 The Parable of the Father and His Two Sons in the Vineyard, from The Story of Christ by Georg Pencz [Public Domain] Invest In Hope: Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you.” Matthew 21:31
Jesus’ message was often one of challenge and rebuke. We can imagine that most hearers of this comment were probably angry, but perhaps a few pondered his words and experienced a change of heart. A change of heart… sometimes a necessary part of the life of a Christian. UPDATE—COVID-19 (CORONAVIRUS): MESSAGE FROM FR GERARDO: My dear brothers and sisters, We have received excellent news from the Diocese: we are approved to return to in-person worship of up to 50 people indoors. First, let us assure you that all cleaning and sanitizing procedures will be carried out before and after each service in the sanctuary as well as any common areas like the narthex and restrooms. There is still NO congregational singing or choir allowed, but music will still be provided and a virtual choir may be utilized in a similar fashion as we have been doing. Additionally, masks and social distancing will be required. Parishioners are further encouraged to bring their own copies of a BCP, bible and/or hymnal, if desired. The powerpoint will still be available and have everything you need on the screen. Secondly, let us further assure everyone that we will continue to provide online Sunday services for those who cannot attend in person. You can continue to watch our English service at 10:00 AM on our Facebook page. (You don't need a Facebook account to watch- just click the "Join online services" button on the right!). You can also watch the service on YouTube! This announcement also serves to invite everyone to come to church through a reservation. Please let us know you're coming each week by contacting the office and leaving a voicemail, sending an email to office@stmarksmesa.org, or call Gloria McManus at 480-560-9505. That being said, because we have to allow for staff and clergy, we can allow up to 40 people, on a first come, first serve basis. If anyone is turned away based on space, then they will have first choice the following Sunday. Please be patient with us while we try to accommodate as many parishioners as we can while maintaining a safe environment. It is important to note that there still can be no coffee hour or shared meals or events involving food. We are a congregation with vulnerable members. The Task Force states the intent of their work is to help us gather safely, caring for every person. It is also important to remember that there is no way to absolutely ensure the safety of those who gather. The data the Task Force Document refers to when granting churches permission moving from Phase I to Phase II is from Arizona Department of Health Services. That data and how it is being applied will be what matters as we move forward. We all need to respect that there are a variety of opinions about our situation. Some will believe we should all get out and get going and have things open again. Others will be cautious and follow the CDC order to stay at home. We look forward to seeing everyone very soon. For Pastoral Emergencies, please call Fr. Gerardo Brambila at 602-405- 4588. If you have additional questions, you may also call Parish Administrator, Gloria McManus at 480-560-9505. September Tithing: St. Mark’s is still present and desperately needs your support. If you normally bring an envelope with a check to church, you can instead mail that envelope to the church office, at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 322 N Horne St, Mesa, AZ 85203. If you usually give loose cash to the church, you can instead write a check and mail, or you can donate via the PayPal button on the right or here through FaithStreet - on the "Choose a Fund" drop down menus, scroll to choose "St. Mark's, Mesa". You can also do online payments through your bank, through the Bill Pay option. You could even set up a recurring payment through your bank if you wish, so you will not forget. God Bless and Stay Safe, Dianne Nunez, Stewardship/Finance Chair Invest in Hope Matching Capital Campaign: We have a family in our parish that is willing to move their bequest forward from their deaths into 2020, where it will be sorely needed. But they would also like to have other parishioners participate. So they invite and challenge us to give to the campaign, and they will match our donations dollar for dollar, up to $50,000 on their part. Write "Match" in the memo line of your check to identify your contribution or if giving cash, place in an envelope and write your name and “match” on the front. You can mail your donations or pledges to St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 322 N. Horne St., Mesa, AZ 85203, or using either PayPal or through the Diocese of Arizona using FaithStreet. PayPal sends your donation directly to St. Mark's. For FaithStreet, please select "St. Mark's Mesa" from the drop down menu under "select a fund."". Upcoming Ministry Meetings: NONE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE Mark Your Calendars: Our Food Pantry will continue to operate by outside, drive-through food distributions on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month until further notice. CURRENT ONLINE SERVICES:
Full announcements and prayer list (pdf)  Invest In Hope: They said to him, “Because no one has hired us.” Matthew 20:7
