Parish Life
Our Parish Life publication is your go-to source for all things St. Mark's Episcopal Church. Inside, you'll find details about Sunday services, formation and service opportunities, the choir, children’s programs, and much more. You can also pick up a printed copy in the Bell Tower or Parish House on Sundays!
Community Care
Caring for one another in community is part of who we are as the church. At St. Mark's, community care includes ministries of clergy and laity who respond to needs and concerns.
Let the Church Know
We want to know when something important happens in your life. At any hour, the easiest way to share a need, whether urgent or not, is by calling the church. After hours, our emergency call system allows you to leave a message for the priest on call, who can then be in touch with you. We welcome any call, for whatever reason a member is led to be in contact, and we value the deep relationships that form as we share one another’s sorrows and joys. You might request a pastoral conversation with a priest, or notify the church of a hospitalization. Our clergy love to be in touch, whether by phone or video call. Our clergy would love to visit with you, so don't be shy.
Ministry of Presence
When you welcome a child by birth or adoption, a member of the clergy will be happy to reach out and offer a blessing for the child. Clergy and Lay Eucharistic Visitors keep in touch with those who have difficulty getting out or who are in the hospital, and visit to share communion with them. The Community of Hope is a group of lay persons trained in the spiritual art of pastoral presence, who are available to serve as regular visitors for a period of time, such as a season of illness or bereavement. The Flower Delivery Ministry delivers smaller arrangements of Sunday altar flowers to share joy and encouragement with others.
Lay Eucharistic Ministers
Licensed members take the Holy Communion from worship services to those who are homebound. Call the church at 210-226-2426 for assistance.
Ministry of Prayer
Prayer is an important part of our care for one another. Names of members and relatives of members may be included in our Sunday prayer list with that person’s blessing; this list is public, and appears in our online bulletin. The Daughters of the King, an order of laywomen who have undertaken a Rule of Prayer, maintain an unpublished list. These names are prayed for daily, for as long as there is need. You may request a prayer concern be added to this list. Any person, whether member or not, may be included in the Sunday prayers for those who have died. Please call the church office to request an addition to our prayer list.
In Support of Mental Wellness
As members of the Body of Christ, we care for one another in times of gladness or sorrow. Heart surgery, the birth of a child, a bout of depression, a job change - any of these life events would call for the care and kindness of our faith community. We are learning how to support mental health needs as an aspect of our pastoral care for one another, building a culture of listening without judgment and connecting to the right kind of care. Our core vocation to feed those hungry for knowledge and meaning calls us to reflect and learn together. St. Mark's is part of San Antonio's Bridges to Care network, working with partners to "strengthen and sustain our community's ability to cope with and recover from the negative health consequences of personal and community crises." Several members of the St. Mark's community have undergone training to build capacity in the way we respond to mental health needs in our congregation and beyond. We are growing and discerning the ways we can support one another in body, mind, and spirit. Know that you have fellow parishioners who care about matters of mental health, who care about you, and who want you to have the support you need. We are invited into the healing presence of the risen Christ, and we bear witness to and for one another when we make space for health and fullness.
Frequently Asked Questions
1 / Where do I park?
Our main parking lot is at the corner of E Pecan and Jefferson, across the street from the church. We also have a smaller lot at the corner of E Pecan and Navarro. There’s no need to pay for parking on Sunday when you’re coming for a service. Handicapped parking spaces are available in both lots. From the Jefferson lot, cross the street and enter the church through the street-level double gates into Tucker Courtyard. Greeters will be there to help with the door and the lift to the Narthex if needed. If you’re coming from the Navarro lot, you can use the ramp at the E Pecan entrance to get into the church.
2 / I’m bringing my children. What options are available to them?
Children of all ages are welcome in the service, and we have activity bags available for them if you want to keep your children with you. Our Nursery for children up to age 4 is on the first floor of the Parish House beginning at 8:00 am and going through the end of the 10:30 service. All of our volunteers are trained in First Aid, child CPR, and have been fully vaccinated. Children in Kindergarten to 5th Grade meet together for Children’s Chapel on the 2nd floor of the Parish House for the first half of the 10:30 service. They will be brought up to Gish Hall about halfway through the service so that they can participate with you in the Eucharist. A Greeter or Usher will be happy to help you get your children to the correct room and get them checked in. You can also let us know they’re coming through our children's registration form below. Middle and High School students attend the whole service with you, and you’ll see kids their age serving alongside adults throughout the liturgy.
3 / What should I wear?
Some people dress up in their “Sunday Best”. Some people dress more casually. Wear whatever you’re comfortable wearing.
4 / I see there are two services. Are they the same?
Our 8:30 am service is smaller, quieter, and uses the Rite I spoken liturgy, the more formal of the two. We meet in our main worship space, the Nave. Also in the Nave, our 10:30 am service begins with a procession of our lay ministers, choir, and clergy, and use the Rite II liturgy. We sing from the 1982 Hymnal. When you arrive, an usher will offer you a bulletin. In addition to announcements for upcoming programs and events, the bulletin contains the full order of service, including suggestions for when to sit, stand, or kneel. In the Episcopal Church, you’ll see a lot of different expressions of worship, so please do whatever makes you feel comfortable. We suggest you plan to arrive about 15 minutes before the start of a service so you have time to get your bearings, take your children to the Nursery or Children’s Chapel if you want to, and even get a cup of coffee on the 1st floor of the Parish house before finding a seat in the church to enjoy the music and settle your heart and mind for worship.
5 / Am I allowed to receive Communion?
In the Episcopal Church, every baptized person is welcome to receive communion. When we celebrate the Eucharist together, we go forward to one of three areas at the front of the church to receive the elements. You’re free to stand or kneel to receive the bread and the wine (and we do have gluten free wafers available upon request in all three areas). Some people will drink directly from the chalice, some will intinct or dip their wafer in the wine, and others will choose to only receive the bread. How you receive the elements is up to you. You’re also welcome to come forward for a blessing if you don’t want to receive the elements at all. Or, you may simply stay in your seat to pray, sing along with the hymn, or take in the beauty of the space. If you have difficulty walking and would prefer to receive the elements at your seat, let the usher know when they come to your pew, and the elements will be brought to you.
6 / Do you offer Sunday School for all ages?
During the program year, we offer Adult, Youth, and Children's formation as well as nursery service during the 9:15 - 10:15 am formation hour. Adults congregate in Gish Hall (3rd Floor of the Parish House); youth meet in the Youth Suite (3rd Floor of the Parish House); children meet in Jerusalem Chapel (2nd Floor of the Parish House).
7 / Will I stand out as a visitor?
The short answer is, only if you want to. One of our practices as a community is “the gift of knowing and being known”. We do this by offering nametags for everyone at entrances to the building which you are free to wear or not wear. We took on this practice during Lent 2023 because with multiple services and many people on campus each Sunday, it was a great way for even our most established members to get to know each other. When Lent was over, we decided to make this an ongoing practice of our community. During the service, you’ll be encouraged to fill out a welcome card and bring it to the Welcome Table in the bell tower because we’d love to reach out to you to get to know you, answer questions you may have, and help you find ways to connect here when you’re ready. At the Welcome Table you’ll find our Parish Life Handbook that provides a lot more information about who we are and how we live out our faith together as followers of Jesus and a special gift just for you. This is also a great place to ask questions and even sign up for various events throughout the year.
8 / I’d like to get more involved at St. Mark’s. What’s the best way to do that?
If you haven’t already, let us know you’re here by filling out the welcome form below. On that form, you can let us know how you’d like to get involved and ask questions. The Community tab above will show you different opportunities to connect, grow, and use your gifts at St. Mark’s. Our weekly eNews is the best way to keep up with everything going on here at St. Mark’s. When you fill out the welcome form or a card on Sunday morning, you can let us know you’d like to be added to the mailing list, or you can sign up at the bottom of this page. eNews comes out every Wednesday afternoon. On Wednesday evenings, we gather as a community for Evening Prayer, dinner, Bible study, youth group, children’s activities, and one-off events and classes throughout the year. The less formal setting of Wednesday evenings is a great way to meet other people!