Upcoming dates for your calendar:

• Saturdays: Calming the Waters - @ 10 AM , Book Club @ 3 PM
• Sundays: Worship - @ 9 AM and 11 AM
• Wednesdays - Seeing and Believing Study @ 10 AM , Healing Service @ 12 PM

FOOD COLLECTION NEXT SUNDAY

 This holiday season, St. Mark’s is partnering with HELP of Beaufort and several area churches and organizations to provide Thanksgiving meals for approximately 600 local families. We are collecting 200 boxes or bags of instant potatoes through November 8. Donations can be brought to church on Sundays or dropped off at the Center. Please keep these donations separate from our other food collections on Sunday, November 1. Thank you for helping our neighbors enjoy a bountiful Thanksgiving meal!

CALMING THE WATERS

Join us Saturdays at 10 a.m. at St. Mark’s for Calming the Waters, a mindfulness and movement series open to everyone, regardless of faith or calling. Led by Kevin de l’Aigle, a certified yoga teacher, each session offers an opportunity for loving kindness, peace and centering prayer. Sessions include breathwork, light seated movement and guided meditation. No pretzel shapes required! No experience is necessary, and you don’t have to be a yogi to join us. Come as you are and enjoy this opportunity for peaceful reflection, movement and blessed community.

CRAFT SALE FOR A CAUSE

Join Jack and Chris Nietert at St. Mark’s on Sunday, November 1, for a special craft sale! Browse a variety of handmade crafts perfect for Christmas gifts, or find something unique to enhance your home. Even better, 100% of all sales will benefit the Zariki School in Tanzania, making this a wonderful opportunity to support a meaningful cause while shopping locally. The sale will take place after the 9 a.m. service and before and after the 11 a.m. service. Stop by, explore the beautiful creations, and help make a difference in the lives of students in Tanzania. Your purchases will bring a little extra joy to your holiday season while supporting a worthy ministry!

SEEING AND BELIEVING STUDY

Join Jack Nietert for Seeing and Believing, a four-session course exploring the connections between faith, art, and understanding through visual and verbal reflection.

The inspiration for this journey began with a monoprint Jack created called The Tree of Life, inspired by an Armenian cross in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem and a keynote address by the Rev. Donnel O’Flynn at a South Carolina clergy conference. The address explored the Cross as the Tree of Life.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jack had time to reflect more deeply on these theological ideas. With the help of his wife, Chris, an artist who served as his artistic consultant, he developed these reflections into a book titled Seeing and Believing. What began as a single artwork grew into a larger story and an exploration of new ways to approach faith, comprehension, and understanding.

The class will meet on Wednesday mornings at 10 a.m. on October 28 and November 4, 11, and 18. Participants are encouraged to sign up in advance to ensure they receive a copy of the book. To register, email Jack Nietert at jcnietert22@gmail.com or the church office at office@stmarksportroyal.org. Jack looks forward to sharing this journey of seeing, believing, and discovering together.

THE REV. DEACON KEN KRAFT IS RETIRING!

Through consultation with Bishop Ruth, Deacon Ken will be retiring from parish ministry. His last Sunday with us will be November 22. We will have a reception for him between the services and the loose offering that Sunday will go to support the KAIROS prison ministry with which he has and will faithfully continue to work. Ken has been with St. Mark’s since the very early days and our communal life has certainly been enriched through his faithful service. Come help us celebrate his ministry on November 22!!

 BOOK CLUB

The St. Mark’s Book Club meets next on Saturday, October 24, at 3:00 pm at Jane Abram’s house, 902 Madrid Ave, Port Royal. We’ll discuss Chapter 7, “The Alchemy of Tears,” of Richard Rohr’s The Tears of Things.

To help you prepare, RJ Gaines has put together a two-page briefing on the chapter. It gives the history behind the texts Rohr draws on, including the fall of Jerusalem that produced the Book of Lamentations. It also includes the questions we’ll discuss, with links to a piece of music that speaks to the chapter. If you’re joining us, please do listen to that piece of music ahead of time!



All are welcome! If you’d like to join the Book Club or have any questions, please contact RJ at rjgaines11@pm.me.

WHY SHOULD YOU PLEDGE DURING

THE ANNUAL GIVING CAMPAIGN?

Pledging is a tangible way of expressing your faith by giving of your resources in a way that reflects your values. Annual pledges fund St. Mark’s budget and support all our ministries.

The Vestry bases the year’s budget on written pledges, which make up 91 percent of St. Mark’s income. The remaining 9 percent comes from non-pledged gifts, the offering plate, the Oyster Roast, and flower fund. The goal for the campaign is $470,000 in pledges for the 2027 budget, which reflects a hold-the-line budget (allowing for inflation) from the 2026 budget. As of this week, 26 families have pledged $116,000. Fourteen people increased their pledge. If you need a pledge card, there are extras at the doors of the church and on the nametag table on Sundays. You can also stop by or call the office. We will wrap up the campaign on Sunday, Nov. 8, so that the Vestry can begin finalizing the 2027 budget.

ALL SAINTS' DAY

ALL SAINTS' DAY As we prepare to celebrate All Saints’ Day in November, St. Mark’s Parish will remember and give thanks for those we have loved and lost.



We invite you to submit the name of a member of our parish who has died this year, or of a beloved family member or friend whom you would like us to remember during our All Saints’ Day worship. You can contact the church office or email Missy at missy@stmarksportroyal.orgwith the names or fill out the form below. Together we will honor their lives and give thanks for the love, faith, and memories they shared with us.

NEWCOMER'S RECEPTION

St. Mark’s annual NEWCOMER’S RECEPTION will be hosted by our vestry and parish staff on Sunday, Nov. 8 from 3 – 5 pm. This is an invitation to those who have visited or attended our services for the first time over the past year. It will be a wonderful opportunity to meet the church leaders, connect with other members and learn more about life at St. Mark’s.

