Dear Friends,

I am convinced that the first step for us, as we seek to build up our ministry to children and young adults (which is a priority for us at St. Marks) - is that we must first be clear about what we believe "Children's and Youth Ministry" is.  

Why do such a high percentage of young adults who grow up in Christian homes and are involved in their local church, leave the church when they graduate high school, not returning until their mid to late 30's (if at all)?

Palm Sunday (April 1) - Festal Procession of Palms and Holy Communion @ 10 am.

PalmMonday, Tuesday & Wednesday in Holy Week - Holy Communion, 7:30 am.

Maundy Thursday - Holy Communion & the Stripping of the Altar, 7:00 pm.

Good Friday - Three Meditations on the Passion of Jesus from St. Mark's Gospel, Noon.

Holy Saturday - The Great Vigil of Easter, 10:00 pm.

Easter Sunday - 10 am

For centuries Christians have gone on pilgrimage to Jerusalem, to visit the holy places where Jesus lived and died and rose again, to trace the last steps of Jesus as he was led to the cross and tomb, where He fulfilled and accomplished the will of God for our salvation.  This ìway of the crossî Christian pilgrims brought home from the Holy Land, and in the version we use there are fourteen ìstationsî (stopping places) along the way of the cross, at each of which we remember with gratitude what Jesus did and suffered for our salvation, and we pray for repentance, faith, and love toward God. 

Click here to read the Stations as they are said at St. Marks.

Holy Communion and the Imposition of Ashes - 7:30 am and 7:00 pm (Wednesday, February 22).  

A soup dinner will follow the evening service - all are invited.  

Thoughts about Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent, a forty day period especially set aside for careful personal reflection, confession and repentance.  It is a season in which we remember the passion of Christ (His sufferings) and meditate upon the oft ignored reality of our own mortality.  It is a time of self denial and of self examination, a time to seek to understand (and enter into) the sufferings of our Lord in a deeper manner.  Lent is a time to slow down and consider with focused attention those things which we tend to conveniently ignore.  It is a season in which we look to this life as a means of further preparing for the life to come.  With Ash Wednesday we begin our Lenten observance. 

What is the meaning of putting ashes on one’s forehead?

We use ashes because in the Bible ashes are often indicators of mourning and repentance (1 Sam 4:12; 2 Sam 1:20, 13:19, 15:32), making the imposition of ashes a deeply symbolic gesture.  Listen to the words spoken when the ashes are imposed, they remind us both of the consequences of Adam’s fall (i.e. our mortality: Gen 3:19) and of the words spoken at a funeral (“Ashes to ashes; dust to dust”).  A cross is made on our foreheads because in the Bible to be marked on the forehead is symbolic of ownership (Ez 9:4-6; Rev 7:3, 9:4, 14:1).  Having been redeemed by God, we belong to God – He has marked us as His own.  

Ash Wednesday (Feb 22) - Holy Communion & the Imposition of Ashes 9:15 am & 7:00 pm

Mid-Week Holy Communion - every Wednesday in Lent, 8:30 am

Stations of the Cross - every Friday in Lent (Feb 24- March 30), 6:00 pm

The Feast of St. Matthias the Apostle (Feb 24) - Holy Communion, 6:00 pm

The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (March 25) - Holy Communion, 6:00 pm

HOLY WEEK:

Maundy Thursday - Holy Communion & the Stripping of the Altar, 7:00 pm

Good Friday - Three Meditations on the Passion of Jesus from St. Mark's Gospel, Noon.

Holy Saturday - The Great Vigil of Easter, 10:00 pm

• What:  Winter Camp is a youth ministry of our Diocese in which students (6th-12th grade) from across the diocese gather for a long weekend of fun, and christian instruction (Games, Bible Study, Sports, Singing, Bon Fire, Paintball, and more).
• When: Friday, March 2nd to Sunday, March 4th.  We will depart St. Marks at approximately 3 pm on Friday and return at approximately 4 pm on Sunday.
• Registration: Don’t delay!!!  Youth interested in attending Winter Camp should turn their registration in to Fr. Patterson by February 12th.  
• Fr. Patterson will be attending this year's Winter Camp and is available (along with Sara) to help transport youth from St. Marks.

Christmas Eve

- candlelit services of Holy Communion at 5 pm and 10 pm

Christmas Day

- Holy Communion at 10 am

St. Mark's Reformed Episcopal Church
1162 Beverly Road
Rydal, Pa 19046
(215) 884-7660
jsspatterson@gmail.com 

A Biblical Theology of Worship and Music in the Church

On December 10th (10am-4pm) please join us for a seminar and discussion on the Biblical theology of worship and music in the Church.

We will explore questions such as:

• • • • What is true worship and what makes worship "good?" 
      • How does God's revelation affect our worship?  
      • Should worship reflect a "theology of glory" or a "theology of the Cross?"  
      • How can the message of the Reformers instruction instruct our worship?  
      • How should art - and artists - serve?

We may know worship's essential elements, but how can we find balance concerning truth and beauty, routine and creativity, historical heritage and cultural relevance, personal devotion and public communication?  Most importantly, what does God want? 

Keynote speaker: Dr. Margaret Petty, Ph.D.

Topics include:

• Biblical principles that instruct a theology of worship.
• A theological model for worship and Church music.
• Ancient and future worship for today's Church.

Saturday, December 10th.  10am-4pm.  Lunch will be provided.

Location: St. Mark's Reformed Episcopal Church, 1162 Beverly Rd, Rydal Pa 19046.  Click here for directions.

Registration: 

$35.00 ($50.00 for couples)
Early Registration (before November 30) - $25.00
Seminary or College students - $20.00

For more information, call 215-884-7660 or write jsspatterson@gmail.com.

www.stmarksrec.org

Click here for a printable flyer or brochure.