V I S I T I N G  S T .  M A R K ' S

Upon Entering the Church: Do so reverently. Although a small humble building, St. Mark's has been consecrated and set apart as the House of God. Please treat it with due respect. You will be greeted by other parishioners and visitors, but please do not let the volume exceed what is befitting a sacred space. You may kneel and prepare your heart for the Divine Service.

Gestures: Worshipping in a traditional sense often means learning new ways of moving and interacting. There are times to kneel, to bow, to stand, and to cross yourself. Don't let this discourage you! You'll notice that most are  in the Prayer Book, and you can simply follow your neighbor's lead. Such manual acts are physical modes of prayer which highlight the joy or solemnity of portions in the service. 

Tithing: Visitors are by no means obligated to give their tithe to St. Mark's. If you are a Baptized Christian, you may make a small gift for the benefit of the church or the poor.

Which Service: St. Mark's offers two Holy Communion services on Sundays – 9:00 A.M. and 11:00 A.M. The 9:00 A.M. is a spoken service consisting of Morning Prayer and the Holy Communion. It has limited musical accompaniment and does not provide childcare. This service is attractive to those looking for an early, simple, and quiet Sunday experience.  The 11:00 A.M. is our principal service which we would commend to visitors. It is a sung service which provides full musical accompaniment, choir, incense, childcare, and accommodates an extended fellowship time afterwards for us to get to know you. Whichever service you choose, however, is up to you! Please note that six times a year we have joint services which are not at 9:00 A.M. or 11:00 A.M. but at 10:00 A.M. – in order to avoid arriving either too late or too early, consult the Parish Calendar.

Communing: If you are a Christian who has been baptized in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; if you "truly and earnestly repent of your sins, and seek to be reconciled with your neighbors, and intend to lead the new life, following the commandments of God, and walking in his holy ways,"  you may receive the Holy Communion. Kneel down at the rail with one hand placed in the other following your neighbor in front of you. Baptized children are welcome to commune with their guardians. If you are not able to commune for any reason, you may still come forward for a blessing. Simply kneel down with your arms crossed on your chest.

Children: St. Mark's provides children's ministry to children six years of age and younger every Sunday at the 11:00 A.M. Service (Fifth Sundays are the one exception where children are kept in the sanctuary for our Family Services). Children begin in the main sanctuary with their guardians. Immediately before the Liturgy of the Word (Scripture Readings) the children will be called forward for a blessing by the Priest. Once blessed, the children will exit the sanctuary with their teachers. Children are brought back into the sanctuary during the Peace and remain with their guardians for the the Holy Communion. For Diocesan Child Protection Policies, see here.

Questions: Feel free to direct all questions or concerns to any member of the clergy either before or after the service.

L I T U R G Y  A T   S T .  M A R K ' S

St. Mark's worships with the 2019 Book of Common Prayer of the Anglican Church in North America. Physical Prayer Books are provided by our Greeters when you enter the church, and they can be found at the entrance throughout the service . The Prayer Book may also be accessed through a PDF and on the App.

M E E T  W I T H  A  P R I E S T

Have a specific question in mind? Schedule a time to meet with our priest and ask him about it over a cup of coffee or a pint! We'd love to hear from you and better help you to understand the historic Christian Tradition that we stand in continuity with.

Schedule a Meeting

O U R  L O C A T I O N

A D D R E S S
5983 Webb Street
Loomis, CA 95650

P H O N E
916-652-5736