All newcomers that have filled out their contact information will be receiving an email with more specifics from Jane Abrams (843-441-1879). If you would like to attend and have not given us your contact information, please fill out a card available on the greeters table and we will be in touch. We look forward to extending the hand of faith and community with each of you.

PRIDE SERVICE

On Saturday, November 14, St. Mark’s will join the Lowcountry Pride Festival in Port Royal for a day of celebrating the dignity, beauty, and belovedness of our LGBTQ+ siblings. We’ll host a booth at the festival from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., followed by a special Pride service at St. Mark’s at 5:30 p.m., with a reception afterward.

Why are we doing this? Because our faith calls us to it. As Episcopalians, we believe that all people are made in the image of God, beloved by God, and welcome in God’s house. In our baptismal covenant, we promise to respect the dignity of every human being. At St. Mark’s, we take that promise seriously—not simply as words we say in worship, but as a way of living our faith in the world.

We want our LGBTQ+ neighbors to know that they are loved, valued, and celebrated—not merely tolerated. We want them to know that St. Mark’s is a safe and welcoming community where they can bring their whole selves and encounter the love of God. Participating in Pride is one way we put our baptismal promises into action and make that welcome visible.

Come be part of this joyful witness! We need volunteers to help staff our festival booth, set up and take down, assist with the reception, and serve in various lector roles during the service. Whether you can offer an hour or help throughout the day, your presence matters.

To volunteer, please contact Carter Hoyt at choyt@stmarksportroyal.org.

Let’s show our community what it looks like when the love of Christ is lived boldly, joyfully, and without exception!

PILGRIMAGE 2027

What if the journey you're longing for isn't about seeing something new, but learning to see everything differently?

For thousands of years, people have walked in search of something: healing, clarity, connection, gratitude, or a deeper understanding of themselves and the world.

The Camino de Santiago is one of the world's most enduring invitations to do just that. But pilgrimage is about more than reaching a destination. It's about awakening to the journey itself.

The crunch of gravel beneath your feet. The salt air on your skin. The taste of a meal shared with friends. The sound of wind moving through the eucalyptus forest. The extraordinary beauty of an ordinary moment, suddenly seen with fresh eyes.

What happens when we slow down, engage our senses, and make room for wonder?

We might discover that the sacred was never as far away as we imagined.

This April, Little Coracles invites you to walk the Portuguese Coastal Way to Santiago de Compostela—not simply to see the world, but to experience it anew.

We will walk. We will notice. We will wonder.

Come walk with us. Come wonder with us.

April 15–27, 2027

Discover the journey by clicking the link in the comments.

Rising Together Capital Campaign Update

We are celebrating the success of the diocesan Rising Together Capital Campaign, which has surpassed its primary goal by raising more than $3.3 million! Thanks to the generous support of congregations and bishops across The Episcopal Church, we have reached this important milestone. Now, the campaign is turning its attention to a stretch goal benefiting St. Christopher Camp and Conference Center on Seabrook Island, which has already reached 10%. If you have not yet given, now is a wonderful time to participate; if you have already contributed, please consider whether you might be able to stretch your support a little further. Please remember to prioritize your congregation’s annual campaign first. Pledges may be made over time at a level of your choosing, and every gift makes a difference. See more details below.

GIVING STATEMENTS

Quarterly giving statements were emailed on October 10, 2026 to all contributors with an email address on file.

If you did not receive one and want to be certain you receive one for the end of the year, please contact treasurer@stmarksportroyal.org with updated contact information.

WE ASK YOUR PRAYERS FOR: Mary Bryan, Bonnie Connolly, Molly Wolford, Linda Jones, Duane Twenge, Mike Domby, Jim Sweeney, Hollis, Ann Frias, Amy Christian, Patty Crower, Clydette McDaniel, Catherine Guerrero, Steven Sonders, Gary MacNew, Molly Ferguson, Nicolas Nehf, Bill Crower, Palmer Jones, Glenda Jones, Caroline

Bambard, Lori Pinkham, Carol Whitworth, Valeria Emmett, Rick Kroncke, Patrick Numair, Diana Domby Howell, Anne Errington, Jeff Fahrner and Wendy Moore.

PLEASE PRAY ALSO for friends of St. Mark’s parishioners: Rhonda Adams, Nadija Peterson and Selia Fields (our two St. Mark’s scholarship recipients), Adam, Barbara Atkins, Tom Tull, Gary Mc Graw, Rev Brian Pearson, Will Guerrero and Jesus Ramirez.

REIMBURSEMENTS AND CHECK REQUESTS

We are grateful to the many faithful volunteers who make expenditures or engage services on behalf of St. Mark’s and you deserve a process that makes it easy for you know what information is needed and to submit requests for checks and reimbursement utilizing either electronic or traditional methods as you prefer. Please see the details of reimbursement and check requests BELOW.

ONLINE GIVING - NEW LINK

It's easy and convenient to keep up with your pledge online.

Just click the red box below and follow the prompts.

Sunday Worship

Holy Communion at 9 a.m and 11 a.m.

(Livestream available at www.stmarksportroyal.org)

Children’s Sunday School and nursery care (for ages 3 and under) are offered in the St. Mark’s Center during the 11:00 a.m. service.

Midweek Worship

Join us for a Hope and Healing Service each Wednesday at noon.

Click the icons below to follow us on Facebook, Instagram or get to our website!

Parish Office

phone: 843 379-1020 email: office@stmarksportroyal.org

Office Hours

Tues., Wed., Thurs. 9 a.m.- 2 p.m.

Mailing address:

PO Box 761

Port Royal, SC 29935