25may23

Yours in Christ,

Father Grant +

What really happened that those frightened disciples suddenly found courage to proclaim loyalty to Him whom the establishment had just murdered? Could it be they finally realized Jesus had truly risen from the dead, and they need not fear death any longer? This knowledge was so astounding they had to trumpet this greatest news of all. Now, it is our turn to erase our fears, and to draw all whom we touch to the risen Christ. (Norm Carroll)

The book club will be meeting int he Parish Hall on Thursday, May 25th. This will be the book club’s final in person lunch and discussion until September 28th. We will be meeting via Zoom in June, July and August. The book for this meeting is The Women Who Wrote the War: The Riveting Saga of World War II’s Daredevil Women Correspondents by Nancy Caldwell Sorel. You can watch a 45 minute discussion along with questions and answers with the author; The Women Who Wrote the War: View Here on CSPAN.

(Dorothy Seibert: dorothyseibert@comcast.net)

The Mommy’s Morning Out Ministry will formally end on June 2, 2023. Since the school and MMO have a similar clientele, the vestry and school decided to roll the MMO into the Early Childhood Program. We are reorganizing the Ministry Center to be more convenient for the Church and making it so that our parishioners can come into the Office, and we can have a space that is more suitable for our weekday ministries.

I am grateful to all who have made that ministry special and know that our school will benefit from the employees who will move from MMO to the school. (Fr. Grant Wiseman)

We are proud to present our Mother’s Day song, Mama a Rainbow; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHXXQlDQ-c8, sung by our alto lead, Asael Cuesta Cardona. Also, Love of the Lord; https://youtu.be/MO_9Kb3fMk8, a beautiful song accompanied by an amazing flutist, Robert David Billington.

https://www.youtube.com@saintmarksepiscopalchurchc12 (Robin Dreyfuss)

Vestry Member, Doug Reynolds, spoke during last Sunday’s church services on the relationship between Saint Mark’s School and Saint Mark’s Church. The school now has 493 students. Three years ago the enrollment was just over 300. 542 students currently, are enrolled for the next school year. Doug reminded us that through our school, we change hearts, souls, and minds every day. We touch students, faculty, administration, parents, grandparents, and siblings. All of us are One Body in Christ; the church, and the school are connected. Since Dr. Taintor arrived in 2019, the SeaLab has been built, and the Center For Science will break ground this summer. Saint Mark’s School received a national award as one of the two most innovative schools in the United States. An outdoor chapel will be constructed, overlooking the Middle River. And an outdoor labyrinth will be placed. The church hopes to hold Saturday evening services in the outdoor Chapel during August. The school was started, by the church in 1959. About 20 years ago the church saw the need to provide financial assistance to some of the students. This year 59 students received financial aid, which is over 10% of the student body. Doug asked us to search our souls to discern what we are called to do now to improve the situations and lives of others. We are preparing to use our gifts and talents to change hearts, lives and minds.

During the summer, many of us are traveling. The Family First Saturday events will not be held on the first Saturdays of June or July. They will come roaring back starting August 5th. We all look forward to their return.

Our church web address is www.saintmarksftl.com. To view up-to-date, easy-to-read church and school schedules of meetings and activities CLICK HERE, this is a very useful tool. If you want to receive the weekly Parish Newsletter via email please sign up at https://saintmarksftl.com/#subscribenow and complete the Constant Contact form located on the right side of the web page. If you are interested submitting an article to our weekly Parish Newsletter email dorothyseibert@comcast.net. 

Father Grant has a daily prayer blog which he starts each morning. He shares this with all who would like to pray together at www.atwinfather.com. When you go to the prayer of the day, there is an option to receive the daily prayer in your email inbox so that you don’t have to type it in every day.

While there are certainly times where a priest is the appropriate caregiver, or perhaps is someone specifically requested, the responsibility for ‘the love and care of one another’ is bestowed on each of us by baptism and commandment, and not by ordination. Congregational care is provided when faithful people are present and listening compassionately while the faith of others is being tested; and also, when we can utilize our ‘spiritual’ gifts and acquired skills to address someone’s ‘temporal’ needs. In so doing, we are preaching, practicing, and personifying Christ’s unconditional love. If God has placed upon your heart a desire to grow this ministry, please seek out a member of your Vestry and share your thoughts on how best to proceed, and how you can contribute.

Father Grant can be reached by email at gwiseman@saintmarks.com, or at 954-334-0131. Our congregation can be reached by contacting the church office . . . seeking your input.

We invite you to post on our church website blog, https://saintmarksftl.com/submit-post/, which helps us keep up with the sharing of information. All information will be reviewed and considered for posting on the church website, Facebook page, and Instagram, as well as in this Parish News.