A Message from Father Joshua

531 West College Avenue, Jonesboro, AR 72401 September 2019

The Missive

Two big announcements. This summer the vestry approved my recommendation to hire a director for Children’s ministries. When discerning how best to support and enhance the thriving ministries of this church we agreed that we have an im-portant opportunity to commit financial resources to our existing program. Rose Mary Latanich has faithfully volunteered all her time these last few years in service to the children and families of our church, and she has agreed to stay on in this new (part-time) position! Rose Mary is charged with directing the formation of our children which means ministering as much to the parents as to the children. Our service to our children is not one-directional! They minister to us as much as we minister to them. And so this investment of funds is not just in our children and families but an investment in all the members of our church parish! The second big announcement involves our EYC (Episcopal Youth Community). At the end of last semester Stephanie and Matthew stepped down on the eve of the birth of their new baby girl, Sophia. We were in a hard spot to find someone to fill the lively and wonderful ministry they had sustained. In late summer one such person stepped forward. Believing that God kept tugging on her heart for this ministry, she called and expressed an interest. I was beyond thrilled to receive that call! Since then we have worked to find as much support as we could for her (from those in our church and from the diocese). Having grown-up in this church, and in an active EYC group herself, she knows well the challenges and joys this ministry can bring. This Fall Lori Alpe will restart our EYC ministry! There are still many details to be ironed out for both our children’s ministry and our youth group, but with prayer and excitement we begin another year with joy abounding! Father Joshua Daniel

Wedding Invitation

MG Meyering and Conley Ferguson. Sept. 7, 2019 at

4:00pm at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church . You are invited to

share in their happiness as they exchange vows with

reception to follow in the Parish Hall.

Mark your Calendars !

Rally Day and Ministry Fair is

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Join us for a morning of fun for Everyone!

….Bring your favorite Potluck dish

…..Ministry fair

…….Bouncy house

….Extended nursery for our little ones

Discover which ministry is right for you!

ECW resumes our monthly meetings

on Sept. 14, 2019

is an organization with state and national ties. We meet in our own churches, gather two times annually across the state, and find to our delight that our diverse ages and backgrounds bind us in friendship and love. Look us over. Join us. We would love for you to be a part of our community as we learn God’s plans for each of us. Our September meeting will be on Saturday, September 14. We will have coffee and snacks at 9:30 am, followed by a brief meeting and a guest speaker at 10:00. We meet in Saint Mark's conference room. Our guest speaker will be Father Joshua Daniel. He will talk about his semi-nary experiences, and his time at other churches. He will also answer questions. ECW welcomes anyone would like to be with us. If you are new to St Marks, or if you would just like to meet others and share our space, we would love to meet you. Donna Gilbert and Becky Carr, ECW coChairs

Men’s Club News

Men’s Club enjoyed a Tex Mex buffet in August and a rowdy game of Bingo in the Parish Hall. Thanks to Rose Mary Latanich, Deb McInturff, and Dana Moses for donating prizes to our Bingo game. We had a good turnout of 22 people including two new visitors to Men’s Club. I think everyone had a good time and I had no idea a bunch of grown men could get so competitive over Bingo!

Men’s Club will meet Thursday, September 19 at Sage Meadows for our twice-yearly golf outing. There will be a sign up sheet in the Nar-thex. Golf begins at 5:00pm and we will meet in the Sage Meadows Club House afterwards for food and drinks and fellowship. If you don’t want to golf, come out around 6:30 and eat with us! Perry Moses, Men’s Club President

Also, September has FIVE Sundays, so you know what that means: Fifth Sun-day Breakfast brought to you by your Men’s Club! Join us on Sunday, Septem-ber 29 between the 8:00 and 10:00am services for a hot breakfast and fellow-ship. We will start serving around 9:00am. We look forward to seeing our St. Mark’s family there. This would be a good day to invite a friend to St. Mark’s!

Vacation Bible School 2019

Vacation Bible School has come and gone. A lot of folks put a lot of time and effort in St. Mark’s Vacation Bible School. Thank you to all the wonderful folks who helped to make Vacation Bible School a reality. Thanks to all the adults and teens who gave of their time to help make St. Mark’s VBS program such a success. A special thanks to Al Poston, our “Hotdog Chef ”.

Thank you, Rose Mary Latanich

Shrimp Boil 2019

Our 10th annual Shrimp Boil is set for Saturday, October 12.

At this time we’re looking for team leaders. If you’re interested in organizing the servers, the kitchen staff, the set-up or clean up crews, please see me after one of the Sunday church services, call me at 870-935-0236, or e-mail me at

garylatanich@gmail.com. Ultimately we’ll need 70+ workers to make our

Shrimp Boil a success.

Sincerely,

Gary Latanich

Children’s Chapel format of service is now modeled after the Liturgy of the Word in the Book of Common Prayer, adopting the prayers to the needs of the children. Children listen to the same Gospel reading that adults hear during Sunday worship but in a way that is understanda-ble for them. Our hope and goal are to teach the Word of God in an age-appropriate way which will help nurture a child’s spiritual journey at a child’s own pace and time.

