Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4

I’ve lost count of the number of times that scripture exhorts us, “Be not afraid.” As a child I was afraid of the dark. We lived in a two-story house and our den was upstairs. The kitchen was downstairs and in the back. It took all the courage I could muster to leave the safety of the family and venture to that dark kitchen alone. Every sound was the arrival of the creature that would snatch me away to an unthinkable end. My mother would say, “There’s nothing there in the dark that wasn’t there in the daylight. Maybe if you behaved yourself in the day time you wouldn’t be so afraid of the dark.”

The fear of the dark has passed with adulthood, but other fears remain. Fear is the opposite of love. Fear causes us to act in unloving ways that often harms others and ourselves. We fear financial difficulty. We fear illness and death. We fear embarrassment and shame. We fear that others may see us as weak and take advantage of us. We fear people who don’t look, sound, or think the way we do. We fear the strange, different or unknown. I believe that fear has invaded our political discourse and made compromise and agreement nearly impossible. Fear leads us to desire control. Fear invades the church and breeds discontent, dissension, and disunity.

Can we, filled with fear as we all sometimes are, hear the words of Jesus? “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” If we know that God has already made us a child of the kingdom we have nothing to fear. There is no power on earth, no calamity, no threat that can separate us from the love of God. What do we have to fear? To live without fear is the power of God to allow us to follow Jesus as disciples. Do not be afraid, little flock, for greater is the power of Jesus Christ in you than all the power of evil that may be arrayed against you.

In His Service,

Barrett

The first Sunday of every month is always designated as Food Bank Sunday. Remember when you are shopping this week to pick up some extra food items and bring them on Sunday, August 1, to place in the shopping cart outside the church office.

If you are interested in serving as an Acolyte (3rd graders and up) or a Crucifer (5th graders and up), you are invited to complete the volunteer slip that will be in the church bulletin on Sunday.  You may also volunteer via email to stmark565@embarqmail.com). Just include your name, parents’ names, telephone number, which service you would like to serve in—8:45 or 11:00—and whether you want to be an Acolyte or Crucifer.re

New Acolytes and Crucifers will be trained before they serve.

Guests at St. Mark notice a lot in the first ten minutes. From what happens in the parking lot to getting settled in their seats, the first impression matters. Greeters play a key role in creating a positive first impression by offering a warm smile, a friendly welcome and other assistance to everyone who comes to worship at St. Mark.

If you’re interested in being a greeter – or if you’re already part of our greeter corps at Sunday Morning Blend – join us for a short training session to learn the What/Why/how/Where of greeting at St. Mark. We’re looking for people to be greeters at both Main Campus services and Blend at the Rivers St. Campus.

Training will take place: Sunday August 15, 10:00am – 10:45am, Activities Building, Main Campus.

We will talk about the purpose and goals of the Greeting Ministry; Responsibilities, guidelines and tips for greeters; Locations and time commitments. We’ll start and end on time so please arrive a few minutes early to take advantage of the coffee and soft drinks. For more information please contact Richard Ball (jr23b@yahoo.com) or call Ann at the Church Office.

Our dance ministry, Moving Scriptures is re-forming. Girls and women ages 12 and up are welcome to join us. If you are interested in joining this dance ministry ensemble, please contact Sheri P. Brewington (twinbletoesspb@yahoo.com) or call the church office.

All men of the community are invited to the the July prayer breakfast on July 30, 6:30 a.m., in the multipurpose room at Rivers St. The Reverend Terry Martin, pastor of Main St. UMC in Greenwood, will be the guest speaker.