Welcome to St. Mark’s!
"For everything, there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven." Ecclesiastes 3:1
What time is it in your life? Is it time to be planted, time to root, time to grow? If so, St. Mark's may very well be the place for you. We are a congregation planted in the Springfield community, rooted in the word of God, and growing in love for God and neighbor.
Metropolitan Washington DC Synod Assembly is today and tomorrow, June 6-7!
Information on the Synod Assembly can be found at https://metrodcelca.org/upcoming-events/2025assembly/. The Synod Assembly agenda is available from this link as well as what we are voting on. There are so many sessions scheduled because we are electing a new bishop, which means they have to plan for multiple votes to narrow the field.
Our St. Mark’s voting members were elected by the congregation at our fall Congregational meeting last November—they are Erik Long, Larry Long, and Colleen Struss (alternate). Pray for our representatives and for those attending the assembly.
Community Gateway Operating Hours
The Community Gateway is now closed during the Montessori School operating hours. and it will be open during evenings, weekends, and school holidays. St. Mark’s members may see some more foot traffic during the daytime along our main entrance. If you have a church-related social services event that needs gateway access prior to 6:00 PM, please contact the Church Office, and Maritza will coordinate with the school. (The gateway will be opening early on Tuesdays for Food For Others.)
Food for Others Teams Need Summer Help
Summer is the perfect time to try something new in your routine. Please let Nan Ackerman or Debbie Brown know if you will be willing to help on a Tuesday evening from 5:00 PM-6:30 PM.
The teams will be happy to train you. These teams are short-handed due to members with illness, and some with travel plans. Families are welcome to come work together. This is a great experience for teaching children to help others.
Want to know our latest financial Update? … find it HERE!
THANK YOU FROM ONE OF OUR BOY SCOUTS …
… from Minh-Vien on his computer refurbishing project—read more about this great project HERE!
The "Watch and Pray" Bunch …
We meet every Sunday for 10-15 minutes after the English service at 11:00 AM in the Fellowship Hal1 for prayers … won’t you join us?!
Every Tuesday at noon the Lunch Bunch meets in the Lounge for lunch (bring your own) and prayer. All are welcome.
St. Mark’s Mission Trip to Red Bird Work Camp
July 2024
Last month, St. Mark’s sent a team to participate in Red Bird Mission Work Camp. Jim Kyger, Harriet Latta, Maureen Murphy, Alice Real, and Mary Crumrine (Alice’s sister) spent July 21 through July 26 in Beverly, Kentucky, working on home improvement projects in the surrounding community. Guided by Red Bird Crew Leaders, Brett and Kevin, they repaired and replaced a bedroom floor and water heater in an elderly couple's trailer home, and they mudded drywall and installed underpinning around an addition to the couple’s nephew's home across the street. The addition will be a new bedroom for several of the nephew's children.
From the Council President’s Desk …
Click HERE to see what’s new from the Council!
2025 Quarterly Benevolences
Our Quarterly Benevolence Schedule for 2025 is:
Q1 – ECHO/St. Mark’s FFO
Q2 – Mar-Lu-Ridge/Caroline Furnace
Q3 – ELCA World Hunger
Q4 – Facets/Lamb Center
From April through June, we will be collecting benevolence donations to be divided equally between Caroline Furnace and Mar-Lu-Ridge. Both of these are our area Lutheran-affiliated camps and conference/retreat centers. Learn more HERE * …
Register Your Children for VBS!
Click HERE to register for and to learn more about this summer’s Vacation Bible School at St. Mark’s,
“All Aboard the Spirit Express!”
Vacation Bible Saturdays 2025
June 14, July 12, August 9
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Visit our “CARE FOR NEIGHBOR” page …
Click HERE for information on St. Mark’s both
‘out-reach’ and ‘in-reach’ programs!
Two New Announcements!
If you need to have a document notarized, our own Maritza Cerritos is now a certified Notary Public—check with her in our church office.
Also, the 2024 annual reports are ready! An electronic version will be sent to all by default, but you can pick up a hard copy in the Narthex or church office, or click HERE.
Town Hall RECAP of Sunday,
February 23, 2025
Thanks for those who were able to attend our Town Hall on February 23rd to talk about our aging congregation and potential future use of our property. For information on the Town Hall gathering AND to access the follow-up information and surveys, click HERE to go to the Town Hall webpage, where you can find presentations, handouts, and links to the survey. If filling out an online survey would be challenging for you, paper surveys are available in the Narthex.
