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St. Mark’s United Methodist Church 4700 Johnson Avenue NW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52405 Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM

319-396-6361 www.stmarksumccr.com

Ellen Johnson, Administrative Assistant: Ellen@stmarksumccr.com

December 2010

Sunday Worship

9:00 AM - With Organ/Keyboard/Choir

10:00 AM - Fellowship Time

10:30 AM - With Praise Band

9:00-11:45 AM - Staffed Nursery provided

for children 3 years and younger.

Wednesday Worship 6:00 - 6:30 PM

(5:45 - 6:00 PM - Student Worship/Gathering Time)

Sunday Christian Education Opportunities

Kids’ Zone (Pre-K - 5th grade) 9:00 -10:15 AM

Lower Level Education Wing

Adult and Youth Study Options 9:00 -10:15 AM

Adult Study Options 10:30-11:30 AM

December can be one of the best

months in the entire year. It is during

this time that we celebrate an absolutely

amazing event in history – the birth of

Jesus Christ, “the Word” who “became

flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14).

Because it certainly is easy to feel over-

whelmed with the details and pressures of the holiday

season and the difficulties of winter weather, we may

want to intentionally guard against losing sight of the

Christ who makes Christmas a holy time.

The truth that Jesus was born on a night a couple thou-

sand years ago is a reality that should mean everything to

us. Because Jesus came as God’s Son, was born of the

virgin Mary, lived a perfect life, died on our behalf, and

rose from the dead, we have the offer of new life as we

put our faith in Him.

This life in Christ, lived in the power of the Holy Spirit,

provides forgiveness for past failures, strength for the pre-

sent moment, and hope for whatever the future may hold.

In Hebrews 1:2-3 the writer explains to us that God has

spoken to us “in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all

things, through whom also He made the world. And He

<Jesus> is the radiance of His glory and the exact repre-

sentation of His nature, and upholds all things by the

word of His power.”

There are many ways God may speak to us. It may be in

quiet moments of meditation and reflection, or gathered

times of worship, or times of sacrificial service, or busy

times with family and friends. However God speaks to us

through the celebration of Jesus this holiday season, may

we all be ready to hear and respond to His holy presence.

Blessings, Gary

Jesus is “God With Us!” Let Us Rejoice!

Chancel Choir Cantata “Sing Noel” by Hal Hapson

Sunday, December 12

9:00 and 10:30 AM Worship Services

Children’s Pageant “Live From Bethlehem”

Sunday, December 19

9:00 and 10:30 AM Worship Services

Christmas Eve Services Friday, December 24th

6:00 PM Family/candlelight with Praise Band

8:00 PM Communion/candlelight

Christmas Day Dinner Saturday, December 25th

Continuous serving from 1:00 to 3:00 PM

For reservations, contact the United Way at 211.

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The Christmas season is upon us,

and our church will once again

adopt several families. Adults will

receive two gifts and children will

receive three. Each family will

also receive a large box of food

that is sure to brighten their Christ-

mas celebrations. There are many

ways to support this important mission.

✟ Look for tags to be hung in fellowship hall. Each tag

lists a gift that has been requested by a family mem-

ber. Take a tag (or two or three!) and purchase the

gift. Then return the unwrapped gift and the tag by

Wednesday, December 16th.

✟ Look for the food sign-up in fellowship hall. Sign up

for as many items as you wish. Purchase these items,

and return them to church by Wednesday, December

16th.

✟ Join us on Thursday, December 16th at 5:30 PM as

we wrap all of the gifts. No wrapping experience or

skill necessary!

✟ Pray for these families and for those who are sharing

their blessings this Christmas season.

Thank you for your steadfast generosity!

