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Calendar of Events
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Announcements and Updates Directions Electronic Giving Links Monthly Newsletter Photographs of St. Mark's Prayer List Site Index Special Concerts Join Us for Worship Sundays Holy Communion 11:00 a.m. Thursdays Holy Communion in the Chapel 6:30 p.m.  
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Free parking may be found in the church parking lot on the corner of St. Paul and 20th Streets, in Baltimore City.
Day of Pentecost
Sunday, 27 May 2012, 11:00 a.m. 
This coming Sunday is Pentecost, the fiftieth day of Easter, and we keep the resurrection of Christ by celebrating the Spirit of the risen Christ in our midst. Jesus Christ has not gone away but is here with us, and we stand to greet him and hear his words in the gospel reading. Join us for this great Feast Day of the Church! As in past years, we will have the Gospel read simultaneously in a number of languages. Persons who are comfortable reading in a language other than English are encouraged to speak with Pastor Dusman. Come, Holy Spirit; fill the hearts of your faithful people.
St. Mark's supports missionaries
St. Mark's Church recently sent a check to support Mark and Lynda Johnson, missionaries in Tanzania. The support comes from the benevolence fund supported so generously throughout the year by our members. The Johnsons have been medical missionaries in Arusha, Tanzania for many years. The couple provides care for people in their community who are living with hunger and poverty, plus many people who are disabled. They have been able to start programs to care for women suffering from sexual abuse. And for the first time, children born with spina bifida can receive lifesaving surgery. Your support has enabled a child with a cleft lip to smile for the very first time. They are also operating on and caring for hundreds of disabled children each year, allowing them to walk again. Please know how important your benevolence contributions are to these ministries. Together we become the healing hands of Christ. News on restoration of a neighbor of St. Mark's
The Art Deco theater on North Avenue at St Paul Street might one day soon be home to film screenings, studios, galleries and a restaurant, at least if a nonprofit developer financed by MICA and a private foundation have a say. See the recent story and photos in the Baltimore Sun here. More about the changes in our neighborhood can be found in a story lower on this page, "News from the neighborhood." Jim Harp at the organ January marked the 25 anniversary of James Harp's service to St. Mark's Church as our Cantor. A good example of the gifts our cantor brings to St. Mark's is the following video is based on the Easter hymn, "Thine is the Glory." It is composed and played by James Harp. Other recordings by Mr. Harp--including Wagner's lushly beautiful "Liebestod"--may be found by clicking here. Sunday School in the Great Hall
The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat,
The St. Mark's Children's Sunday School meets the second and fourth Sundays during mass from September through May. the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. (Isaiah 11:6) 
We invite all children to join our Sunday School class, held in a historic space: St. Mark's Great Hall. We are visiting stories and following the gospel through the Old and New Testaments. We began our new year with "God Creates the World." The children follow these stories using their five senses. Stories come alive through readings, questions, art, music, drama, and cooking. The Sunday School classroom will transform into the heavens and the earth, the great flood or even the manger in Bethlehem. For more information about our Christian education program, please see Pastor Dusman or Nancy DeBell. Congregation Council The Congregation Council has listed its meetings for 2011-12. You can also see the officers and other members of your council and the various committee chairs by clicking here. Electronic contributions to St. Mark's St. Mark's is pleased to provide an electronic option for making regular offerings. Contributions can be debited automatically from your checking or savings account or processed using your credit or debit card. Our electronic giving program offers convenience for you and much-needed donation consistency for our congregation. If you are currently giving on a weekly basis, you need not write out 52 checks a year or prepare 52 envelopes. And, when travel, illness or other circumstances prevent you from attending services, this program allows your weekly offerings to continue on an uninterrupted basis. Online donations may be made to St. Mark's with safety and ease on your computer. To explore this convenient option, click here. After you register with a secure password, you will see you can choose between one-time and ongoing contributions. You can also select from several choices about designating where your donation goes. The donation page will help you to track your giving history. Thank you for prayerfully considering this way to respond generously to God's extravagant love in your life. back to top
Our gifts to Dallas Nicholas School Thank you to all who contributed non-perishable food items. Your gifts, plus a monetary gift, have been given to the food pantry at the Dallas Nicholas Elementary School. Please remember the food basket in the narthex. Ongoing gifts of food will allow us to periodically help replenish the food pantry at the School. Please be generous! 
