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THE COLLECT

O God, who for our redemption gave your only-begotten Son to the death of the cross, and by his glorious resurrection delivered us from the power of our enemy: Grant us so to die daily to sin, that we may evermore live with him in the joy of his resurrection; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

St. Mark's offices will be closed, Monday, April 2nd in observance of Easter Monday. A blessed Easter to all! 
He is risen, He is risen indeed!
The history of the Good Friday Offering reaches back to 1922 when, in the aftermath of World War I, The Episcopal Church sought to create new relationships with and among the Christians of the Middle East. From these initial efforts which focused on a combination of relief work and the improvement of ecumenical and Anglican relations, the Good Friday Offering was created.

Through the years many Episcopalians have found the Good Friday Offering to be an effective way to express their support for the ministries of the four dioceses of the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East. Pastoral care, education and health care continue to be primary ministries through which the reconciling spirit of the Christian faith serves all in need. Participation in this ministry is welcome.

The generous donations of Episcopalians help the Christian presence in the Land of the Holy One to be a vital and effective force for peace and understanding among all of God’s children.

To make a donation to the Good Friday Offering, please write a check payable to the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society, write "Good Friday Offering" in the memo line, drop off in the collection plate or mail to:

DFMS – Protestant Episcopal Church US
P.O. Box 958983
St. Louis, MO 63195-8983

Please be generous in your Good Friday giving!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
For the Walk for Good Food
(formerly the Hunger Walk)

Please see Jeff Brown if you are interested!
Man Cave Thank You!
Thank you to all who helped make Man Cave a HUGE success! Everyone enjoyed chili, hotdogs, card games, foot care & wonderful spa treatments!

Special thank you our awesome volunteers: 
  • Mother Sue
  • Father Christian
  • Sharon Bossemeyer
  • Bea Rocco
  • Deanne Jennings
  • Garth, Jane, Maclin & Harrison Stidolph
  • Paul Raschke
  • Jane Kotarski
  • Hope Reformed Youth
  • Gordon Wiersma
  • Chuck Bocksey
  • James Mc Norton
  • Katie Johnson
  • Neil Stieger
  • Owen Stieger
Parking for Sunday Services

Street Parking is available on Pearl, Ionia, Lyon, Fountain and other streets near the Church. 

Parking is available in the Parish’s lot, the upper and lower levels of the GRCC building on the corner of Division and Lyon (access from Lyon) and the Ellis Parking Lot at 210 Ionia just west of Lyon Street. 

For the GRCC building on the corner of Division & Lyon (lower level) the gate will automatically rise when you enter and exit. 

For the Ellis Lot - Please, pick up an exit ticket from an Usher, a Greeter or at the Front Desk of the Parish House. Parking is free. A green ticket is required to accompany the parking ticket and to exit the lot.
First Sunday Food Collection

The downtown Food Pantry provides an emergency supply of food and personal care items to people in need. Our local pantry is at Westminster Presbyterian Church. This pantry is open on Tuesday and Thursday. We encourage you to bring non-perishable food items on the first Sunday of every month to help support our neighbors in need. Not sure what to bring? Here is the Pantry’s Top 5 List of items needed most: Peanut Butter, Canned Tuna, Canned Chili, Canned Beans and Jelly.
 
Join us Sunday, April 8th for lunch at Bangkok Taste after the 10:30 service. This is a chance to meet and spend social time with other members of St. Mark's. Childcare is available downstairs (they will have pizza and supervised fun). 
 
Join the children of St. Mark's in the 2nd Annual Easter Egg Hunt held on the front lawn of our church! Free to attend and will start at 12Noon, following the 10:30AM Festival Holy Eucharist.
Come and join St. Mark’s in the 21 st century! Effective immediately, you can pledge or make your weekly donation electronically. It is a free, convenient service that will help with your financial planning! Please contact Pam Stevenson, our bookkeeper at 456-1684 ext 21 or by e-mail at PamS@stmarksgr.org if you are interested in electronic giving.  

