Advent at St. Mark's

All are welcome to join us for the following upcoming Advent celebrations in this holy season. Please come and invite your neighbors and friends to share in the spirit.

Saturday, December 7, 12:45 pm - St. Mark's Goes to See "The Nutcracker" - Meet at St. Mark's at 12:45 pm for the 2:00 pm matinee of the Nunnbetter Dance Theatre's presentation of "The Nutcracker," at the Bergen County Academies in Hackensack. Please join us for what promises to be a delightful program!

Sunday, December 8, 11:30 am - Adult Forum on Mindful Christmas Shopping - A look at how to be generous while avoiding the traps of consumerism.

Sunday, December 8, after 10:00 am service - Christmas Cookie Walk - Come for fellowship and help St. Mark's! Cookies will be sold in $5.00 containers right after the 10 am service. The proceeds of the cookie sale will be benefit St. Mark's. For more information or if you would like to donate cookies, contact Audrey at audreymercer at aol dot com.

Wednesday, December 11, 4:30 - 6:30 pm - Afternoon Atrium and Pot Luck - Children will participate in interactive lessons on Advent, followed by light supper for children, guardians and parents. All are welcome. For more information, contact Valerie at rector at stmarksteaneck dot org.

Sunday, December 15, 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm - Advent Quiet Day at The Cloisters - We will leave together after church. During the visit, we'll look at art from the Anglican tradition, followed by a time of quiet reflection and lunch. For more information, contact Valerie at rector at stmarksteaneck dot org.

Wednesday, December 18, 7:30 pm - Blue Christmas Service: The Light of Hope - All are warmly invited to attend, whether experiencing pain and/or loss, or simply seeking a time of peace and tranquility among the chaos of the holiday season. Light refreshments will be served in Carroll Hall following the service.

Sunday, December 22, 4:00 pm - Greening of the Church, followed by Potluck Supper - Our annual church greening is a fun time for all participants as we get the church ready for celebrating Christmas. We then gather together for a wonderful potluck meal and fellowship in Carroll Hall. Please join us!

Math Adventures and Word Play Continues on Saturday Mornings

Saturdays, 10:30 am - Noon

The fall session of Math Adventures and Word Play (MAWP) has begun! The 90-minute free tutoring program held on Saturdays is open to the entire community and offers hands-on instruction in math, reading and writing for young people in grades 2 through 12.

The MAWP "Parent Center" also provides open forums to discuss relevant education topics such as the academic achievement gap, navigating the public school system, and the importance of parent involvement.

Whether help is needed for one week or parents are interested in registering their children for the entire season, it’s never too late to participate. Registration is ongoing. Math Adventures and Word Play is a volunteer based program established 11 years ago. The successful growth of this program has also increased the need for more volunteers. Students and adults who are interested in donating their time are encouraged to join us. For more information about the program or volunteering please contact Ardie Walser at (201) 287- 1234 or email walser@ccny.cuny.edu or contact St. Mark’s church at 201-836-7275 or email office at stmarksteaneck dot org

Adult Choir Rehearsals Continue Each Thursday, and Chorister Rehearsals Continue Each Sunday - Please Join Us!

Adult Choir, 7:30 pm on Thursdays; Choristers, following the 10:00 am service on Sundays

Choir and Chorister rehearsals have resumed and will continue throughout the program year. The Choristers (St. Mark's Children's Choir) rehearse on Sundays following the 10:00 am service for a half-hour. The Adult Choir rehearses on Thursdays starting at 7:30 pm. Please speak with St. Mark's Interim Organist and Music Director The Rev. Andrew Butler [(973)-943-7349 or music at stmarksteaneck dot org] to participate. All are welcome, so please consider being part of the music at St. Mark's!

Weekday Commuters' Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer

Morning Prayer: Mondays and Wednesdays, 7:30 am
Evening Prayer: Tuesdays, 7:00 pm

Commuter Morning Prayer will be held 7:30 a.m. on Mondays and Wednesday starting September 16.

Monday's Commuter Morning Prayer will be lead by Richard Kearney and Valerie will be leading the Wednesday Commuter Morning Prayer Service. This is a great way to start your day, so please join us.

Evening Prayer will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesdays, led by Marsha Mackey. All are welcome!

St. Mark's Book Group, "Reading Between The Lines," Continues on Saturday Mornings

Saturdays, 8:30 - 9:30 am

Why not "Our Mother who are in Heaven?" The Book Group's current book, "Beyond God the Father: Toward a Philosophy of Women's Liberation" by Mary Daly (1973), is among the first works to explore the use of gender in theological writing and its effect on our spiritual and religious life. Mary Daly held two doctorates in sacred theology and philosophy from the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, and a doctorate in religion from Saint Mary's College. For many years she was a professor of theology at Boston College. "Beyond God the Father" analyzes the male-centered tradition in Western religion with a view to establishing a foundation for a theology of women's liberation. Come join the discussion at the Book Group. Meetings are on Saturdays at 8:30 am in Room 6. The book is available, new, from both Amazon and Barnes and Noble for $20.70, and used in good condition, from abebooks.com for about $5.00 plus postage. Please speak with Tom Crotty if you want more informaiton about the Book Group. All are welcome, so please join us!

Lion's Den Coffee House and Open Mic

Saturday, December 28, 7:00 pm

Musicians, poets, comedians and other performance artists are invited to the Lion's Den Coffee House, an open microphone venue in a relaxed, welcoming space. The final Lion's Den for 2013 is scheduled for Saturday, December 28, starting at 7:00 p.m, in Carroll Hall. The coffee house is open to people of all backgrounds and admission is free. Participants are invited to offer acoustic or lightly amplified music, poetry, comedy, dance, dramatic readings, or other types of performance art. Individuals and groups who wish to contribute may sign up that evening. Coffee, tea and other refreshments are provided by the organizing committee, and all are welcome to attend. This month we'll be serving up a selection of fine baked goods and the usual array of hot beverages, so bring your appetite. For more information on the Lion's Den Coffee House, call us at 201-928-0070, visit our web page, become a fan of our page on Facebook, and make sure to check out our YouTube channel, featuring performances from the recent past. All are welcome to come on down for an evening of fellowship and good times. Bohemia lives at the Lion's Den. We hope to see you there on December 28!

Help Needed for the WIC Play Group on Mondays

First Three Mondays Each Month, 9:00 am - 12:00 noon

The WIC Play Group Team needs additional volunteers. We supervise an informal play group for young children (ages 1 - 6) in the child care room when WIC clients are served at St. Mark's. WIC operates from 9:00 am-2:30 pm the first three Mondays of every month. Play Group volunteers usually provide 2-3 hours of service between 9:00 am and Noon (the busiest time) once a month. WIC parents and caregivers are most appreciative and generally help out a lot. A Read Now volunteer also comes in to read to the children regularly and distribute free books. If you would like to be a part of this ministry or know someone who might, please call Jeanette Adams at 201-836-5078.