Regular Programs
Children, Youth & Family Ministries
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The first Sunday of each month students are encouraged to worship with their families, and the 9:45am service will also offer a children’s message, bible story lesson with leaders, and praise songs oriented towards young learners led by our music groups. All are welcome to join for this service!
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During the school year, Sunday school classes are held from 9:45-10:45am on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th (and the occasional 5th) Sundays of each month in the lower preschool/children’s faith formation center of the building. Sunday School classes are provided for students age 3 to 12th grade.
Contact Hollye Piercy or click here to learn more and register for students preschool to 4th grade. Contact Deacon Ingelaurie Lisher for 5th–12th grade.
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Confirmation at St. Mark’s is a two-year program, where we dig into the history of our Biblical ancestors and look at various faith practices as well as how faith ties into our everyday lives. Traditionally students begin the fall of their 7th grade year and complete their concentrated study on Reformation Sunday the fall of their 9th grade year. Youth are invited to join at any time during their 7th and 8th grade years.
Contact Deacon Ingelaurie Lisher to learn more and get involved!
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Throughout the year we offer activities and events for our middle school and high school students. This includes meeting on the first and third Thursdays of every month from 5:30–6:30pm for fellowship, activities, and spiritual practice.
For all other youth events, follow us on social media and subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to know when these opportunities arise.
Contact Deacon Ingelaurie Lisher to learn more and get involved!
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Childcare in our bright and kid-friendly nursery is provided Sunday mornings from 8:15am–12:15pm for infants to children age four. During the program year, nursery care is also provided on Wednesday evenings from 5:30–7:30pm
If you have any questions about our nursery, or would like to learn more, please contact Deacon Ingelaurie Lisher.
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St. Mark's provides multiple opportunities for children and youth during the summer months.
Vacation Bible School: VBS at St. Mark’s is typically held the first full week in August, and is a great opportunity for students 4 years old–4th grade to engage in worship and activities catered specifically to their age groups. If you'd like to learn more or have a passion for leading VBS please contact Deacon Ingelaurie Lisher to share your ideas and interest.
Summer Camp: St. Mark's participates in a Lutheran summer camp for children and youth. This serves as an opportunity for students to grow in faith and community, as well as connect with other Lutheran communities from across the state. For more information and to get involved, contact Deacon Ingelaurie Lisher.
Adult Faith Formation
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At our weekly Bible Study Luncheon we read and discuss the scripture texts appointed for the upcoming Sunday. The preacher for that Sunday guides the conversation. Participants may join in-person or via Zoom (check with the church office for a Zoom link). This group meets Wednesdays at 12pm in the Parish Commons Classroom. All are welcome, no sign up or prior experience needed. Feel free to bring your lunch!
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Faith Journey is a series of weekly gatherings (8-10 weeks) hosted by our pastoral staff that give participants an opportunity to hear each other’s stories, explore questions of faith, build relationships, hear scripture together, and listen for God’s call. Faith Journey is designed for seekers and visitors to St. Mark’s but is always open to St. Mark’s members as well.
We host both a fall series and a winter/spring series, and we often offer two different groups for each series: a Wednesday evening group (6:00–7:15pm) and a Sunday noon group (12:15–1:30pm).
Contact Pastor Mark Gravrock to learn more about Faith Journey.
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After our weekly 5pm supper and before the 7:30pm Evening Prayer service, the 6 or 6:15pm hour often features opportunities for Faith Formation forums. Check out our events calendar to preview what’s coming up for Midweek renewal this month!
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Our Sunday morning forum time provides opportunities to reflect on Christian faith in light of current events and the daily decisions we need to make. Topics vary, leadership is shared, and the conversation is lively. Check out our events calendar to preview what’s coming up for Sunday Forum this month!
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Throughout the year, we also offer faith formation opportunities that are outside of our usual programming schedule. Follow us on social media and subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to know when these opportunities arise.
Music Ministries
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Rehearsals: Thursday Nights from 7:30-9:00pm
Service Leadership: Blended Liturgical Service
Celebration Ensemble is a ministry of vocal musicians who serve as liturgical hosts for the 8:30am worship service. The eclectic nature of that service’s global music emphasis offers the group a wide range of musical styles and skills that they develop over the course of each year, often involving various percussion instruments and complex rhythmic patterns. As such, the group sings a wide range of choral music, influenced by many cultures. All are welcome, and please contact Cooper Sherry if you are interested in joining the group.
