The bulletin for this week’s Sunday Service is available here and under the Worship menu. The service will be live-streamed via Zoom beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday May 24, 2020. To join in the Zoom service, please e-mail The Reverend Nancy L. Threadgill at revnancy-stmarks@atlanticbbn.net in advance of the service to obtain the meeting ID and password. Sign-in will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday.
May 14, 2020
Dear Members and Friends of St. Mark’s,
Alleluia! Christ is risen! The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!
It was so good to see some of you at the 10:00 am service last Sunday on Zoom. We had a few glitches but as we continue to do this, we will improve. I will be sending out the invitation for the service tomorrow with some instructions for you if you have not had the opportunity to be in a Zoom meeting yet. Please join us. You will have the opportunity to hear the organ, see the church and see faces you have not seen for a while.
My understanding is that Cambria County will be moving to the yellow phase of the state guidelines tomorrow. If you will remember from your driving classes in high school, yellow means to proceed with caution, not speed up to get through the intersection before the light turns red. (Yes, I have seen this happen many times and may have even done it a time or two myself.) The bishop and most of the clergy of the diocese expect to move cautiously and deliberately so that no one is exposed to the virus needlessly. Many of us are in the most susceptible group although everyone is vulnerable. The vestry and I will be putting together a plan for reopening but it will be weeks before it is implemented. Please be patient. It will happen.
In the meantime, join us for Morning Prayer this Sunday. Please keep Don and Lois Bender in your prayers. A few weeks ago, Lois fell and broke her hip, had it repaired and returned to Arbutus. Unfortunately, this has taken an extra toll on her health and she may transition to her next life soon. Don and her family are unable to be with her. We sent flowers from the church last week so she knows that we love her and are praying for her.
I pray that you are all well and continuing to stay safe.
Love, In Christ,
Mother Nancy
May 7, 2020
Dear Members and Friends of St. Mark’s,
Alleluia! Christ is risen! The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!
As I write this today, the sun is out and it is a beautiful spring day. The dogwood tree in front of the rectory is in full bloom, the birds are singing and the lilac bush I put in about three years ago is getting ready to bloom. (I’m trying to ignore the fact that it’s supposed to snow this weekend.) It’s hard to believe that there is a dreaded virus still stalking us and that we need to continue being vigilant.
Even though there is news that restrictions may soon be lifted, Bishop Dorsey and the clergy of the diocese are working diligently to put together guidelines that will allow us to return to church safely. It looks like it will mean that I and the vestry will have to come up with a plan that fits the building and the people of St. Mark’s that will ensure safety for all involved. It will then have to be approved by the diocese before it can be implemented. If any of you have some ideas on how to proceed, please let me or a vestry member know about them. And please be patient.
This coming Sunday, we will attempt to broadcast the Morning Prayer service via Zoom. Those of you with computers or smart phones will get the information on how to join us later this week. Those of you without such things can read your booklet and/or BCP at the same time (!0:00 AM) in the comfort of your home. I’m looking forward to see how this will go. Please keep us in your prayers.
I pray that you continue to be well and safe. Keep washing your hands, wearing masks in public and continuing social distancing. Jesus is with us.
Alleluia! Christ is risen! The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Love, In Christ,
Mother Nancy
All in-person Worship Services are cancelled from Thursday March 18, 2020 onward indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We will resume in-person Worship Services as soon as we are advised that it is safe and appropriate to do so.
As an alternative mode of worship, you are invited to read the Sunday Morning Prayer Bulletin aloud or silently, alone or with loved ones. The Bulletin for the current week is available here. Bulletins from prior weeks are archived on the “Worship Services during COVID-19 Pandemic” page under Worship on the Main Menu.
Other spiritual resources are available on the Worship Resources page found under Worship and Christian Formation on the Main Menu.
April 16, 2020
Dear Members and Friends of St. Mark’s,
Alleluia! Christ is risen! Alleluia, the Lord is risen indeed!
