THE EPISTLE OF ST. MARK’S 7922 State Road 52, Hudson, FL 34667 (727) 863-5646 – Fax (727) 869-9529

Email: smpc@stmarksfl .org Website: www.stmarksfl .org

Volume XXXXII – ISSUE 6 2016

SUNDAY WORSHIP SCHEDULE

9:00AM Contemporary 11:00AM Traditional

Children’s Sunday School 9:00AM After

“Adventures with Charlie”

Sunday, June 5, 2016 COMMUNION

Sermon: Include Text: Jonah 4:1-11

Lay Leader: 9:00 – Al Wehrheim 11:00 – Lorraine Molyneux

Sunday, June 12, 2016 Sermon: Influence Text: John 15:9-17

Lay Leader: 9:00 – Rene Cashion 11:00 – Al Wehrheim

Sunday, June 19, 2016 Sermon: The Prodigal God:

The Two Lost Sons Text: Luke 15:11-32

Lay Leader: 9:00 – Charlie Boldt 11:00 – Wayne Waller

Sunday, June 26, 2016 Sermon: A Grateful Response

Text: Psalm 111 & Luke 17:11-19 Lay Leader: 9:00 – Jay Lees

11:00 – Henry Elam

For more up to date information please check out our website: www.stmarksfl.org

CHURCH OFFICE HOURS Monday through Thursday: 9AM-4PM

Friday: CLOSED

Did you know you can listen to sermons

online at www.stmarksfl.org?

Voicemail After Hours Feel free to leave a message for our staff and we will return your call during business hours. If you have an urgent matter, leave a message on Pastor Tara’s extension, which is 204, and she will return your call as soon as possible.

Hidden Treasures Summer Hours

For the summer months, June, July and August, the hours will be 10AM to 2PM on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Volunteers are always needed please contact Carol T. at 237-9980 or Carol D. at 992-7674 if you would be available on any of these days.

SUMMER MUSIC During the summer months our dedicated chancel choir is on “vacation”. This is an opportunity for those who cannot regularly participate in weekly choir rehearsals to provide the offertory music for the traditional service at 11:00AM. You can perform a solo, a group number, an instrumental piece, play bells (only four ringers needed) or even do interpretive dance. If you wish to volunteer for a Sunday (or a few) let Lorraine Molyneux (727-207-5750) or Marleen Ruchotzke (727-868-2790) know. Let’s continue to glorify and worship God through our music! SU

We extend a warm welcome to Loraine Frank and Sue Rieman on their joining St. Mark’s.

SPECIAL THANKS

To St. Mark’s, With loving thanks to our St. Mark’s family for all the prayers and anniversary cards we received. Being able to be together for our 50th was a heartfelt goal.

Roy & Ida Mae Purcell Dear friends, I would like to thank Shirley Dunn and her band of Angels for the beautiful flowers that I have received. May our Lord watch over all of St. Mark’s congregation and keep them safe under His care.

Sincerely, Lowell Lanke

St. Mark’s Church family and staff, The family of Tom Dunn will always remember the prayers, cards, hugs and words of encouragement during Tom’s long illness. Thank you does not cover the appreciation you all gave us. We knew we could always count on our church family. Peace be with all.

Family of Tom Dunn

Thank you St. Markians, There were 40 vouchers turned in to support St. Mark’s fundraiser on April 21st and they earned the church $127. Julie, one of the managers at Bob Evans said that is pretty good for the first time. Bob Evans allows this event to take place once per month so keep your eyes and ears open as we organize our next Community Fundraiser Day. I heard several positive comments about how good the food was and how nice the employees were. Another nice thing about this fundraiser is it doesn’t require a lot of physical effort from a gang of volunteers. Just decide to eat any meal, or all meals, at Bob Evans on our particular day. Invite your friends, neighbors and family to join you for a nice meal and social time and present the voucher when you pay. No meals to prep and no clean-up necessary. So it is a nice meal out and provides support for the church as well. Definitely a win-win situation. Start making a list of folks you might invite for the next time we schedule this. Maybe we can have 75 vouchers turned in and raise $250 the next time!!. See Al Wehrheim with any suggestions or comments about this. Many thanks to our volunteers, Thank you to all those who participated in the Church Spring Cleanup. Our Scout Troop 40 and their leaders also participated with the grounds as well as cleaning the front flat roof and the drainage scuppers.

