The St Mark's e-messenger pages

The St Mark's Messenger is the quarterly church magazine which is delivered to members at home by our elders and office bearers. Our editor is Lynn Thomson and she will always be grateful for your contributions and comments. 
(e-mail to the Editor)

Here and on subsequent pages you can read the Minister's Letter and other extracts from the current "Messenger".  By clicking on the link above you can send your comments or contribution for the next edition to the editor.

Winter 2009 Messenger Index  

Letter from Michael Phillippo

Presence for Presents

 Winter 2009

Only a few days left until Christmas! Cards to write, presents bought and sent.... Christmas is always so busy that we hardly get time to consider what it’s all about. Presence for Presents - that’s odd!

We are so used to accessing things instantly. E-mail cards, Amazon for books, gifts at the touch of a button, gift cards and vouchers, even balloons, chocolates and flowers for those special people! We hardly need to spare a thought for the person receiving the gift. It was so different at the first Christmas – for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son - when the right time had come. A lot of thought went into the first Christmas - the present was a person, Jesus the Saviour, God with us.

It’s important to keep on giving at this time of year (and at other times as well!) but think about Presence for Presents. Maybe the person doesn’t want another thing – they would prefer YOU to see them, visit them, spend time with them. Christmas can be lonely for people as it brings back memories of missed loved ones – they need a person alongside. Could you become the Immanuel, ‘God with us’ person for them? It takes time and effort but compare it to the planning for the first Christmas.

Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift

Freely, freely you have received;
freely, freely give;
go in my Name
and because you believe
others will know that I live 

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A Note from the Treasurer

 At the Congregational Board meeting in October I reported that income for the quarter ended 30 September was £76,500 with expenditure at £72,000, a surplus of £4,500.  However this hides the true story.  In each of the three individual quarters this year we have produced a deficit in relation to ordinary income and expenditure.  The surplus arises from the reclaim of income tax paid on Free Will Offerings last year.  By the year end I expect the surplus to have been used up and we will be lucky to break even.

My message to the Board was that we had two choices, either improve our income or reduce our expenditure.  In the previous “Messenger” I pointed out that being in vacancy was likely to increase our expenditure, rather than reduce it and so improving our income is what we must do.

I have two suggestions therefore which I hope every single member will pay heed to and take immediate action.

1. Consider the amount of your offering, compare it to your other spending, how does it compare, can you improve it, can you give more regularly, how about a standing order?
    
2. Included with the magazine there is a Christmas Gift Envelope, please consider what you will be spending on Christmas presents to family and friends, how much is your church worth as part of your family?  Please give generously.

I know the current economic climate is not good and that we all have different priorities.  Where does St Mark’s sit on your list of priorities?  Read Mark Ch 12 V 41 - 44.

There are many more examples you can consider for yourself.  Please think about them.  Please think where your priorities in life are.  Where does your faith come on the list?

How much is your Church really worth to you? 

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