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Rehearsals: Wednesday Nights from 6:00-7:30pm., Sunday Morning at 9:00am
Service Leadership: Contemporary Praise Service
The Praise Team is for adults 18 years and older with a desire to lead worship and praise God through contemporary Christian popular music. Their repertoire of music also reaches to other music genres, including blended, gospel and global. This group leads worship at the 9:45am service and rehearses every week, year-round. Praise Team members also collaborate several times a year with other St. Mark’s ensembles for special music. Contact Jon Hillstead to learn more and get involved!
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Rehearsals: Tuesday Nights from 6:00–7:20pm
Service Leadership: All Sunday Services
Handbell ringing, as an expressive outlet and common ground for ministry, has a powerful and unique way to bring together people of all experience levels, backgrounds, and interests into one cohesive musical ensemble. This is a mid-level bell choir, welcoming visitors or members who have a willingness to learn a new skill. Ability to read music is useful, but not required, and most essential factor is weekly attendance that the group can rely on. Goals include the experience of hope and personal transformation through the language of music, and the satisfaction of good work together in this ministry as a team. The group is active September through May, playing typically once a month in worship.
For more information about Bells of St. Mark’s, contact the choir director, Karen Moats.
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Kids Choir
Wednesdays, 5:30-6pm
Kindergarten–5th Grade
Early Elementary age is the perfect time to begin enjoying and growing into loving to sing in a choir. As children begin to learn to read, they also can begin to learn to read music, and appreciate how music works. They also love to share what they know how to do, and will have the opportunity to sing in worship the first Sunday of each month.
Youth Choir
Thursdays, 6:30–7:30pm
6th–12th Grade
Youth Choir is a vocal ensemble for 6th-12th graders that rehearses weekly in the narthex. The group builds skills toward singing 4-part a cappella music, and welcomes people of all skill levels.
Contact Cooper Sherry if your children/youth are interested in joining, or simply show up on any Wednesday or Thursday night!
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Local artist Jeff Brahe, a scholar and performer of the music of Zimbabwe and other African countries, leads a variety of musical ensembles at St. Mark’s including two regular programs for children and youth:
Youth Marimba Ensemble
Meets Thursdays from 7:30–8:30pm
Kids’ African Instrument Ensemble
Meets Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 7:15pm
Contact Cooper Sherry to learn more about getting involved in this ministry!
Volunteer and Ministry Opportunities
Scholarships & Educational Opportunities
St. Mark’s offers scholarships and continuing education opportunities for students in various stages of life. Use the drop-down menu to learn more about what we have to offer.
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High school students planning on attending a four-year college, technical college, trade school, or other post-high school institution of learning in the coming academic year are invited to apply to the St. Mark’s Scholarship. While the forms below are designed for new High School seniors, these scholarships are also available for other adults embarking on new educational enterprises. You may use these same forms and adapt them for your circumstances.
Read more about the application requirements and access the application materials here.
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Current students planning on continuing in a four-year college, technical college, trade school, or other post-high school institution of learning in the coming academic year are invited to apply to the St. Mark’s Scholarship.
Read more about the application requirements and access the application materials here.
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Our Southwest Washington Synod of the ELCA has a rich program for training congregation members who have discerned a call to more intentional and public lay leadership in their congregation and community. St. Mark’s strongly supports this program. The Path for Strengthening Active Lay Ministry (PSALM) is a two-year small group program that takes place over four terms. Information on PSALM can be found on the SWWA Synod’s website.
PSALM has its own application process, and its own timing. Applicants contact the synod office (psalm@plu.edu). Applications are due in mid-August before the fall semester and must be accompanied by a pastoral recommendation (early summer) and approval by St. Mark’s council (by the July council meeting). Once a candidate has been approved by council and accepted into the program, the St. Mark’s Scholarship Fund will offer up to half of the tuition for students seeking support. To make sure that our scholarship team knows of your plans, send us an email at scholarships@smlutheran.org and let us know where you are in the process.