Embracing Joy in the Easter Season

Two Soul-Fueling Community Opportunities This Saturday

Together West Michigan Assembly

this Saturday, 10 am-noon

Details below and optional RSVP here

Earth Day Birthday at Plainsong Farm in Rockford

this Saturday, 1-4 pm

Creation Care Ministry invites you to celebrate Plainsong Farm's Birthday and Earth Day. There will be cake, nature crafts and learning opportunities! Hope to see you there! 

Optional RSVP plainsongfarm.com/experiences.

Announcements & Celebrations

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.  One of those times is April 26th from 10AM-12PM.  Please review the flyer above and sign up. You’ll learn:

• What’s keeping people up at night
• What’s being proposed to address those concerns
• How the united efforts of the 18 or so organizations that make up TWM can really make a difference.

From the Life of the Church

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).

United Thank Offering (UTO) Ingathering, May 4

You will be invited to place your UTO Blue Boxes into the hollow cross during both Services.

Participants are invited to bring their UTO Blue Boxes forward to the cross during the Offertory at both Services. There is still time to join in; we have Blue Boxes available at the Welcome Desk.

"If I were asked to write a tagline for UTO, it would be ‘building better Christians and building a better world’.

The second part is pretty self evident— every cent donated to UTO goes to support worthwhile projects here in our country and throughout the world— “serving the least of these”.

But, what about the ‘building better Christians’ part? To me, the more we observe and respond to the bounty that we receive from God every single day, the closer we come to being the mindful and generous followers that God wants us to be. And UTO is built around using thank offerings as an expression of gratitude. I am thankful for this church family and for UTO."  ~ Nancy

Feeding America Food Truck, May 8, 4–6 pm

At our partner school Gerald R. Ford Academic Center on Hall St.

It's a busy and fun volunteer role, and you may end up with extra food available to take home.

To volunteer, contact Scot, s.gugle@comcast.net.

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.

Our new rector discernment process is ongoing. We are so grateful for the hard work of the Search Committee. Please continue praying for this confidential process. We will share news when we can confidently do so. 



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

Building Project Update

We have been in communication with five different construction companies about responses to our construction management RFP. The last of five did a walk through the building this week and we will have all proposals by the week of April 29th. The Building Planning Team will meet with our architects to review them and recommend a vendor to the vestry. 

We anticipate choosing a construction firm and project manager by mid May. We will then work with the chosen firm to set up an initial construction schedule, realizing that it will be adjusted as we progress through the project. We will communicate with the congregation as that work moves forward.



We will continue to work with local foundations and sources of public funds to help ensure broad financial support for the project.

Safety and Security Ministry Monthly Topic

What would / should you do if ...?  

Click this link for some great advice from expert Colonel Jeff Cooper.

Together West Michigan (TWM)

Looking for a place to invest your energy for or anxiety about social justice in our local community? Contact Deacon Jan, another TWM member or Kate to link up.

Campus Ministry Every Wednesday 11-1 through Holy Week

Students continue to be fed at St. Mark's, in more ways than one. Are you interested in hosting a lunch, volunteering, or serving as a point of contact for this program? Please email Laura Kozminski. Program partner is United Campus Christian Fellowship, a partnership ministry program supported by local Presbyterian, Lutheran, Methodist and Christian Reform congregations.

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 April are pork, beans, ravioli and chili.

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