Liturgy of the Word with Children is a very important offering for school aged children up to fifth grade. This is celebrated during our Sunday 10:00am Holy Eucharist services. Afterward, children return to the nave to celebrate Holy Communion with their families.

Although, we do have some leaders in place, we still are in need of additional leaders. If you would like to serve as an adult leader or are a mature teens who would like to serve as support person, contact Rose Mary (rosemarylatanich@gmail.com or 935-0236) for more in-formation. Please keep St. Mark’s ministries for children in your prayers.

Enrollment in St. Mark’s Christian Education may be small, but the chil-dren participating are enthusiastic and faithful to the program. The cur-riculum we will be using is Living the Good News which follows the Re-

vised Common Lectionary.

I am looking forward to another awesome year of Christian Ed. We will be making some changes to our Christian Education program. We will still gather on Wednesday evenings but from 6:00 to 7:00pm. Because of limited time for formation we will unable to serve refresh-ments. But throughout the catechetical year we will have opportunities to gather to celebrate with one another.

Christian Education sessions will resume with an Open House on Wednesday, September 4th at 6:00pm. This will be a time to welcome new and returning families to St. Mark’s Christian Education program. This will also be an opportunity for parents and students to learn about our upcoming activities but for you to give any suggestions and ideas what will help St. Mark’s Christian Education program grow. I am looking forward to meeting with parents and stu-dents or any other interested individuals on September 4. Light refreshments will be served.

St. Mark’s Christian Education program runs on volunteer efforts. We are in need of indi-viduals to volunteer to help team teach for this upcoming school year. Please contact Rose Mary (rosemarylatanich@gmail.com or call 935-0236 ) if you would like more information about volunteering on Wednesday evening.

Christian Education

Liturgy of the Word with Children

Sr. Warden’s Secret Saints

One of the most secretive of our Secret Saints here at St. Mark’s is Janice Kroeter. If you don’t know Janice personally, you just see a friendly woman sitting quietly in a pew. Behind the scenes, however, Janice is constantly in service to this church and its people. She has for many years led or been actively involved in Altar Guild. She takes care of the altar linens. Perhaps no one does more polishing of brass or knows more about how to prepare the altar area for each

type of service, than Janice does. Additionally, Janice constantly visits parishion-ers in the hospital and others in their homes who are unable to get to church. She often brings flowers and makes many birthday phone calls. She is also the person who keeps up the St. Mark’s Photo Album that documents our Parish Life, she is definitely a go to person on the history of our Parish. Other days will find her weeding, pruning, and grooming the Claire Nix garden and the columbarium garden area of the church. Janice, we thank you for all that you do for St. Mark’s!

Do you know someone at St. Mark’s whose important service is largely behind the scene? Please let me know. I’d love to give them a little shout out like this. Sincerely, Steve Replogle, Sr. Warden

Theology By The Pint. It has grown in visitors of new and old faces. We are hopeful about new things coming for us to be involved in and hoping to grow the community with other events.

The dates for the next TBTP are: September 24, October 29, and Nov. 19. These will all be held at The Recovery Room Downtown Jonesboro at 6:30 PM. Julie would like to thank everyone being patient these past few months while spending time with her family and recovering for her loss. If she has missed your contact, she will be getting back with you soon. It may take time, but she is getting back to serving the St. Mark’s community plus 143 Community! Please contact her at mojojules@gmail.com or Fr. Joshua at St. Mark’s.

Seminary News

Grace and peace from our Lord Jesus Christ. After a thirteen-hour drive down in a Budget

truck with two dogs and after Matthew finishing up his work in Jonesboro, we are

officially Texans! It has been a crazy busy few weeks. By the time you read this, I will have

finished my first week of classes and Matthew his first week in his new job. New student

orientation finished up on Friday, August 23rd and that was intense. So much information and

so much fun. Let me give you a few highlights that cemented our choice in coming to South-

west that happened in the last couple of weeks:

1. They aren't just concerned about feeding you knowledge. Knowledge is great but they

want to develop us into a type of person, rather than someone who can spit facts out and write

papers. Academics are important but also being present in the community and serving.

2. Part of their success here is an emphasis on spiritual wellbeing and mental

health. They help you develop a rule for life and offer many resources for spiritual direc-

tion. Mental health is important, and they offer subsidized mental health options to seminari-

ans here.

3. You serve. From work-study, to chapel to mission trips you will have many opportuni-

ties to serve.

4. The way they built the academic advisor plan isn't like with some places where the ad-

visor is there to just sign papers. You fill out questions, and you discuss. They also rate you on

key component areas after consultation with your professors to ensure that you a developing in

the right direction.

5. This class is huge! Let me give you some quick demographics: Over a third are gay/

lesbian with three same-sex couples. Non-binary folks are represented in this class. Over 75%

of those in the MDiv and DAS program are female. I am the only left-handed person

in the class.

