St. Mark's Church
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St. Mark’s Church has a long tradition of charitable giving and community involvement. Through its Outreach & Christian Justice Ministry, it provides financial and volunteer support to a dozen community organizations as well as several stand-alone missions within the parish. Based on congregational input, our primary focus areas are: hunger and poverty, education and justice, domestic violence, and the healing of racism. While food and shelter needs are critical, we also work on long-term goals of Christian Justice—helping people develop the skills they need to lift themselves out of poverty and to advocate for change in policies and attitudes that keep people marginalized. As a congregation, we promote the understanding of social issues within the parish as well as support LGBTQ issues, including proudly flying the rainbow flag on the front of our church building.
Worship times
Ministries
Hunger and Poverty
Breakfast Cafe -- St. Mark’s parishioners serve breakfast to as many as 200 of our downtown neighbors every Sunday morning in our parish hall.
Spa Days/Man Cave – We host downtown neighbors for fund, food and personal care several times a year.
Access/Hunger Walk – We participate in the annual Hunger Walk and also contribute funding.
Westminster Food Pantry – Food and funding God’s Kitchen – Funding for this program that offers food to downtown neighbors six days a week.
Kids Food Baskets – Multi-generational snack basket filling party, funding
Dwelling Place – Volunteers for apartment prep, funding
Arbor Circle – programs for homeless youth; funding
Heartside Ministries –We provide funding and GED tutors for this community program for downtown neighbors
Education and Christian Justice
East Leonard Elementary School -- St. Mark’s has “adopted” this public school 1-1/2 miles from our church. We provide volunteers on a weekly basis for tutoring, mentoring, project assistance and snacks.
Explore and Soar Reading Club –funding this summer reading program
Domestic Violence
Safe Haven –funding for this shelter for victims of domestic abuse
Transitional Housing – funding for housing assistance
Healing of Racism
St. Mark’s Healing Racism Ministry helps the congregation engage in healing the sin of racism by:
- Increasing parishioner awareness of the sin of racism;
- Promoting racial healing for ourselves and others
- Developing and presenting an annual plan of activities that encourages our whole parish to continue our Christian journey for better understanding and healing.
Sacred Ground Race Dialogue Circles
Sacred Ground is dialogue series on race, grounded in faith. Small groups are invited to walk through chapters of America’s history of race, racism, and whiteness while weaving in threads of family story, economic class, and political and regional identity. The 10-part series is built around a powerful online curriculum of documentary films and readings that focus on Indigenous, Black, Latino, and Asian/Pacific American histories as they intersect with European American histories.
Sacred Ground is a resource coming out of Becoming Beloved Community, The Episcopal Church’s long-term commitment to racial healing, reconciliation, and justice in our personal lives, our ministries, and our society. This series is especially designed to help white people talk with other white people, while being open to all racial/ethnic groups. Participants are invited to peel away the layers that have contributed to the challenges and divides of the present day – all while grounded in our call to faith, hope and love.
134 Division Ave N
Grand Rapids, MI 49503-3103
United States