Help Needed For Monthly Pancake Breakfast

Ahh, you have to see it! People and their pets gather and chatter in our courtyard. Folks without pets chat-ter, too. The bells ring and the procession into the sanctuary begins. St. Francis leads us to a place of worship and communion, and then we go outside again to the blessing stations. Our ministers will bless each pet, one by one. For our further enjoyment are ambassador dogs and reps from San Diego Humane Society; Dr. Bjorn Barre of Kearny Mesa Vet center answering your pet's health questions; the DiProfio youth carrying wee ones for adoption; and little creatures from Chi-huahua Rescue over which we ooh and ahh. And if this isn't enough, come to enjoy the antics of profes-sional dog trainer, Chris Mooredock of American Ca-nine Training. There will be goodies for humans and animals. Don't miss the fun at St. Mark's on Sunday morning, October 7 at 9:30. Be reminded, "Every beast of the earth and every bird of the heavens, everything that has the breath of life, God has given." Genesis 1:30 No wonder a dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself!

St. Mark’s 5th Annual Blessing of the Animals, Sunday, October 7

What’s New in New Ministries By Rev. Lydia Sohn, Senior Minister in Transition

Digital Art Show:

SAVE THE DATE! Please mark your calendars for the 2019 Women’s Retreat! Dates are March 22-24, 2019. Our leader will be our own Rev. Lydia Sohn! Hoping you will join us!

Many of you know Ralph Denton, Tim Hig-gins, and his son Max Higgins as the dy-namic trio who coordinate and prepare our delicious monthly Sunday breakfasts. Now that Max is in college, we are looking for somebody to help Ralph and Tim out! This takes place on the second Sunday of each month and is really fun as you get to meet all of us folks who enjoy these breakfasts so much. No experience required! If you are interested, please email Pastor Lydia at lydia@stmarksumcsd.org.

Women’s Retreat 2019

Everyone is welcome to attend the Awards Ceremony and Reception for our next photography and digital arts show on Saturday, October 6, at 3pm in the sanc-tuary. Please come and welcome the artists and their guests to St. Mark's. You might even pick up some tips to improve your own photos. Special music during the Awards Ceremony will be provided by St. Mark's choir member Zlatoslav Sokolov. The show will be open for free public viewing on Sat-urdays, October 6, 13, 20, and 27 from 1-5pm. If you are willing to help greet our guests on one of these Saturdays, either 1-3pm or 3-5pm, please contact Judy Edelblute at (858) 278-0255 or judyedel8@gmail.com.

TNT TNT will meet October 21 at Chili’s restaurant for lunch at 2:15pm then to St. Mark’s to hear the Youth Symphony perform at 4:30pm. All are invited. Please call Sandi or Ken John-son for restaurant reservations at (858) 278-8833 by October 17. Thank you.

Dear church, I'm currently reading a book called The Last Word on Power: Executive Re-Invention for Leaders Who Must Make the Impossible Happen by Tracy Goss. It's a fascinating eye-opening book that outlines the pitfalls of leaders who cannot break growth plat-eaus within their organizations. The first step she invites readers to take is to uncover their winning strategy, which is the strategy that has kept them successful up to this point but is now, keeping them back from breaking the plateau. When a plateau needs to be broken, old habits and strategies must also be broken. I did some self-analysis and realized that my win-ning strategy, which has made me successful to this point has been diligent independent work. I'm a very hard worker, which has enabled me to be a good student and a relatively good leader. But...when I need to make the impossible happen, which is to draw people to church in an era of church decline, I can no longer depend on this win-ning strategy as my crutch. From this moment on-wards, I need others. This is why I am planning new events such as church council visioning re-treats, heavily guided and strategy oriented staff meetings, etc. I admit I do not have any answers about how to be a growing church but what I do know is that God is with us and will speak to us as a people when we come together to brainstorm and imagine new ways of being. What has been St. Mark's "winning strategy" up to this point? What habits and strategies do we need to rethink in order to meet the spiritual needs of the 21st century and not be regarded as irrelevant? Thoughts for you to chew on this week. Finally, I have to constantly remind myself that all of this thinking, imagining and brainstorming is sup-posed to be fun. God is not worried about the future of the church, only we are the ones who get anx-ious about it! In this together, Rev. Lydia

You can get most of your Christmas shopping done November 11

th at the Alternative Christ-

mas Market with the Guatemala and Heifer pro-jects, CCSA, and much more.

Alternative Christmas Market

What is a fallen tree? Ask a ranger, and they may tell you it's a microhabitat providing shelter and nourishment for wildlife and plants. Ask the kids of St. Mark's, and they'll tell you it's a musi-cal instrument! Sixteen kids (and one baby) at-tended the St. Mark's Fall Campout at Palomar Mountain State Park. They climbed, explored, and played together. Want to see them drum on the fallen log? Check out the St. Mark's Face-book page for a video clip. The kids outnum-bered the adults. Between campers and visitors, thirty people gathered up at the campsite. Thank you to all who helped make this such a wonderful event!

