Newsletter of The Parish of St.

Mark the Evangelist

Hood River, Oregon
December 2021

All hands on deck! We’ll set up tables, bring boxes up from the basement, set out and
price items on Friday at 1:00 pm. We could use help on the day of the sale, and also after
church on Sunday when we’ll pack things away and break down the tables. Get your
Christmas gifts here and help with this fundraiser for St. Mark’s.

If you would like to donate a poinsettia to decorate the sanctuary for

Christmas, please bring it to church by December 19.

Blue Christmas—There will be two (in person) services. Noon and

7:00 p.m. on the winter solstice, December 21

Christmas Eve services will be held on Friday, Dec 24 at 4:00 p.m. And 9:30 p.m.
 Dear People of St. Mark’s,
I am so pleased that we are able
to gather again for the services
of this season - not only on
Sundays but for our Blue Christmas
services on 12/21, and our Christmas Eve
services on 12/24. Both will be held
completely indoors and broadcast via
Facebook live.
It will be lovely to have these services as
designed - once more.
If you recall, a year ago, we were still
fighting along solely via facebook. Thank
you for all of your patience with us as we
navigated those early days.
This has been quite a year of birth and
rebirth:
• The birth of three vaccines
• rebirth of gathering in person
• birth of a troubling new variant
• rebirth of what it means to be church
• birth of our newest parishioner in
November
Amidst all of the uncertainty and mystery
around the future holds, this community has
pledged a little over $172,000 for the
mission and ministry of this parish for the
year 2022. The Vestry and I give thanks for
your generosity. As you may recall, we had
a productive retreat back in June - some of
those plans were put on hold while the delta
variant took its course, but with a strong
financial outlook for 2022, I definitely feel
empowered to live into our goals.
I have been busy this fall with the business
of Standing Committee and Ascension
School Camp and Conference Center. I
made a trip to Cove in November for a
Saturday meeting with the friends out
there. Standing Committee has consented
to several Episcopal elections, and is going
to be working on a handful of property sales
and projects this winter and into the new
year. I am headed down to Klamath Falls
after mass on the 5th to assist Bishop Pat
and Lisa with a project down there. Pray for
good weather and travel mercies for us, as
we shepherd the disposition of the property
and affairs of the former St. Paul’s, Klamath
Falls.
On 12/27, I will be headed down to San
Diego for some vacation time with family
and friends. This is the longest (two
years) since I have visited my
hometown. Wild! It will be good to
reconnect.
Thinking about next year, our annual
meeting will be in late January. This year
we are looking to appoint a new treasurer
and a new clerk. If you have any interests
in filling these coming vacancies, or
questions about serving, please reach out
to Barb Sigl (treasurer) or Martha
Sedgwick (clerk).
Blessings, Rev. Kelly
Tuesday, Dec 21 at noon
and 7 p.m.
What is a Blue Christmas?
Wikipedia says: “a church
service which recognizes that the
holidays are sometimes "blue" or
filled with difficult feelings around
painful life events such as death,
disease, poverty, or abuse. This
worship service is traditionally
held on or around the longest
night of the year, which is the
Winter Solstice. The Worship
includes an opportunity for
expressions of grief and
pain.” (confidentially one-on–one
with Rev Kelly) as well as an
opportunity to focus on the
promise of hope.
 Potluck luncheon and
cookie exchange will take
place at St. Mark’s on
Tuesday, December 14th.
We are excited to welcome
several newcomers to our
parish family. Please wear
your nametag and introduce yourself.
Let’s make them feel welcome.
St Mark’s Guild supports
Equal Exchange fairly traded
coffee and chocolates. All are
available for purchase during the
coffee hour. They would make a
great stocking stuffer!
Donations of peanut butter, oil and sugar
are always welcome and can be placed in
the basket in the columbarium room or
dropped off at the FISH location.
We could use your Rosauer’s paper bags.
Recycle them to FISH
Blue boxes for this next
year are on the table in
the parish hall. Every
day, place a coin in the
box in thanksgiving of your daily
blessings. UTO is entrusted to
receive the offerings, and to
distribute the 100% of what is
collected to support innovative
mission and ministry throughout
The Episcopal Church and
Provinces of the Anglican
Communion. St. Mark’s has been
the recipient of two UTO grants in
the past.
Vestry Meeting Minutes
21 November 2021

Present: Kelly Mahon, Mike Freeman, Barb Sigl, Sally Goeke, Susan Lalor, Sarah Oaks
Harr, Ruth Tsu, and Nick Kirby. (Martha Sedgwick as clerk)
Absent: Dave Anderson and Don Dickinson

Opening Question: Where do we see our spiritual light?

Minutes of October meeting were reviewed and approved with the addition of “the
Treasurer’s Report of the October meeting was received and accepted”.
Regarding additions to the agenda, Ruth asked for an update on the audit.

