This Week at Saint Mark Sunday, January 10

9:00a Morning Worship

10:10a Sunday School classes

11:15a Morning Worship

12:30p Lay Readers workshop

4:30 ASCA meeting

Monday, January 11

7:15a Augustine Fellowship

9:00a ESL classes

10:00a Finance volunteers

6:30 Mission Committee meeting

7:00 Just Us Atlanta (Transit) meeting

Sentimental Journey rehearsal

Tuesday, January 12

7:15a Augustine Fellowship

9:00a ESL class registration

1:00 Ministerial staff meeting

1:30 Staff meeting

2:30 Supper Club prep

3:30 music lessons

7:00 Crystal Meth Anonymous

Just Us Atlanta (Transit) meeting

Wednesday, January 13

7:15a Augustine Fellowship

9:00a ESL classes

5:00 Beth’s Study of the Bible class

5:30 Fellowship dinner

6:30 Midweek Retreat programming

Children’s & Youth choir rehearsals

7:45 Chancel Choir rehearsal

8:00 Augustine Fellowship 3

Thursday, January 14

7:15a Augustine Fellowship

9:00a ESL classes

4:30 Augustine Fellowship 2

7:30 AGMC rehearsal

Friday, January 15

7:15a Augustine Fellowship

7:00 Just Us Atlanta (Transit) meeting

Saturday, January 16

9:00a Breakfast Club

10:00a Crystal Meth Anonymous

11:30a Open Doors

THE WORSHIP OF GOD Sunday, January 10, 2016 - 9:00 a.m. & 11:15 a.m.

Baptism of the Lord

Please contact Rev. Beth LaRocca-Pitts to notify the church of a death or illness.

To reach a minister after office hours in case of emergency, call 1-800-673-0411.

Congregational Care

Hospitalized

Frank Atkinson’s father Loris, SC

At Home

Frank Atkinson’s mother Frances Mullins, SC

Jennifer Hansen’s nephew Edward Lehman AL

Susie Kezh's mother, Beth Bice Ellijay

Stacy Ladd's mother Sue Alexander

Abigail Morris

Bill Murray

Mia Musciano-Howard’s parents

Josh Noblitt’s grandmother Maxine Huggins NC

Terry Oxner’s mother Katie and sister Linda

Colleen Rodney-Brown’s mother

In Care Facilities

Suzi Campbell’s mother Bonnie (hospice care)

Mark Corsale's father OR

Gene Goldsmith Wm Brennan Jewish Home

Phil & Brett Hulst's mother / grandmother

Elaine Hulst Statesboro GA

Julie Jones’ mother Shirley Park Springs, St. Mtn.

Tom Lawson Woodland Ridge, Smyrna

Jeff McMullen's mother Sandra Milledgeville GA

Chuck Rice’s parents Renaissance, Rome GA

James & Adelyn Stevenson Lenbrook Square

In Military Service

Candice King's daughter-in-law, SGT Rachel King

Fort Wainwright AK

Eric Lauer Army, Ft Gordon, GA

SGM Callie Leaver

Al Thomas' grandson Cory CarterFt Bragg NC, Army

Army, Washington, DC

WELCOME HOME TO

Saint Mark United Methodist Church

781 Peachtree Street, N.E. Atlanta, Georgia 30308

(404) 873-2636 • www.stmarkumc.org

The Saint Mark Care Line (after hours emergency): 1-800-673-0411

The Reverend Doctor Beth LaRocca-Pitts Senior Pastor

The Reverend Jennifer Hansen Minister of Outreach & Missions

The Reverend Joshua M. Noblitt Minister of Social Justice & Evangelism

The Reverend Kim Sorrells Minister to Youth & Spiritual Formation

The Reverend John Turlington Minister of Christian Education & Pastoral Care

Mrs. Susan Wilson Director of Fine Arts and Organist

Mr. Donald Daugherty Accompanist and Organist

Thank you, Open Doors Volunteers!

Thanks to those who volunteered at Open Doors (our weekly Open House,

held every Saturday from 11:30am to 1pm) in 2015: Joel, Bill, Denson, Brent,

Lenny, Roger, John, Myrna, Liz, Todd, Nicholas, Jesse, Fernando, Jason, Jon,

Giselle, Kelly, Spring, Don, Cathy, Powell, Darrell, Robert, Pam, Eric, Joyce,

Ally, Belinda, Donna, Elizabeth, Stewart, Allison, Julie, Rick, Rex, Sheri, Noey,

Benny, Russell, Amy, and Michael.

If you would like to volunteer to host Open Doors in 2016 on Saturday from

11:30am to 1:00pm, email Giselle Lawn at gisellelawn@comcast.net.

Saint Mark Community Garden

A group is exploring building a roof-top community garden at Saint Mark.

If you are interested, or know anyone who might be, please contact

Greg Brown at gregbrown1000@att.net.

In Sympathy

Saint Mark expresses heartfelt sympathy to Benny Benson on the death of his

niece Stephanie Benson on December 21, 2015.

