In
addition to the regular Sunday and weekday services, there are
other services and Sacraments. For a description of some
of the more significant other services, click on one
of
the following:
Holy
Baptism
Holy
Baptism is the Scarament by which one becomes a Christian, a member
of the Body of Christ, a partner with Christ in the work of saving
the world, and an inheritor of the Kingdom of God.
It
is an event of importance and celebration both for the individual
Christian and for the whole church. Parents and godparents
who present children for baptism discover that their participation
has a profound effect on their own spiritual lives. Adults
who come to be baptized experience it as a crucial step in their
journey of faith.
Baptism
for children is celebrated several times throughout the church
year. Except in an emergency, baptism is normally administered
in the church at a regular worship service, usually on one of
four annual feast days in the church's calendar. Parents
and Godparents are asked to attend baptismal instruction before
the service. Anyone interested in this service should contact
a member of the St. Mark's clergy as early as possible.
Adults
are often baptized at the Easter Vigil. Adults contemplating
baptism may be expected to attend an Inquirers Class. These classes
are usually conducted twice a year. For more information
please contact the Church office.
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Confirmation
Confirmation
is the rite in which we make an adult profession of Christian
faith and receive strength from the Holy Spirit through the Laying
on of Hands by the bishop.
Baptized
persons who want to be confirmed in the Episcopal Church do so
by making a mature affirmation of faith and kneel before the bishop
in the service of confirmation. Those who have previously made
an adult affirmation of faith in a Christian Church of another
denomination may be received into the Episcopal Church by the
bishop. Confirmation for young people usually occurs during one
of their high school years. Adults prepare for baptism and confirmation
by attending classes presented by the clergy. Anyone interested
in this service should call the Church office for information.
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Holy
Matrimony
Holy
Matrimony is Christian Marriage in which a man and a woman enter
into a life-long union, make their vows before God and the Church,
and receive the grace and blessing of God to help them fulfill
their vows.
A
wedding in a church is not merely a festive and lovely occasion
to which an imposing building lends dignity and grandeur. It is
a service of worship in which a couple participates in a sacrament.
They make their covenant before God and receive the power and
blessing of God in the grace to keep their vows with fidelity
and steadfast love all the days of their lives.
For
those committed to undertaking marriage as a lifelong union supported
by God's grace, blessed by the church, conforming to Christ's
teaching, and living among God's faithful people, then a wedding
ceremony in a church is appropriate for you.
Getting
married at St. Mark's
St.
Mark's Church is available for marriage ceremonies when at least
one of the persons to be married is a member of this parish or
is an immediate family member of a parishioner.
A
member of St. Mark's clergy officiates at all weddings celebrated
here, except in the most unusual circumstances. Visiting clergy
may be invited to assist in the celebration at the invitation
of the bride and groom and in consultation with the officiating
St. Mark's clergy.
At
St. Mark's Church, weddings are celebrated at any time of the
year, except during Lent or other times when regular Church events
are scheduled.
For
more information, download a copy of the St. Mark's Wedding
Booklet and the Wedding
Information Sheet.
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Burial
(Funerals)
The
liturgy for the dead is an Easter liturgy. It finds its meaning
in the resurrection. Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we
too, shall be raised.
Our
burial liturgy, therefore, is characterized by joy, in the certainty
that "neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height,
nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to
separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."
This
joy, however, does not make human grief unchristian. The very
love we have for each other in Christ brings deep sorrow when
we are parted by death. Jesus himself wept at the grave of his
friend. So, while we rejoice that the one we love has entered
into the nearer presence of our Lord, we sorrow in sympathy with
those who mourn. (BCP page 507)
Baptized
Christians are properly buried from the Church. The service should
be held at a time when the congregation has an opportunity to
be present. The coffin is to be closed during the service, and
it remains closed thereafter. It is appropriate that it be covered
with a pall or other suitable covering. Except for memorial flowers
behind the altar, no additional flowers are normally displayed
in the church.
The
death of a member of the Church should be reported to the parish
office as soon as possible and the family should consult with
the parish clergy before final arrangements for the funeral are
made. The selection of the lessons and hymns are appropriately
made by the family during this time of consultation.
Types
of Service
-
A Funeral is the liturgy for the Burial of the Dead with the body
present, either in a coffin or as ashes in an urn. It is usually
held within a few days of the person's death.
-
A Committal at the graveside is a brief liturgy that usually follows
the funeral directly, but can take place sometime after if the
circumstances require it.
-
A Memorial service is a liturgy without either the body or ashes.
It can be held anytime from a few days to a few weeks after death.
At
all of these services, the lessons and any prayers requested may
be read by members of the family or other lay persons. During
the funeral, a homily may be preached by a member of the clergy,
preceded by remarks from the family or other loved ones if desired.
Additional
directions for the services are found in The Book of Common Prayer
on pages 468 or 490.
For
a copies of the burial planning document and burial service worksheet,
click here.
For information on the St. Mark's Columbarium,
click
here .
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Evensong
Evensong
is a sung service of Evening Prayer. It is one of the two
Daily Offices. There have been few changes in the structure of
the Evensong service since Matins and Evensong appeared in the
Book of Common Prayer of 1549. These two services evolved from
the cumbersome seven-fold medieval system of Canonical Hours.
The
reformers intended the new, simpler forms to bring worship to
all lay people as well as the clergy. Evensong was created by
Archbishop Thomas Cranmer (1489-1556) and is a fusion of the two
Monastic evening offices of Vespers and Compline.
The
great wealth of music composed for Anglican services reaches back
into the 1500's. This mysterious explosion of musical creativity,
wherein composers merged prose with musical beauty in a "Language
understanded of the People," is a unique gift to civilization.