Playing Around on Palomar Mountain

Sunday, September 30 9:30 AM Service

Rev. Jeri Newell-Davis

Child Care, Room 1

Sunday School Rooms 6, 8 &10

Next Week @ A Glance

September 25, 2018

St. Mark’s Messenger

Rev. Jeri Newell-Davis

WORSHIP ATTENDANCE SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 23:

136

♥ Forrest Sedgwick ♥ Rose Marie Pierce ♥ Phyllis Drewett ♥ Sherry Forrest ♥ Vera Morrison ♥ Al Johannesen ♥ Hope Coleman Our military personnel:

Kris Brendal, Army Robert S.Chisholm, Navy Craig Clemans, Marines Paul Clemans, Air Force Blake Cross, Navy Samuel England, Navy Lenny Hezelett, Navy Amanda Hoadley, Navy Michael Hunter, Navy Brady Jackson, Army Jeremy Munson, Navy Milo Riegle, Marines Casper Stalnaker, Navy Nathan Streeter, Army Robert Tarango, Navy

In Our Prayers

Sunday, September 30, 2018

8:30AM Pastor’s Sunday School/NR 12:00PM Tongan Fellowship/Sanc 12:30PM Missions Meeting/SH

Monday, October 1, 2018

1:00PM Book Study/NR 6:00PM Carrillon Bells/SH 6:45PM AA Meeting/RM 9

Tuesday, October 2, 2018 7:-00AM Men’s Breakfast/Waffle House 4:00PM Mindfulness Class/Rm 10 6:30PM Grief Share/NR 6:30PM CCSA Advisory Meeting/CR 6:30PM Inviting/Welcoming/Lib 7:15PM AA Meeting/RM 9

Wednesday, October 3, 2018 5:30PM Bible Study/NR 6:00PM Glory Ringers

Thursday, October 4, 2018 4:15PM Cherub Choir/NR 5:20PM Hallelujah Chimes/ SH 7:00PM Boy Scouts/SH 7:00PM Choir Rehearsal/CR 7:15PM AA Meeting/RM 9 7:30PM Coffee & Contemplation

Saturday, October 6, 2018 3;PM Digital Art Awards/Sanc&SH

Sunday, October 7, 2018

8:30AM Pastor’s Sunday School/NR 9:30AM Service /Sanc 10:30AM Blessing of the Animals/Sanc 12:00PM Tongan Fellowship/Sanc CR=Choir Room Sanc=Sanctuary Lib=Library SH=Social Hall NR=New Room *If you have any questions about or would like to add an event to the church calendar, please contact the church office at 858-273-1480 or by email at

Vol. 45: Issue 35

You are invited to partici-pate in the St Mark's prayer chain via email. Prayer requests will be sent to you via an email account you provide; you will not be asked to do anything other than offer your private prayers for requests you receive. To participate, please email Donna Newby at donewby@san.rr.com.

858-273-1480

Never Miss a Sermon

St. Mark’s Messenger (USPS 516-260) is published weekly by St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, 3502 Clairemont Drive, San Diego CA 92117. Periodicals Postage paid at San Diego, CA POSTMASTER: Send address changes to St. Mark’s Mes-senger, 3502 Clairemont Dr, S.D., CA 92117

Keeping In Touch

Do you have some free time during the week? If so, please consider becoming an office volunteer. We cur-rently need for help on Mon-day mornings from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. For more information contact the of-fice at 858-273-1480.

In Pastor’s Sunday School we study the lectionary texts which follow the church calendar. For Sun-day, September 30:

• Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22

• Psalm 124

• James 5:13-20

• Mark 9:38-50

It’s an informal study, al-ways open to all, at 8:30 AM in the New Room.

Pastor’s Sunday School

Dear Friends,

This past weekend my family had the opportunity to celebrate my great-

niece’s birthday. Riley turned three and her parents invited the family to

join them at Chuck E. Cheese for lunch and cake. I don’t know how

many of you have had the opportunity to spend an afternoon at Chuck E.

Cheese with a room of children, a wall of music videos, and a floor

packed with arcade games, but to say it is dynamic, lively, and loud be-

gins to sum it up. But, before you think me a curmudgeon let me tell you

I had a great time! Seeing a three-year-old dressed in a princess dress,

looking wide-eyed at everything, smiling with delight at each person,

dancing like no one was watching, and reveling in the joy of each mo-

ment reminded me of what life is supposed to be all about. There is so

much to celebrate! It’s Autumn. Football. Pennant race baseball. Har-

vesting. Cooler nights. And so much more.

As we enter this new season I invite you to look forward with joy and en-

thusiasm at some of things coming up on our campus:

• 15th Annual Digital Art and Photography Show – September 30

through October 28

• St. Mark’s Nursery School Community Kid Resale Event – Friday, Oc-

tober 5 and Saturday, October 6

• Blessing of the Animals Service - Octo-

ber 7

• New children, youth, and adult ministries

continuing

• Free community hot pancake breakfast -

October 14

• Free Concert Series begins - October

21 with ‘All About Music Youth Orches-

tra.’

And these are just some of October’s

events.

I invite you to invite your neighbors to all

these events. They are dynamic, lively, and

yes, sometimes loud. However, it’s a great

way for the community to meet St. Mark’s

and St. Mark’s to host the community. And

that’s something worth celebrating!

See you in church,

Jeri

Office Volunteer Needed

A Celebration of Life for El-don Baker, former member of St Mark’s, will be held at First United Methodist Church in Mission Valley at 1 PM on Saturday, September 29.

Celebration of life for Eldon Baker

Missed Sunday’s sermon? You can watch Sunday morning sermons on video at: stmarksumcsd.org/sermons. They can also be found on the St. Mark’s Facebook page.