Ministries
St. Mark's Ministries -- Where Your Gifts Are Welcome and Needed!
Acolytes
Acolytes are lay volunteers age 8 through adult, who are trained to assist the clergy during services. They carry the torches and lead the procession at the beginning and end of services. For more information, please contact Jeanne Shafer, before/after the 10:00 am service.
Altar Guild
St. Mark's altar guild is always looking for new members to help prepare and maintain altar linens, hangings, vessels and the clergy's vestments before each service. The altar guild also assist with preparations for weddings, funerals and other special liturgies. Please contact Pat Hoppe for additional information.
Book Club
The Book Club meets monthly, September through June, to discuss books of common interest. Contact Pat Hoppe.
Chime Choir
The "Psalmsters" meet at 6pm on Thursdays (during months leading up to Easter & Christmas) in the Sanctuary for weekly practice. Contact Sheila Weaver, Chime Choir Directress for more information). All are welcome to join.Choir
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord! Join St. Mark's choir! Trained and untrained voices are welcome. Choir practice begins as 7:30 p.m. on Thursday nights and sings during the 10:00 a.m. service on Sundays, September through June. Please leave a message for Music Director/Organist, Tatiana Andronikova, with the church administrator, Emily Cole, if you'd like to join the choir, 703-765-3949.
Flower Guild
St. Mark's flower guild provides altar flowers as well as other floral decorations in the church. Please contact Maureen Ison if you'd like to join the flower guild or make a donation towards the purchase of flower in memory/honor/thanksgiving of someone.
Greeters
Greeters welcome visitors and members of St. Mark's at the 10 A.M. service each Sunday, providing assistance and direction to visitors and newcomers. Please contact Delta Youngquist.
Lay Eucharistic Ministers
LEMs are trained lay parishioners licensed by the diocese to serve as chalice bearers during the Holy Eucharist. LEMs may also make home visits, bringing, consecrated elements to St. Mark's shut-ins. Please contact Michael Foughty for additional information, mike.foughty@gmail.com and Barbara Scott.
Lay Readers/Lectors
Lay readers are given training as to the reading of the Old and New Testament. They may be called upon to assist the Rector during special services in addition to regular services. If this is your calling, please contact Steve Mitchell, ssmitch45@cavtel.net.
Pastoral Care
Please contact the Parish Administer, Emily Cole. A prayer request book is located on the credenza in the Narthex.Social Saints
The Social Saints host all manner of dinners, providing a great opportunity for people to enjoy a delicious meal and to fellowship with one another. Money raised by the Social Saints go toward numerous parish needs and programs. Please Contact Jeane Shafer, Mary Stockstill, or Delta Younquist.Tellers
Our stalwart tellers count and record attendance and offerings after the 10:00 A.M. service. Please contact Ed Kley.
Ushers
Ushers hand out service bulletins and assist with collecting offerings during services. Please contact Karen Ashworth if you'd like to serve.
Youth Group
Our Sr. High Youth Group, the Lions, is for youth in grades 9 and above. This group provides Christian fellowship, service opportunities and education for our young men and women of the congregation. Please contact the Rev. Meredith Heffner.
[Please see Vestry link for: Senior & Junior Wardens, Stewardship, Outreach, Fellowship, Planning, Worship, Coffee Hour, Newcomers & Evangelism, and Children's Ed. Pastoral care concerns, please contact the parish office.]
Outreach programs in our community
Angel Tree Project
At Christmas, St. Mark's helps the Salvation Army staff its Angel Tree booth at Landmark Mall. This project connects needy children in the community with shoppers who wish to help provide them with clothing and toys for Christmas.
Clothing Drives
'Drawer Drives' and 'Sock Trees' are held periodically to provide local shelters with new underwear and socks for adults and children. When you are shopping for school clothes or your new fall wardrobe, considering picking up something for someone else.
Loaves and Fishes
Loaves and Fishes is our outreach program to the two homeless shelters in the Mount Vernon area. Once a month, volunteers from the church purchase food and cook at each shelter, providing both nourishing food (all from scratch) and a loving presence.
In addition, volunteers assist at the shelter on a regular basis with preparing Friday meals. We also have a small group of emergency shoppers who take calls from the shelters and bring milk, bread, vegetables and meat when their kitchen runs short of food. Volunteers bake and have catered the meals for meetings by the shelter staff.
As an extension of our program, we adopt families from both United Community Ministries and New Hope Housing at Christmas time, providing presents and money for food. Every Sunday, the congregation collects food and other requested items, which are then brought up with the offertory and taken to UCM for use in their food pantry or programs.
Ministry to local Nursing Homes
Once a month on a Saturday, members of St. Mark's go to the Mt. Vernon Nursing home, near Mt. Vernon Hospital, to conduct prayer and Eucharist. Also, on Wednesdays, Fr. Weatherly conducts prayer and Eucharist at the Fairfax, locatedd near Ft. Belvoir. All are welcome to come and assist our neighbors who can't come to church for praise and worship!Pentagon Service
Holy Eucharist is celebrated at the Pentagon at noon each Wednesday. St. Mark's Rector participates in the service on the first of each month. Contact the Rector for the location.
