9.00 AM:  Holy Eucharist + Laying on of Hands – Justi Schunior, Presider; Paul Abernathy, Co-Presider

9.00 AM:  Children’s Chapel – Paul Abernathy, Leader

10.00 AM:  Sermon Seminar – The Reverend Lionel Edmonds, Co-Founder & President, Washington Interfaith Network, Preacher  (Re: WIN, see Justi's "Assistant Rector's Message")

11.15 AM:  Holy Eucharist + Laying on of Hands – Justi Schunior, Presider; Paul Abernathy, Co-Presider; Lionel Edmonds, Preacher

5.00 PM:  Contemplative Eucharist – Justi Schunior, Presider & Preacher

3rd & A Streets, SE
Washington, DC 20003
(202) 543-0053

Service Notes and Music

Prelude Sonata Per Organo, Giovanni Battista Bassani (1657-1716)

Opening Hymn 427 – When morning gilds the skies, Tune: Laudes Domini

Sequence Hymn 129 – Christ upon the mountain peak, Tune: Mowsley

Offertory Anthem

     (9:00) How Can I Keep from Singing, American Folksong, arr. Richard Walters – Charmian Crawford & Marika Klein, soloists       

     (11:15) As newborn stars were stirred to song, Words: Carl P. Daw Jr., Music: David Hurd – Chancel Choir                                             

Presentation Hymn 119 v. 1, Tune: Dix

Sanctus and Fraction Anthem: William Mathias

Music During Communion

     (9:00) Come, Let Us Make a Joyful Noise, G.F. Handel, arr. Carl Fredrickson – Charmian Crawford & Marika Klein, soloists

     (9:00) Hymn 133 O Light of Light, Love given birth, Tune: Elmhurst

     (11:15) I Will Not Leave You Comfortless, Music: Everett Titcomb – Chancel Choir

     (11:15) How Can I Keep from Singing, American Folksong, arr. Richard Walters – Charmian Crawford & Marika Klein, soloists       

     LEVAS 58 The Lord is my light and my salvation, Lillian Bouknight

Closing Hymn Closing Hymn 460 Alleluia! sing to Jesus! vv. 1, 3-4, Tune: Hyfrydol

Postlude Canon in C, Op. 56 No. 1, Robert Schumann (1810-1856)

From Paul Roberts Abernathy, Rector

My Dearest Sisters and Brothers,

Lent, that annual penitential 40-day season of the Church Year in preparation for the Easter celebration, begins on Ash Wednesday, February 22, 2012.  On that day, we, per now ancient custom, will anoint our foreheads with ashes as a sign of our mortality and pledge ourselves anew to engage in personal introspection and spiritual discipline that we might live more fully into our lives as those created in the imago Dei (image of God).  I invite you to join in any one of three scheduled services of the Imposition of Ashes and Holy Communion at 7.00 AM, 12.00 NOON, and 7.00 PM.  Most especially, I invite us to share, both individually and communally, in a holy Lent.

Love and peace, always and in all ways,

Paul

From Rebecca Justice Schunior, Assistant Rector

Friends,

This Sunday there are two important events I want to highlight.  First, the Reverend H. Lionel Edmonds will be our guest preacher at both morning services. The Rev. Edmonds is the co-founder of the Washington Interfaith Network (WIN) he has worked to help produce a $100,000,000 Neighborhood Investment Fund for affordable housing, living wage jobs and educational opportunities.

The Rev. Susan Flanders was a WIN leader during her tenure as St. Mark’s Associate Rector, and many St. Mark’s parishioners were active in years past. Community organizing was a passion of mine in seminary and I was excited to learn that there was a history of involvement with WIN at St. Mark’s.  I hope we can start a conversation about future involvement as well as hear the message of an acclaimed preacher and activist.

For those who are new to WIN, this group seeks to create long-term power: WIN is a broad and united front of organized institutions – organized people and organized money – acting consistently and persistently on multiple issues at the local and city-wide levels.  WIN engages leaders across the divides of race, culture, income, faith, and/or neighborhood to initiate public action on their issues (e.g. affordable housing, public safety, youth, etc.) and to partner with and hold the government and corporate sectors accountable for addressing these issues.

I hope you will join us for one of the morning services and stay for a pub lunch where the Rev. Edmonds will speak as well as a lead organizer from WIN. Contact me if you have questions.

And if that weren’t enough for one Sunday…

The Sunday 5.00 PM Contemplative Eucharist at St. Mark’s has been active for over two years.  To help us celebrate, we gather as the first century Christians did, to share a common meal in community.  This Eucharist is hearty in that we share more than small portions of bread and wine, combining our abundance of the fruits of this earth into the making of a communal meal.  Because we are a faith community we gather around these tables to share food, fellowship and prayers as we remember Jesus’ last supper with his disciples.

