Dear St. Mark Family,
In order to honor the bishop’s request of mandatory cancellation (see her words here: https://www.holston.org/article/bishop-taylor-clarifies-cancellation-is-mandatory-13441937);
we will, again, not be holding live services at St. Mark on Sunday, March 22, 2020.
As was the case last Sunday, our worship team is putting together a service in which you can watch and participate online. It will be on the church website, as well shared via Facebook at 10:30 am, Sunday. You are welcome and encouraged to share with others.
In addition, we will send a link by email out to the church congregation, as some had trouble this past week getting to the message.
This is a difficult time. In many ways, this is new territory for all of us. Life for some may not seem all that different right now. Others are feeling the walls of isolation and the fear of what might be on the horizon.
I want to encourage you to continue to have hope. Paul, in 1 Corinthians 13, after explaining all the things that love is and isn’t, he says that love never ends. And after that he remarks about not knowing completely, and how we are unclear, “….we see in mirror, dimly…” However, at the end of all that the great conclusion that we find is this: “And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love (13:13).”
I know this is a hard time for many of us, but I find great security in knowing that faith, hope and love abide. It is faith in God that will see us through these unprecedented times. It is hope that God does overcome all things, and hope will lead us through to the other side of this time. Above all, love is what binds us together as the people of God, the church. Our love that we share with our family, our friends, our neighbors. The love that we share as we call and check on one another, praying for one another, encouraging one another, and in some cases serving one another will draw our hearts closer to one another and to God.
Let us look to the one who is the source of all hope, and place our trust in him, praise be to Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Please remember that while we may not meet together, we are still the body of Christ in our community.
o Stay connected, to worship online, and via Facebook.
o Continue to consider supporting the church, financially.
Online: https://app.easytithe.com/App/Giving/stmarkknox
Mail: PO BOX 11007 Knoxville, TN 37939-1007
o Pray for one another, the church, it’s leadership, and all who are affected in one way or another.
o Witness to the glory of God that is with us, even now.
o Serve one another by making calls and staying connected, offering to grocery shop for those in need, and encourage one another in these troubling times.
God’s blessings of health, comfort, and peace to you all in Christ’s love,
Pastor Sam