Here is a link to the TOWN HALL FULL BRIEFING DECK: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eI9iozap50uAg1ekeLLcTo3Vy_r0VngM/view
Do you need to change your electronic donation for 2025?
Click HERE to download the form to use to change the amount and/or frequency of your electronic donation to St. Mark's. Download it, print it, fill it in as needed according to the directions, and drop it into our church Treasurer’s box in the church office and the new information will be entered into the Vanco system.
Health Fair Recap …
St. Mark’s held our annual Community Health Fair on Saturday, August 17, hosted by the Life Center. Thanks to all of the St. Mark’s volunteers who helped set up, host the event, and clean up afterwards. A special big Thank You goes out to Pete Morrison for leading the Life Center efforts. Thanks also to Boy Scout Troop 881 and to our DJ, Marvin Flores. This year, we used the parking lot for general information, food and entertainment, and the Fellowship Hall for all of the health screenings. We served 109 families, and we had a total estimated attendance of about 250. All 100 school backpacks were distributed by Second Story and ICNA Relief. All of the eggrolls, fried rIce, pupusas, and frozen treats were distributed, and we had been planning for about 200-300 people. A variety of health and social service providers distributed information to our guests at 15 tables in the main area. Our neighbors also received pediatric dental screenings and health screenings for Hepatitis-B, A1C, Cholesterol, and HIV. The Health Fair included singing performances, grocery gift card raffles, musical entertainment from our DJ, a Lion Dance, and a special presentation by Supervisor Lusk. It was a long day, but we all felt very blessed to be able to hold this event for our neighbors.
A St. Mark’s 70th Anniversary Proclamation from Fairfax County …
At our Community Health Fair last summer, Franconia District Supervisor Lusk presented us with a plaque commemorating 70 years of service by St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Fairfax County! Learn more HERE!
Wear Your Nametags
Please remember to wear your nametags to every church service. The nametag "tree" is located in the narthex--pick up your nametag on your way into the sanctuary and return it to the tree when you leave--it helps visitors, new members, and those of us with name recall difficulties. Thank you!
Have you a computer to donate?
Scouts of Troop 881 at Saint Mark’s are starting a computer refurbishment program. They would like to collect old computers, refurbish them, and donate them to low income families in the community. If you have any of the following to donate—laptops and desktops with Windows 7 or higher, any Mac computers, or monitors with power cords (no CRT monitors)—email the troop HERE or call (571) 354-8659 to arrange a time to drop them off at the church.
A Word of Caution!!!
To those of us who have keys to the church—and we all know this is an important responsibility! Please remember to check when leaving to ensure that this and any door you use is properly locked—especially Door #12 to the Fellowship Hall … THANK YOU!
Help for Disaster Relief—Eastern Europe and Ukraine
Looking for ways to help victims of the recent horrific earthquake damage in Eastern Europe and to assist Ukrainian refugees? The stories and images coming from these humanitarian crises are heartbreaking. Click HERE for more information, and you may donate online to assist in their efforts directly at https://community.elca.org/eastern-europe-crisis-response?_ga=2.266466318.1699478920.1646717665-1017767480.1646717665.
* * * A Special message from LIRS (Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service):
“Our Afghan Allies need your help.“ Click HERE to learn more … * * *
STEWARDSHIP SURVEY … WHAT GIFTS DO YOU BRING TO THE TABLE?
CLICK HERE FOR ENGLISH SURVEY … CLICK HERE FOR SPANISH SURVEY … AND THANK YOU!
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HOLY COMMUNION… from the elements blessed at the Lord’s table at St. Mark’s on a recent Sunday, continues to be available by appoint. Click here to complete a short RSVP to be added to the distribution list and you will be contacted for an appointment.
Our current schedule is as follows:
9:45 AM, English Communion Liturgy
12:15 PM, Spanish Communion Liturgy
Sundays: 11:00 AM COFFEE HOUR —
ZOOM MEETING NUMBER:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87620354511?pwd=a1RvTXdMRnNqVUs0ell4MEhDbk4rZz09
Password is 5800.
CURRENT NEWS …
Have news to share with the congregation? Send it via email to communications@stmarks-elca.org to be published in the appropriate publication—E-Messenger, This Week, our website, and our Facebook page. Deadline is Tuesday at 5:00 PM, for same-week publishing.
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Calendar Events and Information
Click HERE to go to our monthly calendar—select your view by Agenda, Week, or Month, or Print the current month.
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