We will be making Advent Wreaths –this Sunday, November 27 in the Parish Hall. This intergenerational event takes place after the 10:00 am service. There will be no children’s Christian Formation that day. For the adults, Canon Rowena will present a class on Advent, exploring the spirituality and theology of the season, and our Adult Blend Coffee House will  begin a session on Pre-Christmas Decompression taught by Brooks Boylan. Our Adult COnfirmation class will also meet in the Library.We will also need help on Saturday, November 26 from 10:00 am till 2:00 pm to cut greenery. Come when you can and stay as long as you can.

Beginning next Sunday – local educator Robert Trudeau will begin a class on Anglican Art running through December 11 in the Ministry Center. The class will make stained-glass Christmas cards as well as discover the roots and growth of Anglican art.

Salvation Army Angels are here – in the church office. Please come by and pick one up and return your unwrapped gift by December 5.

The Cooking Crew still needs turkeys – since we will soon begin cooking for Christmas! If you can, please bring a frozen turkey and place it in the freezer in the kitchen. We will also need cooks on December 12-15 from 8:30am-noon, and the 14th, noon-3pm.  You do not have to be a member of the Cooking Crew or have any experience. If you can help, contact Jennifer Beruvides at jennifer@stmarkscathedral.net.

Thank you very much to everyone who contributed to the Thanksgiving cooking project!  -  We were able to provide 500 people a complete Thanksgiving meal. This could not have been accomplished without the many people who gave of their time and the donated turkeys!

EYC has a movie day Sunday afternoon - at the Boardwalk. Middle School meets there at 1:00 pm and High School at 5:00 pm.

Do you love children? Do you have sewing skills? We need you! - Volunteers are needed to help assemble simple costumes for the Christmas Nativity Pageant at the 3:00 pm Christmas Eve service.  The church has several costumes in storage. We need volunteers to mend costumes and make sure we have the correct size costumes that coordinate to the children and the part they are playing in the pageant. Please contact Amy Donald, amydonald@comcast.net, if you are interested in helping with this special performance.

Attention 4th and 5th graders -  Our next Sunday afternoon C.I.A. event will be on December 4. Meet at the Cathedral at 1:45 pm, and then we will head to Providence House where we will join their 4th and 5th graders to make Christmas cards for area nursing home residents.  We will also enjoy refreshments and play a few games before returning to the Cathedral by 4:00 pm.  There is no cost for this event.  Parents are welcome to attend.

It is the custom at St. Mark’s - to invite the parish family  at Christmas to make a contribution to the glory of God and in memory or honor of loved ones. This is not only an appropriate way to honor those who have gone before us, but these gifts make it possible to decorate the Cathedral in a festive manner. If you wish to make a memorial, please send your donation, along with the name or names of those to be honored, to the attention of Becky Deverts, no later than Friday, December 9, 2011.

We have contacted Guide Book Publishing to publish a Guide Book and Directory for the parish – that will be updated and delivered directly to your homes annually. This book is being provided at no cost to St. Mark’s. Local businesses are being solicited to advertise in the book. If you own or manage a business and would like to find out about advertising in our book, please call Liz Montelepre in the church office at 221-3360.
Recent survey results by Guide Book and Publishing show that 92.1 percent of families would rather patronize a Guide Book and Directory advertiser over a non-advertiser. It will pay to advertise in our new Guide Book and Directory.

End of Year Contributions -  If you want to mail your 2011 pledges or any other contributions by the end of the year, they must be postmarked by December 31.  If you wish to hand deliver them to the church office, they must be in by noon on Friday, December 30 when the office closes for the holidays

Information on the tax laws governing your church contribution -  is available in the back of the church.  Please pick up as many copies as you need. For  any further questions, contact Becky Deverts in the church office.

The Altar Guild has openings for Chapel flowers  - on Sundays, January 22, February 19 and March 25. Please contact Janet Barlow at jmabarlow@aol.com.