St. Mark's News

January 2016

St. Mark’s News Volume 20/Issue 1

From the Rector January 6 marks the beginning of the season of Epiphany. This year it will be a relatively short season because Easter is early. There can be as many as nine Sundays after Epiphany, but this year there are only five with the last Sunday of Epiphany on February 7. But no matter what the length of the season we are in need of its light and hope; we are in need of the reminder that Jesus Christ is the light of the world; we are in need of the reminder that we are the light of the world; we are in need of the season’s reminder that darkness will not overcome light.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. (John 1:1-5) 2015 was a year in which we saw much darkness. In 2015 ISIS/ISIL expanded their reach of terrorism from beheadings in their territory to attacks against a Russian airliner, in Beirut, and in Paris: three attacks in three weeks in November. In December, in San Bernardino, a young radicalized, Jihadist-inspired couple launched a deadly attack that killed 14 and injured 22 at the Inland Regional Center, in a banquet room rented out for a holiday party. And in 2015 campaigning began for the 2016 Presidential election: campaigning that has so far been full of dark and hateful rhetoric. The darkness of terrorism and political bullying will mark the beginning of this New Year as well, but the year also begins with Epiphany and the In this Issue reminder that light overcomes darkness.

The New Year is a time for making resolutions; it is a time for a fresh start. This year I am asking myself how my New Year’s resolutions and the season of Epiphany can intersect with one another. This year, rather than making those typical self-improvement resolutions, I am going to ask how can I best live as a “child of the light.” How can I live in such a way that speaks of light and hope rather than darkness and despair. In the midst of fear about terrorism how can I live as a person who has heard the Lord say, “Do not fear, for I am with you, do not be afraid, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you…” (Isaiah 41:10); the Angel of the Lord say “Do not be afraid; for see – I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people…” (Luke 2:10) In 2016 and during this Epiphany season I am going to pray that I may look at this world in which I live through the eyes of scripture and through the eyes of our Lord who is Light and Life. If I look through his eyes, what do I see?

From the Rector ......................... 1 Vestry Highlights ........................ 2 Letter from the Rector ................ 3 Outreach .................................... 3 Meet the New Vestry Members .. 4 Parish Life .................................. 5 Christian Formation.................... 6 Adult Formation.......................... 7 Parishioner Highlights ................ 8 Caffeine Ministry ........................ 8 Day School Enrollment .............. 9 Celebrations ............................. 11 ROTA ....................................... 12

My hymn for this season is Hymn 490: I want to walk as a child of the light. I want to follow Jesus. God set the stars to give light to the world. The star of my life is Jesus.

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January 2016 I want to see the brightness of God. I want to look at Jesus. Clear sun of righteousness, shine on my path, and show me the way to the Father.

I’m looking for the coming of Christ. I want to be with Jesus. When we have run with patience the race, we shall know the joy of Jesus.

Refrain: In him there is no darkness at all. The night and the day are both alike. The Lamb is the light of the city of God. Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus.

Amen!

EZT+

Vestry Highlights The December meeting of the St. Mark’s Vestry was at the home of Elizabeth and Philip Turner on Tuesday, December 15, at 6:00 p.m. The meeting itself was short:      

Diana Stangl gave a brief report from the Finance Committee The vestry approved the recommendation from John DeMarines and Lucy Joyce with respect to our policies for dealing with, and acknowledging, gifts of appreciated securities Elizabeth+ gave a 2016 Stewardship update: 170 pledges for a total of $530,928 The proposed 2016 budget was presented and approved. It will be adopted at the Annual Parish Meeting in January The slate of nominees for the vestry was presented and approved: Melissa Blanding, Mike Brode, Ryan Marquess, Laura Merritt, and Becky Poynot Diocesan Council delegates were presented and approved: Karen Milton, Michael Meigs, Diana Stangl, and Michele Bonner

The meeting was adjourned and dinner was served to vestry members and spouses. Also present were our seminarian Neal McGowan and his wife Jennifer, and our soon-to-be Assistant Rector David Peters and his wife Sarah Bancroft.

Stewardship Report Once again, St. Mark’s parishioners have been faithful and generous stewards – of time, talent, and treasure. As of December 13 we had received 170 pledges for a total of $530,928. Because of this faithful generosity we are able to hire a full-time Assistant Rector. David W. Peters will begin his ministry with us on January 17. We look forward to welcoming David+ and his family to St. Mark’s.

January will be a busy month at church . . . .