How blessed are those who provide jobs for others. How blessed are those who pay an adequate wage. How blessed are educators who teach and train people. How blessed are those who offer relief to those who have lost their jobs. How blessed to be a steward and care for others! UPDATE——COVID-19 (CORONAVIRUS) CLOSURE: MESSAGE FROM FR GERARDO: My dear brothers and sisters, We have received excellent news from the Diocese: we are approved to return to in-person worship of up to 50 people indoors. First, let us assure you that all cleaning and sanitizing procedures will be carried out before and after each service in the sanctuary as well as any common areas like the narthex and restrooms. There is still NO congregational singing or choir allowed, but music will still be provided and a virtual choir may be utilized in a similar fashion as we have been doing. Additionally, masks and social distancing will be required. Parishioners are further encouraged to bring their own copies of a BCP, bible and/or hymnal, if desired. The powerpoint will still be available and have everything you need on the screen. Secondly, let us further assure everyone that we will continue to provide online Sunday services for those who cannot attend in person. You can continue to watch our English service at 10:00 AM on our Facebook page. (You don't need a Facebook account to watch- just click the "Join online services" button on the right!). You can also watch the service on YouTube! This announcement also serves to invite everyone to come to church through a reservation. Please let us know you're coming each week by contacting the office and leaving a voicemail, sending an email to office@stmarksmesa.org, or call Gloria McManus at 480-560-9505. That being said, because we have to allow for staff and clergy, we can allow up to 40 people, on a first come, first serve basis. If anyone is turned away based on space, then they will have first choice the following Sunday. Please be patient with us while we try to accommodate as many parishioners as we can while maintaining a safe environment. It is important to note that there still can be no coffee hour or shared meals or events involving food. We are a congregation with vulnerable members. The Task Force states the intent of their work is to help us gather safely, caring for every person. It is also important to remember that there is no way to absolutely ensure the safety of those who gather. The data the Task Force Document refers to when granting churches permission moving from Phase I to Phase II is from Arizona Department of Health Services. That data and how it is being applied will be what matters as we move forward. We all need to respect that there are a variety of opinions about our situation. Some will believe we should all get out and get going and have things open again. Others will be cautious and follow the CDC order to stay at home. We look forward to seeing everyone very soon. For Pastoral Emergencies, please call Fr. Gerardo Brambila at 602-405- 4588. If you have additional questions, you may also call Parish Administrator, Gloria McManus at 480-560-9505. September Tithing: St. Mark’s is still present and desperately needs your support. If you normally bring an envelope with a check to church, you can instead mail that envelope to the church office, at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 322 N Horne St, Mesa, AZ 85203. If you usually give loose cash to the church, you can instead write a check and mail, or you can donate via the PayPal button on the right or here through FaithStreet - on the "Choose a Fund" drop down menus, scroll to choose "St. Mark's, Mesa". You can also do online payments through your bank, through the Bill Pay option. You could even set up a recurring payment through your bank if you wish, so you will not forget. God Bless and Stay Safe, Dianne Nunez, Stewardship/Finance Chair Invest in Hope Matching Capital Campaign: We have a family in our parish that is willing to move their bequest forward from their deaths into 2020, where it will be sorely needed. But they would also like to have other parishioners participate. So they invite and challenge us to give to the campaign, and they will match our donations dollar for dollar, up to $50,000 on their part. Write "Match" in the memo line of your check to identify your contribution or if giving cash, place in an envelope and write your name and “match” on the front. You can mail your donations or pledges to St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 322 N. Horne St., Mesa, AZ 85203, or using either PayPal or through the Diocese of Arizona using FaithStreet. PayPal sends your donation directly to St. Mark's. For FaithStreet, please select "St. Mark's Mesa" from the drop down menu under "select a fund."". Upcoming Ministry Meetings: NONE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE Mark Your Calendars: Our Food Pantry will continue to operate by outside, drive-through food distributions on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month until further notice. CURRENT ONLINE SERVICES:
Full announcements and prayer list (pdf)  Image by congerdesign from Pixabay
Invest In Hope: Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but I tell you, seventy-seven times.” Matthew 18:21-22