So as you can see that people who come here to be formed for the priesthood are in great

hands. Matthew and I also want to say thank you again for your prayers and gifts over the past

couple of months. Both have been so helpful and your prayers especially have been a bless-

ing. Keep up with us on Facebook to see what our life is like in real-time. And so, may God

continue to bless you and the Church; granting us in this world knowledge of truth, and in the

age to come life everlasting.

Sincerely, Brandon and Matthew

Arkansas Youth Event (AYE) Oct. 18–20 at Camp Mitchell- This weekend retreat is open to 6th–12th graders from across the state. The cost is $120. Partial scholarships may be available from your local church or from the diocese. (Contact your church first, then the diocese.) link to register below: https://episcopalarkansas.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=a3237c355923716107c1c6e66&id=7bb05902db&e=d6f84177ba

‘Singing Our Journeys’ Workshop “Singing Our Journeys: African-American Spirituals and Chants that Quiet the Mind,” Saturday, Sept. 7, at St. Margaret’s in Little Rock, will be led by Dr. Ysaÿe M. Barnwell. Learn more and register

ECW Fall Gathering in Batesville ECW’s Fall Gathering will be held Oct. 25–26, at St. Paul’s in Batesville. There will be tours of the church Friday afternoon, followed by entertainment that evening. The annual meet-ing will be held Saturday. Guest speaker Joanna Seibert will speak about her new book A Daily Spiritual Rx for Advent, Christmas and Epiphany, and copies will be available for purchase. A silent auction, elections, and installation of officers will also take place on Saturday, as well as Holy Eucharist with the Rt. Rev. Larry Benfield. Register online.

9/11 Prayer Vigil at St. Mark’s, Little Rock The chapel at St. Mark’s in Little Rock will be open to the public all day on Wednesday, Sept. 11, for prayers for our country on the anniversary of the 2001 attacks. The prayer vigil begins with Morning Prayer at 8:30 a.m., continues with a noonday prayer service, and con-cludes with Holy Eucharist and Unction at 5:30 p.m.

An Ordination of Priests On Saturday, Sept. 28, 11 a.m., at Trinity Cathedral in Little Rock, the following people be will be ordained priests: Peggy Cromwell, serving at St. Peter’s, Conway; Elizabeth Henry-McKeever, serving at St. Michael’s, Little Rock; Mark Nabors, serving at St Peter’s, Tollville and St Alban’s, Stuttgart; and Matthew Richardson, serving at All Saints’, Paragould. Clergy should wear red stoles.

Two Saints’

September Schedule Sept 7– Team 1

Sept 14- Team 2

Sept 21– Team 3

Sept 28- Team 4

Helping Neighbors is experiencing a financial shortfall. Over the first six months of 2019 our expenses have exceeded our revenue by $20,000. For reasons unknown to us, contributions are down and our expenses are up due to the fact that certain basic commodities are less available from the Food Bank forcing us to buy these items. In response, we’ve decided to keep our additional Christmas food distribution to families, but discontinue the additional Thanksgiving dinner distribution. For those interested in donating to the Helping Neighbors Food Pantry financially, we have a web page. The address is: helpingneigh-bors_craighead.org. Near the bottom of the home page is a Donate button that is linked to Paypal. If you are interested in contributing to Helping Neighbors, this is one more way to contribute.

Sincerely,

Gary Latanich

Helping Neighbors Food Pantry

St. Mark’s Day School

9/03 Shannon Seyler

9/07 Clara Troutt

9/09 Bill Keisker

9/09 Win Robinson

9/09 Mary Cathryn Walker

9/15 Emily Pierce

9/15 Isabel Welch

9/16 Heather McNamee

9/17 David Kroeter

9/17 Martye Blaylock

9/22 Charlotte Ledet

9/22 Ruth Keisker

9/22 Sara Ellis

9/22 Allie Kirk

9/24 Bill Brown

9/28 Michael Engelken

9/28 Kassie Haynes

9/30 Lise Cater

The summer session was a huge success and the new school year has begun! The

teachers and children are getting to know each other and make new friends. We are

thrilled to meet many new faces and welcome back our babies that have grown so

much! Every year our enrollment and staff continues to grow. God has truly

blessed us! We are excited to offer the return of the independent programs that

the children can take advantage of like Kindermuzik, Compu-child, Tumbling for

Tots, and Teams of Tomorrow. Chapel will be held every Wednesday for 3 and 4

year old children. 3's go at 10:00 and 4's go at 10:15. Everyone is welcome! The

school will be closed September 2nd for Labor day. We are looking forward to a

fantastic year! Peggy

9/09 Gary and Rose Mary Latanich

09/17 Adam and Whitney Lindley

9/17 Wes and Sue Westenrieder

9/28 David and Janice Kroeter

Sept 2 Labor Day (office and Day School closed)

Sept 4 Christian Ed Roundtable at 6pm

Sept 14 ECW Meeting /9:30am

Sept 15 Rally Day/ Potluck/ Bouncy House

Sept 16 Vestry Meeting at 7pm

Sept 19 Men’s Club Golf Scramble

Sept 29 5th Sunday Breakfast

Daughters of the King Meeting at 11:30am

…..save the date