1957 Pruneridge Ave, Santa Clara, CA 95050 :: directions | email :: 408.296.8383
Our various worship ministries are a great way to serve the Lord and be a part of the St. Mark’s family. Acolytes, the Altar Guild, our Choir, Ushers, Lectors, Chalice Bearers and Lay Eucharistic Ministers all assist to make worship meaningful and uplifting, involving as many people as possible in the experience.
The worship committee consists of Canon Linda, staff, and lay volunteers who work together in quarterly meetings to help enhance the message revealed through the appointed scripture for each liturgical season through liturgy, music, special activities, and the physical surroundings.
The Worship Committee welcomes you. Come and worship with us!
The choir sings most Sundays during the school year for the 10 A.M. service. We sing a variety of music, from the Renaissance to contemporary. We practice weekly on Thursday nights from 7:30 P.M. to 9 P.M. You don't need any special musical ability to participate! If you can carry a tune, we can put your voice to good use. The choir also does a special program at Christmastime, singing many new and old favorite carols.
Please give the choir a try! Visit us on a Thursday night at 7:30 — we meet in the Church (enter through the side door opposite Pruneridge Ave.) We would love to add more voices in our efforts to make a “joyful noise”!
Please contact Charles Cramer at (408) 243-0390 or Jean Platner at (408) 247-2135 for more details.
The Altar Guild is a group of church members who take care of the altar and prepare the sanctuary for all services. Four teams make up the St. Mark's Altar Guild. Each team of two or three members serves once a month, with one team responsible for the 5th Sunday, four times a year. The Altar Guild week runs from Saturday through Friday.
Each team is responsible for setting up all Sunday services as well as the Wednesday service, special services, baptisms, weddings, and funerals. We take reverent care of the Sanctuary, as well as furnish and care for the linens, vestments and communion vessels.
Duties include cleaning and preparing the communion vessels, vesting the Altar, laundering and ironing the linens, polishing the brass and silver, laying out of vestments, filling candles and various other tasks. We set up the communion vessels in the sacristy for the three services on Sunday and clear after them. All members help with decorating the church for the Christmas and Easter celebrations. Meetings are held several times a year and as necessary before the major festivals.
We are always in need of new members. Anyone who is interested (men as well as women) is invited to join the Altar Guild and share in our quiet ministry. Please contact Susan Robertson (408-244-6322) or email her at susanerobertson@comcast.net. You may also leave your name and phone number in the Church Office (296-8383) if you are interested in serving on the Altar Guild. We will train you at your convenience and pair you with an experienced member until you are comfortable with your Altar Guild duties.
Our combined efforts are a gift of love to God and the congregation. The personal satisfaction of this privilege cannot be described or measured. Please consider joining us in this labor of love.
Simple definition: An acolyte is an attendant.
Being an acolyte means so much more here at St. Mark’s. Our acolytes are the youthful expression of our belief in the boundless gifts of Spirit. They serve once a month or so at several tasks that make our worship service ageless and beautiful. Any person over the age of six is welcome to become a junior acolyte moving on to a senior acolyte, participating in all our services, holy days and ordinary. We are blessed to have a small but vital group of young people who so joyously give of themselves. To take part in this special ministry, please call Kate Mikami at (408) 244-7903.
In Anglican/Episcopal churches, laypersons (not-ordained) may be trained and licensed by the church to assist the clergy in conducting services. Vergers are a lay ministry of the Anglican and Episcopal Communion and serve in cathedrals or churches with their duties and responsibilities prescribed by their individual cathedral or church. At St. Mark's, vergers are appointed by the Rector, serving at the Rector’s pleasure.
Being an acolyte means so much more here at St. Mark’s. Our acolytes are the youthful expression of our belief in the boundless gifts of Spirit. They serve once a month or so at several tasks that make our worship service ageless and beautiful. Any person over the age of six is welcome to become a junior acolyte moving on to a senior acolyte, participating in all our services, holy days and ordinary. We are blessed to have a small but vital group of young people who so joyously give of themselves. To take part in this special ministry, please call Kate Mikami at (408) 244-7903.
While the verger is most visible while leading processions and serving at the altar, his/her most important function is the preparation and planning and execution before, during and after services.
Vergers participate and lead in Easter, Christmas, and other High Holy Day services and provide ceremonial leadership on special occasions such as Bishop Visits, Installation of Clergy, and other special ceremonial church events.
The Virge - When leading processions the verger usually carries a verger's wand or virge. The name comes from the Latin “virga” which simply means a rod or staff; hence, a verger is one who carries a staff.
Our vergers are Kate Mikami and Ray Walters.
Lay Readers (LR) read the lessons at each service. They are people gifted for a ministry of reading the Bible and can read clearly and loudly. They have a deep reverence for the Bible, and find joy in the ways God is revealed in Holy Scripture. Lay readers are trained to read the Old and New Testament Lessons and lead the congregation in saying the Psalms. They serve on a rotating basis. To serve in this ministry, contact Marty Schaefer at (408) 253-9832.
Lay Eucharist Ministers assist at communion by serving the wine. They take communion to those in hospitals, convalescent homes, and to those at home who request it, bringing the St. Mark’s community to those who cannot attend church. Chalice Bearers administer the grape juice at the 10 A.M. service.
Ushers are the first members of St. Mark’s that you meet when you come to a Sunday service. The smiles are genuine, and they really are glad you’ve come to worship with us. Newcomers know from that first greeting that St. Mark’s is a warm and friendly place, and they’ll soon recognize that the welcome is real.
The usher will hand you a bulletin so you can participate in the service even if you’re not familiar with the liturgy. But more than that, an usher can help in other ways. For example, if you’re not able to get to the communion rail, an usher can have the priest bring communion to you. There’s also a wheelchair available, and an usher can help with that, too.
We have 11 dedicated people serving at both Sunday morning services and we can always use more. To serve in this ministry of welcome, contact Canon Linda or our usher chairman, Ward Brannon at (408) 241-5769. You’ll be greeted with open arms!
The St. Mark’s Liturgical Art committee designs and creates works of art for St. Mark’s. Whether you are interested in Liturgical Art used in worship, art around St. Mark’s grounds or just want to explore your own spiritual creativity, contact Jani Wild at (408) 687-7280 or email: whrab@sbcglobal.net.
The labyrinth is an ancient method of walking meditation. One of the most well-known models is found embedded in the floor of the cathedral in Chartres, France. Many gothic era churches had labyrinths in their floors or courtyards, for the use of people who were unable to make pilgrimages to holy sites. The use of labyrinths for prayer has come into new awareness in the past decade or so, and we are thrilled to have a labyrinth of our own at St. Mark’s.
Labyrinth Ministry Team, including Marge Huxham, Susan Robertson, and Michelle Spreadbury, have the care of the labyrinth, setting it up and providing information about its use.
Morning Prayer has been led by lay people from St. Mark's at Skyline Convalescent Hospital every Friday at 10:30 A.M. for over 20 years. Both residents and staff look forward to this weekly service and recently St Marks was especially thanked and honored at a Volunteer Appreciation Event at Skyline. If you might be interested in helping with this ministry, please contact Barbara Snyder at (408) 293- 0109 or email: snyderDB@hotmail.com