2nd Day in London!

Hello, Parents!

A quick update (we're going into evening prayer as I write this):

Today we woke up bright and early (some of us at 6:00 a.m. or earlier to go running), and had breakfast here at the Highbury Centre before going to our two separate activities: serving with Missionaries of Charity and visiting the Tower of London. I was in group A, which went to Missionaries of Charity first. We served lunch, cleaned 40 rooms used to house homeless men, and even cleaned a few bathrooms.

I was particularly amazed (I think the word I used was "obsessed") with one of the Sisters at Missionaries of Charity named Sister Georgina. She really exemplified the light of Christ in her 47th year as a nun (36 with Mother Teresa in India)! She told us that one of her favorite Mother Teresa quotes is (in my far less poignant paraphrase) : "God doesn't ask for checks or money--what he really asks for is hands to serve and a loving heart."

The Tower of London was a lot of fun for everyone! For dinner tonight, we went for the quintessentially English dish of fish and chips (yum)!

We've all done a lot of walking (but not a lot of sweating, which is a nice change). Everyone sends their love!

P.S. We just found out that the London Tube strike is on, so it is going to be very difficult to get to our mission organizations tomorrow. Please pray for safe and timely journeys as we overcome these obstacles!

Youth Sunday!

THIS Sunday is Youth Sunday (May 3rd )! We still need singers for the Youth Band, so if you don't have another job, come and join us! If you are working at the 8:45 service, you need to be in the church by 8:20 a.m., and if you're doing 11, you need to be there by 10:40 a.m.!

This Sunday's EYC is our last one of the school year ! We'll have the usual fun, food, and fellowship--along with a slideshow of this year's best EYC moments. Don't miss it--EYC is 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the Youth Center!

We have pictures from three different events this week. First up is our LiveWire visit to the Butterfly Festival:






Our EYC Quilt (donated by the Piecemakers ) will be raffled off during the services on Youth Sunday! If you have tickets that you have sold, make sure you get them into me before Sunday!

Last Sunday at EYC, we watched funny videos , including the Skit Guys, who are featured in our Video of the Week! Check out this skit about the "New Youth Minister":



Random Holiday : Today (4/30) is National Honesty Day! I cannot tell a lie...

Happening #115 will be here before you know it (September 18th-20th at Camp Weed)! Team applications (available here, if you've already been to Happening) are due July 21st, and Candidate applications (download here if you haven't been to Happening) are due August 21st. The team meetings are August 22nd at Camp Weed, and September 4-5 (Labor Day weekend) in Tallahassee. Get those apps in!

Sign up to work St Mark's Vacation Bible School (July 20th-24th)! The theme this year is Crocodile Dock: Where Fearless Kids Shine God's Light ! You can click here for a quick Crocodile Dock video. If you're available to work, let me know as soon as possible. Come down to the Bayou for Crocodile Dock!
Our second group of pictures are from Confirmation Sunday:

Our country to pray for this week is Iraq . Obviously, for the past few years, Iraq has been on our hearts because of the war. Here's a map:

Iraq

Iraq has experienced a troubled history since Bible times. This is the land where the Jews were taken into exile, and where the prophet Daniel served the kings of Babylon . Saddam Hussein came to power in 1979 and brought years of turmoil to the people of Iraq . Iraqi Christians reported in April 2003 that there was new-found freedom for them to worship and meet together after the fall of the Saddam Husein regime. But in August 2004, five churches were bombed by Islamic insurgents , and thousands of Iraqi Christians—mostly from the traditional church—fled the country. Attacks on Christians and churches continued in 2005. In spite of attacks, Iraqi Christians continue to distribute tons of Gospel literature, and house churches are growing and multiplying. Pray that God will empower Iraqi Christians to be a witness as their nation is being rebuilt.

Quote of the Week : "Question authority with your life, not with your mouth. Show authority with your life, not with your mouth." --Mike Yaconelli

Our last group of pictures are from Sunday's EYC (including our pool table in the newly christened Game Room)! Please remember that God loves you , and so do I !

Sign up for Youth Sunday!

This week's blog is dedicated to Allison Haramis. We will always love you !



