Author, public theologian and leadership coach Rozella Haydée White opens the 2026 series of “Aging Grace-Fully” programs on Thursday, July 30. These livestream presentations and conversations are focused on the physical, mental and social challenges that come with growing older. Join us to hear her talk and then share in a discussion. With more than two decades of experience in nonprofit and church leadership, White brings both pastoral depth and strategic clarity to conversations about faith in wilderness seasons. She writes and teaches about spirituality that sustains leaders over the long haul — spirituality rooted not in performance, but in presence. White is the author of Love Big: The Power of Revolutionary Relationships to Heal the World and a contributor to multiple publications exploring leadership, justice, womanist theology, intergenerational wisdom and embodied faith. White obtained her Master of Arts in Religion with Honors from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (now United Lutheran Seminary) and Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and African Studies (Cum Laude) from Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas. She received her Certification in Youth Ministry from the Center for Youth Ministry at Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa. She completed four units of chaplaincy training with Emory Center for Pastoral Services in Atlanta, Georgia, and is a certified disaster chaplain through the National Disaster Interfaith Network.
Join us at the Bellefonte Christmas Stroll!
Experience the warmth of the season on a holiday stroll filled with small-town charm, Christmas delights and the joyful spirit of community!
Come and join us for the Bellefonte Christmas Stroll, from noon to 3 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 13 on Brandywine Boulevard in Bellefonte. The event is sponsored by St. Mark’s Lutheran Church and the Shops of Bellefonte.
The afternoon will include:
– Visits with Santa at the Brandywine Hundred Fire Company station (noon to 3 p.m.)
– Carolers strolling the streets
– Entertainment by local performers
– Holiday refreshments at each shop
– Donations of children’s winter clothing (ages K-5) will be collected
Hope to see you there!
Christmas Bazaar returns Dec. 6!
Save the date and join us for St. Mark’s popular Christmas Bazaar, which will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6.
You’ll find unique handmade gifts and crafts, gift baskets, delicious soups and baked goods, floral arrangements, a fun Lionel train display and much more! A small collection of “white elephant” items also will be available — and who knows what you’ll find there?!
All are welcome to join us and admission is free. This is a one-day event that you don’t want to miss!
You also are welcome to participate in our annual Advent Prayer Vigil, which will be held simultaneously from 9 a.m. to noon in our Sanctuary. Advent music is the backdrop for silent prayer and meditation and an Advent Prayer Guide will be provided. Many find this a refreshing and meaningful interlude during the busy-ness of the holidays.
Sing With All the Saints in Glory!
Join us for “Sing With All the Saints in Glory!” — weekly mid-day worship services on Wednesdays throughout Lent.
We’ll gather at 12:30 p.m. in the sanctuary for these services, which will also be live-streamed and archived on our YouTube channel.
Each week will feature stories of the saints whose commemorations occur during Lent this year. In remembering these saints, we find hope and encouragement for our own faith journeys.
The schedule is as follows:
- 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 12: Perseverance with Endurance – Perpetua and Felicity; Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth.
- 12:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 19; Faithful in Prayer – Gregory the Great; Patrick.
- 12:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 26: Striving for Justice – Joseph; Óscar Romero.
- 12:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 2: Dying and Rising with Christ – Hans Nielsen Hauge; John Donne.
- 12:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 9: Resistance against Tyranny – Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Martin Luther King Jr.
‘Aging Grace-Fully’ with author Margaret Renkl
Join us at 1:20 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25 for the next chapter of “Aging Grace-Fully,” as we hear from naturalist Margaret Renkl, author of “Late Migrations” in a Zoom-based presentation.
Influenced by her upbringing in Alabama, life in Tennessee and experience as a caregiver to her parents and mother-in-law, Renkl shares a backyard naturalist’s perspective on the cycle of life — in nature, inside our own families and our own bodies. Discover how nature has taught her a speed at which to live, hope and avert despair.
The “Aging Grace-Fully” series brings leading authors to us (via Zoom) to share their insights on how to age with grace and live — fully — with the physical, mental and social changes that come with growing older.
Discussion, facilitated by Dr. Cliff Smith, will follow. Light refreshments will be provided. There is no charge to attend the sessions at St. Mark’s. All are welcome.
Upcoming sessions include Rebecca Chopp (March 27), Missy Buchanan (April 22), Frank Bruni (May 22), Mia Birdsong (July 15), and Anne Lamott (Sept. 11).
Join us Christmas Eve!
We welcome you to join us Christmas Eve, as we celebrate the birth of our Lord, Jesus the Christ! Our plans are as follows:
3 p.m. All aboard! Pastor Robbie will be running the Lionel trains in the Seminary Room until the start of the 4 p.m. service.
4 p.m. Contemporary/Family service.
8 p.m. Traditional candlelight service.
Christmas Bazaar 2024
Join us for our 24th annual St. Mark’s Christmas Bazaar, which will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7.
This popular community event offers unique handmade gifts and crafts, gift baskets, floral arrangements, soups and baked goods, a selection of “white elephant” items and a fun Christmas Lionel train display! Check it out and find something that suits you and yours!
GriefShare offers support, connection
No matter what the circumstances, grief is a painful process. If you are in the midst of this, we invite you to join our GriefShare support group for people dealing with the death of a family member or friend. We meet at 7 p.m. Mondays through December 9 in the Seminary Room.
GriefShare is a safe, welcoming place where people understand the difficult emotions of grief. We provide relief and comfort as those grieving learn what to expect during the grief process and how to navigate their personal grief processes.
Topics include how to manage grief-related emotions such as loneliness, anxiety, sadness, anger and regret, how to cope with the changes to life and relationships and how to recognize what’s normal in grief.
If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Cecelia Cronk or check out the GriefShare website.
GriefShare is an international ministry, part of Church Initiative, a nondenominational, nonprofit ministry serving more than 20,000 churches worldwide.
Learn more by watching this GriefShare video:
Roll up those sleeves and join our blood drive!
Did you know the American Red Cross supplies about 40% of our nation’s blood needs? St. Mark’s wants to help with that effort by hosting a blood drive from 2 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 9.
A sign-up sheet to donate and/or volunteer is on the bulletin board in the gathering space. Read more about eligibility to donate on the Red Cross website.
We hope you’ll join us and bring your friends and neighbors!
If you have any questions, please speak to Sandy Pierson.
Happy 100th Brandywine Hundred Fire Company No. 1!
Join us as we celebrate the 100th anniversary of Brandywine Hundred Fire Company No. 1, with which we have historic ties! We have two plans to mark this special year:
- On Saturday, Sept. 28, we will participate in the fire company’s parade. We’ll meet at 10 a.m. at the former Hillcrest-Bellefonte United Methodist Church, 400 Hillcrest Avenue. The parade steps off at noon and ends at the Bellevue Community Center, across the street from St. Mark’s. We will walk to the end of the parade route, but plan to have a truck riding in the parade for anyone who wants to participate but cannot walk that distance. After the parade, the fire company invites the community to join the celebration at the firehouse at 1006 Brandywine Blvd. in Bellefonte . For more information, please speak to Greg or Lynne Landrey, Gail Rodger or Vicki McDowell.
On Sunday, Oct. 6, we will host a Service of Honor and Blessing, marking the Brandywine Hundred Fire Company’s 100 years of service to our community. This will be part of our worship service, starting at 10:30 a.m. A reception will follow the service.