The Missions / Church and Society Team

Adult/Youth Study Opportunities

Sundays:

Book of Ephesians, 9:00 - 10:00 AM,

Scott Johnston, leader

“Wake UP!” (Youth Study Option), 9:00 - 10:00 AM,

Ryan Sloan and Brianne Ulrich, leaders

“Experiencing God”, 10:30 - 11:30 AM, Dave Lees,

leader

Adult Bible Study, 10:30 - 11:30 AM, LeeRoy Collins,

leader

High School Youth Group, 4:30 PM, Ryan Sloan

Mondays: “Advent of the Savior” by Cindy Bunch Editor, 11:00

AM, DorRene Mau, leader

Tuesdays,

Young Adult Group (Post HS - 20’s), 6:30 PM, for more

details, call Ryan at 929-5456

Wednesdays,

“Heaven” by Randy Alcorn, 6:45 PM, Parlor,

Barb Schwarting, leader

“Upper Room”, 6:45 PM, Music Room,

Neta Boustead, leader

“Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl”,

Adult Room, 6:45 PM, Mandy Staley, leader

Middle School Youth Group, 6:15 - 7:45 PM,

Community Center

Fridays,

Men’s Bible Study, 6:30 AM, Adult Room,

Bob Eppel, leader

Saturdays, Men’s Bible Study, “Just Like Jesus”, Max Lucado, 7:00

AM at American Skillet, 8:00 AM in the Adult Room,

Virgil Smith and Kelvin Bronner, leaders

For more information about Adult Study Options, call

the church office at 396-6361 or contact Mandy at

mandy@stmarksumccr.com.

The Evangelism Team will have

invitations available for you to

use to invite friends, neighbors

and acquaintances to any or all

of our Holiday activities. They

will be in Fellowship Hall. If

you want to grab an envelope to

address and mail yourself,

please feel free. Or, we will

mail it for you. Let’s reach out

to invite others to share with us

our celebration of this time of year!

“Cookie Walk” Alert

Saturday, December 11th, is

the big day for buying your

Christmas goodies. The Naomi-Esther Circle will be open

for business from 8:00 a.m. to 12 Noon. We raise money

to help our Church as well as our community. A compli-

mentary coffee and cookie will also be available. Hope to

see you there. Tell your neighbors and friends!

Naomi-Esther Circle Christmas Luncheon

The Naomi-Esther Circle Christmas

Luncheon will be held at St. Mark's on

December 14th (the second Tuesday)

instead of the usual fourth Tuesday. It will be a potluck

lunch beginning at 11:00 AM.

Holiday

Invitations

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Can you imagine being able to go back in time and walk

the streets of Bethlehem during the time that Jesus was

born? Can you picture what the streets would look like,

what you might smell, hear,

taste? Would the marketplace

be bustling with activity?

Well COME FIND OUT at St.

Mark’s on Sunday, December

12 from 2:00 - 4:30 PM , where

we will have our very own

“Night in Bethlehem!” You

will have the opportunity to visit our marketplace which

has a leatherwork shop, pottery shop, bakery, wreath-

maker, metal works shop, and carpentry shop. You will

also have an opportunity to visit with a Roman Soldier, a

tax collector, and even Mary and Joseph!

There are many opportunities to be a part of this event!

We have many positions available such as shopkeepers,

actors, bakers, set up and tear down, and registration.

You will love being a part of “A Night in Bethlehem!”

We are also looking to borrow the following items for

props if you have them:

rugs of all sizes or mats

Large baskets

Tall (1-3ft.) urns or planters

artificial palms or palm tree

To help or for more information, contact Mandy at the

church office or mandy@stmarksumccr.com.

Children’s Christmas Pageant

Join us for the Children's Christ-

mas pageant on Sunday, Decem-

ber 19th. The kids will perform at

BOTH services, 9:00 and 10:30

AM. Come and worship with us!

St. Mark’s Wednesday

After School Club

Wednesdays from 4:00 - 5:15 PM in the Education Wing

Lower Level. A different culture is being studied every

month with games, crafts, etc. relating to these cultures.

All kids aged Kindergarten to 5th grade are invited to join

us. If you have questions or would like to help in any

way, contact Mandy at mandy@stmarksumccr.com.

Notes of Thanks

Dear St. Marks, Thank you for your

overwhelming compassion and sup-

port for our family these last months!