The Holy Eucharist
Our Sunday worship is set within the context of the Holy Communion liturgy. St. Mark's welcomes all to join us for worship. If you have questions about worship, please see our Frequently Asked Questions page by clicking here. Our congregation also celebrates the sacrament at the regular Thursday evening mass. Need some refreshment? Café is an award-winning online magazine from Women of the ELCA that features timely articles about faith and life, Scripture reflections, and an opportunity for sharing your thoughts with others. The e-zine is addressed primarily to women ages 18 to 35, but its articles will inform and inspire women of all ages. Come to www.boldcafe.org and feel your spirit refreshed. Some of the upcoming topics to be covered in Café are: addiction, sharing blessings and discovering unexpected growth out of loss. Some of Café's previous topics were: sharing blessings, addiction transfer, renewing the body and spirit, inviting people to church, the sound of your faith, keeping a flexible spirit, AIDS, Domestic hunger, Young women and voting, anger, the burden of credit card debt and its spiritual consequences, body image and negative self-talk, and forgiveness for good health. 
Café continues to be well received by young and older audiences alike in this church and beyond. Sign up now to get regular e-mail alerts when the latest issue of Café is published. It's free and can be easily passed on to circle members, friends, sisters, daughters, and granddaughters. If you know someone who doesn't have Internet access, print out the latest issue and share it. Have you heard Café's monthly audio program? Visit www.boldcafe.org/listen.html and listen to the MP3 file. Also follow the link "launch in iTunes" and add it as a podcast. Education opportunities
Members of St. Mark's--along with some residents of the surrounding neighborhood--are participating in an enrichment program for the students of The Success Academy at the Baltimore City Board of Education Building on North Avenue. This program is designed to help the students and members of the community engage in areas of educational opportunities not part of a regular school curriculum. As the school year proceeds, we hope to involve more members in this exciting venture with local high school and middle school students. Watch this space for further news. Coffee Project Continues and Expands
We continue to participate in the Lutheran World Relief Coffee Project offering Equal Exchange Fair Traded Products, including coffee, chocolate, organic tea, and cocoa. Contact Paul Walker with any questions or requests. By selling through Fair Trade, farmers and artisans build a better future for themselves, their families and their communities. By supporting Fair Trade, we make choices in line with our religious beliefs and affirm human dignity by promoting:  * fair wages * children's rights * women's rights * the right to organize * environmental rights * indigenous rights 
Thursday evening Eucharist
Each Thursday we celebrate the Holy Eucharist at 6:30 p.m. in the All Saints' Chapel on the main floor of St. Mark's Church. Immediately after worship, everyone is welcome for dinner ($7) and fellowship. It's a great way to meet new people. Please join us! Project PLASE
St. Mark's Lutheran Church is pleased to host meetings of Baltimore's Project PLASE, Inc., a non-profit helping the homeless and disadvantaged. Project PLASE (People Lacking Ample Shelter and Employment) addresses homelessness by providing transitional housing, permanent housing and supportive services to homeless adults. They serve the most vulnerable and underserved, including persons with mental illness, HIV/AIDS, addiction, developmental disabilities, and ex-offenders, etc. They believe it is important to treat, restore and rehabilitate the whole person. 
News from the Neighborhood!
The Station North Arts & Entertainment District was created in the area surrounding St. Mark's Church. Pastor Dusman serves on the Board of Directors for the District and has been involved with planning since its inception. A few years ago, the City of Baltimore announced an exciting plan for our neighborhood's development. Be sure to click here to see the full story from the Baltimore Sun. The district is an interesting mix of cultural and entertainment venues. One important component is the ever-growing number of artists who have studios spread throughout the 100 acre district. The presence of artists along with theatres, restaurants, businesses, and a growing number of residents, is making our neighborhood more exciting and interesting. Buildings are being renovated and new residential units are being constructed. There is growing excitement as we welcome new people and new business to the Station North Arts & Entertainment District. Look around for new growth. What has been seen for many years as a neglected area is now becoming a desirable neighborhood for investment. The Charles North Community Association (CNCA), an integral part of the District's creation, often meets at our church. 
Ascension dinner and celebrationThursday, 17 May 2012, 6:00 p.m. We celebrated the Feast of the Ascension with the folks at Christ Lutheran Church, Inner Harbor. A crab cake dinner was served before we gathered for the Holy Eucharist.
Keen-Agers
Wednesday, 16 May 2012, 10:00 a.m. Keen-Agers will meet on Wednesday, May 6, at 10:00. Our guest will be St. Mark’s Parish Nurse, Penny Paul, presenting a program centered on health-related issues. Lunch will be served. Please call the office for a luncheon reservation. See you on the 16th! 
Estonian Service
The Estonian congregation, EELK Baltimore Markuse Kogudus, gathers each month for worship on the fourth Sunday and as announced, at 1900 St. Paul Street, Baltimore. For more information on either this community or the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church, click here. Tule jumalateenistuse koos meiega! Click here to see the current newsletter for St. Mark's Lutheran Church, Baltimore. Copyright © 2004 - 2012 St. Mark's Lutheran Church |