Announcement

Church Events & Announcements

Sunday, July 25, 4:00 pm:
All-Church Outing at Fish Creek

Fun and fellowship for all—young, old, and in-between! Sponsored by St. Mark’s Elementary Sunday School, you are invited to the lovely wooded home of Myriam Wood, located 45 minutes west of Bloomington on Fish Creek Road in Poland IN. Activities include wading in the creek, hiking, bird watching, horseshoes and crocquet, or chatting in the picnic area. Swings, sand pile, and a playhouse are available for the younger children. Bring food to share and lawn chairs. A grill, condiments, and drinks will be furnished. For more information call the church office at 812-332-5788. Directions are listed below. 

Directions to 3785 Fish Creek Road
phone 812-829-2444

Fish Creek is a little over 4 miles West of Spencer, off of State Road 46 (toward Terre Haute). As you come down a hill on SR 46, on your right, there is a green highway sign announcing Owen Putnam State Forest, and then a large black sign pointing to the DNR District Office. Right after the black sign, turn right on Fish Creek Road. In about two and a quarter miles, you will come to a bridge with high metal guard rails. Coming off the bridge, look for the first drive to the LEFT. Turn just BEFORE our mailbox. Our drive runs through the creek and up a hill to the house. It is about 40 minutes from St. Mark’s.

Sunday, August 1, Noon:
Reception for Elaine Sonnenberg

You are invited to a reception honoring Elaine Sonnenberg following the 11:00 am worship service. After five years of sharing her musical gifts, leadership, care, and friendship with the St. Mark’s community, Elaine has accepted the position of Music Intern at Trinity Episcopal Church here in Bloomington. This is a wonderful opportunity for Elaine, and we send her with our prayers and blessings. We will miss Elaine greatly, and celebrate what is ahead for her. 

We would like to honor Elaine with a love gift. Please make checks to Donna Hullett (our financial secretary) and indicate that it is for Elaine’s gift. Notes to Elaine may be included with the checks or brought to the reception.

 We will celebrate with a “pie party.” Join us in Garton Hall for a piece of pie (and maybe some other yummy goodies). 

 Saturday, August 7, 4:00-5:15 pm
Playground Fellowship

St. Mark’s Playground Fellowship is an activity for parents and children of preschool and elementary-age. In case of rain, we’ll meet indoors in room 26. If you plan to join us this Saturday, please contact Lara Moore at glccmoore@live.com, with your name and the number attending. This fellowship opportunity is for families. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Sunday, August 15: Blessing of the Backpacks

At St. Mark’s, we like to celebrate and bless the beginning of the school year. Students, preschool through adult, are invited to bring backpacks, book bags, or lunch boxes to either the 9:30 am or 11:00 am worship service. Teachers, aides, principals, administrators, secretaries, cooks, janitors, bus drivers, etc., also are invited to come and join the students to be blessed.

Wednesday, August 25: XYZ at the Holm’s, 5:30 pm

Anyone 55+ is invited to join us for an evening of fun and old- time music at the lovely home of John and Edie Holm. Mike McGregor and his guitar have accepted our invitation to lead us in the singing. Please bring table service and food to share.

Be a Part of St. Mark’s Children’s Classroom Project!

A task force (led by Kathy Scheid, Mary Jane Van Hook, and Beth Rosales) is coordinating efforts to improve our children’s Sunday school classrooms. By this fall, our goal is to have our classrooms and hallways more inviting, comfortable, and engaging for children and families of all ages. We invite you to be a part of this by signing up to donate a can of paint, a dry erase board, or portion of cabinet, etc. We also ask that you consider volunteering an hour (or more) of your time to this project to wash chairs, clean and organize, paint, shop for materials, create better signage, etc. Additionally, you can sponsor a member of our Appalachian Service Project team for an hour or more of work (for a free-will donation that you can make to ASP). Sign up in Garton Hall or contact Mary Beth Morgan at the church at 332-5788 or e-mail marybethmorgan@yahoo.com.

 Kids Count, Kids Care, & Kids Can

We have started a new 9:30 am Children’s Church service with a focus on missions. We are looking for anyone with a heart for children who would like to help with music, introducing a mission field, or in one of the classrooms once a month or more. Please contact Emily Miller at emily_miller_114@comcast.net or 332-5788, or Beth Rosales at bethheb111@aol.com, if you are interested in helping.

