Violence and Advent

 Friends,  

This past weekend we heard the news of several horrible acts of violence. One was a hate crime during a Hannukah celebration, driven by antisemitism. One was a school shooting at Brown University and, as it turns out, the shooter is suspected of having killed a professor in an earlier school shooting. And then we heard the gruesome news of Rob and Michelle Reiner’s murder and the arrest of their son as the prime suspect. While we rightly attend parties, wrap gifts, and tune our hearts to embrace the story of Jesus’ birth, the ugly reality of human brokenness rears its head over and over. 

 

These tragedies have familiar dynamics – religious violence, gun violence, and domestic violence among them – and each one carries its own trajectory of trauma. When there was a school shooting at the University of Iowa, I waited in line to use a pay phone and call Chris to let her know that I was safe. The memory of that dingy little area, surrounded by paneled walls, with caller after caller assuring their families but unable to answer any of their questions has been on my mind this week. Some of you are remembering challenges of drug addiction or the fear of being safe within your own home. If the events of this past week have raked up memories or feelings that are difficult for you to process, please know that you have pastors, elders, deacons, a parish nurse, a parish counselor, and many friends who are ready to lend an ear or hold you in prayer. 

 

It seems that the story of Christ’s birth is ever contextualized in a world of harsh realities. You may remember that five years ago we could not gather for Christmas Eve. Instead, our Worship Commission put together an “Angel Walk” where you could get a photo with some Angel Wings that Carrie Schneider had created for us, then walk through the Fellowship Hall where many of us had shared our Nativity Scenes in a beautiful display. We also had a Prayer Wall for sharing our concerns, a Giving Tree for sharing our blessings, and an Illumination Walk around the labyrinth. Then, we produced a video of readings and music for families to watch together at home. It was a time of intense grief – many of us lost loved ones during the pandemic and were unable to sit with the dying or comfort the living as we wanted. And it was a time of genuine care, with some extraordinary acts of kindness despite the real health dangers.

 

During that time, I shared these words that Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote to his fiancée while he was a prisoner in Tegal, which I think are as appropriate this week: “I think we're going to have an exceptionally good Christmas. The very fact that every outward circumstance precludes our making provision for it will show whether we can be content with what is truly essential. I used to be very fond of thinking up and buying presents, but now that we have nothing to give, the gift God gave us in the birth of Christ will seem all the more glorious; the emptier our hands, the better we understand what Luther meant by his dying words: ‘We're beggars; it's true.’ The poorer our quarters, the more clearly we perceive that our hearts should be Christ's home on earth.”

 

The story of Jesus’ birth is embedded in tyranny, forced migration, and violence. And yet it is glorious. As we celebrate Jesus’ birth, may our hearts be Christ’s home on earth.

 

Mark of St. Mark 

Third Weekend of Advent

 Friends, 

There are many “thank you” notes to send today, after last weekend. Thank you to our Synerjazz musicians, with Pastor Hayes, Parish Counselor Gretchen Carrillo, and Parish Nurse Ann Scott, for providing such a moving, healing Blue Christmas service last Saturday. And thanks to Dr. Michael Gass for his presentation on the Holiday Blues following Sunday’s worship service. One thing I love about St. Mark is that we don’t just jump on the popular bandwagons that draw crowds and make headlines. We circle back to ensure that others can be a part of the joy, especially those who are often left out or overlooked. That is a wonderful part of our DNA that was established years before I arrived and which continues to be an important part of who we are. 

 

And what can I say about Sunday’s Christmas Pageant? Wow! The initial kudos go to the kiddos, who did such a marvelous job of standing and delivering. It’s an amazing joy to see so many children, with such a variety of shyness and boldness, working together, taking their parts and doing them so mindfully, then watching it all come together so well. Many thanks to the parents, who were able and willing to work around many other commitments to help the children engage, the stage crew who converted our chancel from a play setting to a communion setting, Jane Reimund who helped each of the characters find an appropriate costume for their part, Pastor Hayes for helping with all of the communication along the way, and especially Laura Mulchay, for blocking, rehearsing, and directing it all. And in the middle of the bold performances and cuteness of it all, the children told the Christmas story in a way that allows all of us to cling to hope, even when we are afraid.