The prayers, hospital and home visits,

meals, and hugs have given us the strength and comfort to

get through dealing with mom’s stroke and healing.

Brad and I are comforted to know that our parents

(Winston and Sharon Bair) are well taken care of since

we live a distance away. We know you will be there for

them when we can not. Thank you! You are an awesome

church family! God bless each of you!

~Brad Bair and Kim Sheets

We would like to take this time to thank each and every

one for your prayers for Dorothy Friday. Every one

meant a lot to us and to her. May God Bless you

all.

~Harold and Tommalee DeVos

Wednesday Community Night Schedule

4:00 - 5:15 PM - St. Mark’s After School Club

5:00 - 6:00 PM - Clothes Hanger open

5:15 - 5:50 PM - Meal in Fellowship Hall

5:45 - 6:00 PM - Student Worship/Gathering Time

6:00 - 6:30 PM - Worship (Sanctuary)

6:15 - 7:45 PM - MSY - Community Center

6:45 - 7:55 PM - Adult Study Options

6:00 - 8:00 PM - Childcare available

WCN needs YOU: More help in the kitchen with set up,

serving and clean up is needed for Wednesday Commu-

nity Night. If you can help, contact Rose McGowan at

319-202-2724.

There will be no After School Club, meal, student

worship or worship on Wednesday, December 22.

Classes will meet at their discretion. Join us again on

Wednesday, December 29 for Holiday Break Game Day

from 4:00 - 5:15 PM and the rest of the evening’s activi-

ties as usual.

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Merry Christmas from SMY! We are excited to announce

that our SMY Christmas Party will be on December 17 in

Fellowship Hall from 6:00-8:30 PM. There will be food,

games, and prizes. It is for students between grades 6-12.

It will be a loud, fun, typical SMY night!

November Wrap up

November was one of our best months yet in SMY. Our

numbers are continuing to growing in all phases of our

ministry. Two areas where I have seen the most growth is

Wake UP! and Student Worship. Wake UP! is our youth

Sunday school class that is from 9:00 - 10:00 AM on Sun-

day mornings. Student Worship is on Wednesday nights

at 5:45 PM. This is a time where we have a time of stu-

dent focused worship filled with energetic music, skits,

and video clips.

We also would love to thank everyone who purchased

apple pies and apple butter during our fundraiser last

month. We hope you enjoyed your fall treats! Be sure to

let our students know if you did. They played a big part

in making them.

We hope that you have a blessed and Christ-centered

Christmas and Holiday Season. Always remember the

real reason we have to celebrate!!!

In Christ,

Ryan

Our Stewardship

For the month of October 2010

Total income for the budget was $28,879

Expenses for budgeted items were $27,645

Income was $1,234 more than expenses

Year to Date Through October 2010

Total income for the budget was $273,761

Expenses for budgeted items were $273,838

Income was $77 less than expenses

Income For Selected Accounts October 2010

21.01 Endowment General-given $1,486

21.02 Endowment Missions-given $ 155

22.01 Memorial Fund income $ 30

24.06 Computer/Sound Rec'd $ 300

24.11 Vision received $ 25

26.03 Adult Study books rcvd $ 271

26.04 Upper Room - donation $ 10

27.01 Christmas dinner donation $ 50

27.05 Emergency fund-people $ 275

27.19 Children’s Outreach $ 420

28.05 World Wide comm. offering $ 86

28.14 Lenten donations for Kies $ 100

28.33 Mission Health Kit $ 6

29.06 Ticket Income $ 859

TOTAL INCOME $ 4,073

St. Mark's Singles St. Mark's Singles will be meeting

earlier this month on Wednesday,

December 15th at 11:30 AM. It

will be held at the Elk's Lodge,

801 33rd Avenue S.W. Members

are asked to bring a gift for

exchange. For more information,

contact Virginia Abney.

