News & Events

Recent and future events @ Saint Mark's.

Just Announced - Vacation Music School at Saint Mark's

Posted on Friday, June 22, 2012 at 03:49PM by Registered CommenterErika Takacs | Comments Off

This summer, Saint Mark's will offer a three-day Vacation Music School for children during the month of August. For more information, or to register, click here!

Fr. Michael Becker - R.I.P.

Posted on Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 04:34PM by Registered CommenterSean Mullen | Comments Off

Fr. Michael Becker, XIth Rector of Saint Mark's, died on Saturday, May 19th.

We give thanks to God for Fr. Becker's life and ministry.

His funeral will be held on Friday, 8 June at 11 am

at the Church of Saint Martin-in-the-Fields, Chestnut Hill.

Rest eternal grant unto him, O God,

and let light perpetual shine upon him.

More Good News on St. James School

Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 09:55PM by Registered CommenterSean Mullen | Comments Off

WHYY has a great report on the good work of Saint James School  - the school founded by Saint Mark's and now well into its first year!  Have a look here.

A word about the protest outside Saint Mark's

Posted on Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 12:14PM by Registered CommenterSean Mullen | Comments Off

11 January 2012

Today members of a local sheet metal workers’ union began protesting outside Saint Mark’s.  A large inflatable “fat cat” strangling a worker has been stationed on the sidewalk near the east end of our property.  The union objects to our use of non-union labor for the project to replace the roof of the Lady Chapel.  The roof is being replaced after 110 years of service. 

This project is costing roughly $200,000, and funding has been provided entirely by a single donor.   Working with our architects we awarded the contract to the successful bidder of a competitive process.  One of the bids we received was from a union contractor whose quoted hourly wages for laborers on the project ranged from $83 - $142 per hour and resulted in a proposed cost that would have prevented us from going forward with the project.

At Saint Mark’s we believe in the dignity of work and the right of laborers to be paid a fair wage.  We have the highest regard for the skilled craftsmen who work on our historic buildings, bringing to bear years of experience and highly specialized knowledge.  Our roofers use tools and techniques largely abandoned in the trade today, but appropriate and safe for this National Historic Landmark building.  Their work is of the highest caliber.

Saint Mark’s is a non-profit institution.  We care for three historic buildings on nearly two-thirds of a city block.  In the past five years we have spent almost $750,000 on capital improvements to our buildings, and we are moving forward with plans to invest more than $3 million in capital repairs and improvements to our buildings in coming years.  Meanwhile, we continue to feed about 150 homeless and hungry people every Saturday morning.  We provide groceries for as many as 200 families a month.  Last fall we opened a middle school for children from low-income families in North Philadelphia.  And we maintain a schedule of worship and prayer that is more demanding than any other Episcopal parish in the City.  All of this is accomplished by the generosity and devotion of our members, and by the grace of God.

Neither our contractors, nor the members who make possible all we do at Saint Mark’s, nor the donors, nor our daily worshipers deserves to be harassed for the work we do or what we stand for.  

 

SEAN MULLEN

Rector

Animated Parable for Stewardship

Posted on Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 02:36PM by Registered CommenterSean Mullen | Comments Off

In preparation for Commitment Sunday (Nov 13), when we ask everyone to make pledges of financial support to the parish, we have produced a short, animated film, a parable about stewardship, more or less.  We pray that God is leading us all to be good and generous stewards.  Maybe this short film will help you in your refelction on giving to Saint Mark's.  Have a look at it here.