 

If you missed it or had trouble hearing some of the pageant, you can watch it here (the pageant starts at about 14:40). Or, you can read the poem that initiated the play and the script that follows here.

 

This weekend we will continue our Advent theme, “What do you fear? Insisting on Hope this Advent.” Sunday’s service will feature a special by our Handbell Ensemble, under the leadership of Deborah Fetterhoff, and after Saturday’s service we will gather in the Fellowship Hall for food and fun at our Synerjazz Christmas Party. It looks like another double-header weekend! 

 

Now, a word about Christmas Eve. In each of our worship services we will light the Christ candle from the flame of the Advent candles, then share the light of Christ, by taking the flame from the Christ candle and passing it to one another. The symbolism of this act is great. The Advent waiting and longing gives rise to the birth of Christ, just as the flame from the Advent candles lights the Christ candle. Then, each of us get to receive this light and pass it to others. What a beautiful expression of our life as a church. It is one of my favorite moments of the year to see the light spread from row to row as each of us becomes part of sharing the joy. And for the children, we will have glow sticks at each service.  

 

The 4:30pm Family Service will be centered around a question, “Who can God use?” I made a video of our theme song so that families can become familiar with it before the service. You can find it here. As we share the light of Christ, we will offer a way for the children to share their light in a unique way (that’s a teaser, folks!) Thanks to Jeff Elsten for his carpentry skills that will enable us in this service. 

 

The 7:00pm Lessons and Carols service, featuring our choir and a string quartet. Plan to hear and sing a lot of music, as we proclaim the joy of Christmas and share the light of Christ. 

 

The 9:00pm Synerjazz service will feature reflections on GNGJ – how the Good News of Great Joy disrupts our anxiety and brings us hope. We will welcome Rev. Lucy Stafford-Lewis as one of our guest speakers and will share the light of Christ as this service as well. 

 

See you in worship,

Mark of St. Mark

Second Weekend of Advent

 Friends, 

 

There are many things happening this week, next week, and throughout the foreseeable future. It is hard to keep up and can be difficult to make time for everything, even things that we want to be a part of. Let’s give each other the gifts of grace and understanding if we cannot manage to do it all, and let’s begin by offering that grace to ourselves. It helps to remember that nothing we do will make Christmas happen, and nothing that we don’t get done will ruin Christmas, because the good news of great joy is that Christ has come. We don’t make Christmas; we celebrate it as a gift beyond anything we could do. 

 

So, with grace abounding, let’s try to keep an overview of the season around us. 

 

1. Circling back, we are able to update the total of what we raised during the Alternative Christmas Market to north of $31,000. That is an astounding outcome for an event that was joyous in and of itself. 

 

2. Last weekend we began our Advent season surrounded by the beautiful installation from our Worship Commission, Christmas Eve Flowers that many of you are purchasing in honor or memory of someone, and with liturgy that we have purchased from our friends at “A Sanctified Art.” 

 

3. Tomorrow, we have our Blue Christmas service, with opportunities to light a candle in memory of someone whom we miss during this season, receive anointing and prayer for ourselves, and share the bread and wine of communion together. Also on Saturday, following worship, the Youth and Tweens will have a Christmas party in the Fellowship Hall. 

 

4. On Sunday our children will present an original Christmas pageant that Laura Mulchay and I wrote. It’s been the usual madness of trying to find rehearsal times amid holiday seasons, but you will be happy with this presentation of the Christmas story, and you will have an opportunity to be engaged in it personally. 

 

5. Next weekend, December 13^th/14^th, will have two special features, in addition to our ongoing Advent theme. On Saturday, following worship, we will have a “Synerjazz Christmas Party” in the Fellowship Hall. We have A LOT OF LASAGNE coming, so be sure to contact the church office and sign up to come. Then, on Sunday, our Handbell Ensemble will be performing, which is always a treat for us listeners and a lot of hard work for those ringers. 