We are in the Easter Season – a time of rejoicing and praise. A time to enjoy the Spring flowers (although maybe not the Spring snow.) “Jesus Christ is risen today” is now the hymn I sing when I wash my hands. (Got to get all those missing “alleluia’s” in.) It is still a crazy and unsettling time but the other side of the tunnel may be starting to be seen. S-l-o-w-l-y.
Here at St. Mark’s we did open the pet food pantry to give out food to our regular customers and those that are out of work, etc. It went well. We held it outside in the courtyard and most people came with masks on and maintained social distancing. We were able to deliver the food without touching anyone and we remained as safe as we could be. I thank our workers, Joanne, Marnie, Mike, Vern (Boy Scout leader), and Pam for all their help in being able to continue this ministry at this time.
If you are downtown, please note the red tulips in front of the church and the big cross in the courtyard. I thank Penn Whitlow for putting the cross in its usual place and Amy for decorating it so beautifully. Remember, we have a labyrinth that you can walk for a spiritual exercise outside.
Please be aware that even though there are no church services, the church is still functioning. (We have turned off the heat to save money.) The bills still need to be paid. Many of you have sent in your pledges by mail and I thank you for that. If you are able, please continue to pay your pledges during this time. St. Mark’s also has a pay pal account if you prefer to pay online. We have applied for the forgivable loans available via the federal government so that we can continue to pay our 4 employees for the next few months.
Also, please let me know if you are using the service bulletins that we are sending out by mail or email. (They are also on our Facebook page and our website.) Your comments, good or bad, would help me immensely. If you have some suggestions, I would like to know those too. My email is:
revnancy-stmarks@atlanticbbn.net. Thank you.
Alleluia! Christ is risen! The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Love, In Christ,
Mother Nancy
April 9, 2020
Dear Members and Friends of St. Mark’s,
Not only has this been a very strange Lent but it has also been a strange Holy Week. I’m used to having two services each day of this week and then seeing you all on Easter dressed in your best, the church adorned with flowers and alleluias ringing out with joy. That last part does not have to be different. Let the alleluias ring!
Christ is risen! The Lord is risen indeed.!
I pray that you all continue to be healthy and continue to follow the CDC guidelines. I talked to one couple yesterday and was told that they “ have not killed each other yet” while being on lockdown so I will take that as a good sign. J
I was hoping to be able to broadcast the Easter service but I haven’t had the time to learn all the details yet so I will try to do that next week. Watch the service at the National Cathedral or another church and use the bulletin I have prepared for you. I will continue to prepare Morning Prayer for the Sunday services. I prefer not to do a Eucharist until we can all be together again in community and I can share Christ’s body and blood with you personally. By saying Morning Prayer we are saying it together with Episcopalians and Anglicans around the world. Through our common worship we celebrate Christ’s Resurrection as the one body of Christ, the church.
We will be having our pet food pantry this coming week. Please pray for the safety of our volunteers and clients as we do this very needed ministry.
I continue to pray daily for you all. Joanne and I thank you for your prayers for us.
Love, In Christ,
Mother Nancy
Dear Members and Friends of St. Mark’s,
I pray that all of you are safe, staying at home and following all the CDC guidelines. Joanne and I are coming in to the office on opposite days to limit our exposure to each other and keeping Mark and Maggie entertained.
I hope that you are using the liturgies I have either sent or emailed to you the last three weeks. I am working on sending you something for each day of Holy Week so that you can travel with Jesus on his journey to Jerusalem. We now have a Zoom account and my learning curve will be high next week as I learn how to use it. I would like to be able to do a special service on Easter Day and we can experience a Spiritual Communion together.
Please let me know if there is something that you are missing liturgically and , if I can, I will help you. This is the perfect time to know that we need God’s help through all the changes to our routines, all the concern about our own and each other’s health and well-being, and the anxiety we are all feeling. Rely on God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit in whatever way is comfortable for you. Know that you are surrounded by their love no matter where you are or what you are doing.
Love, In Christ,
Mother Nancy