 What We’re Reading: Miniskirts, Mothers, & Muslims

The Food for Thought Book Discussion Group is reading Miniskirts, Mothers, & Muslims by Christine Mallouhi. The author, who is an Australian, and her Arab Christian husband have lived in many different Muslim cultures. The book is full of insights into Arab culture and Muslim people and examines status, the place of women in Muslim culture, as well as segregation, restrictions, and family life. This book provides examples of the conventions that govern Muslim society and how Westerners unknowingly commit mistakes when interacting with the Muslim culture. The book discussion will be Tuesday, September 28, at 7:00 pm. To get a book, call Linda Crawford at 336-2277, or Elaine Larson at 361-3262.

Announcement

Community Connections

Family to Family

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Family-to-Family Education Program is a free 12-week course for family caregivers of individuals with mental illnesses. The course is taught by trained family members. All instruction and course materials are free for participants. The Family-to-Family curriculum focuses on schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, clinical depression, panic disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The course discusses the clinical treatment of these illnesses and teaches the knowledge and skills that family members need to cope more effectively. NAMI-trained volunteer family members Kathleen Mickel and Valerie Markley will be teaching the program at First UMC. The classes will be on Tuesdays, August 31-November 16, 7:00-9:30 pm. To participate, call Kathleen at 336-3992, or Valerie at 332-7164. Space is limited! (bonniemickel@yahoo.com  markley@indiana.edu)

Living with Cancer

Living with cancer has many challenges, but having people to encourage and support you can make all the difference. First United Methodist Church in Bloomington, offers a faith-based support group for those living with cancer. The group is designed to provide  participants help through the sharing of experiences, listening to and accepting others’ experiences, providing sympathetic understanding, and establishing a supportive network of care. The group meets every other Wednesday in the Thurston Parlor at First UMC. The next meeting will be August 11. You are welcome to join the group anytime. For more information, contact Mary Cartwright at 332-6396 or mcartwrifht@fumcb.org.

32-hour Basic Mediation Training

Do you like to help people? Are you interested in constructive conflict resolution, restorative justice, and the mediation process? The Community Justice & Mediation Center (CJAM) invites you to attend Basic Mediation Training: September 18-19, 25-26, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm , IU Maurer School of Law, room 214.

“Basic Mediation Training” is a great tool to add to the lifelong toolbox of community members interested in healing community harm, resolving neighbor-to-neighbor conflicts, alternative dispute resolution, criminal justice issues, or helping youth. Participants who complete CJAM’s “Basic Mediation Training” are eligible to work as CJAM volunteer mediators; however, any community member interested in learning basic mediation skills also is welcome to participate. There is a tuition fee, but a sliding scale is considered when applicable, and scholarships are available for those unable to pay the fees. For further information contact Nancy Lumbley at  nlumbley@comcast.net, Flo Davis at DavisfloF@aol.com, or contact the center at 336-8677.

 Death Announcements

JOSE HEATON, 20, adopted son of the Rev. Thomas S. Heaton, Elder of the Indiana Conference, missionary of United Methodist-related Mission Guatemala, and a former pastor of St. Mark’s, died Saturday, July 10, 2010, in Guatemala City. He was buried Monday, July 12, in Guatemala City by his birth sister, grandmother, and the community. Survivors include: his adopted father, Thomas Heaton, and a brother, Manuel Heaton. Condolences can be sent to:

Rev. Thomas S. Heaton
600 S. Cullen Avenue, Apt. 504
Evansville, IN 47715

or by e-mail at tom@missionguatemala.com
or at www.facebook.com/missionguatemala

Any memorial gifts will be given to the Boys’ Home in Mission Guatemala. Checks can be made out to St. Mark’s with “Boys’ Home-Jose Heaton” in the memo line.

NINA COYNER, of Anderson, Ind., mother of Indiana Bishop Michael J. Coyner, died Thursday afternoon, July 15, 2010. Visitation will be held Sunday, July 18, from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Robert D. Loose Funeral Home, 200 West 53rd Street in Anderson, Ind. A memorial service will be held Monday, July 19, at 11 a.m., with visitation from 10 to 11 a.m., at First United Methodist Church, 1215 Jackson Street, downtown Anderson with the Rev. Jeffrey Taylor officiating. Burial will be Monday afternoon in her hometown of Colfax, Ind. Condolences may be sent to Bishop & Mrs. Michael J. Coyner (and Marsha), 301 Pennsylvania Parkway, Suite 300, Indianapolis, IN 46280.