 

6. December is when we collect the “Christmas Joy Offering,” one of the annual offerings that we gather on behalf of the Presbyterian Church USA. 50% of this offering helps smooth the path for current and retired church workers and their families in their time of need. The other half prepare students to learn and grow in faith at Presbyterian-related schools and colleges equipping communities of color.

 

7. And I hope you are planning to be part of our Christmas Eve services. We will have an interactive Family Service at 4:30pm, a Lessons and Carols service featuring our choir and a string quartet at 7:00pm, and a service led by Synerjazz at 9:00pm. Each service will feature sharing the light of the Christ Candle with one another. 

 

Add this all together, we are living into our Advent theme of “insisting on hope” even in times of fear. 

 

I’ll see you in worship,

Mark of St. Mark

Christmas in Verse and Pageantry

The following is a poem that I wrote of the Christmas story, which Laura Mulchay and I turned into the Christmas Pageant at St. Mark, which our children performed remarkably well on December 7, 2025. 

Hark, my friends, and you will hear 

 a story of hope for your lis’tning ear. 

It’s a story of darkness, a story of light, 

 a story of weakness, a story of might.

The story begins in a time long ago, 

 with people and critters I think you will know.

 

Once upon a time, lived an old priest named Zech, 

 who, with his wife Liz, was a bit of a wreck. 

They had not one child after long years of trying, 

 and spent many decades both praying and crying.

Then, out of the blue an angel appeared, 

 and Zech was frightened, shaken with fear.

“You’re having a son!” the angel proclaimed, 

 “and you’ll call him ‘John’ when he is named.

He’ll be God’s prophet, he’ll sing a new song! 

 He’ll show the right way to those who are wrong.” 

But Zech said, “We can’t! We’re too tired and old. 

  There’s no way this happens, the thing you just told.” 

And Zech’s tongue was tied, his voice was long gone, 

 until the son came and he did name him John. 

 

Next, we see Mary, who was young and engaged; 

 her heart was wide open, she was coming of age.

Then, out of the blue an angel appeared, 

 and Mary was frightened, shaken with fear.

“You’re having a son!” the angel proclaimed, 

 and you’ll call him Jesus the day he is named.

And Mary asked, “How? I’m not quite yet wed!” 

 The angel replied, “It will be as I said.”

And Mary agreed, she was faithful and fervent. 

 She said, “I am willing and I’ll be God’s servant.”

 

And then there was Joseph, a good enough guy, 

 betrothed to Mary, so young and spry.

It was all prim and proper, with sprinklings of bliss, 

 then he learned that she was carried a child that weren’t his. 

He thought to himself, “What will people say?” 

 He considered his options, how to put her away.

Then, out of the blue an angel appeared, 

 and Joseph was frightened, shaken with fear.

“Do not be afraid, don’t have reservation, 

 this child Mary carries is God’s a gift of salvation.”

 

The night of the birth, some shepherds were keeping 

 a flock of sheep, who mostly were sleeping. 

Then, out of the blue an angel appeared, 

 and the shepherds were frightened, shaken with fear.

“Do not be afraid, but be of good cheer,

 I bring you great news that you want to hear!

The very best news, to bring you delight, 

 a Savior is born, he is born on this night! 

Then, filling the sky, were angels galore, 

 together they offered praises and more.

“Give glory to God, let your songs never cease! 

 This child that is born is God’s gift of peace!” 

 

In lands far away wise people were yearning, 

 as they searched for signs that the world was turning. 

They were thoughtful and smart, gifted and gracious, 

 majestic and solemn and kind and sagacious.

Then, out of the blue a star appeared, 

 and the Magi were humbled, with reverential fear.

“Can this be at last, the one we have sought? 

 Could this be the end of the wars we have fought?” 

The Magi then journeyed as Isaiah foretold, 

 “Kings from the east will arrive bearing gold.” 

 

And that is the story, why these folks were able 

 to gather that night, in that little stable.

Now, many years later, we sing and we pray, 

 and share our own gifts for each Christmas day.

 

© Mark Davis, All Souls Day, 2025

Here is where the play picked up, written with Laura Mulchay

Angel: Okay, but WAIT! There is more: there is more to unfold

                Each one was frightened– those stories are untold.

                We want to ask them, “What were your fears on this day?”