Seventy-seven times is a lot of forgiveness. Sometimes, just one time is a lot of forgiveness too! Is there one big forgiveness hurdle we can’t seem to get over? Perhaps this Sunday would be a good time to lay that particular burden to rest. UPDATE——COVID-19 (CORONAVIRUS) CLOSURE: MESSAGE FROM FR GERARDO: My dear brothers and sisters, We have received excellent news from the Diocese: we are approved to return to in-person worship of up to 50 people indoors. First, let us assure you that all cleaning and sanitizing procedures will be carried out before and after each service in the sanctuary as well as any common areas like the narthex and restrooms. There is still NO congregational singing or choir allowed, but music will still be provided and a virtual choir may be utilized in a similar fashion as we have been doing. Additionally, masks and social distancing will be required. Parishioners are further encouraged to bring their own copies of a BCP, bible and/or hymnal, if desired. The powerpoint will still be available and have everything you need on the screen. Secondly, let us further assure everyone that we will continue to provide online Sunday services for those who cannot attend in person. You can continue to watch our English service at 10:00 AM on our Facebook page. (You don't need a Facebook account to watch- just click the "Join online services" button on the right!). You can also watch the service on YouTube! This announcement also serves to invite everyone to come to church through a reservation. Please let us know you're coming each week by contacting the office and leaving a voicemail, sending an email to office@stmarksmesa.org, or call Gloria McManus at 480-560-9505. That being said, because we have to allow for staff and clergy, we can allow up to 40 people, on a first come, first serve basis. If anyone is turned away based on space, then they will have first choice the following Sunday. Please be patient with us while we try to accommodate as many parishioners as we can while maintaining a safe environment. It is important to note that there still can be no coffee hour or shared meals or events involving food. We are a congregation with vulnerable members. The Task Force states the intent of their work is to help us gather safely, caring for every person. It is also important to remember that there is no way to absolutely ensure the safety of those who gather. The data the Task Force Document refers to when granting churches permission moving from Phase I to Phase II is from Arizona Department of Health Services. That data and how it is being applied will be what matters as we move forward. We all need to respect that there are a variety of opinions about our situation. Some will believe we should all get out and get going and have things open again. Others will be cautious and follow the CDC order to stay at home. We look forward to seeing everyone very soon. For Pastoral Emergencies, please call Fr. Gerardo Brambila at 602-405- 4588. If you have additional questions, you may also call Parish Administrator, Gloria McManus at 480-560-9505. September Tithing: St. Mark’s is still present and desperately needs your support. If you normally bring an envelope with a check to church, you can instead mail that envelope to the church office, at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 322 N Horne St, Mesa, AZ 85203. If you usually give loose cash to the church, you can instead write a check and mail, or you can donate via the PayPal button on the right or here through FaithStreet - on the "Choose a Fund" drop down menus, scroll to choose "St. Mark's, Mesa". You can also do online payments through your bank, through the Bill Pay option. You could even set up a recurring payment through your bank if you wish, so you will not forget. God Bless and Stay Safe, Dianne Nunez, Stewardship/Finance Chair Invest in Hope Matching Capital Campaign: We have a family in our parish that is willing to move their bequest forward from their deaths into 2020, where it will be sorely needed. But they would also like to have other parishioners participate. So they invite and challenge us to give to the campaign, and they will match our donations dollar for dollar, up to $50,000 on their part. Write "Match" in the memo line of your check to identify your contribution or if giving cash, place in an envelope and write your name and “match” on the front. You can mail your donations or pledges to St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 322 N. Horne St., Mesa, AZ 85203, or using either PayPal or through the Diocese of Arizona using FaithStreet. PayPal sends your donation directly to St. Mark's. For FaithStreet, please select "St. Mark's Mesa" from the drop down menu under "select a fund."". Upcoming Ministry Meetings: NONE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE Mark Your Calendars: Our Food Pantry will continue to operate by outside, drive-through food distributions on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month until further notice. CURRENT ONLINE SERVICES:
Full announcements and prayer list (pdf)  Get Thee Behind Me Satan by James Tissot [Public domain] Each Sunday we are streaming our English service at 10:00 AM on our Facebook page. (You don't need a Facebook account to watch- just click the "Join online services" button on the right!). You can also watch the service on YouTube!