Building & Grounds Jack Burke and Wayne Waller

FOOD OF THE MONTH FOR JUNE You may also make a donation to the Food Pantry at any time. Make your

checks out to St. Mark’s and indicate Food Pantry in the memo section. The cost of

our bag of groceries is currently around $15.00.

KEEP IN TOUCH WITH WHAT IS HAPPENING AT ST. MARK'S

For up-to-date news at St. Mark's visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/stmarksfl. We will keep it updated with the current events and news at St. Mark's. If you are going away for a period of time, you will be able to stay informed as to what your church family is doing. Go to the fan page and select the "Like" button to have it delivered to your Facebook page. You must be a registered user of Facebook to view the page. Suggest the page to all of your friends and have them join all of the St. Mark's activities.

HAVE YOU TRIED SCRIP YET? Do you shop at Wal-Mart's, Target, Dillard's, Kmart or JC Penney's? Do you eat out at these restaurants, Carrabba's Italian Grill, Burger King, Denny's, Long Horn Steakhouse, Olive Garden, Outback Steakhouse or Red Lobster? Go to the movies? Get groceries at Winn Dixie, or your gas at Wawa's, Speedway, Shell or Texaco? Get your prescriptions at Walgreens or CVS? If you do business with any of these names, you could be earning from 1.5% to 9% for St. Mark's by purchasing their gifts cards. There are many more businesses available to choose from and some pay as much as 16% when you purchase their card. SCRIP is simply a word that means "substitute money" - in other words, SCRIP is gift certificates from national and local retailers. A complete up-to-date list is available in the church narthex and on the table in the Fellowship Hall. Pick up an order form, make your selections and leave the order form and your check for your total purchase at the church office, or drop into the offering plate on Sunday. Make your check out to St. Mark's with notation "SCRIP" on the check. If you have any questions please call Carolyn Minnick at 352-666-8429.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR SEXTON Dave Celentano

On his “25” years of service to our church. Dave began his service on June 2, 1991.

PRAYER WALL Located in the Fellowship Hall, this space is designed for us to share requests for prayer for ourselves, for others, and for our world. It is also a place where we can

celebrate God’s blessings. Feel free to pin a prayer request or praise report on the wall, or you might want to use the wall to share a prayer which is special

to you. Also, feel free to take a prayer from the wall home and commit to praying for that request during the week.

“Devote yourselves to prayer being watchful and thankful.” – Colossians 4:2

THE ST. MARK'S STAFF

CONTINUES TO PRAY FOR YOU Every Tuesday morning when the staff of St. Mark's meets they begin with prayer. During that time the Staff offers up prayers for specific members of our church family. Don't be surprised if sometime during the year you receive a card signed by the church staff that says, "The Staff of St. Mark's prayed for you today." The staff is grateful for the many thank you notes that are received for the prayers that are offered and the prayer cards that have been sent.

BIRTHDAY AND ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE

The June Birthday and Anniversary Celebration, during the Fellowship Hour will be on Sunday, June 19, 2016. Join us in honoring all St. Markians who have June birthdays or anniversaries.

SANCTUARY FLOWERS If you wish to donate flowers in memory of a loved one, please use the signup sheet in the bulletin or you may call the church office at 727-863-5646. We have weeks available in June and July. The requested donation is $25.00. Thank you.

SNOWBIRDS AND SEASONAL TRAVELERS We have appreciated your being with us this season and look forward to your return in the fall. Wishing you all safe travels. So that we can keep your address up-to-date, please let the office know of your address change and your date of return.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO THE FOLLOWING ST. MARKIANS

IN THE MONTH OF JUNE JUNE 6/1/63 Ed & Carol Matthews 6/3/51 John R. & Helen G. Davis 6/26/54 Robert & Alice Thorpe 6/27/70 Dave & Peggy Rickard 6/28/97 Lyle & Carolyn Minnick 6/29/57 Don & Joyce Wesner JULY 7/2/79 Jim & Jaci Gisriel 7/2/54 Tom & Jane Sperry 7/4/69 Lloyd & Betty Erickson 7/08/61 John & Alice Burke

SECOND QUARTER 2016 THRIFT SHOP MORTGAGE PRINCIPLE REDUCTION PAYMENT

Thanks to the hard work of the Thrift Shop volunteers, St. Mark’s was able to make an extra principle payment in April of $4,211.29. This is the second quarterly payment made in 2016. This particular payment brought the mortgage balance below the $500,000 level. This is a lot of money, but compared to the beginning mortgage balance of $1.2 million in 2002, we have made good progress. Thanks to the success of the Thrift Shop we are reducing the mortgage principle at nearly double the rate that only paying the required payment would do. A sincere thank you to the leadership, volunteers and customers of the Thrift Shop. The interest saved as a result of the extra principle payments continues to accumulate.

