Saint Mark’s United Methodist Church

The Beacon No. 65 Shining Christ’s light in the community January 6, 2012

You are invited to a special event by Rev. Rob Gill

You are invited to participate in a spiritual renewal weekend

entitled "Faith in Trying Times." (see picture for schedules and

times.) Our leadership for this experience is a dynamic duo --

Doug and Patti Ezell. They presently live in Iowa, LA, 10 miles

east of Lake Charles. Doug is retired from serving as a pastor,

district superintendent and director of the United Methodist

Children's Home and as a pastoral counselor. He began his

career teaching at Baylor University teaching preaching and

New Testament Greek. He has taught Bible studies, preached

numerous revivals, led men's retreats and mentored dozens of

men during his career.

Patti Ezell is a licensed professional counselor and licensed

marriage and family therapist in Lake Charles, LA. She has a

an M.A. in Psychology, Mental Health Counseling, McNeese

State University, 2004, M.Ed. Special Education from the

University of North Carolina, 1984 and a B.S in Speech

Pathology from St. Mary’s Dominican College,1980, Magna

Cum Laude.

She states that “sharing life and ministry with Doug is one of

my greatest treasures.” She enjoys speaking in churches and

leading retreats because she treasures the opportunity to share

about faith and matters of the heart. She enjoys people and she

believes we each have a life story that reflects God's endless

grace.

Doug and Patti Ezell are noted speakers who are passionate

about sharing God’s grace and helping people to grow in faith.

They are licensed marriage and family therapists and licensed

professional counselors. They provide counseling services and

their offices are located at First United Methodist Church in

Lake Charles. They also teach, preach, and lead retreats

throughout our state and beyond. They offer a safe place for

people to reflect on life’s issues and grow in the light of God’s

amazing grace.

They have two grown children who are married, and they

enjoy seven grandchildren. In his spare time, Doug is a custom

knife maker and leather crafter. He also enjoys hunting,

gardening, and western lore. Patti enjoys riding horses, weaving

baskets, and needlework. They enjoy traveling and fishing

together.

Patti and Doug Ezell

ANNAPOLIS, MD. - The internationally-acclaimed U.S. Naval Academy Men’s Glee Club was to be in

the Jackson area January 13-16, 2012, for a series of public performances and school visits over the Martin

Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend. A last minute cancellation was sent to the Jackson area hosts.

The main public concert was to be a Salute to America’s Heroes concert on Saturday evening, January 14,

at 7:00 p.m. at the Galloway United Methodist Church in downtown Jackson. The Men’s Glee Club was to

be featured performers at Galloway, one of the area’s premier performing venues. The concert was to be free

with no tickets are required. The largest and most active of the Naval Academy’s musical organizations, the

Men’s Glee Club regularly travels around the country, representing the Naval Academy and the naval service.

The Glee Club has received national acclaim for recent collaborations performing masterpieces of choral-

orchestral literature with some of the nation’s leading symphony orchestras to include Charlotte, Columbus,

Phoenix, Nashville and Portland, ME. A 10-day visit to Chile and Argentina in 2009 garnered international

acclaim from ambassadors and state department officials.

This was to be their first visit to the Jackson area and the midshipmen were looking forward to perform-

ing a concert to honor those who have served. Dr. Aaron Smith, chairman of the Naval Academy’s Music

Department, and the director of the Men’s Glee Club, said all of the men will be serving our country as

officers in the Navy and Marine Corps upon graduation from the Academy.

In addition to the concert at Galloway United Methodist Church, the Glee Club was planning to visit

several area high schools and participate in the 10:45 a.m. Sunday worship service on January 15 at

Saint Mark’s United Methodist Church. It is hoped that they may still be able to do that one day.

The 75-member United States Naval Academy Men's Glee Club was

scheduled to sing at Saint Mark's on Sunday, January 15, but

had to cancel their visit. They hope to reschedule in the future.

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3rd Graders will receive their Bibles, January 15

Thy Word is a Lamp to my feet, and a Light to my Path.” Psalm 119:105

Sunday, January 15, is a special day for our children who are currently in 3rd

grade. During both worship services,

we will present them with a Bible. Phaedra Hailey will begin a study course, Learning to use my Bible, at 3:00 p.m. that

afternoon. The course will meet each Sunday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. in Asbury Hall for six weeks.

During this time, the children will learn the books of the Bible, how to easily locate them, and become familiar with

using their Bible. All 3rd

grade children are asked to call Ms. Amie @ 601-992-2131 or e-mail her @

amie@saintmarksum.org to let her know what service they will attend and to register for the study class.