Did you know?

Upper Room and Alive Now devotionals are available at Saint Mark. Cost is

75 cents for the Upper Room and $1.50 for Alive Now. Look for them in the

Welcome Center (just off of the narthex) on Sunday mornings or in the hall

outside the church offices during the week.

Important dates in January

Monday, Jan. 11: Mission Committee meeting at 6:30pm in the parlor

Tuesday, Jan. 19: Finance Committee meeting at 6:30pm

Wednesday, Jan. 20: new session of Theology on Tap begins

Sunday, Jan. 24: Missions Sunday / Trustees meeting following 11:15 worship

Sunday, Jan. 31: Administrative Council work session following 11:15 worship

Hot Chocolate 15K/5K Race - Sunday, January 24

The Atlanta Hot Chocolate event is scheduled to begin at Turner Field on

Sunday, January 24 at 7:40am and 8:25am, but once again the course for

this event will go through Midtown and include 5th Street. Copies of the race

course map and road closures are in the narthex. Please give yourself some

extra time to plan your route and get to church on January 24. For more

information, visit http://www.hotchocolate15k.com/atlanta.

Saint Mark Mission Day is Sunday, January 24!

The Saint Mark Mission Day and Open Closets Fundraiser has been scheduled

for Sunday, January 24, when we will spend the day focusing on missions and

raise funds for our ministries that serve the vulnerable in our community and

beyond. Events will include a silent auction in the morning and the Miss Open

Closet competition and live auction in the evening! We need lots of help to

make this event happen. If you are interested in having fun while helping

raise funds that will be used to make a difference in the lives of those around

us, contact Rev. Jennifer Hansen at jhansen@stmarkumc.org.

Auction Donations Needed We continue to seek donations for the silent and

live auctions. Do you have a skill or talent (for example, are you a

handyman, photographer, housecleaner or chef) that you could donate to

be auctioned as your gift to mission? If you have an item or service that

could be auctioned to raise money for our mission fund, contact Noey

Barrera at nstbd@comcast.net or Rev. Jennifer Hansen at

jhansen@stmarkumc.org.

Our first Administrative Council meeting for the year will be held Sunday,

January 31. Members of the Administrative Council are invited to participate

in a work session following the 11:15 Morning Worship service. Lunch will be

provided. More details will be announced soon; in the meantime, be sure to

save the date!

Our Coat Drive continues

Please bring any gently worn coats, scarves, hats, and gloves to church and

drop them off in the bins in the narthex and Wade Hall so that we can share

them with those who come to our doors. Thank you for your generosity!

*Gospel Lesson Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 Beth LaRocca-Pitts

SERMON “Life in Community: The ‘In’ Crowd” Beth LaRocca-Pitts

WE RESPOND TO GOD’S WORD

ANTHEM Break Forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light Bach Chancel Choir

PASTORAL AND THE LORD’S PRAYER Kim Sorrells Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come,

Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread

and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the

kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

OFFERING OURSELVES TO GOD

The Invitation Kim Sorrells

Offertory Hard Times Come Again No More Foster/Harris Mike Smith, soloist; Greg Smith, accompanist

Let us pause in life's pleasures and count its many tears,

While we all sup sorrow with the poor;

There's a song that will linger forever in our ears;

Oh! Hard times come again no more. 'Tis the song, the sigh of the weary,

Hard Times, hard times, come again no more

Many days you have lingered around my cabin door;

Oh! Hard times come again no more.

While we seek mirth and beauty and music light and gay,

There are frail forms fainting at the door;

Though their voices are silent, their pleading looks will say

Oh! Hard times come again no more. 'Tis the song, the sigh of the weary,

Hard Times, hard times, come again no more

Many days you have lingered around my cabin door;

Oh! Hard times come again no more.

'Tis a sigh that is wafted across the troubled wave,

'Tis a wail that is heard upon the shore

'Tis a dirge that is murmured around the lowly grave

Oh! Hard times come again no more. 'Tis the song, the sigh of the weary,

Hard Times, hard times, come again no more

Many days you have lingered around my cabin door;

Oh! Hard times come again no more.

*The Doxology UMH No. 95 OLD 100TH

Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise God all creatures here below;

Praise God above ye heavenly host; Creator, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

*PRAYER AFTER THE OFFERING John Turlington

WE ARE SENT FORTH INTO GOD’S WORLD

*INVITATION TO DISCIPLESHIP AND MEMBERSHIP John Turlington

*HYMN OF DEDICATION Angels From the Realms of Glory

THE ORDER OF WORSHIP * - Where indicated, those who are able, please stand.

We sing from 2 hymnals during Sunday morning worship. The United

Methodist Hymnal (UMH) is the large red hymnal in the pew racks.

The Faith We Sing (TFWS) is the smaller black hymnal found in the pews.

WE GATHER

MUSIC AS WE GATHER Greg Smith

WELCOME AND LIFE OF THE CHURCH Beth LaRocca-Pitts

Leader: We thank God for these opportunities for fellowship and service.