January 17 we will have a reception at 10:00 in the Parish Hall to welcome our new Assistant Rector, David W. Peters, his wife Sarah Bancroft, and the three boys: Soren, Avery, and Hieronymous.

January 24 is our Annual Parish Meeting at 10:00 in the Parish Hall. At that meeting we will extend our thanks to the outgoing Vestry members (J.P. Kloninger, Jim Nolan, Nancy Kibler, David Johns, and Shelly Botkin); we will elect our new class of five vestry members (Mike Brode, Melissa Blanding, Laura Merritt, Ryan Marquess, and Becky Poynot); we will vote approval for the 2016 budget; we will receive ministry reports for 2015; and we will have time for food and fellowship.

January 31 at 11:00 a.m. Bishop Dena Harrison will be with us for her annual Bishop’s visitation and for our service of Confirmation/Reception/Reaffirmation. Any adults who have not yet been confirmed or received into the Episcopal Church are welcome to join the group of youth and adult confirmands. Preparation classes for adults are scheduled for three Saturdays in January: January 9, 16, and 23 from 10 – noon.

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January 2016 Dear St. Mark’s Parish family, The staff joins Philip and me in thanking you for your most generous Christmas gift. We are so very thankful to serve the good people of St. Mark’s. You are generous to us, and you have been generous to the wider Austin community as well. During this holiday season you collected Coats for Kids, you donated almost $1000 to El Buen for their Hands for Hope Thanksgiving Basket Project, and you bought gifts for children served by the Austin Children’s Center and for homeless adults who are in the process of moving into the Community First!

Village.

I also want to thank Mark Reed and our amazing musicians (both children and adults) for a season of lovely music. As I write this we just observed the Third Sunday in Advent and our annual service of Lessons and Carols. As always the selection of music could not have been more perfect and oh the perfection of its presentation. Another name for the Third Sunday in Advent is Gaudate Sunday, which means rejoice, and rejoice we did.

And I want to thank the other members of the staff as well. We might be small in number but each member goes above and beyond his or her official duties. Lucy has end-of-year financials to deal with; Cathy not only has a Pageant to organize but she works with the Outreach Committee to get the angels on the tree and to get the gifts delivered; Joanne has extra Orders of Service to format and print while solving our bulk email challenges; and we have more cleaning that needs to be done.

In a couple of weeks I will be writing my Annual Parish Meeting Report, in which I will have occasion to thank ALL of our parish volunteers who serve the parish in so many ways.

I pray that 2016 is a year of hope, of light, and of grace. As Tiny Tim said, “God bless us everyone!”

Elizabeth+

Outreach Angel Tree. What an amazing sight it was to see the Angel tree surrounded by gifts! Thank you so much for your generosity this Christmas! We were able to provide gifts for 4 families at Austin Children's Shelter and 9 residents at the Community First! Village.

Community First! Village Update. We are excited to share that we have a build date for our Community First! house. Please mark Saturday, April 9th down on your calendar. We will need a team of 8-10 volunteers who are able to lift 75 lbs., can work on a roof and who are able to stay throughout the entire build day. The build will be led by a trained lead volunteer from Community First! Villages. Be on the look out for a sign up sheet. Community First!

Village is a 27-acre master-planned community that will provide affordable, sustainable housing and supportive community for the disabled, chronically homeless in Central Texas.

El Buen Samaritano. Thank you for your donations to the El Buen Samaritano Food Pantry. It is very exciting to see the bins so full. They are very appreciative of our monthly donations and kindly ask that we provide small/regular sized can, boxes, and jars of food items so they can be equitably distributed to families. Large, Costco-sized items are challenging for them. For January, please bring in 1 to 2 pound bags of dried beans.

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January 2016

Meet the New Vestry Members Melissa Blanding has been a member of St. Mark's since joining with her husband, Christian, in 2012. Melissa and Christian have been married since 2011 and have two daughters: Ella (2) and Caroline (8 months). Melissa is currently a stay-at-home mom. She also volunteers her time to serve on the Water and Wastewater Advisory Commission for the City of Austin as an appointee of Council Member Ellen Troxclair. Melissa previously worked as a Policy Advisor and then Deputy Director of Policy for Governor Perry, Commissioner's Aide to Commissioner Donna Nelson at the Public Utility Commission of Texas, Special Advisor the to Deputy Commissioner at the Texas Education Agency, and Legislative Director for State Representative Kent Grusendorf. Melissa has lived in Austin since moving here 1997 to attend the University of Texas where she studied Government. She was born in raised near Kerrville, Texas, but feels like Austin is truly home. She is humbled to be asked to be on Vestry and looks forward to serving God and St. Mark's in this role.

