501 Duncan Road, Wilmington, Delaware 19809
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!
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:
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.
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 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.
Did you know St. Mark’s has strong ties with Brandywine Hundred Fire Company No. 1, stretching back more than 80 years?
Our first service was held on the second floor of the company’s fire house on Jan. 11, 1942. We moved to our current site almost a decade later, and our first service was held in our new building on Christmas Eve 1951. When a disastrous fire broke out in our building in May of 1969, our firefighting neighbors rushed to our aid. You can read more about that fire and our history on our website.
This year, Brandywine Hundred Fire Company No. 1 marks its 100th anniversaryand we have plans to join their celebration and honor these first responders.
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.
If you have encountered the transformative love of Jesus, you have a great story to tell and we want to hear it. In fact, we need to hear it!
Jesus’ love gives us hope for the future and hope for each other. All of us are strengthened when we share that good news.
So please join us for “What’s Your Story?” — our Adult Forum summer series, starting at 10 a.m. July 9 in the Great Room, as we share our faith stories and real-life experiences of God’s work in our lives.
Margie Dodson, who has been at St. Mark’s since 2007, leads us off this Sunday.
Here are a few things to know about Margie:
There’s so much more to her story! Join us, bring your questions and see what God has been up to with one of our dear family members.
We have a growing list of folks willing to share their stories and we’d love to add your name. If you’re interested, please contact Margie Dodson or Beth Miller and we’ll be glad to help you do it!
“Worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.” 1 Peter 3:15 (NLT)
St. Mark’s will present a unity Service of Love at 10 a.m. Sunday, June 11, where God’s radical love — shown through philia (brotherly love), eros (romantic love), and agape (unconditional love) — will be featured through scripture and song.
Family and friends are invited and encouraged to come and be a part of this beautiful event.
Following the service, a reception and special exhibits encompassing the three types of love will be on display in the Narthex.
We hope to see you on this joyous day!
Have a good lunch and enjoy the company of guys like you at the Retired Men’s Lunch, starting at noon Tuesday, April 4 in the Great Room.
You’re in for just $4! We’d love to see you there!
“Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.” (Romans 15:7)
Have you experienced the welcome of Jesus? Do you remember what it meant to you when you realized that He loved you immeasurably?
Learning more about Jesus’ welcome and how to share that with others is the focus of St. Mark’s 2023 Winter Forum, which we’re calling “Come Unto Me”: Jesus’ Radical Welcome.
The series is held at 10 a.m. in the Great Room.
In our first session, we heard from Ashlei Buhrow of Reconciling Works, who shared a comprehensive approach to that ministry’s work toward full inclusion of LGBTQIA+ people and racial equity. Last week, Michael Farthing of St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church in Wilmington shared his story and the value of becoming a “Reconciling in Christ” congregation.
Join us!
By Jan Sullivan
On November 14, more than two dozen St. Mark’s members and guests joined Rosi Crosby, chief strategy officer at Jewish Family Services of Delaware, to learn of the status of Afghan refugees arriving in Delaware. Those present included members of Good Shepherd, St. Stephen’s and St. Philip’s Lutheran Churches.
Jewish Family Services is the refugee resettlement agency in Delaware. Rosi reported that a few Afghan refugees have already arrived in Delaware and more are coming, possibly more than 30 by the end of the year. She explained volunteer “circles of care,” which are meant to support the refugees, including transportation and advice/support on settling in to the community.
St. Mark’s members donated more than a wagonload of towels, washcloths and bath products for refugees and their families and Rosi reported that all items were promptly distributed within a few days.
What can we do going forward? A lot! Consider one or more of these:
— Anyone who wishes to volunteer and/or join a “circle of care” could contact Jewish Family Services of Delaware at www.jfsdelaware.org/volunteer to complete a form, or e-mail volunteers@jfsdelaware.org. Learn more about JFS’ Refugee Integration Support Effort (RISE) and reach Rosi at rcrosby@jfsdelaware.org.
— If you wish to donate gently used furniture or household items, they cannot go directly to Jewish Family Services. Instead, take them to Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore, 3312 Seminole Avenue, Wilmington, DE 19808. Habitat’s phone number is (302) 652-5181. Call ahead and let them know you are bringing these items for Jewish Family Services or the Refugee Integration Support Effort (RISE).
— Used clothing in good condition can be taken to Friendship House Clothing Bank, 1603 Jessup Street, Suite 3, Wilmington, DE 19802 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday. The phone number there is (302) 654-1390. JFS will refer refugees there as needed. Monetary donations specifically for refugees can be forwarded to Jewish Family Services, earmarked RISE, and sent to 99 Passmore Road, Wilmington, DE 19803. Donations can also be made online at www.jfsdelaware.org.
— Additionally, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services encourages us to support the Afghan refugees by contacting our U.S. Congressional Delegation through a convenient form here: https://www.votervoice.net/LIRS/campaigns/89654/respond? Most of our Afghan neighbors are arriving with humanitarian parole, which only temporarily allows people fleeing danger to remain in the U.S. These Afghans will need to find another pathway to safety once their parole expires. To ensure that Afghans find real, lasting safety in the U.S., Congress must pass the Afghan Adjustment Act, which would allow Afghan humanitarian parolees to seek legal permanent residence in the United States.