Submitted by Al Wehrheim, Finance Chair

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE FOLLOWING ST. MARKIANS IN THE MONTHS OF

JUNE AND JULY JUNE 6/1 Mrs. June Layson

6/2 Mrs. Gladys White 6/4 Mrs. Peggy Rickard 6/4 Mrs. Bev Williams 6/8 Mrs. Marie MacKenzie 6/9 Miss Lynne Davis 6/9 Mr. Lowell Hopler 6/10 Mrs. Marianne Nabstedt 6/11 Mr. Greg Michael 6/12 Mrs. Barbara Fox 6/12 Mr. Timothy Griswold 6/12 Mr. Art McKenzie 6/13 Mrs. Virginia Jackson 6/14 Mrs. Marion Dahl 6/14 Mrs. Julie Morgan 6/15 Mrs. Ida Purcell 6/18 Mrs. Gladys Sliter 6/19 Mrs. Marilyn Myers 6/19 Mrs. Jeri Woods 6/20 Mrs. Fae Arbogast 6/21 Mrs. Ann Adcock 6/22 Mrs. Lois Creer 6/22 Mrs. Marguerite Olan 6/26 Mr. Fred Moffett 6/28 Mr. James Lees 6/29 Mrs. Marilyn Young

JULY 7/1 Ms. Barbara Brown 7/2 Mrs. Carol Luter 7/3 Mrs. Teri Michael 7/5 Mrs. Lura Campbell 7/8 Mrs. Dorothy Dalinsky 7/8 Mrs. Patty Waller 7/8 Mr. Graham Brest

REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS

Please keep in your prayers members of our congregation who are homebound or in a long-term facility.

Bear Creek Grand Villa of Dunedin The Villas at Lakeside Windsor Woods June Layson Jacqualyne Forbes Mary Genga Barbara Fox Camilla Wagenfohr Solaris Rehab Trinity Rehab Oakview Terrace Dorothy Johnson Betty Aron Carol Matthews Jerilyn Costello Nettie Hopper Dorothy Dalinsky New Port Inn Lynne Davis JoAnn & Bill DeMine Laimi Thomson Funk Marion Dahl

THOSE SERVING THE MONTH OF JUNE Fellowship Host Ushers (9:00) Jane & Tom Sperry and Joyce & Don Wesner (9:00) Jennifer Hurley & Don Wesner (11:00) 6-5 Joy Hetz, Janet Boggs & Laura Hausen (11:00) Ann Adcock, Evelyn Dunlop, Betty & Lowell 6-12 Carolyn & Lyle Minnick and Bill Spangenberg Hopler & Bill Spangenberg 6-19 Barbara Brown & Jim Morgan and Jennie Burger 6-26 Betty & Lloyd Erickson and Marleen Ruchotzke Greeters Barbara Brown & Jim Morgan Flower Deliverer Greeters for 52 Door 6-5 Deneen Kerrigan Jack & Alice Burke 6-12 Gladys Sliter 6-19 Cherry Morris Flower Preparer Name Tag Filer 6-26 Wayne Waller Shirley Dunn Carol Thomas

MISSION REPORT Submitted by Lyle Minnick, Chair The Mission Committee received permission from the Session to utilize grant money received from the Presbytery, to combat Human Trafficking in Pasco County. On behalf of the congregation of St. Mark’s, a check in the amount of $200 will be sent to “Healing Root Ministry” each month until the grant of $4,885 is used up. Our monthly charitable donation of $300 was sent to CedarKirk in May, and we received a thank you letter from Beth El for our 3 Cents A Meal donation. The next project for your Mission Committee will begin in July as we start collecting back to school supplies for Gulf Highlands Elementary. Classes resume in August. There will be displays and containers for your donations in the Narthex and the Fellowship Hall.

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL SURF SHACK

“Catch the Wave of God’s Amazing Love” Join us on Monday, July 11th through Friday, July 15th from 9AM to 12PM. This year’s theme “Surf Shack.” Children will enjoy music, games, crafts, Bible stories, and more! Snacks will be provided. Check out the bulletin board in the fellowship hall for our wish list of items that are needed. Request registrations forms at: VBS@stmarksfl.org. If you would like to volunteer please fill out the signup slip that is in the bulletin or contact Barbara Kelshaw at 808-7684.