My name is Mike Brode. I am a fifth generation Austinite and have been a member at St. Mark’s since 1983. I married Beth Sherrard Brode—who started coming to St. Mark’s as a child—at St. Mark’s in 1984. We have two children, Michael, who is 20 and attends Texas A&M Corpus Christi, and Bonnie, who is a junior at Anderson High School. I own and operate Brode Communications. I have been in business for 32 years. Beth and I were among the founders of the Young Families group. I have served as an Usher, been a member of the Men's Group, worked countless Chicken BBQs, and have gone on just about every Fishing Trip there's been for 30+ years. Helping coordinate and run the Scholarship Golf Tournament since its inception has been rewarding as well. Serving this great Body of Christ we call St. Mark’s will be an honor. Thank you, Mike Brode Ryan Marquess and his wife, Shelly Botkin, came to St. Mark’s in the summer of 2010 and they are frequently reminded of their luck in finding such a wonderful and welcoming church family. Ryan was born in Dallas and has lived in Austin for the past 30 years. He has degrees in History and Communications (Film) from the University of Texas and he has owned a small residential real estate brokerage since 2001. He also presently serves as the Clerk for the Committee on Public Education at the Texas House of Representatives, and is the Chief of Staff for the committee chairman. Ryan enjoys cooking, eating out, brewing beer, and has been known to play bass guitar in local cover bands. At St. Mark’s he has been an usher, a greeter, and he is honored for the opportunity to serve as a member of the vestry.

Laura Merritt is married to outgoing Senior Warden J.P. Kloninger and the mother of Emma (10) and Stella (8) Kloninger. She is a 3rd generation Texan and a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Texas School of Law. Laura has practiced management-side employment law for 20 years, mostly in the Austin area. When Laura isn't being a mom, practicing law, or traveling, she loves to attend performing arts events and experience the many cultural offerings made possible by the diversity and creative spirit of her beloved Austin. Formerly the co-chair of the Families With Young Children ministry, Laura is looking forward to becoming more deeply involved at St. Mark's via service on the vestry.

Becky Poynot. I am delighted to be a part of the St. Mark’s Vestry. I am a cradle Episcopalian. I was born in Orange, TX, and moved to Houston when I was 11. There, my family joined St. Christopher’s and I was very involved in the youth group and choir. I was even the youth representative on our search committee for a new head priest. I attended the University of Texas and then moved to Micronesia for 2 years with the Peace Corps. When I returned to the US, I moved to San Diego to be with my soon-to-be husband, Andrew. I attended San Diego State University to get my Masters in Social Work and worked with children with developmental disabilities. The Episcopal Church was only 8 blocks from our house and we became regular members at St. Andrew’s by the Sea. I joined the choir and was also a member of the Vestry. In 2008 we had our first son, and decided we wanted to move back to Austin. St. Mark’s was the first church we visited when we moved back in 2009 and we haven’t looked back! All 3 of our sons, Asher, Jesse, and Adam, have attended the Day School and I’m now an assistant teacher in the 2 year old class as well. I’m also involved with the choir and outreach committee. I’m looking forward to serving St. Mark’s in a new way in the upcoming years.

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January 2016

Parish Life First Friday Book Group The First Friday Book Group will not meet in January, but on Friday, February 5 we will gather at 11:00 in the Bennett Wing Classroom to discuss The Children Act by Ian McEwan. Here is an excerpt from the dust jacket summary: Fiona Maye is a leading High Court judge who presides over cases in the family court. She is called on to try an urgent case: Adam, a beautiful seventeen-year-old boy is refusing for religious reasons the medical treatment that could save his life, and his devout parents echo his wishes. Time is running out. Should the secular court overrule sincerely expressed faith?

DOK Events in early 2016 Training Class Opportunity. The Daughters of the King will begin training classes for adults and junior Daughters in January. If you feel that God is calling you to this ministry of prayer and service, please call Judy Elkins at 512-312-9690.

Lenten Quiet Day: Save the date! The season of Lent arrives early in 2016: Ash Wednesday is February 10, and the first Sunday in Lent is February 14. The DOK is hosting a Lenten Quiet Day on February 13th, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. This is a wonderful way to add to your spiritual Lenten discipline. Watch for a sign-up sheet in January. All are welcome!

