December 14, 2022

As we move closer and closer to the Nativity, time seems to speed up. We have so many activities at both the Church and School that we will definitely need the 12 days before Epiphany to recover. We have one more Advent Morning Prayer at the Beach (Lauderdale-By-The-Sea Pier at Commercial Blvd.) at 8:30 am Monday, December 19th. Our Christmas Eve Services will be held at 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm. The earlier service is designed as a family service with the 7:00 pm being a Solemn High Mass with Incense. On Christmas morning there will be a 10:00 am Service with music. 

Our family looks forward to sharing our first of many Christmases at Saint Mark’s. We thank you for how you have welcomed us to the community. We will have much of our family with us throughout the Christmas season with our daughters and Heather’s parents. You will get to meet one more of the clergy in our family. 

As we move into the new year we have a great need for help in certain areas of our worship services. We need people who are willing to help us run the audio and visual components of our live stream. It has become an important ministry to our parish and we are upgrading it to make it even more incredible. If you are interested in helping this important ministry please contact me. I am hoping to find enough volunteers, and if we do not we may have to look at what other options there are. We are thankfully starting to grow with new visitors every week. 

I am grateful to the ECW and the incredible potluck they provided this past weekend. Our combined service attendance was 130 which was a testament to how much our church is growing. 

Thank you for all you are doing in your ministry at Saint Mark’s,

Father Grant +

Next Sunday’s gospel the story of the Virgin Mary’s conceiving by the Holy Spirit. The Hebrews often described the births of superior Judean leaders as deriving from women beyond menopause: for example, the mothers of Isaac, Samson and Samuel. Describing a VIRGIN birthing presents the supreme compliment to the child. Mary’s greatness thus stems from her closeness to Jesus, so also each of us achieves holiness from our giving spiritual birth to Christ and thus living transformed lives in Christ (Norm Carroll)

John the Baptist lay captive in Herod’s dark, dank dungeon, and John knew he would soon die. But John spent his entire adult life seeking to identify the Messiah and that urgent question still remained. Desperately, from prison, John sent messengers to Jesus to ask, “Are you the one who is to come?” Jesus responds with Isaiah’s words from our first reading indicating, YES, but my salvation will be neither political nor military, but spiritually powerful and humanly peaceful. Despite realizing his imminent execution, John rejoiced, for he had introduced the Savior. Now, John heard the death-dealing approach of the soldiers. Never mind! The Savior is among us with the death of death for John and all who embrace Christ. (Norm Carroll)

CLICK HERE to view up-to-date, easy-to-read church and school schedules of activities, a very useful tool.

The excitement continues with beautiful Christmas Music for our congregation. Last Sunday at the All Parish; 10:00 am service, the section leaders Elyse Anderson, Michael Borosky and Aaron Venable sang Christmas Oratorio written by Saint Saens. (view their performance by clicking on the image on the left).

The Choir sang Angel’s Carol composed by John Rutter. You may subscribe to the choir’s YouTube channel by clicking here. If you are a subscriber you will be automatically updated when a new recording is added and have access to all the choir’s recordings. (view the performance by clicking on the image on the right). (Robin Dreyfuss)

All offices will be closed in recognition of Christmas and New Year’s week. Therefore, the Parish News will be on hiatus. We will resume the publication as of Wednesday, January 4th, 2023. We hope that everyone has a blessed Christmas Christmas and New Year!

On January 22, 2023, we will hold our next Annual Meeting. There are five (5) members of the Vestry whose present terms will conclude with this meeting and we will also select

delegates (2) and alternates (2) for next year’s Diocesan Convention. If you feel that God is placing on your heart a willingness to represent the best interests of your fellow congregants in either of these roles, please share your desire with Father Grant, or a member of the Vestry, so that your name might be placed in nomination at our Parish Annual Meeting. (Harry Richardson, Junior Warden)

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.

Now that the cases of COVID have thankfully abated, wearing a facial mask is encouraged, but not required. Please respect the space of those who choose to be more cautious.

Father Grant, our rector is currently available to provide pastoral care for our parish. You may contact Fr. Grant at 954-334-0131, or by email at gwiseman@saintmarks.com.

Please check for our parish updates on the church website at: https://saintmarksftl.com/parish-news/

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