Fall Fellowship Festival Just Around the Corner By Cathy Dawson, Chair of the Generosity Commission The Fall Fellowship Festival is rapidly approaching. Everyone please set aside Saturday, September 10 for this fun family event. It will kick off at St. Mark’s at 5:00p.m. with a reception, hors d’ ouevres, and music both inside and outside the Parish Hall. There will be a story teller for the smaller children, laser tag and video games for the older children, and various musical groups performing while the adults gather for fellowship. Following the opening activities dinner will be served at 5:30 p.m.. Adults will dine in Gosnell Hall and children will have a their own meal of pizza, fruit, and drinks. If a child wishes to eat supper with the parents that is okay too. An hour later everyone will gather in the Sanctuary. There will be a wonderful monologue by Sam Carter Gilliam. Called, “Fertile Soil,” it is a modern parable based on Matthew 13: 3-9. It is the story of Mrs. Barrington and her son, Jeffrey, who believe their neighborhood is declining because of the people who are moving into it. Through her trials she begins to see these events in a new way. She becomes richer and more “fertile” from her experiences. Sam, a member of the Church of Reconciliation, performed the monologue during our Diocesan Council in February. Everyone who was there was moved by her performance. She is a gifted artist, story teller, and educator. She performed in professional theater and served as an arts educator for a career spanning more than 35 years. Her presentations offer a special blend of scholarly research and carefully shaped content. She is creating a sequel to “Fertile Soil” to be performed at St. Mark’s on Pledge Sunday, October 16 during church services at 9:00a.m. and 11:15a.m. I hope all of you will join us September 10 for this memorable night. Table hosts and contributions are still needed. Also, reservations for the festival are requested and will be taken August 21, 28 and September 4 before and after church services. If you would like to volunteer as a table host or make a donation to this event, contact Jim Bliek at (210) 4128984. Visit www.stmarks-sa.org to RSVP or call the church office . I look forward to seeing you then.
LANDSCAPING NOTES Included in the rehabilitation project for St. Mark’s are plans for the south courtyard (the Travis Park side of the sanctuary). The changes to the courtyard include plans to level and replace the hardscape, to remove plantings which are near the sanctuary in order to protect the limestone walls from water damage, and to install native and adopted plants that are drought tolerant in the green spaces. At the moment, unfortunately , there are several spots in the landscape that aren’t attractive. The winter’s freeze, summer’s drought, and plumber’s repairs have stressed our courtyard plantings. All of these areas are included in the landscape renovation design and when they’re completed we’ll have our oasis again. Thank you, Deems Smith, Landscape Architect