Are we done?” No! We are changing for

the better. Maybe growing is a better word. The Unity Service planning teams from both congregations are

firm in stating that real relationships are starting to form, and in order to keep this momentum going, it’s

agreed that we need to go out and HAVE FUN every one or two months. So we did! We went bowling a few

Saturdays ago and we all learned at least two things. 1. Kids are better than adults at talking to each other with-

out judging them. YAY for hope for our future! 2. Most adults are really, really bad at bowling! Except Shaft.

If you go bowling, you should try to get on that guy’s team! HA! Something else we learned is that this is all a

very personal process and we all are working on racial healing at our own pace. So, while Katherine is good to

pull up a chair and start a conversation with a group of women from WNC, I would say that I am not comfort-

able doing that… yet. And that’s fine. I just know that I need to keep showing up! Please know you are also

invited to show up and have fun. None of the activities we do are exclusively for the Racial Healing Team.

They are just the planners. Kind of like the Christian Action Team plans the CROP Walk, but invites (well,

expects) the whole congregation to participate. It’s the same with our outings with WNC Baptist, so stay

tuned. It’s up to ALL of us to do what Jesus would do to make this community, and eventually this world, a

better place, and that is to LOVE!

CHURCH COUNCIL ELECTION BIOGRAPHIES CONTINUED

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ristmas E

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Page 10: RE:MARK’S · with handbells, choir, and brass quintet. All three services will include candle-light, and more good Christmas music than you can shake a liturgically colored candy

10

DA

TE

A

CO

LY

TE

S,

CR

UC

IFE

RS

, ET

C.

LA

Y R

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RS

G

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NT

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RS

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ILD

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sher L

into

n

11

:00

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eather D

ixo

n

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ob

y S

chu

etze

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in P

op

e 1

1:0

0

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id W

atts

8:3

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bie L

ayne, B

ecky

Knig

ht

11:0

0

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Kopp, M

elissa

Kin

g

8:3

0

AM

: Connie C

hap

lin

CA

: Nan

cy D

oden

hoff

11:0

0

AM

: Natalie H

aynes

CA

: Anne S

ites

8:3

0

Wolfie O

tto, M

arvin

Po

pe

11

:00

Dav

id S

chm

idt, D

ave

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uetze

8:3

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Clark

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mid

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di

Frid

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li Sch

uetze

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orin

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ton

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rey D

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aron

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hb

ors

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chreck

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e Ep

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Dudde, B

etty

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itzman

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nn

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n Jo

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son

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Page 11: RE:MARK’S · with handbells, choir, and brass quintet. All three services will include candle-light, and more good Christmas music than you can shake a liturgically colored candy

11

CHRISTMAS POEMS, SACRED AND PROFANE

Miss Hoolihan’s Christmas Cake

19th century Irish ballad

As I sat at my window one evening,

the letter man brought unto me

A little gilt edged invitation,

saying, Gilhooly, come over to tea.

Sure I knew that the Hoolihans sent it,

so I went just for old friendship’s sake,

And the first thing they gave me to tackle

was a piece of Miss Hoolihan’s cake.

Refrain

There was plums and prunes and cherries,

and citron and raisins and cinnamon too,

There was nutmeg, cloves, and berries,

and the crust it was nailed on with glue.

There was caraway seeds in abundance,

sure t’would build up a fine stomachache,

‘Twould kill a man twice after ‘ating a slice

of Miss Hoolihan’s Christmas cake.

Miss Mulligan wanted to taste it,

but really there wasn’t no use,

They worked at it over an hour,

and they couldn’t get none of it loose.

Till Hoolihan went for the hatchet,

and Killy came in with a saw,

That cake was enough, by the powers,

to paralyze any man’s jaw.

Miss Hoolihan, proud as a peacock,

kept smiling and blinking away,

Till she fell over Flanigan’s brogans,

and spilled a whole brewing of tay.

“Oh, Gihooly,” she cried, “you’re not ‘ating,

try a little bit more for my sake,”

“No, Miss Hoolihan,” sez I,

“I’ve had quite enough of your cake.”

Maloney was took with the colic,

McNulty complained of his head,

McFadden lay down on the sofa,

and swore that he wished he was dead.

Miss Dally fell down in hysterics,

and there she did wriggle and shake,

While every man swore he was poisoned,

through ‘ating Miss Hoolihan’s cake.

Christmas Eve

Christina Rossetti

Christmas hath darkness

Brighter than the blazing noon,

Christmas hath a chillness

Warmer than the heat of June,

Christmas hath a beauty

Lovelier than the world can show:

For Christmas bringeth Jesus,

Brought for us so low.

Earth, strike up your music,

Birds that sing and bells that ring;

Heaven hath answering music

For all Angels soon to sing:

Earth, put on your whitest

Bridal robe of spotless snow:

For Christmas bringeth Jesus,

Brought for us so low.

Page 12: RE:MARK’S · with handbells, choir, and brass quintet. All three services will include candle-light, and more good Christmas music than you can shake a liturgically colored candy

12

St. Mark’s Lutheran Church

PO Box 8608

Asheville, NC 28814

ST. MARK’S LUTHERAN CHURCH

10 N. Liberty Street, Asheville, NC 28801

Mail: P.O. Box 8608, Asheville, NC 28814

Phone: 828-253-0043 Fax: 828-252-1181

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.stmarkslutheran.net

OUR MISSION:

Making disciples by loving Christ,

growing in faith, serving all people

OUR VISION:

Transforming lives through God’s grace as an

inclusive, intergenerational congregation

through Worship, Outreach,

Learning and Fellowship

MINISTERS:

The People of God at St. Mark’s

STAFF:

Interim Senior Pastor: Rev. Dr. William B. Trexler

Director of Discipleship & Faith Formation:

Deacon Katie Rivers

Cantor: David Anderson

Parish Administrator: Scottie Miller

Pastor of Caring Ministries:

The Rev. Linda McHenry

Seminary Intern: Vicar Mat Hoffman

Facilities Manager: Eileen Cram

Custodian: Gage Hampton

Nursery Director: Ginger Dixon

Church Office Hours:

Mon.-Thu. 8:30 a.m.—4:30 p.m.

Fri. 8:30 a.m.—12:30 p.m.