Join us for Worship this Sunday! 9:00 am - Holy Communion with Children's Time 10:00 am - Sunday School 10:00 am - Refreshments & Parents with Kidlettes 10:10 am - Confirmation Class 10:10 am - Journeys in Faith Gathering 11:00 am - Choral Eucharist 12:15 pm - Refreshment and Fellowship Hour

BRING PALMS THIS SUNDAY! This Sunday, March 2, is the Feast of the Transfiguration, the Last Sunday after the Epiphany. Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, is three days later. We will burn palms from last Palm Sunday's liturgies into ash to be used at the Ash Wednesday liturgies (noon and 7 pm). If you still have your palm from last year, please bring it this Sunday.

Lent Begins on March 5, Ash Wednesday On that day there will be an imposition of ashes and Holy Communion at each service - 12:00 noon and 7:00 pm. Note: There will be no supper that evening. There will be childcare for the evening service.

Lenten Supper in Heritage Hall at 6:00 pm March 12, 19 and 26, and April 2 and 9 All are welcome to join us for this simple community dinner prior to worship.

Lenten Midweek Worship every Wednesday Evening from 6:45 to 7:15 pm March 12, 19 and 26, and April 2 and 9 Refocus your hearts with a lovely sung service of Holy Communion during the season of Lent. There will be childcare for these midweek evening services.

Special Music for the Wednesdays in Lent Wednesday Evening Lenten Services will feature a new setting of the Communion service for evening time by Aaron David Miller, utilizing a cantor and the voices of the assembled, this will be a lovely musical, contemplative addition to our Lenten journey. Before each service, we will hear music by C.P.E. Bach, the most famous of J.S. Bach's sons, becoming even more famous than his father among their contemporaries. C.P.E. Bach wrote some of the most personal, introspective, and beautiful keyboard music ever written, much of it for the clavichord, a very small, quiet instrument musicians of that time had in their homes for private use. C.P.E. Bach celebrates his 300th birthday March 8, 2014.

Lenten Focus on "Peace Not Walls" St. Mark's invites you to deepen your knowledge of the Holy Land today and walk alongside our Palestinian Christian brothers and sisters during Lent.

Wednesday, March 12 from 7:30-9:00 pm: Screening of "The Stones Cry Out" This newly released film directed by Yasmine Perni that tells the story of Palestinian Christians since the founding of Israel in 1948. You will recognize Pastor Mitri Raheb and Claire Anastas as participants in this moving documentary film.

Wednesday, March 19 from 7:30-9:00 pm: Claire Anastas from Bethlehem Claire will illustrate the realities of life for Christians in Palestine today with Power Point and discussion of the making of "The Stones Cry Out". Fair Trade handicrafts from Palestinian artisans in Bethlehem will also be available for purchase.

Come! Learn! Let us accompany and pray for our fellow Christians in the Holy Land as they live and work with steadfast faith for peace and justice at this crucial time.

Journeys in Faith: there's still time to join! If you are interested in membership, baptism, or simply deepening your faith, please consider participating our currently-forming Journeys in Faith Group. We will meet from 10:10-10:50 in the Fireside Room. If you need information, please contact Dale Loepp (DaleL@Berkeley.edu) or Liv Beck (beckliv@gmail.com). We hope to see you there!

Spring Forward on March 9! Don't forget to set your clocks forward by one hour before you go to bed on Saturday, March 8!

Charles Rus, organist in recital on Sunday, March 16, 7:30 pm All members of St. Mark's are invited to attend an organ recital on our very own Taylor and Boody organ given by Charles Rus on Sunday, March 16, at 7:30 pm. Charles Rus is Director of Music and Liturgical Arts at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Medina, Washington. A native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Charles received degrees from the Eastman School of Music, the University of Michigan, and, as a Fulbright Scholar, the Folkwang Hochscule für Musik in Essen, Germany. Charles, formerly of San Francisco, actually played at St. Mark's before, but is now back to help us celebrate the completion of the Taylor and Boody organ. This recital is free for members of St. Mark's and SFAGO.

Upcoming Sunday School Big Group Activities March 2nd: Carnival celebration, after celebration transitioning into Lent with ashes March 30th: Pastor led lesson on Baptism and Communion

Other Youth Activities at St. Mark's *Confirmation class meets weekly at 10:10 in the youth room. 6th-8th graders welcome! *Save the date! Vacation Bible School at St. Mark's June 30th - July 4th. Contact Kimberly Hamilton at mjjkmom@yahoo.com for more details.

Women's Monthly Study Gatherings All women are welcome to come and study together at our evening and/or morning Women of the ELCA Gatherings. In March our groups will meet on:

Evening Gathering - March 4 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm in the Fireside Room All women are invited to come for dessert and fellowship for the first half hour and then discussion until 8:30. This month we will be reading Women, Spirituality & Transformative Leadership: Where Grace Meets Power by Kathe Schaaf et al.