Many: Thanks be to God!

CONCERNS

Leader: For all these persons and all who are in need.

Many: Hold your people near, O God.

JOYS

Leader: We give thanks to God for these blessings.

Many: Thanks be to God!

Leader: Let us take a moment to center our hearts on God.

PRELUDE AND CHIMES

Dass alte Jahr vergangen ist (That Old Year Has Passed) Bach

*INTROIT Go, Tell It on the Mountain

UMH No. 251, 1st stanza GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN

CALL TO WORSHIP Jennifer Hansen

One: God of wonder and mystery, today we remember how you surprise us

in every age.

Many: Into the gloom of fear and want, you bring light; into emptiness, you

bring abundance;

One: into the cold, you bring warmth. Into the hardness of the world, you

bring the greatest love we have ever known.

Many: Enter now, Holy One, among us and within us, and move us to joyful

adoration of your mystery and wonder.

*HYMN OF PRAISE Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies UMH No. 173 RATISBON

*PASSING OF THE PEACE

WE HEAR GOD’S WORD

SCRIPTURE LESSONS

New Testament Lesson Acts 8:14-17 Sherrie Graham (9:00)

Bruce Roaden (11:15)

THE GIFTS OF AND FOR OUR YOUNGER CHURCH Josh Noblitt

PREPARATION FOR WORSHIP

Enter to Fellowship Sit to Pray Stand to Worship Leave to Share

4

UMH No. 220, stanzas 2 & 3 REGENT SQUARE

*BENEDICTION AND TRINITY CHIMES Beth LaRocca-Pitts

POSTLUDE Watchman Fantasie Garber

Music Notes

Today's prelude is a setting of a German chorale by Bach expressing grief at the passing of

the old year and thankfulness for the new. The postlude was written for our organist Donald

by his composition and organ teacher, Dr. J. Ryan Garber, Choirmaster of All Saints

Episcopal Church in Morristown, Tennessee. This Fantasie is based on the early American

tune Watchman, Tell Us of the Night which was also quoted by Charles Ives in his Fourth

Symphony. The tune is by Lowell Mason, the text by John Bowring: Watchman, tell us of

the night, what its signs of promise are. Traveler o'er yon mountains height, see that glory

beaming star. Watchman, does its beauteous ray aught of joy or hope foretell? Traveler, yes

- it brings the day, promised day of Israel.

Today at Saint Mark

Scripture Reader Workshop If you’ve ever considered volunteering to read

Scripture for one of our Morning Worship services, this is a great time to sign

up! If you want to learn more about it first, join us at today’s workshop

immediately following the 11:15 Morning Worship service. If you want to

participate but can’t attend today’s workshop, email coordinator Mike Smith

at smith_mu@mercer.edu or Christia Holloway in the church office at

cholloway@stmarkumc.org.

The Foundations Sunday School class invites you to join them for a new study

Soul Keeping: Caring for the most important Part of You by John Ortberg.

Beginning today, this 6 week study will help participants look inward with

humor, grace, and a hunger for a deeper relationship with God. Ortberg

writes "The health of your soul isn't just a matter of saved or unsaved. It's the

hinge on which the rest of your life hangs. It's the difference between deep

satisfied spirituality and a restless, dispassionate faith. In an age of

materialism and consumerism that tries to buy its way to happiness, many

souls are starved and unhealthy, unsatisfied by false promises of status and

wealth." Join us as we start 2016 by nurturing the most important aspect in

each of us, our soul. The Foundations class meets on Sundays in room 111 at

10:10am. Email Susanna Baxter at baxtersusanna@gmail.com to learn more.

The Faith Seekers Class continues their new 8 week series with author Adam

Hamilton’s book Making Sense of the Bible. The course began last Sunday

and includes weekly videos inviting us into an honest conversation about the

Bible. The book considers fundamental questions such as: How and when

was the Bible written? Which books made it into the scriptures and why? How

literally must we read it? And is the Bible ever wrong? From there Hamilton

considers the real questions people frequently ask that continue to divide

Christians and denominations alike. Today and next Sunday, Jan. 10 & 17:

Making Sense of the Old. The Faith Seekers class meets on Sunday mornings in

room 205 at 10:10am. Contact Jerry Becker (JerryB390@aol.com) for more details.

The Worship Committee would like to remind you that you have the

opportunity to provide fresh flowers in the sanctuary for Sunday morning worship.

For more information, contact Roger Brown at 678-575-2847.

Music reproduced within this document is done so with permission

under the following license: CCLI 2253952

Assisting in Worship Today

Soundboard: Kale Wright & Deanna Dennis

9:00 Greeters: Greg Brown & Deana Hilton

Usher Team: Jon Atteberry and Giselle Lawn, co-captains; Glen Anderson,

Joel Black, Bill Cox, John Flatt, Joseph Hackett, Shirley Horan,

Mark Jefferson, John Marotta, and Russell McKinney