 “Each one must do as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that you may always have enough of everything and may provide in abundance for every good work.”
2 Corinthians 7-8

 
Liturgical Arts Ministry

We have delighted in the new Lenten banners and are excited about the new Easter banners which are being crafted for the Easter Season. Hard work and dedication on the part of the new Liturgical Arts Ministry! If you would like to help with the cost of the materials for this ministry please mark your donation for the Liturgical Arts Guild. 
The Walk For Good Food (formerly called the Hunger Walk) is fast approaching and will take place on Sunday, May 6th at 2:30 pm.

We know that many of you enjoy a good walk with friends, so think about joining your friends from St. Mark’s to walk so that others may eat. ACCESS supports our Breakfast Cafe so having a good team to support their efforts to raise funds would be a kind thank you to them. Look soon for a link on our website that will allow you to register. We will also sign folks up after church during the month of April. Another way you may help is to consider a business sponsorship of this event. There are sponsorships at many levels. The $150.00 “Ground Breaker” level offers your business name recognition on the walk web page and on social media blasts. Our church office will have more information on sponsorship levels if you are interested. Thanks so much for your support of this event at any participation level that may work for you.
All-Ministries Meeting
April 12 from 7pm to 9 pm

Major celebrations of the Parish will be enhanced if ministries work together. To that end, we have scheduled an All-Ministries Meeting for Thursday, April 12, 7 – 9 p.m. in the Parish Hall. 
Each Ministry of the Parish is asked to send one or two representatives who bring with them
  • 1) the Ministry’s fall calendar
  • 2) any big project that is planned that would benefit from collaboration with another ministry. 
Major upcoming celebrations include: Celebration Sunday, Sept. 9; Parish Picnic, Sept. 16; Parish Anniversary Celebration, Oct. 20 or 27; Bishop’s Visitation, Dec. 16. 
If you have any questions, please, see the All-Ministries Team: Fr. Christian, Catherine Frerichs, Jackie Taylor.
The meeting will be open to all parishioners who are interested in participating.
Sustaining St. Mark’s Ministry in 2018

Thanks to all who sustain our ministry together at St. Mark’s with pledges and offerings. We have pledged $425,550 toward our common life in 2018.  Last week, we received $12,091 contributions in  
                                         pledges and offerings.  

                                 R eceived YTD                      Needed                    Difference
YTD Contributions:         $ 188,705                        $  146,681                    $ 42,024
A reminder that we gratefully received pledges at any time throughout the year. (Pledge cards and envelopes are available on the resource table in the church, which can be given as cash, check, or direct deposit.) Want more details about the Parish’s giving or finances? Please email questions to Finance Manager, Pam Stevenson pams@stmarksgr.org or our Treasurer, Sharon Buursma sbuursma@msn.com .
 
Join us on Sundays for
Faith Formation
9:15am—
Childcare (Nursery, lower level) available for infants - kindergarten
Children's Choir Rehearsal (upstairs children's chapel) for 1st-6th graders. No audition, all are welcome.
We Make the Road by Walking (upstairs Youth Room) for High School - Adult. Overview of the whole Bible, organized around the traditional church year.
Devotional Book Group (Canterbury Room, main floor) for adults. Exploring faith and spiritual practices.


10:30am—
Childcare (Nursery, lower level) available for infants - 2 years
Preschool/kindergarten (Activity Center, lower level) chapel and formation for ages 2 through kindergarten.
Elementary (Main classroom, upstairs) chapel and formation for 1st through 4th grades.
Middle (Youth Room, upstairs) formation for 5th through 8th grades.
Assisting Worship This Sunday


A copy of the Assisting Minister Schedule, through January, is now available at the Parish Office Coordinators desk. If you are unable to serve in the role listed, or if the above information is incorrect, please contact the coordinator of your ministry (listed below), or the office. Also, if you feel called to any of these ministries, you are encouraged to speak to the coordinator or Father Christian. 

MC/Chalicer/Healing Minister:  Father Christian Brocato or Margaret Stretton
Crucifer/Acolyte:  Mark Lee
Greeter/Welcome Minister:  Brenda Holland
Usher:  Tom Burr
Altar Guild:  Margaret Stretton
Lector:  Margaret Stretton
Social Hour: Laura Kozminski
The names of those in need of prayer will remain on this list for two months, and then will be removed. If after that time, you wish to continue having them held in prayer, please contact the Church Office . 
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  St. Mark's Episcopal Church
134 N. Division Avenue
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Office#: 616-456-1684