Invest In Hope: But Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things." Matthew 16:23 What a turnaround for Peter! Last week acclaimed by Jesus, this week called Satan. It reminds us that we won’t always get it right, won’t always avoid a nasty stumble. Like Peter, we too can recover and become a great follower of Jesus. Diocesan Service-September 6, 2020: Bishop Reddall is providing another online, bilingual diocesan service on Sunday, September 6 in order to give clergy around the diocese an opportunity to have a sabbath day. It will be available on the diocesan YouTube page on Sunday, September 6 at 9:00 a.m. A diocesan coffee hour with Bishop Reddall will follow via Zoom at 10:00 a.m. A Zoom account is not required to join the coffee hour, but the Zoom application will need to be downloaded onto your computer. Check your email or contact Gloria McManus to get the passcode for the coffee hour. UPDATE: COVID-19 (CORONAVIRUS) CLOSURE: As previously promised, the St. Mark's Task Force has been working diligently for the past few months to compose appropriate guidelines for returning to in -person worship, assuring that we are in compliance with CDC, federal, state, local and Diocesan requirements. The plan for re-opening for St Mark's has been approved by our bishop. Please read Fr. Brambila's August 23 Pastoral Letter, and view Bishop Reddal's COVID Phase II updates. The Church office is closed to walk-in traffic at this time in order to limit exposure. In addition, clergy and staff will work remotely as much as possible. For Pastoral Emergencies, please call Fr. Gerardo Brambila at 602-405-4588. If you have additional questions, you may also call Parish Administrator, Gloria McManus at 480-560-9505. August Tithing: St. Mark’s is still present and desperately needs your support. If you normally bring an envelope with a check to church, you can instead mail that envelope to the church office, at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 322 N Horne St, Mesa, AZ 85203. If you usually give loose cash to the church, you can instead write a check and mail, or you can donate via the PayPal button on the right or here through FaithStreet - on the "Choose a Fund" drop down menus, scroll to choose "St. Mark's, Mesa". You can also do online payments through your bank, through the Bill Pay option. You could even set up a recurring payment through your bank if you wish, so you will not forget. God Bless and Stay Safe, Dianne Nunez, Stewardship/Finance Chair Invest in Hope Matching Capital Campaign: We have a family in our parish that is willing to move their bequest forward from their deaths into 2020, where it will be sorely needed. But they would also like to have other parishioners participate. So they invite and challenge us to give to the campaign, and they will match our donations dollar for dollar, up to $50,000 on their part. Write "Match" in the memo line of your check to identify your contribution or if giving cash, place in an envelope and write your name and “match” on the front. You can mail your donations or pledges to St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 322 N. Horne St., Mesa, AZ 85203, or using either PayPal or through the Diocese of Arizona using FaithStreet. PayPal sends your donation directly to St. Mark's. For FaithStreet, please select "St. Mark's Mesa" from the drop down menu under "select a fund."". Upcoming Ministry Meetings: NONE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE Mark Your Calendars: Our Food Pantry will continue to operate by outside, drive-through food distributions on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month until further notice. CURRENT ONLINE SERVICES:
Full announcements and prayer list (pdf) |
 We appreciate your secure online donation to St. Mark's, using either PayPal or through the Diocese of Arizona using FaithStreet. PayPal sends your donation directly to St. Mark's. For FaithStreet, please select "St. Mark's Mesa" from the drop down menu under "select a fund."
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We appreciate your secure online donation to St. Mark's, set up by the Episcopal Diocese of Arizona through FaithStreet. To direct your gift to St. Mark's, please select "St. Mark's Mesa" from the drop down menu under "select a fund."
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