This Week at Saint Mark Sunday, December 27

9:00a Morning Worship

10:10a Sunday School classes

(no Children’s classes today)

11:00a Trinity Table

11:15a Morning Worship

4:30 ASCA meeting

Monday, December 28

Church office closed through January 1

7:15a Augustine Fellowship

10:00a Finance volunteers

7:00 Just Us Atlanta (Transit) meeting

Tuesday, December 29

7:15a Augustine Fellowship

2:30 Supper Club prep

7:00 Crystal Meth Anonymous

Just Us Atlanta (Transit) meeting

Wednesday, December 30

7:15a Augustine Fellowship

12:00 Advent worship service

8:00 Augustine Fellowship 3

Thursday, December 31

New Year’s Eve

7:15a Augustine Fellowship

Friday, January 1 New Year’s Day

Saturday, January 2

9:00a Breakfast Club

10:00a Crystal Meth Anonymous

11:30a Open Doors

THE WORSHIP OF GOD Sunday, December 27, 2015 - 9:00 a.m. & 11:15 a.m.

First Sunday after Christmas Please contact Rev. Beth LaRocca-Pitts to notify the church of a death or illness.

To reach a minister after office hours in case of emergency, call 1-800-673-0411.

Congregational Care

Hospitalized

Frank Atkinson’s father Loris, SC

Jill Harlamert’s father Ohio

At Home

Frank Atkinson’s mother Frances Mullins, SC

Jennifer Hansen’s nephew Edward Lehman AL

Susie Kezh's mother, Beth Bice Ellijay

Stacy Ladd's mother Sue Alexander

Trudy Lee-Barber

Abigail Morris

Bill Murray

Mia Musciano-Howard’s parents

Josh Noblitt’s grandmother Maxine Huggins NC

Terry Oxner’s mother Katie and sister Linda

Colleen Rodney-Brown’s mother

In Care Facilities

Mark Corsale's father OR

Gene Goldsmith Wm Brennan Jewish Home

Phil & Brett Hulst's mother / grandmother

Elaine Hulst Statesboro GA

Julie Jones’ mother Shirley Park Springs, St. Mtn.

Tom Lawson Woodland Ridge, Smyrna

Jeff McMullen's mother Sandra Milledgeville GA

Chuck Rice’s parents Renaissance, Rome GA

James & Adelyn Stevenson Lenbrook Square

In Military Service

Candice King's daughter-in-law, SGT Rachel King

Fort Wainwright AK

Eric Lauer Army, Ft Gordon, GA

SGM Callie Leaver

Al Thomas' grandson Cory CarterFt Bragg NC, Army

Army, Washington, DC

WELCOME HOME TO

Saint Mark United Methodist Church

781 Peachtree Street, N.E. Atlanta, Georgia 30308

(404) 873-2636 • www.stmarkumc.org

The Saint Mark Care Line (after hours emergency): 1-800-673-0411

The Reverend Doctor Beth LaRocca-Pitts Senior Pastor

The Reverend Jennifer Hansen Minister of Outreach & Missions

The Reverend Joshua M. Noblitt Minister of Social Justice & Evangelism

The Reverend Kim Sorrells Minister to Youth & Spiritual Formation

The Reverend John Turlington Minister of Christian Education & Pastoral Care

Mrs. Susan Wilson Director of Fine Arts and Organist

Mr. Donald Daugherty Accompanist and Organist

Looking Ahead

If you are the facilitator for a group who meets at Saint Mark on a regular

basis, please remember to contact Christia Holloway in the church office

at cholloway@stmarkumc.org to confirm that your meeting schedule will

continue “as is” in 2016.

Sunday, January 31 - Save the Date!

Our first Administrative Council meeting in 2016 has been scheduled for

Sunday, January 31. Members of the Administrative Council are invited to

participate in a work session following the 11:15 Morning Worship service.

Lunch will be provided. More details will be announced soon;

in the meantime, be sure to save the date!

Saint Mark Mission Day Coming Soon!

