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Almighty God, whose loving hand has given us all that we posses:
Grant us grace that we may honor you with our substance,
and, remembering the account which we must one day give,
may be faithful stewards of your bounty, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
St. Mark's is always looking for ways to connect with the needs of the world as we live into the Baptismal Covenant and our promise to seek and serve Christ in all persons and strive for justice and peace among all people.
The Vestry of St. Mark's budgets for our contribution to the Millennium Development Goals. The Outreach Committee suggests where the money will be given. The 2008 contribution was given to the Christian Care Foundation for Children with Disabilities in Thailand.
The Miniature Earth Project from the Sustainability Institute will give you an idea of why St. Mark's contributes to the Millennium Development Goals.
 St. Mark's is partnering with the Church of the Guardian Angel to provide food and clothing for the homeless population in the Remington area of Baltimore. One of our food baskets will be taken there. They need canned tuna, peanut butter, spaghetti sauce, canned meats, and cold cereal. They also need used, but clean, men's underwear and socks. Check here and in the announcements for changes and additions to the list.
The Stitchers will join in this ministry, knitting and crocheting hats, scarves, and lap robes for the winter.
Please bring only what is on the list.
 During the summer we collect school supplies for the children in the Remington area and provide additional supplies for the Homework Club throughout the year.
At Christmas, we help stock the “Christmas Store” for parents in Remington to give their children a happy Christmas.
To learn more about the work Guardian Angel does in Baltimore and of additional ways you can support this ministry, see Beth Trollinger.
All Year Projects
 We encourage everyone at St. Mark's to sponsor a child. Download a brochure for details and information on sponsorships or pick up a flyer from the Outreach table. The children's photos are displayed on the map on the St. Mark's in the World bulletin board in the Parish Hall. Add your child's photo to the map.
DreamBuilders
St. Mark's largest outreach ministry is
DreamBuilders,
an interfaith community of teens and adults building homes for those in need. This ministry includes members and friends of St. Mark's, Trinity Waterloo, Ascension Westminster, St. John's Ellicott City , and Temple Isaiah. DreamBuilders has built homes in cooperation with Habitat for Humanity in West Virginia, New Mexico and Mississippi and rehabs homes locally for The Arc of Howard County. In 2008 DreamBuilders is joining Habitat of Albuquerque on a building trip to Guatemala and taking an exploratory trip to Panama. In 2009 Dreambuilders plans to add Panama to the list of places where we build.
If you are interested in learning more about DreamBuilders, talk with Lisa Ghessie or John McBeth.
Seafarers' Center
St. Mark's MDG Scholarship Fund
 Our Ghanaian Scholarship Student is Theresa. She is 13 years old and has 3 brothers and a sister. We hope to provide uniforms and books for additional children through Ghanaian Mothers' Hope and to send gifts to Theresa and her siblings at Christmas.
 
Contributions to the scholarship fund should be made out to St. Mark’s with “Scholarship Fund” in the memo line.
To learn more about Theresa and her family and the scholarship fund, talk with Beth Mitchell.
Grassroots
 Grassroots, the Howard County Crisis Intervention Center, also receives food. They can use canned goods, cleaning supplies, paper products, school supplies, diapers.
Please remember - no glass containers.
Beth Trollinger heads this ministry.
We also provide supper on the 2nd Friday of the month for the 20 plus people sheltered at Grassroots. The suggested menu is Sloppy Joes, Chili, or Hot Dogs, Buns and/or Rolls, 5 Cans of Vegetable (corn), 1 gallon each of Cider and Punch, and 4-5 bags of Cookies. The food is taken already cooked to the shelter at 6700 Freetown Rd in Columbia by 4:45 pm. Sign up at the Outreach table. St. Mark's will reimburse you for your expenses if you wish.
To learn more about feeding the homeless, talk with Muriel Bradley.
Stitchers
The St. Mark’s Stitchers make
sweaters, caps, and mittens for children in Baltimore at
The Ark, wool caps and scarves for Seafarers and Guardian Angel,
and prayer shawls for the sick and shut-ins.
and
The Stitchers meet every Monday evening and every 3rd Saturday.
Eddie Humphrey heads the Stitchers.
People Acting Together in Howard County (PATH)
Together with other religious communities in Howard County,
we are members of PATH,
People Acting Together in Howard, an IAF affiliate, organizing people
for change. To see PATH's "
Affordable Housing Facts and Myths" and the accompanying
slide show narration.;
For information about PATH and how you can join in advocacy and action, talk with Madeleine+ or Farrell McAfee.
Other Projects
The Ark
 We work with The Ark, a preschool for homeless children run by Episcopal Community Services of Maryland. We supply paper cups for the children to use when they brush their teeth. The Stitchers knit and crochet sweaters, caps, and mittens.
To volunteer at the Ark, contact Mary Buchanan, Director of Volunteer Services, at 410-467-1264 or mbuchanan@ecsm.org
Christmas Boxes
 We pack Christmas Boxes for the Seafarers in Baltimore and give gift cards to Grassroots.
Lenten Program
 We participate in the Diocese’s Lenten Program. In 2008, the program was Bread for Itipini and we raised over $300.
Fill the Ark
 We "Fill the Ark”, a month-long project sponsored by Heifer International. This program is a “four-week voyage into real solutions to world hunger” during which we learn our role in helping hungry people feed themselves.
Crop Walk
 We walk the Crop Walk, an opportunity to raise money to feed the hungry here in Howard County, Maryland and the world.
Camp Amazing Grace
 We sponsor campers at Camp Amazing Grace at the Bishop Claggett Center.
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If you are interested in this working with the children at Camp Amazing Grace, see Madeleine+.
Project Leaders
Project leaders and contact information for all Outreach projects may be found in our Directory on our Contacts page.
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