St. Mark’s Weather Cancelation Policy

Attention! If the weather outside is

projected to be frightful, keep

watching the cancellations on

KCRG, KGAN or listen to radio

WMT 600 in regard to all activities

at St. Mark’s.

In the event of inclement weather, activities/meetings

scheduled at St. Mark’s will follow the Cedar Rapids

School District schedule in regards to cancellations. If

school classes and/or evening activities are cancelled due

to weather, the same will be in effect for activities/

meetings scheduled at St. Mark’s.

Organizational Structure Update

The proposed new Organizational Structure was dis-

cussed at the Church Council meeting on November 18

and it was decided that no action will be taken to change

the current structure at this time. The proposal will con-

tinue to be researched in the new year.

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Lay Leader Corner: Don’t miss the

Message!

I admit that I don’t find much comfort in the image of

God as a warrior who is bringing us victory. Especially at

this time when so much of the world is in strife wrapped

in the language of war and victory. The picture of a war-

rior Messiah feels unnatural.

This messiness is part of the beauty of scripture and the

mind of God. He is not always present in the way we ex-

pect and I think most of us miss the message. How many

times do we miss the presence of God in our everyday

life?

Jesus came not as the triumphant king or militant revolu-

tionary that people expected. Instead he came as a child

who could not even find shelter at the inn. He helped the

weak, sick and outcasts of society providing a non violent

witness.

Where will you find the messiah today? Rejoice! Sing for

joy! The Messiah is near. Will it be the homeless man

outside the store? He could be the hungry child crying for

food who gives you a smile through his tears. Maybe it is

the person who blesses you when you sneeze or it could

be he is the person who cuts you off in traffic. The Mes-

siah is coming, but will we recognize him? I hope you

feel the peace of God in your lives and seek the Messiah

in everyone you meet.

Have a blessed Christmas

DorRene Mau

New Books in the Library Non-fiction -

“Raising Children to Adore God: Instilling a Lifelong

Passion for Worship” by Patrick Kavanaugh

“Dr. Mom's Prescription for Preschoolers: Seven Essen-

tials for the Formative Years” by Marianne Neifert, M.D.

“Widow to Widow: Thoughtful, Practical Ideas for Re-

building Your Life - Challenges, Changes, Decision-

making and Relationships…” by Genevieve Davis Gins-

burg, M.S.

“Jubilee: A Year Like No Other” by Christopher Stanton

“Christmas Happy & Bright” by Carol Field Dahlstrom

“The Final Week of Jesus” by Max Lucado

“Chicken Soup for the Grieving Soul: Stories About Life,

Death and Overcoming the Loss of a Loved One” by Jack

Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen

Fiction -

“Annie's People - Book 2 - The Englisher”

by Beverly Lewis

“Annie's People - Book 3 - The Brethren”

by Beverly Lewis

Note - We already have Book l in the Library - “Annie's

People - The Preacher's Daughter” by Beverly Lewis

“In Heaven as on Earth: A Vision of the Afterlife”

by M. Scott Peck, M.D.(A novel by the author of

The Road Less Traveled)

2011 Worship Servants

St. Mark's Worship Servants are an important part of our

worship services. Each team serves one service per

month on a rotational basis. In preparing for 2011, the

Worship Committee is looking for people who feel called

to fill the following positions:

Sunday Worship:

9:00 AM Liturgist - reads scripture during service;

9:00 AM Hospitality Team - the team prepares coffee,

snacks, greets, ushers and cleans up after Fellowship time

10:30 AM Hospitality Team - greets and ush-

ers. A Hospitality Team is an area where couples can

serve together and is a great way to meet new people!

9:00 or 10:30 AM Communion Server - Serves com-

munion the first Sunday of each month.

Wednesday Community Night

6:00 PM Hospitality Team.

Substitutes will be available in all positions. If you feel

called to serve at St. Mark's in any of these positions

please mark and turn in the Opportunities to Grow and

Serve sheet or email me at byerscc@aol.com . Also con-

tact me with any questions.

