A MESSAGE

FROM THE PRESIDENT

OF ST. MARK'S

CONSISTORY

 

FEBRUARY 2025

 

"Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers to care for the church of God, which He obtained with His own blood."  ACTS 20:23

 

When reflecting on ideas for this newsletter, the Bible verse jumped out at  me.  It made me remember when I was in middle school Sunday school class and my father was my teacher.  He always did a lesson on stewardship.  The lesson was that all we have is from God and we are caretakers of all God has given us.  It is our duty to take care of ourselves, others, and the land.

 

I have always strongly believed in this and instilled it in my own son.  Seeing and hearing about the natural abd man-made disasters taking place in the world today can be depressing and make you question if people are truly being good stewards and what exactly is God's plan.  But if you take a step back and truly look around, stewardship is taking place daily.  Whether it be a large scale disaster; such as the UCC Disaster Relief Teams helping hurricane and flood vistims, ot the Global Hope Team helping the fire victims of California, or small local teams such as the Skook Road Trip Relief Team, who have been going to North Carolina to help our flooded neighbors, or even smaller people donating foor and clothing to local organizations; stewardship is all around us.

 

What does this mean for St. Mark's?  Well, a lot.  We are currently at a crossroad.  We all know membership is decreasing, and attendance to church services is low; but I do not believe that this is the decline of St. Mark's.  It is another step in our transition process of finding a new pastor.  What do you want/need from your church?  How do you see your church helping in the community?  What are you willing to do to help St. Mark's continue to be sood stewards to their parishioners and neighbors?  Take time to pray about what you and your church should do to be good stewards and how that changes the future look of St. Mark's.

 

Blessings,

Heather Stone

 

"No matter who you are or where you are on life's journey,

you are always welcome here."

BLUE CHRISTMAS

Blue Christmas, also referred to as "The Longest Night," is a day in the Advent season when Christian denominations hold a quiet and contemplative worship service as an alternative to the the more traditional holiday gatherings.  For those experiencing grief and struggling with loss, the service is a recognition of the stress, sadness and loneliness experienced by those who have loss loved ones -- family and/or friends.

The service is traditionally held on or around the longest night of the year, falling on or around December 21st, the Winter Solstice.  Opportunities for expression of grief, pain, and heartbreak are often included in the worship service as well as the opportunity to focus on the promise of hope found in Christ during the Christmas season.

Amid many of their Christmas services, many United Church of Christ congregations are honoring those mourning the loss of a loved one.

"Advent, Christmas and the New Year create opportunities for us to minister to people's spiritual, emotional, and mental well-being," said reverend Sarah Lund, U.C.C. Minister for Disabilities and mental Health Justice in December 2022.  "It's a time of the yeare where we are vulnerable to additional stress, anxieties, feeling overwhelmed, loneliness and feelings of sadness.  We may turn to coping mechanisms that are harmful to us and others.  Some people are triggered this time of year as they navigate personal histories of trauma and unresolved grief.  It's a season that calls forth the faithful witness of the church to share  messages of hope and love for people experiencing mental health challenges and their loved ones."

While congregations are preparing for the upcoming Christmas season, many are also mindful of pain in their communities and are making space in their spiritual practices for those who may be struggling.  One of the ways that UCC churches support grieving members is through the Blue Christmas Service.

"UCC Congregations are providing meaningful worship and connection by offering Blue Christmas gatherings, a time of authentic worship during Advent and Christmas that acknowledges the complex feelings this time of years brings," Lund said.  "At a Blue Christmas Service, it is OK to not be OK.  It is OK to not feel happy, jolly, or bright.  It's OK if it is not the most wonderful time of the year."

Here at St. Mark's the opportunity exists for those experiencing grief and struggling with loss.  St. Mark's worship service usually draws small, inimate groups of those mourning the loss of a loved one.