ECW News The next ECW meeting will be Sunday, January 24, at 6 p.m. at the church. We will be watching a movie (TBD) and eating hot dogs. Please RSVP to Pat Bullock so she will know how much food to have on hand.

Also, mark your calendars for the annual champagne brunch on Saturday, February 6, at 11 a.m.

Resolve to sing more in 2016!

Make a New Year’s Resolution to sing more in 2016! In addition to providing physical exercise, singing is proven to improve mood and mental health. I hope you will sing more at home, in the car, and on Sunday mornings at church.

One great place to try out your resolution to sing is in a St. Mark’s Choir. January is the perfect time to join us!

Both of our choirs will be starting new music for Epiphany, Lent, Holy Week, and Pentecost. We look forward to welcoming you and singing with you!

Children in Kindergarten and elementary school are invited to join the St. Mark’s Choristers. The Choristers are a group of kids who enjoy singing, learning about music and worship, playing games, and having lots of fun! By participating in Choristers, children not only develop their musical skills, but they also strengthen their faith by joining a community and building friendships within the church. Choristers rehearsals resume on Wednesday, January 6th, from 6:15 to 7:00 p.m. in the Common Room.

Older youth and adults are invited to join the Adult Choir. The Adult Choir sings great choral music in a variety of styles and genres. Our repertoire is grounded in the Anglican choral tradition and also includes selections from the classical, modern, folk, spiritual, and gospel styles. We will be singing a special service of choral evensong for Pentecost on May 15th. Adult Choir rehearsals resume on Wednesday, January 6th, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall.

Finally, many thanks to all who supported the choirs in our annual poinsettia and wreath sale. We appreciate your generosity and your ongoing support!

Wherever you sing, I hope that your 2016 will be a new year filled with the joy of music!

Mark Reed Organist and Director of Music

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January 2016

Christian Formation for Children and Youth by Cathy Nelson, DRE During the season of Advent, St. Mark’s is blessed by the generosity of our parishioners. We give even more of our time, talents and money to those in need, as part of our preparation for the coming of Christ, the child, the savior, and God incarnate. As The New Prayer Book Guide to Christian Education sums up the theme of the lections on the Third Sunday of Advent: “God’s new day is dawning in Jesus. It will be a day in which God’s compassion for the weak and oppressed is fully realized. In the meantime, Christians must act in accordance with God’s intentions for the kingdom.”

And on Christmas, we celebrate. The theme of the lections on Christmas: “… God came in Jesus of Nazareth to reveal the power of God’s love and healing. In the birth of Jesus we realize that God shares life with us intimately. We meet God “in the flesh” of human struggle and most especially in the midst of human love.

Christmas celebrates the incarnation of God; God ‘in the flesh of’ human life.”

Unfortunately, while we are celebrating this news, there is a backdrop of complicated and often overwhelming and sad local, national and international news that reminds us that the weak and oppressed are still with us and in some ways nothing seems to have changed. Parents and children alike are in need of the Christmas message of glad tidings more than ever!

So, as we move from the season of Christmas to the season of Epiphany, we won’t want to pack away the story of Christmas too quickly. In order to see the story of God’s plan for his people unfold, we can follow the lectionary through the Twelve days of Christmas and into the season of Epiphany. 

On the First Sunday after Christmas we read about God’s love and forgiveness revealed fully in Jesus, his son.

“The Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)

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The Feast of the Holy Name on January 1, the theme is about God’s identity as “merciful and gracious.” “Jesus’ name has significance: it is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua, meaning ‘God saves.’”

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On the Second Sunday after Christmas we hear the story of the family’s flight to Egypt to escape Herod and their return to Nazareth, to fulfill the prophecies. And in a reading from Ephesians 3:8-9, the author says, “Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ, and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things.”

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On Epiphany, January 6, we celebrate the revelation of Christ to all humanity. With the visit of the magi, Jesus is recognized as being God, and through Jesus, God is made known to the world.

