(Christian Education)

Photo by Les Henig

From the Pastor

Worship and Music

Saint Mark Presbyterian Church

Christian Education

Children’s Church School
Ages 3 through Grade 5
9:30 to 10:30 AM

Do you like to fish? Jesus says “the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught a fish of every kind.” I wonder what we will catch at church school this year? Stories, games, songs, new ideas, good friends? Come and follow Jesus at church school this year. It will be fun to see what we catch!

Starting Out Right!
Grades 6 through 12 9:30 to 10:30 AM

Do something countercultural. Come to Sunday morning church school. Your friends and your parents won’t believe what you’re up to! Teenagers have been called “people in transition,” but at least you’re going somewhere. If you’re interested in a different and exciting way to get there, come check it out on Sundays at Saint Mark.

Youth Fellowship
Grades 6 through 12 5:30-7:30 PM

Make real, face-to-face connections with friends your age at this youth fellowship kick-off event. We’ll start with a meal followed by activities that will begin to develop a creative, spiritual space for exciting programs of fellowship, worship, study, and service for two groups, middle school and senior high youth, here at Saint Mark. Contact LeAnn at associate@saintmark.org if you’d like tohelp plan this first event.

Saint Mark Moms
2nd and 4th Wednesdays at 9:30 AM
Saint Mark Moms: Looking for some fellowship? Need spiritual growth? Then join the mothers of Saint Mark on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month at 9:30am in the parlor. Currently we are reading and discussing In the Midst of Chaos: Raising Children as a Spiritual Practice but topics have included current events and how they apply to our children as well as following a variety of devotional study guides. No matter the topic, lively discussion and a lot of laughs are guaranteed each time we meet. Childcare is provided.

Christian Education for all ages at 9:30 AM!
* Our CHILDREN’S MINISTRY includes:

Sunday School classes for ages 3 through 5th grade, Worship opportunities, Nursery programs

Sunday School at 9:30: This year, we will use the WITNESS curriculum (published by Augsburg Fortress Press) which teaches the Biblical salvation story through interactive sessions. Each week, children will learn both stories from the Bible and spiritual practices (or “faith traits”) for their everyday lives.

Children in Worship: We encourage parents to introduce their children to the experience of worship at the 11:00 AM service (following Sunday School).

Adult Education!

Lenten Series

lenten study

Five Week Lenten Study with guest teacher, Melissa Kirkpatrick

7:30 PM Wednesday evenings, February 24 to March 24

Supper begins at 6:30 PM

Cool Doctrine, Hearts on Fire:
John Calvin for our Time

Sometime in 1536, John Calvin, on his way to Italy, stopped in Geneva and met Guillaume Farel, the leader of the Reformation there. Farel, burning “with an extraordinary zeal to advance the gospel,” assured him that the quiet life of scholarship Calvin sought would never be tranquil if he did not remain and assist reforming the church. Calvin’s subsequent work there made Geneva the school, the model, of reform around the world.

Five hundred years after his birth, John Calvin continues to loom large as one of the most formative figures in Christian history. Between the hundreds of trained ministers and public officials coming out of the Genevan training ground, the thousands of copies of the Institutes printed and distributed across Europe, and his own extensive correspondence, Calvin's ideas had a tremendous impact on doctrine, on governance, on social policy from his time forward. This series will explore the Reformation as the context for Calvin’s work, as well as his life, legacy and continuing influence on our churches and in American culture.

Adult Church School Class
9:30 Sunday Mornings

The Greening of the Bible:
A “Trail Guide” for the Care of Creation

Four-week Lenten series with Louise Winfield, M.A.
Adult Study Sunday Mornings: March 4, 14, 21, 28

“The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it.” - Psalm 24:1

Thus the Psalmist celebrates the unity of God, human beings, and all nature! Indeed, our Bible has always been “green,” and there are over 1,000 passages to declare it. Its message about the care of creation is amazingly contemporary, even as it speaks to us from a wisdom and concern originating in another time and place on how to live in harmony and mutually respectful ways with the whole of creation.

If you are concerned about our 21st century crisis of global pollution, the rampant exploitation of earth’s natural resources, and climate warming, join us in a study and discussion of the biblical word as it focuses on being connected to all creation, sharing the earth with all nature, and the renewal of creation as a Godly partnership into which we may all enter.

April 11 to May 16: (Following Easter) Dean McDonald will be teaching a class on a topic TBA.

Lectio Divina
Join Pastor LeAnn on Wednesday mornings at 10:30 for a prayerful engagement with scripture.

Small Group Bible Study

Small Group Ministry
Last fall a small group of adults began meeting on Sunday mornings at 9:30 in the parlor with the intent of building community through scripture and prayer. They use a curriculum developed for small groups called Companions in Christ: A Small-Group Experience in Spiritual Formation. They will be continuing this fall. If you are interested in forming a new small group that would meet at either 9:30 or 11:00 on Sunday mornings (or another time during the week!), contact Pastor LeAnn.

Saint Mark Booklovers meet the 2nd or 3rd Monday at 7:30 PM!

Kerney Library

Book Lover's Discussion

The Friendship Class

Saint Mark Friends Class wins threefold
"Advocate of the Year" Award!

On October 8, members of the Friends Class, along with Carol and Richard Hampton and Dean and Dorothy Hearn attended the ARC (the Association of Retarded Citizens of Montgomery County) barbecue and awards presentation held at the Smokey Glen Farm in Gaithersburg. At that time, ARC presented two Advocate of the Year Awards to Saint Mark: 1) for the teachers and drivers of the Friend's Class; and 2) Carol Hampton, for her involvement with the Friends Class over the years. The award is given to an individual or group that has contributed to the dignity and welfare of persons with developmental disabilities. In addition, class member Mary Madison won a "Self-Advocate of the Year" Award! Congratulations to Carol, Mary, and the other church members who have supported this important ministry!

Saint Mark has had an ongoing ministry to it's Special People for many years. The students look forward to their Friendship Class at 9:30 AM and attending worship at 11:00 AM.

Our Friendship Ministry helps people with mental impairments come to know and love God. The students experience the joy of knowing they are of value to God and to God's people. The students also grow in their understanding of God's world and their place in it. And they grow in relationship with the church, making a public profession of faith and participating in the church's life and work. Also our church grows in acceptance of and love for persons with mental impairments. These are indeed Special People.