ECHO News

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Ecumenical Community Helping Others

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Click HERE to see a compilation of ECHO’s current needs for the summer!

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Donations that cost ZERO … click HERE for info …

Click HERE to see how Target shoppers can help raise funds for ECHO …

Click HERE to find out what to do for a “Food Donation Option When You Can’t Come to ECHO”

ECHO desperately needs your help to help fill the shelves of their Food Pantry … Need info on donating? Call 703-569-7972 or go to https://www.echo-inc.org/needed-right-now for their current needs.

Need help? Call 703-569-9160 … To find out what ECHO has to offer its clients, click HERE for English and HERE for Spanish.

Donation Hours
M, Tu, W, Th, F - 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM
Tu, W, Th - 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM


Join Us for Choir Camp!


All are invited …

Do you enjoy singing?

Do you enjoy singing with others?

Then please join us on Thursday, September 3 at 8:00 PM in the St. Mark’s Sanctuary …

ALL SINGERS ARE WELCOME!


Funerals and Memorials Info

St. Mark’s website now have a separate informational webpage for upcoming funerals and memorials. See it at https://www.stmarks-elca.org/funerals-memorials-info.


Don’t Let Your Giant Reward Points Expire!

Do you know you can use your points for other products besides gas? Right now you can get a dozen eggs for 200 points. If you don’t need them, or only need a half dozen, please consider donating them to Food For Others. Just mark the container as FFO and leave in the kitchen refrigerator. Thank you!


Pull POP tabs from Soda Cans!

… and place them in the narthex in the container shown at the left! Cindy Hausch-Booth is collecting pop tabs for Ronald McDonald House Charities, Greater Washington, DC! It's just so simple! Pop tabs are easy to collect and store and are less messy than collecting entire cans, and there is more concentrated aluminum in these tabs than in the cans, so we can get more money for something a lot smaller! 100% of the money we earn is used to offset the cost between the amount families are able to donate for their stay and our actual operating costs—a difference of about $197 a night. You can easily see that the little pull tab you used to throw away is very valuable to the guest families at our Houses.

Thank you for helping RMHCDC by “Pulling for the House!” Your pop tabs make a difference!


2026 Third Quarter Benevolence: ELCA World Hunger

ELCA World Hunger addresses food insecurity in the United States and abroad by providing immediate relief to the hungry and addressing long-term needs to access sustainable food supplies and fresh water. ELCA World Hunger works in over 60 countries, partnering with local churches and organizations. Learn more about ELCA World Hunger at www.elca.org/hunger

… and Thank You for your generous contributions!


ESOL Classes at St. Mark's

Classes in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) will begin again in September. We may have a need for child care workers. The classes are Tuesday and Thursday, 7:00 PM-8:30 PM. If you know of anyone who would be interested, please have them contact Julie Brimmer or the church office. 

We welcome anyone who would like to participate in ESOL. No knowledge of a second language is required. The students are eager to learn and one-on-one assistance is always needed. There is also need for substitute teachers. If you are interested in this mission of the church, please contact CarolSue Carlson-Jones or Julie Brimmer.


YOU ARE INVITED to pray with us …

** The Prayer Ministry invites anyone who is interested in committing to a renewed prayer life at St. Mark's to join us on Sundays after the service at 11:00 AM in the Fellowship Hall. Learn more HERE!!!

** Also, the "Watch and Pray" Lunch Bunch is scheduled for Tuesdays at NOON in the Fellowship Hall. Bring a bag lunch and come to share in prayer, food, and fellowship. All are welcome. Contact Ken Anderson for information.

** Everyone is invited to join the on-going Wednesday morning (10:00) “Watch and Pray” meeting via Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/894781064 (password 5800) 

For questions or more information contact Raelene Long (llong41@verizon.net) or Cherry Moser (clmoser@cox.net).


St. Mark’s Annual Community Heath Fair

August 15, 2026 …
10:00 AM-1:00 PM

SAVE THE DATE AND …

find MORE INFORMATION HERE!!!

Volunteers are always needed … see the link above to learn more …


From the Property Committee: Driveways and Parking Lot Rehab

Saint Mark’s driveways and parking lot paving will take place on

Monday, August 17th and 
Tuesday, August 18th
...

Learn more HERE … and see the areas affected on the map HERE.


From Pastor Yvette Moy: Interfaith Dialogue and Intercultural Understanding

 “Rumi Forum was founded in 1999 with the mission to foster interfaith dialogue, intercultural understanding, and intergroup engagement. The Forum works towards strengthening a culture of peace, pluralism, and social harmony among faith communities and individuals of diverse backgrounds and worldviews.” https://rumiforum.org

Recently, Hakan Atasever was selected as Rumi Forum's new executive director. Hakan's leadership experience, commitment to service, and deep belief in the power of dialogue make him exceptionally well-suited to guide the organization into its next chapter. Hakan brings more than two decades of experience in education, nonprofit leadership, community engagement, and intercultural dialogue in the United States and abroad.

So I am excited for you to get to know Hakan and have invited him to speak briefly at St. Mark's on August 16 after the morning worship. Kindly remain after the service and stay for a reception to begin a dialogue with Turkish Sufi Muslims to build understanding across cultures and religious differences. This will be part of my work with Isaac Ishmael Initiative.


Calling All Ministry Teams—Mark your calendars and start your planning!

St. Mark’s will be holding its third annual Ministry Fair on Sunday, September 6 following a combined bilingual Communion Liturgy at 11:00 AM. The schedule and format will be like last year. We will worship at 11:00 AM and gather in the Fellowship Hall immediately following the liturgy, where we will share in a potluck meal and hear about the ministries of St. Mark’s.


Flower Committee

The Flower Committee needs new members. If you are interested in joining the flower committee to help “dress” the altar on Sundays, please contact Trudy Stellar. We will be happy to train you. Click HERE for more information!

2026 Flower Dedications: Click HERE for the form to dedicate flowers or one or more Sundays in 2026!

Flower Ministry

On Mondays and Tuesdays the Flower Ministry team delivers small arrangements made from the altar flowers to St. Mark's members who are sick or housebound. We are in need of more volunteers to deliver. Please contact Lance Quesenberry lques48@gmail.com or call 703-401-1500 if you would like to volunteer or would like to ask questions.


Food for Others Teams Need Help!

We are losing another driver and desperately need two drivers with a station wagon, small SUV, or larger car to pick up food once a month on a Tuesday late afternoon. The FFO Warehouse is in Merrifield near the post office. On your scheduled Tuesday, you pick up crates from St. Mark’s and go to the FFO Warehouse around 4:00 PM. When you get back to church, a team will be there to divide and distribute the food. 

Please let Nan Ackerman or Debbie Brown know if you will be willing to help on a Tuesday evening. Thank you for helping with this important ministry!

The teams also need extra help on Tuesdays from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM and we 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.


St. Mark’s continues to receive blessings of opportunities to help serve our neighbors. Our renewed outreach to the community is reaping benefits in new and renewed connections with the county, non-profits, and area churches —geared toward meeting the needs of our neighbors. Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services has reached out to St. Mark’s about connecting with children at Lynbrook through the GrandInvolve program, and twelve of our members responded!

Seniors who register through this program sign up for an hour or two per week to spend at the school tutoring and mentoring. Please see Pastor Triolo if you are interested.