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On the Sundays after Epiphany, the themes are adoption into God’s family and baptism; confirmation; rededication to our call to minister to those in need and the mission to spread Jesus’ light to the world; discipleship; healing and the anointing of the sick; and resurrection. The social justice themes can be found in our Baptismal Covenant, which calls for justice and peace among all people, and to respect the dignity of every human being. (BCP. 305)

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And on Epiphany 6, in the collect, we are reminded to keep God’s commandments. In the Sermon on the Plain, Jesus gives us a “new Law,” one that calls for reconciliation in all of our relationships, truthfulness in all matters; justice and respect for human rights; and love for all people, even those perceived to be enemies.

from The New Prayer Book Guide to Christian Education, Joseph P. Russell, editor This story tells us that as children of God, chosen and loved, we are part of God’s plan. And here, “‘in the flesh’ of human struggle and most especially in the midst of human love” God is with us. Through the difficult times and the good, as Ephesians says, we have been all invited to “see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things.”

In The Mystery of Christ & Why We Don’t Get It, by Robert Farrar Capon, Capon writes about the mystery of Christ, also known as the mystery of God, the mystery of the kingdom and the mystery of the gospel in the

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January 2016 New Testament. Capon reminds the reader that this mystery is something hidden “in this world – in the physical universe. It is not some “mystical” truth parked way off in “heaven” or in some other realm of “spiritual reality.” God’s forgiveness and redemption is a “free gift already given, without condition, to everybody—a gift hidden in every particle of creation, a gift that goes by the name of the Mystery of Christ.”

And Capon says that God has invited everyone to a dance, with a loving partner who will lead us together through the joyful steps of with his peacemaking, forgiving, reconciling power.

The dance of the Mystery of Christ—is always going on; the band playing the music of forgiveness never takes a break. The music of the Mystery, of course, is hidden music; we have to trust that it’s being played—and for anyone who doesn’t trust, it’s just as if there’s no music going on at all.

Christians, therefore, are not some select group who have music nobody else has; they’re simply people who by faith—by trust—always hear the music of the Mystery of Christ that the whole creation has been provided with. And so the real job of Christians as far as the world is concerned is simply to dance to the hidden music—and to try, by the joy of their dancing, to wake the world up to the party it’s already at, even though it thinks it doesn’t hear the music at all.

As we begin this new calendar year, I would like to thank all of our teachers, Chapel leaders, parent and teen helpers, and the youth and leaders who served as lectors and acolytes, for enriching so many lives through your commitment and presence in our programs throughout the year. Your work is truly appreciated!

I especially would like to thank those who took part in the Christmas Pageant: Ellie Reshetnikov, the actors, youth helpers, youth lectors, Nancy Kibler, Mark Reed, parents, and all the other helpers who make our Christmas pageant so special!

On Sunday, January 3, at 10:00 a.m. families are invited to celebrate Epiphany with traditional Epiphany cake as you visit and ponder the mystery and wonder of the story of the Magi, the wise men, who traveled so far to see what the star would reveal.

Christian Formation classes for children will meet on January 10 and 31. We take a break on January 17 for a reception for our new Assistant Rector, David Peters, and January 24 so teachers can attend the Annual Parish Meeting. Please bring the children to the Common Room that day to watch videos at 10:00 a.m. They will also play outside if the weather permits.

This month, the Godly Play class for Pre-Kindergartners and Kindergartners will learn about Epiphany and baptism and then begin a section on parables. The following stories are scheduled for January: Epiphany and Holy Baptism, and The Parable of the Good Shepherd. Godly Play Two for the 1st through 5th Graders will hear the stories of Epiphany and Holy Baptism and then continue their series of Old Testament stories. This month they will hear The Story of Moses and The Ark and the Tent.

The Youth Class will meet with their teachers, Danielle Adkins and Ellise Johnson, in the Bennett Wing Classroom for breakfast and Bible study.

The Rt. Rev. Dena Harrison, our Suffragan Bishop, will join us for Confirmation on Sunday, January 31, at 11:00 a.m. It will be a wonderful service for children and adults as we celebrate the public affirmation of faith and laying on of hands by Bishop Harrison.

Adult Formation There will be Adult Formation on January 3 (but none for children or youth) and January 10. On those two Sundays Michael Meigs will lead what promises to be two fascinating and thought provoking classes: January 3

The Grammar of God: A Journey into the Words and Worlds of the Bible (based on the 2015 book

by Aviya Kushner)

January 10

Jesus as Seen by Muslims (based in traditional literature)

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January 2016

Parishioner Highlights I have known Ed Shipsey since my arrival at St. Mark’s in the early 1980s, so I find his stories of the people and the organizational structure at that time to be most interesting. Ed is a faithful attendee and usher at the early morning service. He can be seen after the service sitting in the Parish Hall speaking of sports scores, and I love the fact that I can count on him to know what’s going on at our alma mater, The Ohio State University.

