Confirmation and Reception to the Episcopal Church

Join us in celebrating:

Jon Hiskes, Jake Solomon and Bryan and Catherine Molloseau!

Sudanese Grace Church

Tomorrow at 4 p.m.

This Saturday, 4 of our participants from the recent Episcopal 101 course will be confirmed or received. All are welcome to attend, at 1550 Oswego St NW.



We want to recognize all members who completed the recent Episcopal 101 cohort: Madison Crume, Joe Granger and John LoPorto, Jessica and Josh Harris, Jeff and Stacey Martin, Madeleine Snella and Erik Westenbroek-Alar. Their dedication to the study and growing together in spirituality and community is a blessing to our church.

Happy Mother's Day!

This Sunday we will offer a Mother’s Day blessing and carnations at both Services in honor of all those who mother - present, loved from a distance, or passed.

Vestry Rector Search Update

We expect to be able to announce details about our new rector on Sunday at both Services!

Then watch for a special eNews to our members and other subscribers on Monday. 

The United Thank Offering was a great (& grateful) success!

Thank you to Jeff, Nancy, Sandie, the Flower Ministry and everyone who helped rejuvenate this tradition of UTO gratitude boxes.

Easter Photos

If you took any pictures during Easter Sunday at church, please send them along. We're looking for everything from our children singing, to the egg hunt and more. ~Jeff

From the Life of the Church

Easter joy with the Dunnick family! Jenn, Matt, Henry, Charlotte and Eleanor

Any photos you'd like shared with the congregation can be emailed to Kate (or send her a Google Photos shared album invite or Drive link).

Book Swap, May 18

Parish Life is hosting another book swap for all ages. A table will be set up in the Parish Hall before the Social Hours. Please bring up to the maximum of three books (of any genre) to share with other readers in our community. Feel free to take one or more books home with you. It is a great way to find some new gems for your collection.



Memorial Day

Nursery Care will be available on May 25, but Sunday School will not.

The church office will be closed on Monday the 26th. 



Graduate Recognition & Celebration, June 1 - Calling all Graduates!

Please get Kate and Jeff your graduate’s name, grade level, the school they attended, and if they will attend a different school. Info due by Wednesday, May 21.

The recognition will be during the 10:30 a.m. Service and Social Hour. We'd love to recognize those heading to middle school, high school, college, and those graduating with advanced degrees.

Baptisms on Pentecost, June 8th

We are delighted to have two candidates for the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. The next opportunity will be All Saints’ Day in November. Contact Fr. David if you have a candidate of any age considering Baptism at Pentecost.

The Creation Care Ministry at St. Mark’s is hosting an informational event on June 17 for Solarize GR, a City of Grand Rapids initiative to help homeowners save money on solar by bringing neighbors and community members together to buy solar in bulk. The more people who come together to buy solar the better the group discounts, so if you are considering adding solar to your home or just want to learn more about solar, save the date and join us. Contact Steve Mulder, steven.mark.mulder@gmail.com, with any questions. 

Safety and Security Ministry Monthly Topic

In a kitchen, car, restaurant or theater, this two minute video can help you save lives:  Stop the Bleed.

There Is Power in Showing Up

Can you commit 8-10 hours a year to support the work of Together West Michigan?  We’re not asking you to chair a committee, go to weekly meetings or meet with public officials (though you might choose to!) but there are a few times a year when TWM leaders from St. Mark’s need parishioners to show up and become informed allies. 

Your Vestry (the governing board) met Tues., April 22.

We are happy to report healthy finances that are within our budget for the year.

We were excited to hear updates from our Building Project Committee and Kennari Consulting Firm.

To access last month's approved minutes, visit our vestry site. 

All staff, Vestry and volunteers in contact with vulnerable youth or adults must re-certify with Safe Church every 3 years. For the online, self-directed platform, reach out to Kate or Jeff for instructions.

Zoom opportunities for this training are forthcoming from the diocese.

St. Mark's partners with Westminster's Downtown Food Pantry. Items needed for May are pasta sauce (canned preferred) and pasta.

St. Mark's Volunteers:

St. Mark’s relies upon a significant volunteer effort to fulfill its mission – within the congregation and in the community. There is an online form to see volunteer opportunities you can fill out to alert staff and ministry leads. If you prefer a more personal option, do not hesitate to reach out to Mike or Kate, 616-456-1684. Thanks to all our ongoing volunteers!

Clothing Donations: The Outreach Ministry welcomes donations of belts, jeans, shirts and sweatshirts, coats, socks and warm weather items, to be given out to our unhoused neighbors at Breakfast Café. There is a basket in the coat room for these.

Downtown Food Pantry: Just bring your cans or boxes to church with you and leave them by the basket just inside the Sanctuary doors. ~Outreach Ministry

Sunday Services at 8:00 a.m. and at 10:30 a.m. (recorded live)

Healing Prayer during Holy Communion, near the piano in the South Transept

Mid-week Eucharist at noon on Wednesdays from September-May

St. Mark's Episcopal Church is a growing, welcoming, and affirming community of faith in a vibrant urban community. In our worship and in our service to the community, we proclaim that all people are worthy of God's love. We celebrate and uphold the dignity of all people whose ethnicity, cultural heritage, and denominational traditions are examples and celebrations of God's love. We welcome visitors and parishioners from all social, political, and educational backgrounds, and all abilities, sexual orientations, and gender identities. We affirm all people and celebrate diversity, as we work to fulfill God's love for all people as a community of faith.  

Parking and Restrooms on Sundays

Please respect the handicap parking spaces at St. Mark’s, especially on Sundays. These are needed by many parishioners.

Consider the free metered parking on Pearl, Ionia, Lyon, Fountain and other streets near the church. The small Kendall College lot across Division from the church is available when the gate is open. Paid options include the upper and lower levels of the GRCC building on Fountain Street, and the Ellis Parking Lot at 210 Ionia just west of Lyon Street. For Sundays only, white validation tickets for the Ellis lot can be found from an usher or greeter.

Main floor restrooms are limited. The second floor has additional restrooms.

St. Mark's Episcopal Church

134 N. Division Avenue

Grand Rapids, MI 49503

616-456-1684

https://www.stmarksgr.org

https://www.facebook.com/stmarksgr/

officeadmin@stmarksgr.org

Background image credit: Angel Pattern Vectors by Vecteezy