        We can bring the angels, I want to hear what they say.

Narrator: Be my guest, wise sage, send these angels as guide

                Find out what fears these brave souls confide. 

Angel: Tell me Zech, and don’t be shy; 

                You were frightened and I want to know why.

Zech:       I worked so hard to do things right, 

                We’ve had ups and downs, but our end is in sight.

                For us to bring this child, who will then spread the Word,

                That’s the most frightening thing that I’ve heard!

Angel: When something is scary, don’t be a coward. 

                God has called you, so live by this Star Word: “Trust”

Angel: Tell me Elizabeth, and don’t be shy; 

                You were frightened and I want to know why.

Elizabeth: I’ve lived with purpose, with duty, and love

But childless I’ve been until sent from above

Will this promise really come true?

My fear is I’ll hope for something that will never come due.

Angel: When something is scary, don’t be a coward. 

                God has called you, so live by this Star Word: “Patience”

Angel: Tell me Mary, and don’t be shy; 

                You were frightened and I want to know why.

Mary: The honor is great, but think of my age; 

                I’m still very young and I’m only engaged.  

                This child brings hope and someone should bear it, 

                but I’m not so sure that I can actually dare it. 

Angel : When something is scary, don’t be a coward. 

                God has called you, so have this Star Word: “Courage” 

Angel: Tell me Joseph, and don’t be shy;

                You were frightened and I want to know why.

Joseph: I tried to be humble, I wasn’t looking for fame; 

                but if I fail in this journey, it will bring me great shame! 

                This is not the life story I could have foreseen, 

                And I’m not sure I accept it’s the true one for me. 

Angel: When something is scary, don’t be a coward. 

                God has called you, so have this Star Word: “Acceptance” 

Angel: Tell me Shepherds, and don’t be shy; 

                You were frightened; I want to know why.

Shepherd: We serve and protect the sheep in our care, 

                we face wolves and creatures that most would not dare. 

                But when all the darkness is suddenly bright, 

                you’d be scared too hearing “Hark!” in the night. 

Angel: When something is scary, don’t be a coward. 

                God has called you, so have this Star Word: “Wonder” 

Angel: Tell me Magi, and don’t be shy; 

                You were frightened; I want to know why.

Magi: We studied the skies and found a new star, 

                Scared and excited, we traveled so far. 

                Didn’t know if we’d be included, or rather, kicked out

                We were plagued by a deep seated Fear of Missing Out.

Angel: When something is scary, don’t be a coward.

                God has called you, so have this Star Word: “Welcome” 

Narrator: And so we learn from our friends who gathered on this night, 

                that when we are scared, God gives us great might.

                The birth of this child changed the world for eternity;

                Fear is overcome, with love for you and me. 

               

As it is written, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord."

And So It Begins

Friends, 

I hope you are still in the zone from a Thanksgiving Day filled with family and gratitude. However ambiguous its beginnings were, Thanksgiving Day can be a beautiful tradition, encouraging us to be thankful and count our blessings. It can be a time when families gather joyfully, and when many people engage in works of serving others. It is easy dismiss the holiday, given how crassly it has become the springboard to Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and (to salve the conscience a bit) Giving Tuesday, collectively known as the beginning of the “Christmas shopping season.” Whether you experience this weekend as a beautiful time, dread it as the beginning of a month of madness, or a little bit of both, I have good news to share. 

 

According to the liturgical calendar of the church, this weekend marks the beginning of Advent and, as such, the beginning of a New Year. Liturgical calendars are human inventions, so we ought not to overestimate their theological significance. They do, however, tap into something that is very meaningful – the rhythmic nature of life. We have seasons; our planet makes its way around the sun over and over; the earth spins, giving night and day; and so on. The span of human life itself has a rhythm, from birth to our own sunset years. So, while Liturgical calendars are human inventions, they can be valuable tools for a community like ours, enabling us to share a collective rhythm. 

 

So, let’s look at Advent, those four weekends prior to Christmas, when we stand in solidarity with those communities throughout history and the globe who have longed and prayed and hoped for a time when peace and justice prevail. This year, our theme is “What do you fear? Insisting on hope this Advent.”