Second Tuesday - March 11 from 11:00am to 1:00pm in the Fireside Room All women are invited to come for study at 11:00 and then at noon to eat their sandwich or salad and share fellowship. Drinks and dessert will be provided. Our Bible study will center on "Daughter, an Honest Virgin" using the Women of the ELCA's guide, In Good Company: Stories of Biblical Women.

If you have any questions, please contact Suzanne Smith 415.285.7438 or suzathome@comcast.net.

Training of St. Mark's Eucharistic Ministers in Lent We are developing a ministry of distributing communion to the sick and homebound. If you are interested in this training, please speak with Pr. Elizabeth or Pr. Bekah. The training sessions will be Sundays, March 23, 30, and April 6 from 12:30 - 2:00 in the vestry. Entrusting this special ministry to trained laity enhances the pastoral ministry of our congregation. Those involved will discover that this ministry will enrich your own spiritual life as you share God's love with the sick.

We are a sacramental church and believe in the real presence of Christ in Holy Communion. By bringing these elements to the sick and homebound, you are sharing with them the crucified and risen Christ in, with and under the bread and wine. Thank you for considering whether you are feeling called to this special ministry. Feel free to e-mail Ekdale@stmarks-sf.org or Davis@stmarks-sf.org with your questions.

The Big Class: Making Sense of the Cross, March 5-12 Beginning Ash Wednesday, March 5th, and continuing through March 12th, free instruction on Making Sense of the Cross via an open, online 45-minute course and discussion hosted by author David Lose is available to all who are interested. No special software is required. "The Big Class" is a worldwide online course for all who want to go further in their walk with Christ and is free to all, brought to us by Augsburg Fortress. This is a pre-recorded online course that will take the average learner about 45 minutes to work through. Participants can take the class any time during the week at www.churchnext.tv. You can pause the class at any time and return to it later.

Senior Trip to De Young for O'Keeffe Exhibit on Mar. 11 Join MLT and St. Mark's seniors to visit to the de Young museum to view Modern Nature: Georgia O'Keeffe and Lake George exhibit. Pastor Elizabeth will lead the group on Tuesday, March 11, leaving St. Mark's Ellis St. parking lot at 9:30 sharp in carpools. We have a 10:00 am entry into the Georgia O'Keeffe and Lake George exhibit at the De Young. Lunch will be on our own in the de Young cafeteria which has delicious food and is very reasonable. The return to St. Mark's will be at approximately 2:00 pm. All Seniors are welcome - ticket cost is $20. To reserve your spot please pay for your ticket in the Martin Luther Tower office with Sonia, the receptionist. Questions: Pr. Elizabeth 928-7770 ext. 2300 or e-mail: Ekdale@stmarks-sf.org.

Night Ministry and SF Pride News! The San Francisco Night Ministry is in the running for the honor of being chosen as the "Organizational Grand Marshall" of the San Francisco Pride Parade. Voting ends on March17...please show your support for voting for them at the website below, and help spread the word! http://sfpride.org/parade/grand-marshals.html

Do you have any housing leads for members of St. Mark's? Affordable housing is a concern for all residents in the Bay Area. We have a special interest at St. Mark's. Each year, beloved members of St. Mark's move out of the area due to lack of affordable housing. We'd like to utilize the power of the St. Mark's network to share possible leads with these families. Currently, we have the following affordable housing needs:

A long-time and faithful member of St. Mark's is hoping to purchase a condominium in San Francisco or nearby for approx. $200,000
An active couple at St. Mark's is looking to purchase a condominium in SF for approx. $600,000.
An active couple at St. Mark's is looking for affordable rent near transit or to buy; their buy budget is no greater than $500,000.

If you have a piece of property that you might be willing to sell or have any leads for these two families, please e-mail Pr. Elizabeth at Ekdale@stmarks-sf.org. She will connect the two parties together. Thank you. (Please refer to article in upcoming newsletter for additional details.)

Malaria Campaign Challenge Grant An anonymous member of St. Mark's has offered a $10,000 challenge grant for congregations in the Sierra Pacific Synod who are raising funds for the ELCA Malaria Campaign! The challenge provides a $1-for-$1 match. To have your gift doubled, please make your check out to St. Mark's and write "Malaria Campaign" in the memo line. Alternatively, you can click on the donate button on St. Mark's homepage and designate your gift to the Malaria Campaign. The challenge grant will be offered until the goal is met or until July 31.

Worship Leaders for this Sunday Assisting Ministers...Sharon Reinbott (9); Marge Okuley, Ed Chitty (11) Lectors...Tina Hogan (9); Jo Chadwick (11) Acolytes...Ana & Nora Hurley Chalice Bearers...Lin Cerles, Matt Helland (9); Suzanne Smith, Cora Rose (11) Welcome Ministry...David, Kimberly & Katherine Lam Refreshment Hour Chairs...Barbara Bock, Tina Hogan