Old Business
1. Treasurer’s Report. It was moved, seconded, and unanimously passed to give $600
to FISH and $600 to ERD from the Millennium Goals, and $600 to the Warming Shelter
and $250 to the Voucher Program from Share the Warmth Fundraiser.
2. Covid update, Hood River area status. 96% 65 and up, 90% 12 and up, and 76% all
ages are fully vaccinated. That said, Covid is still here and we need to continue with our
current safety measures.
3. Stewardship status. $163,920 pledged to date, almost $20,000 more that 2020.
4. Special Services. Kelly stated that there will be a Blue Christmas service on/about
December 20th.

New Business
2022 budget planning. There will be a session in December.

Other Reports
1. Rector. The Bazaar is December 3/4/5. Clothes for Kids—Ruth, Rachel, Hannah,
Ashley’s and Vicki are working together to sort and pick up clothes.
2. Sr. Warden—Dave absent.
3. Jr. Warden. Mike reported on Fall Cleanup (a huge success!) and Outstanding—
the need for a dehumidifier, air conditioning for the office, weather stripping for the office
door, lights replaced and those to be replaced, sealing the cracks in cement stairs, and
securing the railing on the steps (the base is loose). New Items Winterizing south faucet/
fixing interior faucet, replacing ‘coal chute’ door on south side. Audit Jasinta Rajamoney
and Ann Anderson. Ruth commented that 2025 is the 100th anniversary of St. Marks.

Next vestry meeting will be December 19th.

Respectfully submitted,
Martha Sedgwick, clerk
 December Dates and Building Use
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 AA-noon 4
AA—noon AA—8 pm BAZAAR BAZAAR
SETUP 9-3pm
1PM AA 8pm

5 Advent 2 6 7 8 9 10 11
HE 8 & 10 AA noon AA-8pm AA noon, AA—8pm AA noon AA 10am,
am 8pm

12 Advent 3 13 14 15 16 17 18
HE 8&10am AA noon 11:30am AA-noon AA 8pm AA noon AA 10am,
Guild Potluck 8pm
AA—8pm
19 Advent 4 20 21 Blue 22 23 24 AA noon 25
HE 8 & 10am AA noon Christmas AA noon AA —8pm Christmas AA 10am,
VESTRY noon & 7pm Eve 4 & 8pm
AA-8pm 9:30pm

26 27 28 29 30 31
HE 8&10am AA noon AA-8pm AA noon, AA —8pm AA noon

KELLY ON VACATION ~~~ OFFICE CLOSED MON-WED

Friend us on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/
stmarks.hoodriver
We are also on the Web at
www.stmarks-hr.org Gloria Arnold 12/4
Tim Sedgwick 12/6
Rowin Rajamoney 12/9/16
Kevin Liddiard 12/13
Pravin Rajamoney 12/19
Don & Monte Dickinson 12/22/68
St Mark’s Episcopal Church Duane Sigl 12/23
400 11th Street, Hood River, OR 97031 Pravin/Jasinta Rajamoney 12/29/12
stmarks@gorge.net 541-386-2077 Tyr Anderson 12/30
Office hours T, W, F 10am-2pm
The Rev. Kelly Mahon, Rector
revmahon@gorge.net
 Ministers of Worship for DECEMBER

Dec 5 Dec 12 Dec 19 Dec 24 Dec 26

Celebrant Rev Kelly Rev Kelly Rev Kelly Rev Kelly Rev Kelly

Lay Nick Kirby Russ Lamson Don Dickinson Vicki Kelsey

Eucharistic
Minister
Readers Cathy Peck Bret Russell Julie Davis Don Tim Sedgwick
Nick Kirby Russ Vicki
Prayers Ruth Tsu Amy Russell Monte Dickinson Marth
Sedgwick
Greeters Tim & Martha Adele Dave & Ann Sue Jenkins
Sedgwick Andrews Nick Anderson Lois Butler
Kirby
Flowers Crambletts Ruth Tsu Rajamoneys Poinsettias

Altar Guild Bary Sigl Sue Jenkins Ruth Tsu Sue Jenkins
Joyce Uczen Jasinta R. Jennifer Lois Butler
Meisberger
Coffee ? ? Crambletts ?

Driver Martha S Nealya Cargill ? ?

We need volunteers on Christmas Eve… Either 4:00 or

9:30 p.m. Let us know ASAP!

Can you help out by being a
Minister of Worship? Talk to
Sue or Kelly.
Thank you for your pledge to St. Mark’s
2022 annual campaign. We are so grateful
for your support of our on-going ministry
together. We give thanks to God for this
community of faith.
Gratefully,
The Stewardship Committee
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
400 11th Street
Hood River, OR 97031
541-386-2077