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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.
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 will go to the Christian Care Foundation for Children with Disabilities in Thailand.
St. Mark's is always looking for ways to connect with the needs of the world as we together seek and serve Christ in all persons and strive for justice and peace among all people.
All Year Projects
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 will go international, joining Habitat of Albuquerque on a building trip to Guatemala. In 2009 Dreambuilders plans to add Panama to the list of places where we build.
Adopt-a-Child
We encourage everyone at St. Mark's to "Adopt a Child". Download a brochure for details and information on sponsorships. The children's pictures are displayed on the map on the St. Mark's in the World bulletin board in the Parish Hall.
Seafarers' Center
We collect magazines and men’s clothing for the Baltimore International Seafarers’ Center.
St. Mark's Scholarship Fund
All year we collect money for the St. Mark's Scholarship Fund which benefits children in MDG countries. Contributions should be made out to St. Mark’s with “Scholarship Fund” in the memo line.
Food Bank
We collect food for the Howard County Food Bank. We take the food to the Food Bank located at 6751 Columbia Gateway Drive, Columbia, MD 21046.
Please remember - nothing in glass containers.
Stitchers
In addition to knitting for the chidlren of Afganistan through the Afghans for Afghans international knitting project, the St. Mark’s Stitchers make sweaters, caps, and mittens for children in Baltimore at The Ark and prayer shawls for the sick and shut-in.
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.
Other Projects
The Ark
We work with The Ark, a preschool for homeless children run by Episcopal Community Services of Maryland. Our Sunday School children assemble dental hygiene kits for the children and their families. These kits include toothbrushes, floss, toothpaste, mouthwash, paper cups, and books about teeth. We also supply paper cups for The Ark.
Christmas Boxes
We assemble Christmas Boxes for Operation Christmas Child, an outreach project of Samaritan’s Purse International Relief. We also deliver Christmas Boxes to the Seafarers in Baltimore and giftcards to Grassroots.
Lenten Program
We participate in the Diocese’s Lenten Program. In 2008, the program is Bread for Itipini.
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.
Camp Amazing Grace
We sponsor campers at Camp Amazing Grace at the Bishop Claggett Center.
Kits for Kidz
Before school begins, and throughout the school year, we join with Kits for Kidz to provide backpacks and school supplies for children in Howard County.
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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