My Siblings in Christ,
I am excited to invite you to a special event this Sunday, October 15, between and after our worship services – our annual Ministry Faire. The Ministry Faire is not only a celebration but also an exhibition of the numerous ministries and groups at St. Mark’s that shape our church community and empower us to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. These essential volunteer ministries play a pivotal role in enhancing our worship experiences, driving our outreach efforts, and extending our care to both our parish and the broader community.
Volunteering within these ministries and groups offers a fulfilling way to put our Christian faith into practice and demonstrate our gratitude to God for the many blessings bestowed upon each of us.
This year, our Ministry Faire holds even greater significance as the impact of the pandemic has reduced the number of available volunteers. Several groups are in need of dedicated individuals who can offer their support and play a vital role in these ministries.
I strongly encourage all members of our parish family to consider becoming a volunteer within our ministry by finding a group that resonates with your spiritual journey and allows you to grow in your faith. We offer a wide array of opportunities to express your faith and support the vital work of St. Mark’s ministry.
I hope you are able to join us this Sunday at the Ministry Faire and take the first step towards enriching your faith through volunteer service. I have also provided below some submitted descriptions just a few of the good ministries that will be represented.
We look forward to celebrating and expanding our ministry with you.
Peace and Blessings,
The Rev’d Canon Rob Park
A Sample of some Parish Ministries you might be interested in being part of:
The Server’s Guild
Servers are vital to St. Mark’s and assist the Incumbent throughout the Sunday morning service. Besides the duties of lighting the candles, ringing the bell, processing the Cross in and out of the Sanctuary, we make sure that there are the correct amount of Communion wafers in the chalice and hand the gifts to the Incumbent to place on the Altar.
Waypoint Kids
Waypoint Kids meets during the 10:30 service on Sunday Mornings. The lessons that the children are taught are based upon the message of the liturgy of that day so they are the same theme that their parents are.
Learning about Jesus’ love and actions and how We can share Jesus’ love through our daily action and interactions is the main goal of Waypoint Kids. We are building relationships with the children and youth of our parish and helping them see that they can make a difference in our Parish and beyond.
Audio Visual Team
The use of audio and video technology has become an essential part of our church services so that members of the congregation are able to fully participate in the worship experience. Each Sunday, volunteers monitor the audio equipment and use the computer to display the words to the worship service. There are different groups of people for each of our Sunday services and are either scheduled or sign up based on their availability. Training is provided for all interested parishioners.
Sunday Greeters
The goal of the Greeters is to make everyone feel welcome and to look after them at the Sunday morning services. This includes greeting people at the door, giving newcomers directions and information, and taking up the offering. Greeters also find seats for people if needed and assist anyone who is ill. We also assist parishioners in the use of the Hearing Assistance Devices, which are proving to be increasingly popular.
The Apostles
The Apostles are a group of twelve persons who drive food to the food bank. Each of us has a month and take the food collected at the monthly food drive and any other time in the month as needed. All that is needed is a suitable vehicle, ability to lift boxes of food and time to drive from the church to the food bank one morning.
The Men’s Group
The Men’s Group is a group of men who meet on the third Tuesday of the month. We currently have 22 members and are looking for more. We have regrouped after COVID-19, and have already had several successful meetings this year. Ranging from meetings in the church, attempting “Horseshoes”, sitting on patios, and going out for Breakfast.
Other Ministries and Groups at our Ministry Fair on Sunday will be:
- St. Mark’s Rock Solid Youth Group
- The Blessing Centre Team
- Communion Assistants
- Intercessors
- Chancel Guild
- Readers
- Parish Visitor Team
- Greeting Card Ministry Team
- Prayer Shawl Ministry Team
- Health and Wellness Team