If you haven't seen the news video for Allison, you can see it here: http://www.news4jax.com/news/19232837/detail.html#video

Come back to EYC this week ! We'll have food, games, and discussion--it's going to be awesome! EYC is on Sunday from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Youth Center.

Parents! We need help for A Gift Affair ! A Gift Affair is a huge two day sale that will be held in Leatherbury Hall NEXT week (April 30th-May 1st), and St Mark's EYC is going to have a bake sale as part of the event! If you can donate baked goods, please contact me or Jill Dame!

Random Holiday : Today (4/23) is Talk Like Shakespeare Day! "Alas, poor Yorick, I knew him, Horatio..." Click here for more info!

Sign up for Youth Sunday (May 3rd) ! We still have spots available, so let me know if you are coming (especially if you play an instrument or sing)!

Here are the first of several pictures from last weekend's Happening:





Congrats to all of the Happeners ! Don't forget that team applications for Happening #115 are due July 21st, so get those in as soon as possible! Happening #115 is September 18th-20th at Camp Weed.

The final Mission Trip payment is due THIS Sunday (April 26th)!

Our country to pray for this week is Iran, which borders Iraq in the Middle East. Here's a map:

Iran

Life is not easy for Iranian Christians—open witness is banned and the government has sent spies to monitor Christian groups. Believers are also discriminated against in education, employment, and property ownership. In the last five years, several pastors have been murdered. Missions are not allowed to enter Iran, but a growing number of Muslims have converted to Christianity. There are also possibilities of evangelizing the millions of Iranians who live abroad, including more than two million in the United States. Ask the Lord to give Christians creative ways to share the gospel inside Iran.

Quote (Prayer) of the Week :

God, we didn't see this coming. Did you? We have faith, God. We have faith that Allison only saw your face. We believe she went immediately into your arms. We believe your love surrounded her. Now, surround us with your love. We need help down here, God. It's like having the rug pulled out from underneath our feet. Let us know your peace, God. Let us know your comfort. Help us catch our balance and be there for Allison's family and loved ones. Let us ache, and then let us heal. Let us find a way to make sense of this. Give us the strength to do what we have to do. Amen.

Here are the last pictures from Happening. Please don't forget that God loves you, and so do I !

Walking in His Footsteps 2009!

I need volunteers for this weekend's Walking In His Footsteps ! Everyone going on the Mission Trip needs to work a shift (and invite people—it’s free)! Walking In His Footsteps is an intense multimedia worship adventure that will be sponsored by St Mark’s EYC in the Youth Center on Good Friday (April 10th) from 6-9 p.m., and Holy Saturday (April 11th) from 10 a.m. –2 p.m. for the St Mark’s congregation. Contact me today to sign up for a shift.

No EYC this Sunday--have a Happy Easter !

Parents! We need help for A Gift Affair ! A Gift Affair is a huge two day sale that will be held in Leatherbury Hall April 30th-May 1st, and St Mark's EYC is going to have a bake sale as part of the event! If you can donate baked goods, please contact me!

Our first pictures are from Sunday's EYC Baby Shower for Leah ! You can see one of our baby-themed games, "Don't drop the baby!"





Random Holiday : Thursday (4/9) is National Cherish an Antique Day!

Fr Dave and I are coming to Stanton tomorrow (Thursday, April 9th) for both lunches, and we're bringing cookies ! If you go to Stanton, please let me know which lunch you have...

More Shower pics, including Baby Food, scars, and craziness!





St Mark's Youth Commission will not be meeting tomorrow because of Holy Week. Since we're not meeting, everyone needs to sign up for Youth Sunday roles .

Happening #114 is next weekend (April 17th-19th) ! Please pray for everyone participating!

Our country to pray for this week is Indonesia, a group of islands in the South China Sea. Here’s a map:

Indonesia

This collection of 13,500 islands was the site of one of the few failures of a Communist movement to overthrow a government. During the Indonesian upheaval, many Christians had their homes and shops raided and burned, and many were beaten, raped, and killed. The political strength of Islam is used to limit evangelism and reduce Christian influence on public life. In May 2005, Muslim radicals detonated two bombs in a marketplace killing 23 people and injuring 50 in the Christian city of Tentena. Also, in late summer and early fall 2005, Muslim mobs forced the closure of at least 60 churches, most of them in West Java. The increase of Christian persecution has brought about a greater unity among the Body of Christ, the growth of a national prayer movement, and a commitment to outreach in Indonesia and beyond. Pray that the Holy Spirit will burn in the hearts of believers, and that others will come to know Christ.

