Update from Council: Shifting protocols for in-person worship

St Mark’s Council met on Tuesday, January 4, to discuss the surge in Covid cases in Delaware and our safety response at St Mark’s.

After a lively discussion we decided to continue having in-person Sunday worship as well as the 10 a.m. Winter Forum for Sunday January 9, 16 and 23rd — with the following restrictions:

There will be no live music. John Lasher, director of music and worship arts, has pre-recorded music that we will use during our services. We are also asking worshippers not to sing.

We are requiring that everyone sit 6 feet away from other worshipping family groups.

We are asking that everyone wear a medical-grade paper mask. We will have them at the church for all those who do not have one. If you prefer a cloth mask, we ask that you wear the paper mask under your cloth mask. These restrictions are for the safety of the people around you.

We will use Communion Kits only. For now, we will not go to the altar for communion.

The Winter Forum will continue as scheduled as long as our presenters are comfortable with our restrictions. Chairs will be socially distanced in the Great Room.

I know this is not how we want to participate in our Church Life at St Mark’s, but the Council believes that for the next few weeks, until this surge is over, these restrictions will enable us to be together, in person.

Admittedly, there is still risk and I can’t guarantee you will not be infected. If you have been exposed to Covid or exposed to people who are unvaccinated please stay home. If you do not feel safe; please stay home. We will continue to have worship services online. We will also have recorded Winter Forum sessions on St Mark’s YouTube site.

There will be information in the coming weeks concerning the Annual Meeting currently scheduled for Sunday, January 30.

Thank you,

Kitty Dombroski

President, St Mark’s Council

News & People

Holy Week services

March 23, 2024

Holy Week is a precious and momentous time for the St. Mark’s family and all of our siblings in Christ. It is the week we commemorate the death and resurrection of Jesus, our Lord. We start with Palm Sunday, which recalls a day of public acclaim for Jesus. On this day, we will gather for our traditional service at 8:45 a.m. and our contemporary service at 11:15 a.m. See the full schedule by clicking “read more.” If you cannot join us in-person, most services will be live-streamed on our YouTube channel. Links are included below for each service.

GriefShare group to start March 4 at St. Mark’s

February 11, 2024

If you’ve lost a loved one, you know the anguish and the hollow place that once was filled with that precious person. How does life even work when such a powerful bond is severed? Cecilia Cronk knows these feelings. She lost her husband, Homer, in 2018, after 54 years of marriage. Three months after Homer died, Cecelia decided to join a GriefShare support group. She knows the strength it provided for her and the value of the connections made in those meetings, with others who understood. Now she is helping to start a GriefShare group at St. Mark’s. The group will start its first 13-week session at St. Mark’s at 7 p.m., Monday, March 4. “Going to GriefShare meetings was such a comfort after Homer died,” Cecelia said. “I learned that it is OK that my grief journey was not the same as everyone else’s.” Read more to learn how to participate.

Worship with us during this Thanksgiving and Christmas season!

November 11, 2023

A special season is fast approaching! Here are our plans for worship throughout Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve. On Tuesday, Nov. 21, Pastor Kelley will participate in the Community Thanksgiving Service at Holly Oak Calvary Methodist Church, 1511 Philadelphia Pike, Wilmington. The service starts at 7 p.m. On Saturday, Dec. 2, St. Mark’s will host an Advent Prayer Vigil in our sanctuary from 8:30 a.m. to noon, offering time for prayerful meditation on Advent, the coming of the Christ. Meditative Advent music will enhance the experience and an Advent Prayer Guide will be supplied. On Christmas Eve, Sunday, Dec. 24, we will share in a joint worship service with our neighbors at 10 a.m. at Presbyterian Church of the Covenant (503 Duncan Road). Later, we will host Contemporary Family Worship at 4 p.m. and a traditional candlelight service at 8 p.m. On New Year’s Eve, Sunday, Dec. 31, we will host a joint worship service in our sanctuary at 10 a.m.

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