St. Marks Episcopal Church Welcomes You!

We are so glad you found your way to Saint Mark's Episcopal Church. If you are new to the Episcopal Church or new to St. Mark’s then we are looking for you and would love to get to know you.

Please see the section below for information about the response of St. Mark's to the COVID-19 virus. 

BELOW YOU WILL FIND RESOURCES FOR OUR "VIRTUAL CHURCH" - LINKS TO THE SERVICES AND GATHERINGS ARE IN THE BOX TO THE RIGHT

Children Ministry Videos >
Wednesday Evening Prayer Service >
Tuesday in Holy Week >
Bulletin: Sunday Service of Morning Prayer >
Hear Sermons >
Palm Sunday Rebroadcast >

VIRTUAL HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE

Wednesday, April 8  -  7:30pm Evening Prayer 

Thursday, Aril 9  -  12 noon, Brown Bag Bible Study:  Deconstructed Communion with questions and answers.  Bring any and all questions related to Communion and our Brown Bag Bible Study will be half teaching and half conversation.

Friday, April 10  -  Noon, Good Friday Service

Saturday, April 11  -  THE COLLECT FOR HOLY SATURDAY

     O God, Creator of heaven and earth: Grant that, as the crucified body of your dear    Son was laid in the tomb and rested on this holy Sabbath, so we may await with him the coming of the third day, and rise with him to newness of life; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Sunday, April 12  -  Easter Day!  10:30am.  We will gather over Zoom and celebrate the Resurrection with a service of Morning Prayer.

A few notes:  

*  Sunday Service begins with a few minutes of "visiting" or a "virtual" coffee hour.

*  Invite your friends and neighbors

*  Sunday services are recorded and posted on the Website

*  Links and information are always found here on the website

 

ST. MARK'S RESPONSE TO CORONA VIRUS and SERVICE CANCELLATION

The following is from The Rev. G. Willis Logan, Rector at St. Mark's:

17 March 2020 (updated 4/05)

Dear Friends

I am writing to update you on our revised schedule to help slow the spread of the Coronavirus.  I am convinced that this is the most graceful and appropriate response to this deadly virus.  I am grateful for your patience and the counsel of our Senior and Associate Wardens. 

Let us all continue to pray for our leaders, those who are at high risk, and our community (and the world).  See below for more prayer resources.

 Updated Schedule of Activities and Worship:

All in-Parish meetings and activities are canceled until 30 April and will worship virtually for the foreseeable future.

Morning Prayer will be broadcasted and recorded over “zoom.”  We will be adding some music, and Gina will be creating a bulletin for everyone to follow along. Look for this information on the Thursday before each Sunday.  Please contact Gina if you want help setting up “zoom.”

•      The Botetourt Food Pantry will continue to operate under revised directions (drive-up only) that ensure practically zero contact and a heightened sanitizing protocol. 

•      The Schedule for Holy Week will be:  Maunday Thursday Noon Bible Study on Zoom, Good Friday service on Zoom at noon and Easter Sunday Service at 10:30am.  Please join us!

Pledges and Gifts:   We remain so grateful for your support and thank you for your continued contributions!  You may drop off checks at the office or mail them.  Below you will find some information for online giving and let Sue know if you need any help setting this up.

  Pastoral Resources:

I will not be making pastoral visits except on a case by case basis.  This decision is especially hard for me but given my exposure from traveling and my wife’s vocation, it seems prudent for me to enforce this social distancing.  Please call, text or email with any pastoral concerns/emergencies, and we will decide how best to approach it.

I will be working my regular M-Th schedule, and in celebration of the beginning of my fourth year as your Rector, I will be calling through the membership to say, “Hi!” – I’d even love to facetime or skype with you. 

Sue will be in the office sparingly, but please limit your visits to moments of necessity.  Gina is working from home.

Website and Mailings:

We have updated the website with two new buttons on the right side and will add the most recent sermon as it is available:

• New Shortcut buttons on the Right Side:  Virtual Church Links, Palm Sunday, Give to the Church
• We will post a rebroadcast of each Sunday Virtual Service by Sunday afternoon.  The current one is on the website.  We will post on Facebook as well.
• Online giving!  We have added an online giving button to the website (many thanks for all of your support!) and Gina or Sue would be happy to help you set it up.  It even allows for monthly giving.
• Under the “We Care” section of our site we have added a link to more information about COVID-19, Episcopal Church Prayers and practical information. 

We are mailing this information to those who do not have easy access to the internet.  

In closing, we are praying about the best way to serve and love each other in this time of quarantine.  Please invite your friends and neighbors to join with our online communities and contact me with any ideas or thoughts.  Our “We Care” ministry will be offering some suggestions on ways to break the social isolation and for us to remain connected.

We all remember that it is Christ who connects us through His Death and Resurrection.  His broken body was given for us, and we have been marked as His own forever.

Pray with me for the whole world.

Call or email me with any questions or if you want to talk.

With Love,

Willis 

SPECIAL FOOD PANTRY INFORMATION

The Botetourt Food Pantry will operate at normal hours Saturday 9:30-12:00.  But the distibution will be done  as a drive thru process.  Clients will be asked to stay in their cars and volunteers will bring the food out to you.  Food will be already boxed up.  We ask clients and volunteers to stay home if you have any symptoms.  We appreciate your patience.  We want to keep our volunteers and clients safe.