The Quote of the Week is actually from our Baby Caption contest on Sunday.


For the picture above, the winning caption was "Does this hat make me look fat?"

Our last pictures show our Baby Shower group, including our guest of honor!

St Mark's Work Day!

THIS Saturday (April 4th) is our first parish-wide St Mark's Work Day ! Come from 9 a.m. -Noon on April 4th to help beautify the church for Holy Week, and stay for yummy food and drinks! Let's give back to St Mark's!


Parents! We need help for A Gift Affair ! A Gift Affair is a huge two day sale that will be held in Leatherbury Hall April 30th-May 1st, and St Mark's EYC is going to have a bake sale as part of the event! If you can donate baked goods, please contact me!

Come to Walking In His Footsteps NEXT Friday-Saturday ! Walking In His Footsteps is an intense multimedia worship adventure that will be sponsored by St Mark’s EYC in the Youth Center on Good Friday (April 10th) from 6-9 p.m., and Holy Saturday (April 11th) from 10 a.m. –2 p.m. for the St Mark’s congregation. We need VOLUNTEERS! Everyone going on the Mission Trip needs to work a shift (and invite people—it’s free)! Contact me today to sign up for a shift.

Here's a funny video from Sunday's EYC (Dance, Sam, dance !):



Random Holiday : Saturday (4/4) is World Rat Day (which actually has a website here)!

Singer/songwriter Matt Brouwer , is coming in concert to San Jose Episcopal Church (across from Bolles) THIS Friday (April 3rd)! Tickets are only $5 per person, and the proceeds go to Sulzbacher Center!

Our country to pray for this week is India. India borders Pakistan and China in Asia. Here's a map:

India

India has a racial, ethnic, religious and linguistic diversity that is staggering. In recent years several of India’s states have faced religious violence, as radical Hindus have become increasingly open in their conflict with Christians. In the last two years, there have been reports of pastors and priests beaten, nuns harassed and raped, and other violence directed at Christians in the states of Orissa and Gujarat. In 2005, more than 200 acts of violence against Christians occurred in the first four months of the year. Christians say their mission to serve the sick and needy is threatened because anti-conversion laws have broad definitions of force and allurement. Under the laws, any gift or material benefit received by Christian converts can be considered an allurement to convert. Pray that Indian Christians will continue to spread the Gospel despite harrowing circumstances.

Quote of the Week : "Optimism doesn't mean you get to skip the bad stuff...it's the courage to look at something and say, 'However bad this is, it isn't bad infintely'." --Michael J Fox

The last pictures are from Sunday's EYC, and we have a recurring theme of the water jug! Remember that God loves you, and so do I !

Two Thumbs Up?

This Sunday, we're having an EYC Movie Night ! Come and eat dinner and popcorn, while watching a crazy Christian movie called M10:28. Part of the movie description says "Prepare to be shaken and disturbed", and that's pretty accurate! Come and see evangelism at its finest--I promise you'll enjoy it (click here for the movie basics)!

30 Hour Famine money is past due! If you participated in the Famine, I need your money THIS week !

Random Holiday : Sunday (3/29) is Texas Loves the Children Day! Which begs the question, when is Florida Loves the Children Day?!?

We don't have many pictures this week, but here's our Video of the Week (which nobody saw )--POD's Change the World:



Have you heard about A Gift Affair ? A Gift Affair is a huge two day sale that will be held in Leatherbury Hall April 30th-May 1st, and St Mark's EYC is going to have a bake sale as part of the event! If you can donate baked goods, please contact me!

This week's Video Bar focuses on Matt Brouwer , who is coming in concert to San Jose Episcopal Church (across from Bolles) on Friday, April 3rd! Click here to read a recent article about Matt Brouwer setting the charts on fire.

Saturday, April 4th is our first parish-wide St Mark's Work Day ! Come from 9 a.m. -Noon on April 4th to help beautify the church for Holy Week, and stay for yummy food and drinks!