 

We will acknowledge the fear that permeates the Christmas story – hence the repeated words, “Do not fear!” We will see how fears are consistently disrupted by the appearance of angels, stars, prophets, and even babies, carrying “Good news of great joy.” On Saturday, December 6, we will have a “Blue Christmas Service,” acknowledging that the good cheer presumed in so many Christmas songs can be elusive at times. On Sunday, December 7, our children will present a new Pageant entitled, “What Are You Afraid Of?” enabling us to hear the Christmas story anew. 

 

Each week, we will insist on hope by citing this Affirmation of faith: “We have seen the valley. We have seen a sky without stars. We have seen the longest night, and still we believe. We believe in a with-us God. We believe in the hope of tomorrow.

We believe that good news is louder than fear. We believe this good news is for all people. So even when our knees shake, even when our voice trembles, even when fear is all around us, we will hold onto that good news. We will reach for each other. We will look for God in our midst. We will sing songs of joy. We will proclaim: Unto us, love is born. We have seen the longest night, and we have seen unimaginable love. So still, we believe.” 

 

Let’s worship together, 

Mark of St. Mark

 

 

 

 

SNAP and the Call to Justice

 Friends, 

 

Some of you are not just alert readers, but also mathematicians who saw my glaring error last week. Thank you for your kindness and your correction.

 

Blessings to all of you who turned in pledge cards last week. If you forgot to bring yours, we will gladly welcome additional cards this weekend, or you may mail them to the church office as many others have done. If you want to discuss how pledge cards, stewardship, budgeting, etc. works here at St. Mark, I am happy to have that conversation with you, or to refer you to a member of our Finance Commission. We have been using the phrase, “Now, more than ever” to emphasize how the unique ministries of inclusion, justice, and environmental care that we emphasize here at St. Mark are under a lot of criticism today, even by many folks who allege to be representing the Christian church. 

 

This past Tuesday, our Deacons offered a lovely dinner that we call “Erika’s Feast,” where we invited representatives from all of the service organizations that we have been supporting this year. Now, more than ever, those organizations need our support.* Too many of the families at Martin Elementary School are living in anxiety that their heritage leaves them open to being taken by ICE. Friendship Shelter, a homeless services organization that we support in South County, is facing layoffs of staff because of dramatic changes in HUD funding. The LGBTQ Center OC representatives spoke about how their community is increasingly targeted by school systems and other branches of government that are vilifying trans persons at the behest of religious leaders. The work of inclusion, justice, and environmental care truly are needed now, more than ever.

 

And this weekend, we have particular reasons to be concerned. However you or I might feel about the politics behind the current government shutdown, as of midnight tonight SNAP benefits are scheduled to cease for the neediest families among us. SNAP stands for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which enables 42 million to feed themselves and their families. While each political party accuses the other of being responsible for this situation, unless last minute bipartisan action is taken, those families will be facing the kind of anxiety and decisions that none of us would ever want to face. 

 

In response, your Mission Commission decided last week to donate $25,000 to the Orange County Food Bank, contingent on whether a last-minute bill passes to continue SNAP. We will keep our eyes on the news out of Washington throughout the weekend to see if some action has happened. If not, we will issue the donation on Monday and discuss further action afterward. 

 

Some of you have also inquired into how you can step up if SNAP benefits are discontinued. There are two things that come to my mind, but I welcome more ideas from you if you would be willing to share them. First, you can go to this page and donate to the Orange County Food Bank. Among other things, they serve as a clearinghouse for soup kitchens, homeless service providers, and other worthy agencies in the OC. Second, if you want to take a long-term, advocacy track, you can go to this page of Bread for the World,  a Christian advocacy organization committed to ending hunger in the U.S. and around the world, which is advocating for restoring full funding to SNAP, which was dramatically reduced in a recent House budget bill. Both the immediate and the long-term action are important when it comes to food, a basic necessity of life.  

 

Now, more than ever, we are called to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly, both individually and collectively. You can answer that call by pledging your support and taking action. 