United Methodist

Women Circles

meet in January

Abigail Circle

Thursday, January12,

9:30 a.m. in the Parlor

Ruth Circle

Call Diane Dean for details

about the meeting place

on Tuesday, January 17

601-573-2371

Tabitha Circle

Tuesday, January 17,

9:30 a.m. in the Parlor

June Nixon will begin

a series about religions.

Deborah Circle

will not meet

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These children in the Cherub Choir sang at the 8:20 service one Sunday morning. The

motions were to "Away in a Manger." Children are Kyle Hallet, Alle Hamilton,

Caroline Embry, Cali May, Jack Shields, Hannah Phillips and Maddie Curan. Cherub

Choir starts January 11 at 6:00 p.m. in Asbury Hall.

You have a Volunteer Opportunity for Kairos Matthew 25: 36 "...I was in prison and you came to visit me."

Bobby Blake will lead a team of Kairos Mission Volunteers into Central Mississippi Correctional Institution

March 29, 30, 31 and April 1.

If you are interested in serving a Kairos Prison weekend or have questions, please contact Bobby at

home phone 601-919-1764, cell phone 601-317-8881 or blakekairos@gmail.com

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YOUTH NEWS

It resumes Sunday, January 8, with PARENTS' NIGHT.

5:00 -7:00 p.m.

Hang Time ~ Dinner ~ Worship ~ Life Groups

Theme: Rules for the Road: "Begin Construction"

"The road signs of God are clear and point out the right road."

Psalm 19:7b

What is MERGE? MERGE is Youth Group on Sunday nights.

It's all about bringing students and God together. We do that

through fellowship, food, worship and small groups.

There will be games, prizes, authentic worship and genuine

friendships. It's in the Susannah Wesley building.

I They will worship together (Grades 6-12) and separate by grades/gender for Life Groups.

It is predicted to be life-changing and become the highlight of the students' week.

Dinner will be served beginning at 5:15 p.m.

All parents of students in Grades 6-12 are invited to join the group Sunday, January 8, at MERGE for a special night

of worship and fellowship. There will also be an important Youth/Parent meeting highlighting the 2012 calendar of

events including Summer Camp plans.

Fuel - Wednesday nights from 5:30-7:00 p.m. will resume January 11.

HIGH SCHOOL Hurricane Relief Mission Trip

Six years after Hurricane Katrina, many people are still not

in their homes. Our youth will partner with the Epworth

Project to make a difference by re-building hope through

homes in Slidell, LA from January 13-16, 2012 (MLK

holiday weekend).

MIDDLE SCHOOL EVENT - Sunday, January 15

7:00 - 9:00 p.m. Cost $10.00

(includes 2 hours of jumping and snacks/drinks).

Socks and waiver form are required to jump.

Drop off and pick up is at PUMP IT UP.

Sign up on the bulletin board.

Gardeners of Saint Mark's spent a beautiful Saturday recently planting pansies

and kales for winter. Above are Lois Minchew and Lyn Smith. They had also

planted the asparagus fern and other plants in the planters around the church

that have bloomed for the past three months.

Barbara Meeks, her granddaughter, Ella

Thomas, and Teresa Shields not only plant

but also have assigned watering days for

several members of the congregation to make

sure the plants stay healthy. Not pictured:

Hazel Townsend. Photos by Pam Readel

Welcome New Members

Jeff and Melissa Reynolds

Joined January 1, 2012

Even little Ella Thomas

helped her grandma and

the other ladies with their

planting.

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Lights of Love

were sponsored by

Ruth Circle

during the month

of December.

The tree shone

brightly each

night and many

$3.00 contributions

added to their

mission fund

while bringing

joy to individuals.

Mary Bethea and Lois Minchew

make sure the flowers are blooming

beneath our sign. Above, Mary

prepared the ground and now we

can enjoy the pansies for the next

few months. The Christmas wreath

was added during the season.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mosaic Class Michael Hebert, Curt Rushing, Christina Rushing, Brian Adair, Angie Adair, Leslie McGinnis. Seated:

Jo Hebert, Rona Potvin, Eric Carpenter, Corrine Carpenter. Not pictured: Steve and Elizabeth Kean,

Michelle Blair, Monica and Steve Cook. This is a new class and it meets upstairs in the CLC. Everyone is

invited to attend.

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Well-known radio

personality,

Bill Clark, entertained the

Trendsetters at their

luncheon on Wednesday,

December 21.

He sang and played many

old favorite songs.

Trendsetter events will

resume in February.

Photo by Barbara Jackson

Photo by

Barbara Jackson

Please remember Justin Cox and

44 other members of the F-

Company, 1st Battalion, 171st

General Support Aviation

Battalion as they deploy to

Afghanistan for a year.