Beth Chenoweth

Ed Shipsey Somewhere around 1973 Jennie (my wife) decided that since she could not get me to go with her to the Baptist church she tried St. Mark’s and the rest is history. I served on the vestry and also was a Jr. Warden. I was born in New York and lived in California as a teenager. Chemistry has always been my interest. I received my BS in Chemistry from Stanford and went to graduate school in Ohio at The Ohio State University receiving my PhD in Chemistry. That is where I met and married Jennie. We spent 5 years in New Mexico where our son Josh was born. Our last move was to Austin where I was a research associate and post doc at UT. My last job was with the Texas Railroad Commission from which I retired. My hobbies and interests revolve around opera, ballet, and Molecular Physics. I currently reside on Emerald Forest Drive in South Austin.

Stories from the past shared by Ed: Back in the day, Father Raish had several Jr. Wardens and I was one them. Norman Colbath and

Alton McKinney were also Jr. Wardens at the time.

When St. Mark’s was dedicated as a new church, there was a ceremony in which the Bishop knocked on the door and I, as the designated Jr. Warden, was supposed to answer it. However, I was not there due to a breakdown in communication, so Bob Collins got up and opened the door for the Bishop.

Norman Colbath did the etchings on the church windows during my time as one of the Jr. Wardens.

The seminarian assigned to St. Mark’s at the time helped with the etchings, and I always wondered if he etched the church windows on his newly assigned church.

Alton McKinney and I worked as a team doing the outside grounds work.

Both Bob Collins and his wife were from England.

When asked why his daughter was tall and his son (born in England) was short, his reply was “Because she was born in America.”

When Rex White and I attended the same service, Rex was always asked to finish the communion wine after the service. I considered it an honor and privilege to be asked to do the same at the early service after multiple services were established.

Caffeine Ministry You will notice a change on this Caffeine Ministry list. Dear and faithful Beth Chenoweth makes the lemonade and sets out the cookies before the 7:30 service, so this schedule only has a team for cleaning up after the 11:00 service.

All that is asked is that the assigned team stays after coffee fellowship to wash coffee pots, put away leftover cookies, and clean counters. (So, no early duty---help is now only needed after the 11 a.m. service) Thank you! EZT+ January: Vestry Contact – Clarence Bonnen 3 Pat Bullock and Becky Janes 10 Jeff Doidge and Lisa Leach 17 Meredith and Kevin Childs (Reception to welcome David Peters+) 24 Barbara Dody and Liz Davis (Annual Parish Meeting) 31 Jodi and Jay Doran (Bishop’s Visit)

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January 2016

St. Mark’s Day School Enrollment Begins in January!

The application process for the 2016-2017 school year will be opened to St. Mark’s parishioners on January 17. From January 17 through January 31, active parishioners of St. Mark’s will be given priority admission. On February 1, the application process will be opened to current Day School families who are not parishioners. On February 16 the process will be opened to waitlisted families from the community.

What ages does the Day School serve? The Day School provides an accredited early childhood curriculum for children between the ages of 2 and 4 as of September 1.

What are the school’s hours? The primary instruction hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Two- and three-day options are available for 2-year-olds. Additional early care, after school enrichment classes, and extended afternoon care options are also available.

What makes St. Mark’s Day School so special? At St. Mark’s we provide a safe, nurturing, and joyous community for children to experience and develop compassion, empathy, and creativity; to learn about and engage with the natural world; and to build a foundation for a life-long love of learning. We offer exciting and flexible programs and hours designed to accommodate busy family schedules. Our curriculum supports the healthy growth—mentally, physically, and spiritually—of children.

How do I apply? Applications will be available in the Parish Hall on Sunday, January 17. They will also be available in the church and school offices. We are also happy to email PDF copies of the application to parishioners during that time period. Complete the application and return it to the Day School office along with the $100 application fee before February 1, and your child will be given priority admission status.

What about Summer Camp? St. Mark’s offers summer camp during morning hours for seven weeks in the summer. Camps are offered for children who will be 2, 3, 4, or 5 on September 1. Summer Camp applications will be available in the Parish Hall on January 17, and active parishioners are given priority admission status for summer also.

How do I learn more about the Day School? We invite you to stop by the school on Thursday mornings at 11:00 for a tour. We also invite you to visit our webpage: www.stmarksdayschoolaustin.org. Call us at 512-444-9401 for more information, or send us an email: schooloffice@stmarksdayschoolaustin.org.

