A basket will be available for good-will offerings. Contributions from this event, Wednesday night Lenten dinner offerings, and another grant will go far in purchasing clothing for homeless North Thurston Public School students. Contact Margit if you love the thrill of a bargain-hunt and would like to help with school shopping in mid-August.

Thanks to Bob Brigden for getting water to most of the potatoes and 2/3 of the raised beds.  The new beds on the North sides do not have irrigation yet as a few parts are on order.  Please water the north beds if they look dry!

Thanks to the many hands which have made gardening this year a true pleasure.

The book jacket states, “Millions of Christians have struggled with how to reconcile God’s love and God’s judgment:  Has God created billions of people over thousands of years only to select a few to go to heaven and everyone else to suffer forever in hell?  How is this “Good News?”

Troubling questions – so troubling that many have lost their faith because of them.  Others only whisper the questions to themselves, fearing or being taught that they might lose their faith and their church if they ask them out loud.

But what if these questions trouble us for good reason?  What if the story of heaven and hell we have been taught is not, in fact, what the Bible teaches?  What if what Jesus meant by heaven, hell, and salvation are very different from how we have come to understand them?

What if it is God who wants us to face these questions?

Author, pastor and innovative teacher Rob Bell presents a deeply biblical vision for rediscovering a richer, grander, truer, and more spiritually satisfying way of understanding heaven, hell, God, Jesus, salvation, and repentance.  The result is the discovery that the ‘good news’ is much, much better than we ever imagined.”

I hope you will get the book and join us starting June 3rd!

Immediately following the 10am-11am last session, we will have an informal lunch potluck in the church lounge from 11am to noon.

We will also have some discussions about what subject material we want to study next fall.

Mike D. ran the tractor, Wade M. constructed the beds ahead of time, and Frank K. brought them to the church on his trailer.  Other work party members included Milt O., Chuck and Pam C. , Gary D., Gail F. and Jim S. along with some new community gardeners.

All of the raised beds are now taken, and most of them are already planted.  Please take the time to stroll through the garden each week to see what is growing.  Below is a slideshow of the garden as of May 8th.

We will be having every Wednesday evening gleaning parties in the garden.  All ripe produce on Wed evenings will be picked from all the beds, as well as the pea patch.  We will need lots of hands to make this work through-out the summer.  We also hope to have worship, educational classes, and cooking demonstrations so watch the website, and the Grape Seed for upcoming events!

• Laurel's beautiful tulips!

   

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• Laurel's unbelievable artichoke

   

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• St. Mark Community Garden May 8, 2012

   

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• New potato plant surrounded by WEEDS!

   

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• St. Mark Community Garden - Northend

   

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• New raised beds at St. Mark Garden

   

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• New Arbor under construction

   

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• New apple trees as centerpiece on North end of garden

   

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• April 28th work party to place raised beds

   

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• Huge Chard growing since last year

   

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• Sunday School planted an Herb Garden as centerpiece

   

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• Work party April 28, 2012

   

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• Laurel weeding the Pea Patch

   

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• Work Party pictures April 28, 2012

   

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• Raised beds constructed by Wade on Frank's trailer

   

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• Earla's bed has the best start!

   

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• St. Mark Community Garden new raised beds

   

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It was a glorious, sunny day for St. Mark’s celebration of Earth Day. Approximately a dozen Sunday School children and adults gathered in the St. Mark Community Garden on Sunday, April 22, to plant a herb garden. The children enjoyed smelling the fragrant herb leaves and then digging holes to plant them. Without question, the most excitement was generated when a host of earthworms of various sizes were discovered when digging in the rich, warm soil. Each one was shown off, nurtured and then returned to the soil to do their job of aerating the soil and adding nutrients. The center piece of this new herb garden is a 3/4 size old wine barrel planted with various ornamental plants and creeping rosemary. The herbs will prosper in the full sun and automatic irrigation provided by low-volume, water efficient drip tubing. The herbs will be harvested throughout the summer, fall and winter and taken to the Thurston County Food Bank. The director of the food bank is excited to be able to offer these herbs, which will greatly increase the diversity of products available to food bank clients. Thanks to the Sunday School teachers, assistants, parents and Jim S (photographer) for a fun event to honor our Mother/Father Earth.

Those who attended the April Seniors Together meeting had a wonderful time learning about spring flowers and plants. Gail told all about planting potatoes in the “Great Outback,” and Mavis gave good flower gardening tips – even demonstrating the use of a pot for colorful blooms. The pot was won by a drawing – Pastor Paul got to take it home.

May brings to our attention Mothers’ Day on the 13th, and Memorial Day on the 30th. Surely you have memories of picnics, family dinners, or community celebrations on those days. Bring your memories to the group on May 8 and let’s share them.

“When Kristin Kimball left New York City to interview a dynamic young farmer named Mark, her world changed. On an impulse, she shed her city self and started a new farm with him on 500 acres near Lake Champlain. Kristin and Mark’s plan to grow everything needed to feed a community was an ambitious idea, and a bit romantic. It worked. Every Friday evening, all year round, over a hundred people travel to Essex Farm to pick up their weekly share of the ‘whole diet’ – beef, pork, chicken, milk, eggs, maple syrup, grains, flours, dried beans, herbs, fruit, and 40 different vegetables – produced by the farm.”

The Dirty Life follows the couple’s first year and even includes a few recipes. Join us on May 29th; bring a dish to share and ideas for any books you’d like to see the group read in the future.

Contact Cathy for directions to her home.

Each of the 3 methods has its own advantages. Method 1 has a full month of reading lists but requires you to scroll through the Grapevine to find it. Method 2 has reading lists for only the next 8 days, but you can get to it by a single click on the St Mark website. Method 3 contains a full year of reading lists but requires 2 clicks and a scroll on the St Mark website plus an additional click and two scrolls on the ELCA website.

Beginning Crochet will be taught by Margi, our own in-house, gifted needle artist. We will have crochet hooks and yarn available for use; feel free to bring your own supplies as well. (A “G” hook is a good size to begin with.)

Joyce, an accomplished seamstress, will teach us how to Make a Patchwork Potholder which you will be able to take home with you. We will have fabric scraps, hot pad fabric, and some sewing machines available. Feel free to bring some of your own supplies such as fabric, scissors, sewing machine, thread, needles, etc.

If you have a sewing machine you’re not sure how to use, bring it along and we’ll see if we can help. We can’t make repairs, but we can probably figure out how to thread the machine and bobbin, adjust minor tension problems, replace the needle, etc.

Those of us involved in the St. Mark Crafting Group are each passionate about some area of handwork and are excited to have the opportunity to share these interests with others. Join us for a morning of fun and learning. There is a sign up at the church so we can get an estimate for supplies and refreshments; however, if you wake up on the 5th, realize this is a great way to spend Saturday morning, please join us, whether you’ve signed up previously or not!