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Weekly Worship Schedule

Planning Your Visit

Wondering what to expect during worship at St. Mark's?

From attire to the music styles, this guide will hopefully help you to know what to expect when worshiping at St. Mark’s on Sunday mornings. When you are welcomed at the door by a greeter or usher, feel free to ask them any other questions you may have!

Attire

We’re a casual group. You’ll see a full range of casual wear to traditional dress clothing. There is no dress code at St. Mark’s!

Parking

Parking is available to the east and south of the church. Parking is also available across Franklin and Longwood in the adjacent business parking lots.

Which entrance should I use?

For Sunday services, we recommend entering the doors facing Franklin Street (west side of the church) or the main entrance on the east side of the building, under the green awning. There are greeters at both locations who can help you find your way.

Service Length

The service is typically about one hour and fifteen minutes in duration.

Music

Our Sunday service offers a blend of contemporary and traditional music. Contemporary music is provided by our praise bands, offering praise to God with a variety of musical instruments including guitars, drums, and keyboard. Traditional music is usually led by organ or piano, along with music provided by the choir and handbell groups on a regular basis. Both styles follow Lutheran liturgy.

Kids’ Stuff

We have activity bags for children to help keep little hands busy during services. You are welcome to use our nursery, changing tables and playroom, but the nursery is not staffed at this time.

Communion

We celebrate Holy Communion every Sunday during worship as long as an ordained minister is present to administer the sacrament. We practice open communion which means all are welcome to participate in this meal. Paraphrasing Martin Luther, you are prepared to receive it when you know you need it. We offer wafers (traditional and gluten free) and wine (traditional and grape juice). At each service, we provide instructions about how Communion will be distributed.

Grow in faith and community at St. Mark’s! Click here to learn more about our ministries and education opportunities.

Wondering what to expect during worship at St. Mark's?

What to Expect

From nametags to the dismissal at the end of the service, this guide will hopefully help you to know what to expect when worshiping at St. Mark’s on Sunday mornings.  When you are welcomed at the door by a greeter or usher, feel free to ask them any other questions you may have!
Before entering the sanctuary for worship, please wear a nametag sticker so that our congregation may greet you by name.  Many of our members wear nametags every Sunday so you may also greet them by name.  We promise not to call you out as a visitor in front of the congregation, but will greet you privately before or after the service!

As you enter the sanctuary, an usher or greeter will provide you with a bulletin which outlines the order of worship for each service.  During the 8:30am contemporary service, projection slides are used to lead worship.  The 11am traditional service makes use of the Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW red hymnal) which is provided in each pew.  It’s usually a good idea to mark the pages and hymns using the bookmarks available in each ELW prior to the traditional service.

Near the beginning of each service, we confess our sins to God in unison (following the slides or hymnal) and in silent reflection, before receiving assurance of God’s forgiveness through Jesus Christ.
Prayer is an essential element in every worship service at St. Mark’s.  Some prayers are spoken in unison during worship, while others are offered by Pastor Gary, Pastor Jason or an assisting minister.  Fold-down kneelers are available in each pew for those who prefer kneeling, rather than standing, during prayer.

All children are invited forward for a short children’s message and prayer offered by Traci (meet our staff).  Parents are welcome to escort young children forward to join the children’s gathering.

Several passages from God’s Word are usually read by a lector during every worship service.  Bibles are available in each pew for those who wish to read along with the spoken word.  The Gospel reading, for which we stand as able, is usually read by the presiding minister.

 

We might also read a Psalm responsively during some services.  This means that a lector or cantor will read, or sing, the first half of each verse, with the congregation responding in unison with the second half.  A worship leader will provide direction to the congregation in each case.  

He who has ears, let him hear.  Matthew 13:9, The Parable of the Sower

Immediately following the Gospel reading, sit back and let your ears do the hearing as Pastor Gary proclaims the Word of God. Check out our YouTube channel to explore our archive of past sermons.

We always share Christ’s peace during each Sunday service at St. Mark’s.  First, the presiding minister will share the peace with the congregation, to which we respond “and also with you.”  We then take a few moments to share that peace with our neighbors. Feel free to roam around the sanctuary if you feel called to share the peace far and wide. Don’t know what to say? A simple “peace be with you” will do just fine, or respond “and also with you.”

We offer our gifts to God as ushers pass the offering plate throughout the pews.  In lieu of donations directly into the offering plate, many worship participants choose instead to make use of our online giving option.

We celebrate Holy Communion every Sunday, as long as Pastor Gary, Pastor Jason or another ordained minister is present to administer the sacrament.  All baptized believers in Jesus Christ are welcome to the Lord’s Table, when directed by the usher to come forward by pew. 

 

As Lutherans we believe that Christ’s body and blood are truly present in, with, and under the bread and wine when joined by the Holy words spoken by Christ at the Last Supper.  How can this be? Simply put, it is a matter of faith. Jesus said “this is my body, given for you” and “this is my blood, shed for you.”  Jesus does not mislead or deceive.  Faith in these words means having faith that Jesus Christ died for us on the cross.  We are justified by this faith, and therefore receive by the grace of God forgiveness of our sins and salvation. 

 

Holy Communion at St. Mark’s is often distributed by the method of intinction. Each person receives the host (bread or wafer), and then dips it into the chalice of white grape juice or wine.  Gluten free wafers are also available for those having such dietary restrictions.  At other times, the congregation is invited forward to kneel or stand, as able, at the Communion rails to receive the host and a small cup of wine or grape juice.

 

Children who are too young for the Lord’s Supper receive a blessing from Pastor Gary, Pastor Jason or the assisting minister.  It is ultimately a family decision whether a child receives the sacrament.  Children at St. Mark’s typically receive First Communion in approximately the 5th grade after receiving instruction on the subject.  

After the 8:30am contemporary service, please join us downstairs in the fellowship hall for coffee, juice, and doughnuts before Sunday School begins at 9:45!
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