 

Mark of St. Mark

 

* The organizations our Deacons have been supporting this year: Glenn Martin Elementary School, Casa Teresa, OC Coast Keepers, Friendship Shelter, Inc., Patrick’s Purpose, Someone Cares soup kitchen, the Souper Bowl of Caring, Project Hope Alliance, SPIN (Serving People in Need), Human Options, and the LGBTQ Center OC,  

Giving Well

 Friends, 

This week our Finance Commission sent out a letter with an enclosed pledge card, encouraging each of you to make a pledge to support our church in 2026. For some people, the act of pledging is very familiar. For others, this FAQ page on our website may be helpful. 

 

It is a familiar question: How much should I give to the church? I truly wish there were a one-size-fits-all answer, as if the Bible were an instruction manual. Instead, it is an open question with several approaches, each of which have their strengths and weaknesses. I will name four approaches below, and throw in my 2 cents along the way. 

 

1. One could simply look at our projected spending, divide it by the number of members we have, and say, “this much is my part.” In round numbers, if our projection for 2026 is $1.3 million and we have 500 members, so we could say that we need $2,600 per year or $50 per week for each member. That’s an easy-peasy calculation, but it is misleading. Not everyone gives. Not everyone can afford to give the same amount. Not everyone should give the same amount, if we operate on Jesus’ principle, “To whom much is given, much is required.” At best, the calculator approach to giving simply shows us the relationship between our budget and our membership. It is the weakest approach to giving, in my estimation, because it ignores the wide variety of household incomes or net worth within any congregation. 

 

2. A more familiar approach to spending for many of us is the kind of “pay as you go” approach that we use at restaurants or theaters. Thirty years ago, someone sent me an article where an economist calculated that – relative to other “entertainment value venues” – the average churchgoer should pay about $22 per worship service. In today’s economy, that would be about $41 per service or $2,132 per year (because even if one doesn’t go every week, worship has to happen every week in order for it to be there when one does show up). This approach does not account for what happens outside of worship services, including our works of service and mission to the greater community, care for one another in times of pain, educational or fellowship activities, and so on. Those other “services” would need to be additional charges, and the church would end up looking like a cell phone provider with hidden and added fees. None of us wants that and such a transactional approach is contrary to the biblical notion of the church as a body.

 

3. My guess is that the practice most people follow is to make an adjustment to their giving each year, starting with what they have pledged/given for 2025 and increasing it by some percentage. The cost of living adjustment (COLA) set by the Social Security Administration for 2026 and is 2.7% so, if that’s a good indicator, a pledge of $5,000 for 2025 would be $5,135 for 2026. There is a lot to commend about this approach, especially from the perspective of family financial planning. But, just like employers who offer COLA increases each year discover, sometimes structural adjustments are necessary. Was the base from 2025 right to begin with? Was that base rate developed during a time of economic uncertainty or prosperity that is no longer in play? If we are attentive to the structural base, the incremental increase approach to giving can be wise and helpful. 

 

4. One biblical principle of giving is known as “tithing.” The word “tithe” means one tenth, so this too is a fairly easy calculation The principle of tithing was established in the Old Testament and applied to crops, herds, and other means of value and bartering. Along with the calculus of one tenth, there was an emphasis on bringing “firstfruits” and “firstborns” as sacrifices. Those gifts were often redistributed to the poor, widows, orphans, and others who may not have productive lands to sustain them. This principle for giving was taken quite seriously. The prophet Malachi referred to the act of holding back tithes and offerings as “robbing God.” Obviously, if we do the math on net worth or income, the number per member would end up being a lot more substantial than $2,600. 

 

I do not feel that the tithe is a biblically binding rule. But, in full disclosure, it is the approach to giving that Chris and I have aspired to follow throughout our marriage, with varying degrees of success. There is something liberating about declaring that what we have is God’s and 10% belongs to the greater good. It frees us from the bondage to accumulation that every commercial under heaven tries to instill in us. 

 

As I said, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to giving. The key approach should be less about calculation and more about seeing all that we have as a gift from God and, therefore, seeing ourselves as stewards of God’s gifts. With that starting point, we can discover that generosity is delightful. Let’s practice it together. 

 

Mark of St. Mark