Please join us at 5.00 PM this Sunday in the Nave.  Please bring a Middle Eastern dish to share and/or beverage.

Peace,
Justi

From Cecilia Monahan, Senior Warden

Dear All,

It is my pleasure to report good news regarding the Vision 2020 Capital Campaign.

As many of you know, the Steering Committee presented to the Vestry in December a detailed plan for renovation that, while meeting our programmatic needs well, had gone significantly over budget since its last iteration.

As per the Vestry’s charge, the design and construction team then went back to look at the plans anew in order to fulfill the goals of giving our staff and volunteers a better working environment and gaining more flexible and welcoming space for our communal life, while also bringing the costs back to a feasible level.  The team, led by miracle workers Kenn Allen and Ed Corr, have done just that.

The happy results of this labor will be presented to the Vestry at its meeting on Sunday, February 26 at 1:15 PM in the Adams Room.  As always, you, the parish, are invited to attend, but please consider this a more formal invitation.  Please come and take this opportunity to see the revised plans and estimates and to make comment if you wish.  I hope to see you there.

Cecilia

From the Vestry

REPORTS FROM THE DIOCESAN CONVENTION, January 27-28, 2012:

From Delegate Maureen Shea:

The closing hymn for the 117^th Convention of the Washington Episcopal Diocese was “Sweet Sweet Spirit” and that to me was in fact the spirit of our gathering.  This was my first diocesan convention, and it mirrored the three General Conventions I have attended in feeling like a family – with all that means – coming together.  We greeted old friends, we argued over resolutions, we compared notes on our parish life, we did all the things a family does when it comes together. 

With the theme “We Will, with God’s Help” the Convention was organized around worship and began with the hymn “Great Is They Faithfulness” including the line “All I have needed thy hand hath provided.”  Following Friday dinner, there was a time for hymns, lessons, personal stories, and prayers.  During the legislative work, prayers of the people were interspersed with reports, the passing of the budget and consideration of resolutions. 

There were three resolutions to be considered at General Convention this summer in Indianapolis.  All were debated but passed easily.  One would establish new Episcopal campus ministries at community and tribal colleges.  The second, sponsored by Paul Abernathy, David Deutsch, and me, regards the Palestinian/Israeli conflict.  It does not change existing church policy but seeks ways for the Church to augment its advocacy and education efforts in the pursuit of a just peace.  The third endorses Statehood for the District of Columbia.  The Church already supports full representation in Congress.  It was an honor to represent St. Mark’s as your delegate. 

The Convention ended with the Eucharist.  There was no music as we waited our turn for bread and wine and a woman behind me said “We need music” and began to sing.  She saw a need, she filled it and all joined her.  The hymn “Sweet Sweet Spirit” ends this way - “Without a doubt we’ll know that we have been revived when we shall leave this place.”  And so we were.

Please look for a report from Delegate David Deutsch via the St. Mark's egroup.  His is a longer-form report requiring a bit more space than the Gospel comfortably can provide.

From Jeff Kempskie, Director of Music

The Chancel Choir will sing as a combined group for the 11:15 AM  service only this Sunday.  Note that the offertory anthem for that service, “As newborn stars were stirred to song” by David Hurd, was commissioned by St. Mark’s and dedicated to Dr. Keith Reas, Director of Music from 1991-2009.  Charmian Crawford and Marika Klein witl sing two duets for the 9:00 AM service.

From Marcella Gillis, Director of Youth Ministries

Annual Meeting - March 11
We need adults to volunteer for half-hour shifts for our youth activities in Adams Room during the Annual Meeting. We'll have art projects, games, and a movie. Please let Marcella know if you're available to help out!

CampEDOW– August 5-10
The Diocese is RE-launching summer camp for rising 4-8^th graders at Camp Maria in Southern Maryland.  The theme is EpiscOlympics and the week will provide opportunities for swimming, canoeing, fellowship and Christian formation. More information can be found at www.edow.org/camp, or ask Marcella (who served on the initial planning committee!) Registration is due April 1, 2012.

Safeguarding God’s Children: Spring Sessions
The spring schedule for classes in the  Dioceses’ required child abuse prevention training (for full time church employees and volunteers working with youth) has now been confirmed. Please sign up for one of these Saturday morning sessions and encourage others to participate so that we are able safely continue and enrich our youth and family ministries!
Dates and locations:
Saturday,  2/25/12 (9:30 am - 12:30pm) -  Atonement Church  (Region 5)
Saturday, 3/24/12 (9:30 am -12:30pm) - St.John's, Broad Creek (Region 6)
Saturday, 4/21/12 (9:30 am - 12:30pm) - St. Paul's, Rock Creek  (Region 5)
Saturday, 5/19/12 (9:30 am - 12:30pm) - St. John's, Norwood (Region 3)
Saturday, 6/9/12 (9:30 am - 12:30pm) - Epiphany, DC (Region 1)