Participate

St. Mark’s is a uniquely social parish where we meet regularly for fellowship, religious education and just to have fun. You’re invited. Please come!

Participating at St. Mark’s

There are dozens of ways to get involved at St. Mark’s, including:

Kids & Youth

St. Mark’s has an active program for children that includes Sunday School, Youth Group, and an array of fun activities. Please note that safety is a top priority. All of our Sunday School teachers, youth leaders and clergy have completed the Episcopal Church child safety course, “Safeguarding God’s Children.”
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• Activities Bags at the main entrance of the church help keep small children entertained during church as we encourage their participation in the family service.

• Sunday School, for both kids and youth, directly follows our 9:00 AM contemporary family service. With snacks of course!

• Youth Group meets with Shane Totten, in the evenings for java and conversation at Starbucks. The teenagers also enjoy adventures like ice skating, Universal Studios Halloween Party, kayaking at Rookery Bay and exploring God’s creation in the Ten Thousand Islands, in addition to service projects, cleaning up the beaches and more. Our youth meet in Willis Ministry Center. If you have any questions concerning our Youth Program or Sunday School, please get in touch with Peggy Totten.

Religious Education

“An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ears of the wise seek it out.”
— Proverbs 18:15
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• Confirmation is the sacramental rite in which the candidates “express a mature commitment to Christ and receive strength from the Holy Spirit through prayer and the laying on of hands by a bishop”. For those baptized as infants or young children, confirmation is a chance to renew their commitment to Christ for themselves.

• Education for Ministry offers a four-year program developed by the School of Theology at the University of the South inviting laypeople to work though their questions of faith. This four-year course of study provides the framework for connecting faith to life by learning to reflect theologically on God’s involvement in the world.

• Sacred Ground is an initiative of The Episcopal Church, a long-term commitment to racial healing, reconciliation, and justice in our personal lives, our ministries and our society. St. Mark’s has hosted two Sacred Ground dialogue series. Stay tuned for next steps.

Bible Study Groups

• Women’s small group Prayer and Bible Study examines interpretations of Biblical texts and themes in relevance to everyday life.

• The Men’s Bible Study meets early for coffee and fellowship to discuss a variety of Biblical topics, books and sometimes sports and fishing.

Parish Life

Parish Life is the glue that holds this community together as we celebrate our life with God. To us, Parish Life is all about hospitality and taking care of each other. Joann Moe, a.k.a. ‘Mama Moe’ leads our fabulous Parish Life team and together they coordinate all parish social events like dinners, pot lucks, and coffee hour. Want to volunteer? Email Joann Moe.

Episcopal Church Women

Episcopal Church Women (of all ages and backgrounds) come together to be a ‘God-spark’ – shining and sharing the love of Christ, sponsoring fund raising events in addition to educational, spiritual and social programs which minister to women and children.

Coffee & Conversation

On Sunday after church parishioners gather to share a cup of coffee, and maybe a cookie or two, in order to catch up with old friends and make new acquaintances.

The Good Book Club

Meeting on Fridays under the leadership of Rev. Kathy Schillreff, The Good Book Club reads and discusses a wide-variety of current Christian and interfaith books in order gain a deeper understanding of God’s love for all people.

Cocktails in the Courtyard

Check the Calendar for social events, including our next “Cocktails in the Courtyard,” event, where we gather to chat and enjoy drinks and appetizers in our beautiful courtyard area.

Altar Guild

Altar Guild offers the ultimate welcome to God’s people by preparing the altar for worship. A well-arrayed altar and sanctuary each Sunday morning and at weekday services fills us with a spirit of joy and gratitude. Come join this quiet, prayerful ministry of beauty and holiness. Email Lorraine Corr to get involved.

The Order of the Daughters of the King

Known to many as the Order of the Daughters of the King (DOK) this group of women meet regularly to pray for others and guide one another along the spiritual path. DOK is a spiritual journey open to all women. Contact Grace Cheng for more information.

Blue-Zone Congregation

St. Mark’s is a Blue-Zone-certified congregation committed to improving the well-being and longevity of our members by promoting healthy choices in regards to diet, exercise, and spirituality. Get involved by joining one of our men’s or women’s walking groups—called Walking Moais—or by participating in one of our Blue Zone events.

Creation Care

As we are called by God to care for creation, we support policies that protect the natural resources that sustain all life on Earth, working to minimize the use of plastics, emphasize recycled materials, plant trees, conserve water, research composting and moving toward fully renewable energy in five years. Contact Jean Espisito and get involved.