The topic for this week's Wednesdays in Lent (which I led) was the Woman at the Well, and I found this awesome video on the subject! Check it out:



Come to Walking In His Footsteps in TWO weeks ! Walking In His Footsteps is an intense multimedia worship adventure that will be sponsored by St Mark’s EYC in the Youth Center on Good Friday (April 10th) from 6-9 p.m., and Holy Saturday (April 11th) from 10 a.m. –2 p.m. for the St Mark’s congregation. We need VOLUNTEERS! Everyone going on the Mission Trip needs to work a shift (and invite people—it’s free)! Contact me today to sign up for a shift.

Our country to pray for this week is Gaza and the West Bank, which borders Israel on the banks of the Mediterranean Sea. Here is a map of the area:

Gaza and the West Bank

In 1948, Palestine lost most of its land, and Israel’s occupation of the remaining land in 1967 overshadows the life of Palestinians. Arafat’s political and economic failures have increased support for the Islamists and brought further pressure on the dwindling and marginalized Christian population. Less than 2 percent of Palestinians are Christian, many of whom can trace their roots back to pre-Islamic times. The Christians often feel rejected by Jews, Arabs, traditional Christians and even Western evangelicals and thus isolated. Pray that the Gaza Christians will continue to grow in numbers and influence.

Quote of the Week : "You have to be smart enough and strong enough to know when enough is enough." --Emily Lookadoo

Here are some pictures from last Sunday's EYC! Don't forget that God loves you, and so do I !

Change Your World!

Do you believe that you can change the world ? This week at EYC, we'll be talking about how to harness the power God gives you to do great things! EYC is Sunday in the Youth Center from 5:30-7:30 p.m., with dinner, fun, and games!

Happening candidate applications are due THIS Friday (March 20th)! Happening #114 is April 17th-19th at Camp Weed, and if you're in 9th-12th grade, you should be there! Happening is a life altering weekend of fun, worship, and getting closer to God. Trust me, you don't want to miss it! You can download the candidate application here.

Do you want to make a change in Jacksonville by tackling the big issues ? ICARE is a group made up of people and churches who want a better Jacksonville for everyone. St Mark's is a part of ICARE, which means that YOU are invited to an awesome rally to help affect change in our city! Join thousands of other people (hopefully 100 just from St Mark's) at the ICARE Nehemiah Assembly on Monday, March 23rd from 7-8:30 p.m. at Bethel Institutional Baptist Church. We will meet at 6 p.m. at the church and carpool--you can get more information here!


Random Holiday : Today (3/18) is Forgive Mom and Dad Day!

Our first pictures for this week are from the Follies (they couldn't all fit last week!):






Get in your Famine funds ! If you participated in the 30 Hour Famine, you need to turn in the money that you raised!


Saturday, April 4th is our first parish-wide St Mark's Work Day ! Come from 9 a.m. -Noon on April 4th to help beautify the church for Holy Week, and stay for yummy food and drinks!

Our second group of pics is from Sunday's LiveWire:





Singer/Songwriter Matt Brouwer is coming to San Jose Episcopal Church on Friday, April 3rd ! The tickets are only $5.00 per person, and proceeds benefit Sulzbacher Center. Here's a YouTube video about Matt Brouwer:

Our country to pray for this week is Ethiopia, which borders last week's country (Eritrea) and Kenya in East Africa. Here's a map:

Ethiopia

In 1974, a revolution imposed a Marxist-like government on the country of Ethiopia. The regime persecuted Christians and allowed for the Islamic movement to strengthen its position. In the town of Alaba (K’olito), evangelical Christians have been the victims of severe physical abuse, confiscation and destruction of property, extortion, kidnapping, forcible marriage and unlawful imprisonment. Hajji Husman Mohamed, a former Muslim Imam, has suffered since his conversion to Christ. In December 2004, all of his property was taken from him. On February 1, 2005, he and his family, including his pregnant wife, were severely beaten. Pray that Christianity in Ethiopia will thrive despite persecution.

Quote of the Week : "The choice is ours every day to live boldly or die slowly." --Chris Ahrens

Our last group of pictures are from Sunday's EYC (including a game of redneck baseball!). Don't forget that God loves you, and so so I !