We hope to welcome your family to the St. Mark’s Day School community this fall!

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January 2016

January Celebrations Birthdays Gloria Mickler Abby Raines Charlie Ripoll Ann Rowe Tricia Dew Stephanie Grayson Walker Harris Bob Peterek Susan Willis Aaron Bates Philip Denniston Philip Dixon Mark Breen Kathryn Camp Seth Randle Amy Bierbower Camila Minne Anika Minne Claire Ripoll Preston Santos Willow Aja Cecily Bennett Jim Jennings Ethan Fuhrman

01/01 01/01 01/01 01/01 01/02 01/02 01/04 01/04 01/06 01/07 01/08 01/08 01/09 01/10 01/10 01/11 01/11 01/11 01/11 01/11 01/12 01/12 01/12 01/14

Matt Joyce Beth Greenlee Martha Andre Robin Bridgewater Helen Randle Kevin Childs Wesley Cooper Amy Randle Kay Slepr Belinda Romero Xander Stockstill Dave Thiessen James Nogarede Julia Grayson Carey Stangl Kevin Brady Laura Dannenmaier Carolyn Foote Carson Johnson Suzanne Lightsey Scott Comer Glenn Dody Bill Kibler David Bowman

01/14 01/15 01/16 01/16 01/16 01/17 01/17 01/17 01/17 01/18 01/18 01/18 01/19 01/20 01/20 01/21 01/21 01/21 01/21 01/21 01/22 01/22 01/22 01/23

Elizabeth Rogers Riley Russell Emma Genet Cheryl Smithers Georgia Farley Mark Mazac Henry Olivas Soren Peters Sarah Tso Barron Johnson Sidney Hilburn Stephanie Young Lloyd Schwartz Alexandra Aboussie Decker Ayers Lucas Breen Kevin Francis Connor Frederick Scott Lubeck Brenda White Rich Oppel Emily Peterek

01/23 01/23 01/24 01/24 01/25 01/25 01/25 01/25 01/25 01/26 01/27 01/27 01/28 01/29 01/29 01/29 01/29 01/29 01/29 01/29 01/30 01/31

Anniversaries Chris & Laura Delfausse Robert & Trish Dew Nick Ruiz & Jennifer Pollard Will & Sherrie Johnson Stephen & Abby Raines Clint & Emily Rogers Ron & Laurel Anne Kelly Morgan & Elizabeth Li Lee & Lindy Siegismund Gregory & Sookie Knapp Dick & Dodie Wells David & Anjuli Martinez Jonathan & Kelly Vande Streek Sam & Resa Dunn

01/01 01/01 01/01 01/06 01/06 01/06 01/10 01/15 01/17 01/18 01/19 01/21 01/23 01/25

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January 2016

January ROTA January 24

ALTAR GUILD

January 31

MINISTRY

January 3

January 10

January 17

LECTOR

Amelia Sondgeroth

Pattie Rose

Jon Dullnig

Jill Collins

Jonea Raney

LEM/ACOLYTE

Wes Raney

Margarita Moreno

Pattie Rose

Jonea Raney

Jill Collins

USHERS

Jon & Judith Dullnig

Jill Collins Jonea Raney

Danielle Adkins Stephen White

Ed Shipsey Al McKinney

Beth Chenoweth Mary Smith

LECTORS

Becky Janes (1) Phil Aboussie (2)

YOUTH

Bill Kibler (1) Michael Brown (2)

YOUTH

Gary Taylor (1) Lynn Edgerton (2)

LEM

Kim Buckner Mike Thomasson

Meredith Childs Carol Oppel

Pam Castles Lynn Edgerton

Bill Kibler Neal McGowan

Becky Janes Neal McGowan

ACOLYTES

Claudia Janes TBD Henry Janes Hunter Rogers Kim B.

Ariston Awitan IV Karen Milton Matthew Awitan Luke Breen Jay Brown, Baptism Kim B., Carol

Suzanne Lightsey Clay Buckner Meredith Childs Emma Kloninger Kim K.

