Thank you for supporting the
Mission and Ministry of St. Mark's!
To the Members and Friends of St. Mark's,
2020 will forever be a memorable year for all of us, with its profound and continuing disruptions to our daily lives. Approaches to dealing with this year's ill effects have emerged from us all and will continue as we deal with this challenge.
I am certain that, as have I, many of you have been particularly proud of the success of St. Mark's in maintaining the ministries and purposes of the Church through these difficulties. Father Stephen, Mother Clelie, Anna Rose and the choir, committee chairmen, and staff have shown extraordinary ingenuity and tireless efforts to achieve this remarkable result. From the initial internet back porch song fests to the more recent masked and distanced in-house services, their ability to keep St. Mark's active and involved has been appreciated.
As with prior "normal" years, the Church is now entering a stewardship campaign, involving our personal considerations of financial support. The many successful ministries and services and our ability to praise God together are so dependent on this campaign and you. Fortunately, the membership support this year, with pledges and other giving, has sustained us financially much better than might have been predicted. However, needed catching-up as well as striving toward growth and reaching out to new friends and potential members make our present commitments so necessary.
Accompanying this letter is your pledge card for the coming year. Loyalty Sunday will be November 22nd, where you may submit your card at either service, 8a.m. or 10a.m. Alternately, you may also mail it to the Church office or submit your pledge online at www.stmarksgulfport.com/give. Unfortunately we will not be able to have our traditional pot-luck this year.
In addition to pledges and finances, Loyalty Sunday also provides the opportunity for each of us to assess our individual participation in Church activities, ministries and fellowship. The many, many, ministries have been previously described, each needing membership support and participation. This fateful year, the clergy and dedicated members have very successfully continued these important ministries, the study sessions and prayer groups, both in-person and electronically. We all look forward to continued improvement. And, someday the cherished Sunday coffee hour will return!!
I encourage you to search your hearts, commit to your pledge card submission, and consider what an increased pledge amount this year might provide to the church and its ministries and to the glory of God.
"...your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God." (2 Corinthians 9:11)