STAFF EMAIL ADDRESS

Please take a minute and write down these email addresses for the church and the staff. St. Mark’s and Diane’s is one email and the others all begin with the name of the staff person: smpc@stmarksfl.org Jackie@stmarksfl.org Michael@stmarksfl.org Tara@stmarksfl.org

FYI Mrs. Kay Wright, a new worshipper at the 9:00am service is a Florida Notary. She is offering her services to St. Mark’s at no charge. Call her at 727-389-7929 to make an appointment, if you need a Notary. We welcome her and her son, Andy, and thank her for her generous offer.

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION – RESULTS OF THE SURVEY submitted by Peggy Rickard

The results are in! “Hate to see it end”, “Great experience”, “I didn’t want to miss a sermon”. These are just some of the comments we received on our survey regarding “The Story”. We thank all those who returned the survey. The overwhelming majority of you felt that “The Story” had increased your knowledge of the Bible, strengthened your spiritual growth, and were even encouraged to read the Bible more. This was the main goal of your Christian Education Committee. Rev. Bill Carl (former President of Pittsburg Theological Seminary and author or several books) says the number one mark of an ACTIVE, ALIVE and GROWING church in the 21st Century is a church where EVERYONE is reading the Bible EVERY DAY. We pray St. Mark’s is on the way to becoming an Active, Alive and Growing church. The survey also revealed those that attended the Bible Study groups received an additional benefit of fellowship, making new friends and a chance to discuss and share ideas with others. We also received several ideas for future studies. We will consider your suggestions as we plan for Fall Bible Study groups. The Christian Education Committee would like to thank you again for your support. Jennifer Claxton, (Bible Study facilitator), Clara Oines, Teri Michael (Bible Study facilitator), Carolyn Minnick (Bible Study facilitator), Peggy Rickard (Elder), Bill Spangenberg (Deacon), Jane Sperry, Barbara Kelshaw (Bible Study facilitator),and Rev. Tara Thompson (Bible Study facilitator).

HIDDEN TREASURES submitted by Carol Thomas

MOST GRATEFULLY- we celebrate our new working schedule for June, July and August. Our hours for the shop will be 10AM-2PM every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The heat is so oppressive and seven fans only make it bearable! We welcomed a new volunteer in April. Her name is Beverly Cochran and she is with us on Fridays - many thanks. We also recently welcomed a St. Mark’s member, Sue Rieman, and are grateful for her help. If there is any other member of the congregation who is willing to give us even one hour on any of the days we are open – we think you would enjoy the time spent. Adding to his very busy schedule, Wayne Waller is with us on Thursdays and we are so thankful. Our long time volunteer, Bill Spangenburg, has decided on cutting back his many volunteer hours for the shop and we miss having him with us, but certainly wish him well with his other duties. In April we moved a couple of bookcases to the second building therefore adding more display space for clothing racks and to make a little more roaming space on the floor. We are still in need of furniture and have been able to remove more of the items that have been here too long. It is a challenge to remove, replace and reset up the sheds to look more attractive for our regular customers who want to see “what’s new”. Towards the end of April, Hidden Treasures was presented with another mission project and we were able to supply a recently homeless family with infant and toddler clothes, infant bath tub, strollers, carriage and car booster seat. All was greatly appreciated and it made our day to be able to help out. On May 7th, we had a very small celebration in the shop for Mother’s Day – Punch & Cookies. We are continuing our $2.00 sale on clothes, shoes and handbags through the summer months. It seems to be a popular venture and our donations supply is never ending. We are able to cut down on our limited storage space and will plan on another ALFRED DUNNER and BRAND NAME CLOTHING DAY in the fall.

DO PUT US ON YOUR THRIFT SHOP VISITATION LIST AND TELL YOUR FRIENDS... REMEMBER ALL MONIES GO TO THE CHURCH MORTGAGE PRINCIPAL.

ADDRESS CHANGES Frank, Ms.Loraine C. Good, Mrs. Joyce Wright, Mrs. Kay 326-8250 P.O. Box 80 389-7929 7107 Seward Drive Warner, NH 03278-0080 10240 Palm Lake Boulevard Port Richey, FL 34668 Port Richey, FL 34668