Thanks, Connie Byers - Worship Committee

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December Birthdays December Ruby Gray

December 01 Anna Jo Reinhart

December 02 Gene Sever

Dorothy Pool

Shawn Carnahan

Addelyn Furman

Ellery Fickel

December 03 Joanne Lamb

Julie Burke

December 05 Duane Voshell

December 06 Bev Hoppe

Melissa Starks

Alison Courtney

December 08 Luke McNamara

December 09 Diana Robeson

Tom Vine

Tanner Hildebrand

December 10 Erica Carnahan

December 11 Vaughn Burnside

Sara Perez

December 12 Ken Traut

Barry Ash

Julie Hartman

December 15 Connie Clark

Logan Miller

Aisha Shimilimana

December 17 Whitney Gorsegner

December 20 Angie Peet

Hank Small

December 21 Peggy Hill

December 22 Pat Beltz

Keith Kjosa

Therese Rowell

Kaylee Shear

December 23 Jeannette Mankin

December 24 Bree Sharpe

Parker Salee

December 25 Jane Broghammer

December 26 Jeff Miner

Terry Markwitz

Dave Berry

Brenna Johnston

December 27 Donna Hill

Judy Johnson

Deb Shields

Sheila Pulkrab

December 28 Dorothy McGregor

Lisa Cooley

Cathy Bayne

Don Johnson

December 29 Terry Carleton

December 30 Stacy Ratchford

Jonathan Reinhart

Noelle Buck

December 31 Jenny Leichsenring

If you are not on the list and wish to be, contact Ellen in

the office at 396-6361 or ellen@stmarksumccr.com so she

can update the church records. If you do not wish to be

on the list and wish to be removed, let her know, too!

Our church records do not contain the wedding anniversa-

ries for many of our couples. We know there are more

anniversaries than we have on our list! Please help us get

our records up to date by calling or emailing the church

office. If we have missed yours, it probably means we

don’t have it and would greatly appreciate it if you would

call the office and share that information with us.

December Anniversaries

December 01 Larry and Mary Elgin

December 03 Shirel and Joanne Lamb

December 04 Merle and Myrtle Yanecek

December 16 Elden and Arlene Moon

December 21 Dick and Dolores Boelter

December 23 Ken and Norma Jensen

December 26 Bob and Sue Eppel

December 30 Carroll and Arlene Brown

Sharing our Life Journeys - Birthdays and Anniversaries

Have you been visiting our church website? http://stmarksumccr.com/

If you haven't, you’re missing information on current

events, schedules and recorded sermons and special

events! Check it out! Do you want to see other items on

our website? Let us know.

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Office Hours:

9:00 AM – 3:30 PM Monday through Friday

Office: 396-6361

St. Mark’s Web Site: www.stmarksumccr.com

Pastor Gary W. Hoyt: gwhoyt@stmarksumccr.com

Ellen Johnson, Administrative Assistant:

ellen@stmarksumccr.com

Director of Traditional Worship Music, Chancel Choir

Director and Coordinator of Care Ministries,

Ben Morris: ben@stmarksumccr.com

Director of Youth, Young Adults and Contemporary

Worship Music: Ryan Sloan: ryan@stmarksumccr.com

Director of Children and Adult Ministries:

Mandy Staley: mandy@stmarksumccr.com

Newsletter Editor:

Carroll Brown: shephrd1@stmarksumccr.com

Lay Leader, DorRene Mau:

nanamau@mchsi.com

Nursery Coordinator, Rose McGowan:

McRose@stmarksumccr.com

PowerPoint Announcement Slide Preparation:

Ellen Johnson: Ellen@stmarksumccr.com

Organists:

Linda Rogers: fishandpole@imonmail.com

Sue Eppel: sueeppel@gmail.com

Treasurer, Jim Branam: j.branam@mchsi.com

Financial Secretary, Church Weber:

ceweber22@earthlink.net

Custodian, Bob Young

cyoung55Wmsn.com

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St. Mark’s United Methodist Church 4700 Johnson Ave. NW

Cedar Rapids, IA 52405

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