Aidan Brady TBD Henry Janes Hunter Rogers TBD

Abbe Kelly Will Kelly Nora Kelly Luke Breen Kim B., Carol

USHERS

Mark Breen Dee Ann Thomasson Dodie Wells

Mike Brode Phil Aboussie Ross Ramsey

Ken Whalen Michael Brown TBD

John Edgerton Lynn Edgerton Kevin Cromack

GREETERS

Yvette Webb Pam Castles

Kevin Cromack Meredith Childs

Laura Merritt Ellie Reshetnikov

Michael Meigs Diana Stangl

Mark Breen Dee Ann Thomasson Ken Whalen John Edgerton Kevin Cromack Meredith Childs

LECTORS

Kevin Childs (1) Meredith Childs (2)

Andrea Michael (1) Mehron Azarmehr (2)

Karen Milton (1) Michael Meigs (2)

Cindy Bogard (1) Stephen Raines (2)

Andrea Poynot (1) Beth Holmes (2)

LEM

Ann Seyler Roger Seyler

Rex White Brenda White

Neal McGowan Jay Brown

Jim Casparis Dru Cabler

Michele Bonner Neal McGowan

ACOLYTES

Matt Forrest Luke Thiessen Ben Forrest Sam Forrest Jay, Cindy

Bonnie Brode Jay Brown, Bpt Meredith Shaw Xander Stockstill Jay, Cindy

Max Genet Karen Milton Josef Genet Ryan Dempsey Cindy

Luke Thiessen Joseph Peers Emma Kloninger Morgan Dew Jay, Cindy

Sophie Lawrence Claire Cabler Emma Kloninger Meredith Shaw Jay Brown, Bishop’s Chaplain Jay, Cindy

USHERS

Carolyn Wier James Wier Bo Overstreet Rick Tennant John De Marines

Jim Casparis Charles Brewer Bob Peterek Manuel de la Rosa Jim Nolan Ryan Marquess

Henry Olivas Yvonne Chavez Darlene Goodnight Debbie Thornal Sandy Sterzing

GREETERS

Jean & Frank Severn

Jay Doran

Shelly Botkin Ryan Marquess

Jean Severn Frank Severn Jodi Doran Jay Doran Pam Johns David Johns Steve Niemeyer Barbara Dody

Jonea Raney-TC Jill Collins Carolyn Wier Pat Bullock

Diana Stangl-TC Lynn Edgerton Barbara Dody Tina Stonebarger

Millie Casparis-TC Karen Milton Debbie Thornal Darlene Goodnight

Meredith Childs-TC Liz Davis Judy Elkins TBD

Dee Ann Thomasson-TC

Sat. 9:00

11:00

9:00

7:30

TIME

Annual Parish Meeting Confirmation w/Bishop @ 10 a.m. @ 11 a.m.

Carolyn Wier Jim Casparis Henry Olivas Frank Severn Shelly Botkin Ryan Marquess Henry Olivas Susan Baxter-Harwell Jennifer McGowan

Depositor

Bo Overstreet

Jim Nolan

Shelly Botkin

Al McKinney

Frank Severn

WED. 6 p.m.

January 6

January 13

January 20

January 27

February 3

Lector

Frank Severn

Michele Bonner

Jill Collins

Re White

Kay Brown

Page 11

Vestry J.P. Kloninger, Sr. Warden Diana Stangl, Jr. Warden

Vestry members: Clarence Bonnen, Michele Bonner, Shelly Botkin, Mark Breen, Jill Collins, John Cooper, Karen Dulaney Smith, Suzann Dvorken, David Johns, Nancy Kibler, Karen Milton, Jim Nolan, and David Randle

Committees Acolytes: Jay Brown, Carol Oppel, Cindy Cabler, Kim Kiplin, and Kim Buckner Altar Guild: Millie Casparis Building Committee: Amelia Sondgeroth Christian Formation: Cathy Nelson Communications: Pattie Rose Daughters of the King: Pam Johns Women of St. Mark’s: Pat Bullock Facilities: Ray Smith

Deadline for the February 2016 St. Mark’s News is Friday, January 15, 2016. Please submit your article by email as an attachment to: office@stmarksaustin.org.

Finance: John Edgerton Outreach: Laurie Mayor Parish Life: Brenda White Pastoral Care/Health Ministry: Jonea C.S. Raney Stewardship: Amelia Sondgeroth

Staff Rector The Rev. Elizabeth Zarelli Turner Assistant Rector The Rev. David W. Peters Director of Religious Education Cathy Nelson Organist/Director of Music Mark Reed Seminarian Neal McGowan Head of Day School Anne Wingler Parish Administrator Joanne Foote Newsletter Editor Becky Janes

Ushers: Henry Olivas

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church 2128 Barton Hills Drive Austin, TX 78704 512.444.1449 www.stmarksaustin.org office@stmarksaustin.org

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED