Rev. Bret Lorie

The 17th Annual Interfaith Action of Evanston Thanksgiving Eve Service will take place at 7 p.m. at St. Mark's on Wednesday, November 25. The Keynote Speaker will be The Rev. Bret Lortie.  The Rev. Bret Lortie is senior minister of the Unitarian Church of Evanston, Illinois, and a chaplain and search and rescue pilot with the Civil Air Patrol. An Interfaith Choir will be led by St. Mark's very own David C. Plank, Associate for Music Ministries.  If you want to sing with the Interfaith Choir - and we hope you do - please send an email to  [email protected] .  A free-will offering will be collected to benefit Interfaith Action of Evanston.  

In our ongoing rotation for Thanksgiving Day worship, this year's Thanksgiving Day Eucharist will take place on Thursday, November 26 at 10 a.m. at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 939 Hinman Avenue, Evanston.

This Sunday's Lay Ministers
Thank you to the following parishioners for sharing their time and talent with the congregation this week. If you would like to become involved, please contact Pastor Debra at [email protected] . 

Hand Bell Choir
The Ringing Continues! - St. Mark's hand bell choir rehearses most Sundays from noon until 12:30 under the direction of David Plank. New ringers are welcome to join at any time! For more information or questions, contact David at [email protected]  

One of the beautiful ways in which we mark the difference between the season of Advent and the joyous celebration of the Feast of the Incarnation is in the way we adorn our sanctuary. All are invited to help us create a festive display by contributing money toward poinsettias (any funds beyond what is needed for poinsettias will go to the ongoing upkeep of our landscaping). Contributions may be given in memory of a loved one or in thanksgiving or honor of someone special. There are forms available for this purpose in the Parlor or from the church office. The requested minimum donation is $20 per name. After our Christmas celebrations, the plants are delivered to our homebound parishioners and to others in the community to enjoy. Please make checks payable to St. Mark's Episcopal Church and indicate "Christmas Flowers" in the memo line or place cash in an envelope clearly marked Christmas Flowers. Requests to remember or honor loved ones in this way, must be in to the church office no later than Sunday, December 13.

Calling all young people - toddlers through high school! It's time for us to prepare St. Mark's Christmas Pageant. This year we will begin rehearsals on Sunday mornings from 9:30 - 10:15 a.m. on November 29, December 6, 13, 20.  A final dress rehearsal will take place on Wednesday, December 23 at 3 p.m. and the pageant will be part of our Christmas Eve worship on Thursday, December 24 at 4 p.m.  David Plank and Pastor Debra hope that all of the young people at St. Mark's - and their friends - will take part.  Please e-mail Pastor Debra at [email protected] to let us know if your child will be part of this year's pageant.  If you are not going to be at worship on Thursday, December 24, we still invite and encourage your young person to join in the preparations.  If you would like to help with costuming, please contact Patty Acha at [email protected].

Waiting and Refreshment Wednesdays
Each Wednesday from 7 - 9 p.m. until Christmas, St. Mark's will open its doors for "Waiting and Refreshment Wednesdays." On these evenings the sanctuary will be open for quiet meditation, rooms will be set aside for book reading or crafting or playing non-electronic board games - things that in our hurry to "get one more thing done" often get set aside when, in fact, we might be better served when the world around us says DO MORE to make more time to DO LESS. We hope you will join us. Just come and be. Don't do. Don't come because you 'have to' or because you 'ought to' but because you want to in order to refresh yourself in response to the culture around you. Our hope is that with the expanded season of Advent, we may come to the celebration of Bethlehem with a clearer understanding of why we are embarking once again on the annual pilgrimage of the liturgical year.

This weekend retreat for all youth in Grades 6 - 12 will take place January 16 - 18 at Grace Episcopal Church in Oak Park.  The focus will be on the Bible - what's in it, why we should care, and how we should read it. During the retreat, the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation is read aloud in 72 hours! The reading is voluntary and participants take turns reading in shifts around the clock. In addition, MIQRA participants play wacky games, watch a movie, worship with fun and lively music. Participants will attend engaging workshops on various biblical topics and hear clergy speak about the Bible. Those who attend will also meet with a small group several times to make friends and talk about what they're discovering about the Bible through the event. To learn more and to register, click here.