On Sunday Jan. 24, 2016, we will focus on mission all day to raise funds for our

ministries that serve the vulnerable in our community and beyond. Events will

include a silent auction that morning and the Miss Open Closet competition

and live auction that evening!

Auction Donations Needed We are currently seeking donations for the

auctions. Do you have a skill or talent that you could donate as your gift to

mission? Our silent auction would be the perfect place to auction your skills

as a handyman, photographer, chef, or housecleaner! Would you be willing

to donate a week of time at your vacation home as an item for our

auction?

Miss Open Closets Nominations We will continue our tradition of the Miss

Open Closets competition to raise funds for mission. Now is your opportunity

to nominate participants for the competition! For a $10 donation to the

mission fund you can nominate anyone you’d like to see in the competition

(including yourself!). Or - if the idea of being nominated to be onstage in

drag sounds like a real drag to you, then you can purchase “drag

insurance.” For a $40 donation to the mission fund, you can insure yourself

against being “dragged” up on stage. Donations for nominations and for

drag insurance can be made today in the narthex after church or online on

our website (be sure to note on your donation the name being nominated or

the name being insured).

For additional information about any aspect of Saint Mark Mission Day,

contact Rev. Jennifer Hansen at jhansen@stmarkumc.org or in the church

office at 404.873.2636. If you have an item or service that could be

auctioned to raise money for Saint Mark’s mission fund, in addition to

Jennifer, you can also contact Noey Barrera at nstbd@comcast.net.

Spring Break 2016, Appalachia Service Project Mission Trip

Save the date! From April 3 – 7, 2016, Saint Mark will send a team of

volunteers to Chavies, KY to serve with the Appalachia Service Project (ASP).

ASP began in 1969 and provides one of the most rewarding structured

service opportunities in the nation — bringing thousands of volunteers from

around the country to rural Central Appalachia to repair homes for low-

income families. Saint Mark has supported this mission since the 90’s and this

spring we look to continue this very rewarding work. Adults and high school

youth 15 years or older are welcome to join the team and serve. The total

cost for the trip is $200 per person. To sign up or for more information,

contact Julie Tootle at 770-265-5394 or email JT0035@att.com.

*GOSPEL LESSON Luke 2:41-52 Steve Fazenbaker

SERMON “Finding Our Way Back to Jesus” Steve Fazenbaker

WE RESPOND TO GOD’S WORD

PASTORAL AND THE LORD’S PRAYER Jennifer Hansen Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come,

Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread

and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the

kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

OFFERING OURSELVES TO GOD

The Invitation

Offertory In Dulce Jubilo Drishner

*The Doxology

UMH No. Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow OLD 100TH

Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise God all creatures here below;

Praise God above ye heavenly host; Creator, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

*PRAYER AFTER THE OFFERING Jennifer Hansen

WE ARE SENT FORTH INTO GOD’S WORLD

*INVITATION TO DISCIPLESHIP AND MEMBERSHIP Jennifer Hansen

*HYMN OF DEDICATION Go, Tell It On the Mountain

UMH No. 251 GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN

*BENEDICTION AND TRINITY CHIMES Steve Fazenbaker

POSTLUDE Noel Suisse D’Aquin

Music Notes

Thanks to George Arrington for serving as our organist today. The Chancel Choir will be

back in the choir loft for both services next Sunday, January 3.Chancel Choir rehearsal will

resume on Wednesday, January 6 at 7pm. The Children’s and Youth choir rehearsals will

resume on Wednesday, January 13 at 6:30pm. The usual Chancel Choir rehearsal start time

(7:45pm) will begin on January 13 as well.

Our Children’s Sunday School classes will not meet this morning.

A church group led by Beth and Mark LaRocca-Pitts will be traveling to Israel

from December 28 - January 7. Please keep them in your prayers.

THE ORDER OF WORSHIP * - Where indicated, those who are able, please stand.

We sing from 2 hymnals during Sunday morning worship. The United

Methodist Hymnal (UMH) is the large red hymnal in the pew racks.

The Faith We Sing (TFWS) is the smaller black hymnal found in the pews.

