St. Mark's Episcopal Church

About Us

Celebrating God's Inclusive Love

Our faith community is incredibly diverse in age, marital status, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, geographic roots and religious background. We bring this diversity - all that we are and hope to become - to God's altar in this place.

We bring, too, our hopes and fears and doubts and wounds to Christ. We are believers and skeptics at the same time. Here we seek to pray and encounter the living God. Together we make up the Body of Christ, reaching out in Christ's love and work.

We struggle with our faith, our world, and even each other. Most of all, we are ALIVE in Christ here - not perfect, but definitely alive - and committed to our journey together. You are welcome to be a part of this community.

To learn more about St. Mark's, explore this site, contact us by email, or - best of all - come visit.

We look forward to greeting you!

Vibe: Traditional Liturgy, Down to Earth, Friendly, Progressive, Gay affirming, Inclusive, Multigenerational, Young families

Programs: Community Service, Social Justice, Faith and Work, Youth Group, Choir, Yoga/Meditation, Nursery, Children's Ministry

Music: Traditional Hymns, Contemporary, Organ

Denomination: Episcopal

Networks

Episcopal Diocese of Newark

Size: Small

Language: English

Founded: 1924

Contact Information

Phone

(201) 836-7275

Website

http://www.stmarksteaneck.org/

Social

Our Services

Service Times

Sunday

10:00am: Holy Eucharist with sermon, choir, hymns
08:00am: Holy Eucharist (spoken)
06:30pm: Holy Eucharist from a variety of sources, more casual and experiential

What to Expect

What are services like?
Our principal Sunday worship is the Eucharist, from the Greek word for thanksgiving. Also known as Holy Communion, the service allows us to express our thanks, week by week, for all of God's gifts, and to be changed more and more into Christ's likeness. Communion is absolutely open at St. Mark's. The altar is God's; it is not the possession of any institution or any individual. All people, without exception, are welcome to receive communion and to be nourished here. All who seek God in Christ's Body and Blood and desire communion with the Lord are welcome at the Lord's Table. There is room and an invitation for all. We believe that all ages can and should worship together. We welcome all children to receive Communion; the Episcopal Church does not require persons to be confirmed before they receive. Communion is a sacrament of inclusion. Children, especially, should not have the experience of being left out of the common meal. Parents may choose to bring very young infants forward for a blessing instead of Communion. Children are always welcome in worship and for those who wish, childcare is available at the 10:00 am service.

What is the community like?
St. Mark's is a Eucharistic Community trusting in and empowered by the Holy Spirit. We intend to worship together, to pray for one another, to share our lives with one another and to strive toward wholeness in body and spirit. We further intend to reach outside of ourselves to others as Christ's ministers and to give from what we have been given. St. Mark's is fully committed to realizing its philosophy of Celebrating God's Inclusive Love in every respect . In October 2004 we completed extensive renovations to Throw Open the Doors. This project not only created a more open and inviting worship and gathering space, but removed obstacles to those with physical disabilities who wish to participate in worship or answer a call to ministry.

What if I'm not a Christian?
There is no typical St. Marker. We each bring a unique story and background to the table, and our family is made of people from many backgrounds. When you step onto the church property you'll find a sign that says "these doors are now open to people of all faiths, or none." No matter what age we are, God empowers us to grow in grace. Through the years, God has blessed St. Mark's with a breadth of diversity and a growing commitment to inclusivity. All ages are active and involved in the life of the parish. Under the leadership of our Clergy, Wardens and Vestry, and with the gifts of many lay people of all ages, we have worked to develop many spiritual, educational and outreach programs. This year will hold a broad range of experiences and opportunities at St. Mark's for worship, prayer and spiritual growth, children, adults, service and outreach and involvement for people of all ages.