The send-off ceremony was

Wednesday at Christ UMC and

they flew out Friday morning from

Hawkins field to Ft. Hood, Texas.

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The Christ candle was

lighted, poinsettias lined

the altar rail, the Nativity

scene was complete.

Pre-6:00 p.m. service music

was provided by Trey

Jones, Mac May, Raymond

Hall and Bill Dillon.

Rob joined that group to

sing "Beautiful Star of

Bethlehem" in the service.

He also gave the sermon.

Rob and Currie sang again.

Carols were sung and

"Silent Night" was sung

with the lighting of the

candles.

Both services concluded

with Dona Nobis Pacem.

At Christmas Eve services, candles were raised while singing the last

verse of "Silent Night," which is our tradition. This is the scene at the

4:30 p.m. service which was attended by about 500 people.

Rev. Keith Keeton read the scripture from Luke 2 and gave

the sermon. Christmas carols were sung with "O Come All

Ye Faithful" leading into "Silent Night." Rev. Rob Gill and

Currie sang "O Holy Night."

Stevie Flynt sang her own

arrangement of "O Holy Night."

Right:

Michael Case sang

"My Gift is Me" with

a little supervision

from

Rev. Rob.

Below right:

Teresa Humphrey

sang

"A Baby Changes

Everything."

On Christmas day we had one service in

the Sanctuary at 10:00 a.m. and at 11:00

in the CLC. Here Rev. Rob sang with

the children who came up front. His son,

Cason, sang a solo,

"Away in a Manger."

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We extend our sympathy to his wife, Edith, and to their

son, Keith, wife, Carol,

son, Hank, wife, Carolyn, son, Brian and wife, Renee,

and grandson, Josh;

to Edith's sisters, Laverne and Rebecca, and

their families.

The military funeral was

held Wednesday, January 4, at Saint Mark's UMC.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We also extend our sympathy to A.R. Williams

and his family at the death of his father,

Evans Lane Williams.

The funeral was December 28 in Carthage.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

to the family of our member, Sue Hare,

at her death on December 23, 2011.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

to Hazel Townsend at the death of her

brother-in-law, Stoney Ainsworth.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

to Mary Jo Antee at the death of her sister,

Kathlyn Gancerba.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

to Paige Dennis at the death of her mother,

Pat Holmes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

to Tim Puckett at the death of his father,

John Puckett, January 3, 2012.

Saint Mark’s United Methodist Church Dated Material NONPROFIT

400 Grant’s Ferry Road January 6, 2012 ORGANIZATION

Brandon, MS 39047 U.S. POSTAGE PAID

Phone: 601-992-2131 Parsonage: 601-919-9770 PERMIT 27

Website: www.saintmarksum.org to see the Beacon in color CHURCH STAFF

Rob Gill, Senior Pastor………......................….....x103 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Keith Keeton, Teaching Pastor………….…..........x105

Sandra Thomas, Minister of Worship & Music....x104

Amie Cain, Dir. Age-Level/Family Ministries.......x109

Jeanne Chapman, Youth Director..................992-9554

Church Facility Manager, Jim Readel...........506-4714

Delores Seward, Administrative Assistant...….....x101

Martha Toombs, Business Office………….…......x106

Preschool Office…..………………………….........x110

Darlene Baker…………………………….......…Pianist

Jason Boyd……………………………….........Organist

David Potvin..................... 11th Hour Worship Leader

Check the church website or Sunday bulletin for times of events and further information. See the bulletin for all

on the caring list. Worship is each Sunday at 8:20, 10:45 and 11:00 a.m.; Sunday School is at 9:30 a.m.

In Memoriam

Henry Laird one of Saint Mark's 1974 charter

members, died December 31, 2011.

HOSPITALIZED Becka Shields - River Oaks

Pam Wimbish - Baptist

Melanie Westbrook - UMC

Karen Streit - St. Dominic

Lamar Simmons - St. Dominic

Bill Norton - St. Dominic

Ed and Jeanne Chapman upon the arrival of their

grandson, Elijah Patrick Adkins,

on December 30, 2011, in St. Louis, MO.

Jeanne is our Saint Mark's Youth Director.

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Governor Phil Bryant's Inaugural Schedule

Sunday, January 8:

5:30 p.m. - Sunday night worship, Galloway UMC

Tuesday, January 10:

8:00 a.m. - Prayer Breakfast, First Baptist Church

10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. - Swearing in Ceremony

12:00 noon - 4:00 p.m. - Inaugural Parade

5:30 p.m. - Midnight - North and South Parties and

the Inaugural Ball