WE GATHER

MUSIC AS WE GATHER

WELCOME AND LIFE OF THE CHURCH Jennifer Hansen

Leader: We thank God for these opportunities for fellowship and service.

Many: Thanks be to God!

CONCERNS

Leader: For all these persons and all who are in need.

Many: Hold your people near, O God.

JOYS

Leader: We give thanks to God for these blessings.

Many: Thanks be to God!

Leader: Let us take a moment to center our hearts on God.

PRELUDE AND CHIMES In Quiet Joy Dupre

*INTROIT Good Christian Friends, Rejoice

UMH No. 224, stanzas 1 & 2 IN DULCI JUBILO

CALL TO WORSHIP from Psalm 148 Steve Fazenbaker One: Praise the Lord, sun and moon! Praise the Lord, all shining stars!

Many: Praise the Lord from the earth: mountains and hills,

fruit trees and cedars!

One: Let all living things praise the name of the Lord.

Many: May God's name alone be exalted, for God's glory is above heaven

and earth.

*HYMN OF PRAISE Joy to the World

No. 246 ANTIOCH

*PASSING OF THE PEACE

WE HEAR GOD’S WORD

THE GIFTS OF AND FOR OUR YOUNGER CHURCH Jennifer Hansen

OLD TESTAMENT LESSON 1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26 Jason Lowery (9:00)

John Flatt (11:15)

HYMN Angels From the Realms of Glory

UMH No. 220, stanzas 1 & 2 REGENT SQUARE

PREPARATION FOR WORSHIP

Enter to Fellowship Sit to Pray Stand to Worship Leave to Share

4 3

Welcome, New Members!

We are delighted to welcome 11 new members, all who joined last Sunday,

December 20! They include: Sean Bliger, Sarah Caldwell, Scout Campbell,

Many Campbell, Tim Driver, Will Mathews, Cindy Sanders, Holland Sanders,

Manny Maldonado, Rick Setser, and Jason Wetmore.

We’re so glad you have joined our church family!

Midweek Advent Worship continues this Wednesday

The final weekly Advent worship service led by Rev. Steve Fazenbaker will be

held this Wednesday, Dec. 30 at noon in the chapel. We invite you to stop by

for a time of peace and reflection. The service will last half an hour, providing

an opportunity for reflection upon the Advent and Christmas seasons.

Church Office Holiday Schedule

The church office will be closed through Jan. 1 and no Remarks will be

published on Dec. 29. The Finance office will remain open during the holiday

break to receive any year end gifts. Any gifts to the church that you would

like to be credited for 2015 must be dated / received by the church no later

than December 31, 2015. If you have questions, contact Deana Hilton in the

church business office at 404-873-2636, ext. 14.

Our Wednesday fellowship dinners and Midweek Retreat programming have

ended for the year. They will resume on January 13, 2016.

New Year’s Open House, January 1

Come enjoy some fellowship and food with your church family on New

Year’s Day beginning at 3pm at the home of Larry Lucas (4053 Brenteresa

Court in Snellville). We’ll have plenty of food, football, and fun! Soups,

sandwiches, and desserts will be served. For more info, call 770.736.0065.

Signing up New Scripture Readers - Workshop next Sunday

Ever thought about volunteering to read Scripture in one of our services?

It’s a great experience and this is a great time to sign up! Just email our new

coordinator Mike Smith at smith_mu@mercer.edu. And, if you are interested

and want to learn more about it first, we are also planning a workshop for

next Sunday, January 3 immediately following the 11:15 service.

Just let Mike or the church office know if you are interested.

The Worship Committee would like to remind you that you have the

opportunity to provide fresh flowers in the sanctuary for Sunday morning worship.

For more information, contact Roger Brown at 678-575-2847.

Music reproduced within this document is done so with permission

under the following license: CCLI 2253952

Assisting in Worship Today

Soundboard: Kale Wright & Deanna Dennis

9:00 Greeters: Terry Davis & Barry Stearns

Usher Team: Walter Allen, John Marotta, Tom Baugh, Kelly Mathison,

and Steve Thompson