The Lion's Roar

June, 2022

On May 22nd we joined with our friends at St Bernards and St John on the Mountain to bless the Giving Garden at the Ross Farm. It was a stunningly beautiful day, and it’s always fun to gather with our brothers and sisters from neighboring congregations.

The mission of the Giving Garden is as necessary as it’s ever been. With rising gas prices and inflation, people have less wiggle room in their budgets. For people who had no wiggle room to begin with, this is a crisis. AND, the number of people who have been making regular donations to the Food Bank is also down significantly—for the exact same reasons.

So, demand for food is up, and the supply is down. So, for the garden to be able to produce 2,000 to 3,000 pounds of fresh produce for the local Food Bank and other local pantries can go a long way towards helping our neighbors in this time.

Another ministry that is critical is Curbing Hunger—which was founded right here at St Mark’s— and which raises food during the summer months when regular food donations are lower. Please fill the bags on your recycling cans with nonperishable food—and encourage your friends and family to do the same (if they are in Somerset County).

There is a link to the online Curbing Hunger drive right here: https://amplify.ampyourgood.com/user/campaigns/4015 where you can purchase food and it will be delivered to the Food Bank for you.

Please do what you can, and spread the word—and even consider coming to weed, tend, and pick at the garden—so that our neighbors won’t go hungry this summer.

Peace,

Fr Rick

2022 Year-to-Date (YTD, through April) Financial Results

On June 1st we start the much needed reroofing project which is planned to be done in three phases as funds are raised.  

Phase 1 will include the roof over the kitchen and chapel area (Blue section) as well as the Link and Parish Hall connector (Pink section). These areas have current leaking issues which need to be addressed first.  We will also be replacing the skylights in these areas including the skylights over the kitchen area bringing light to the chapel stained glass window and also the skylights in the Link.  We will be removing the two lower skylights in the Link entirely to eliminate future leaking problems from rain water run-off from the steep church roof.

Phase 2 will be replacing the main church roof (Yellow) as it has hundreds of small patched holes from the old solar panels.  Phase 2 will also include replacing the skylights over the altar area.  Phase 2 is planned to be done in 2023.  Phase 3 will be replacing the Parish Hall roof (white) and finally the Heritage Roof (Green) along with replacing the gutters and leaders to finish the project. Much thanks go to Jeff Hooper for working with the roofing contractor to select a top quality shingle and accompanying materials which should last us well past mid-century.