Ordination and Installation

During worship we ordained and installed our new deacons and elders.  Later that day we installed Pastor Marilyn Panco "MP" as our new Associate Pastor.  A glorious day indeed!  Make no mistake it was January 12, 2020---pardon the typo.

Fund-raiser of Plan Grande 2 Scholarship Fund

St. Mark and our sister congregations in the Giddings-Lovejoy Presbytery are actively involved in a long-term covenant partnership with the rural community of Plan Grande 2, Nicaragua. Supported by CEPAD (Council of Protestant Churches in Nicaragua), the mission of this partnership is to “follow Christ's example to love and care for one another as we cultivate understanding and acceptance of our similarities and differences, work for justice, share joy, hope and the message of the Gospel.”

St. Mark and the Giddings-Lovejoy Presbytery have been strong, consistent supporters of the Plan Grande 2 scholarship fund. This fund is carefully administered in collaboration with community leaders by PCUSA Mission Co-Worker Tracey King-Ortega and cross-presbytery support is coordinated by Harriet Hall and Barbara Wilcock.

* Celebrate and Support our successful scholarship students

* Learn about the recent national crisis in Nicaragua and the positive developments in Plan Grande 2

* Explore ways to support and become involved in this mission

* Enjoy a terrific meal at one of St. Louis’ finest Italian restaurants

* Monday, October 22, 2018, 6:00-9:00PM, Dinner served at 7:00PM

* LoRusso’s Cucina, 3121 Watson Road, St. Louis, MO 63139

* $60 per person -- Reservations Required

* RSVP by Wednesday, October 17th via email pg2nicaragua@gmail.com or call Harriet Hall 314-963-7112

* Checks payable to “GLPBY” mailed to 20 North Maple Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63119

If you have any questions or suggestions about St. Mark Mission activities -or- want to explore how to become more involved, please contact Christine Polak, Clarice Hutchens or Joyce Blackwell, Committee Co-Chairs.

Be a General Assembly Volunteer

223rd General Assembly of PCUSA is meeting in St. Louis!

NOTE: St. Mark is organizing a volunteer effort for Friday, June 22. Volunteer with other members of St Mark. Carpools can be arranged. Contact Pastor Dave if you have questions.

Be part of something really big!
Picture yourself as part of the 223rd PCUSA General Assembly

The 223rd General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA will meet in St. Louis, June 16-23, and you’re invited to be part of it.

Every 50 years or so, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA comes to St. Louis – and this is the year!
Sign up now to be part of this historic event.
With thousands of people attending, your volunteer help is needed to make this a good experience for all.

The Committee On Local Arrangements (COLA) is seeking up to 2,000 volunteers to extend hospitality and ensure the smooth operation of GA223.

Visit stlouisga.com/volunteer to check out the hundreds of volunteer possibilities.

Volunteer jobs include: welcoming people at the airport, registering attendees at America’s Center, ushering and serving communion at worship services, and so much more. Most volunteer opportunities are between 8:00AM and 8:00PM and are four-hour shifts. You can sign-up for multiple jobs and shifts.

For those volunteering, the $95 registration fee is waived so you can observe any of the business sessions and participate in the worship services. General Assembly begins with Opening Worship on Saturday, June 16 at 11:00 AM. You won’t want to miss it!

Looking back, Looking forward

Sunday, Nov. 5 at 4 PM will be the Installment of Pastor Dave as our Senior Pastor.  All are welcome. We are grateful for  the work of  our Pastor Nominating Committee.  Reflecting back to June 10, when we were introduced to Pastor Dave. . .

On June 10, 2017 our Pastor Nominating Committee outlined the process they went through in selecting Pastor Dave Burgess.  We are thankful for their insight and discernment in their choice of candidate.  Below are the notes from the chair of the committee M. Caplinger.  (double click to enlarge the photos)

Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy
invites you to
share in the Worship of God
and the Installation of the Presbytery of
The Reverend Dr. J. David Burgess
as Pastor of
St. Mark Presbyterian Church
on
Sunday, November 5, 2017
4:00 PM
at St. Mark Presbyterian Church

A reception for Rev. Dr. Burgess will be held at the church immediately following the service.

Blog Post by Rev. Dr. Craig Howard

A Potosi Story
Posted on June 27, 2017 by Craig Howard
Blog Post by the Rev. Dr. Craig HowardPresbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy Transitional Leaderchoward@glpby.org

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On Sunday I retraced the Dan Anderson-Little route and preached at Hillside church at 8:30 a.m., followed by Potosi at 11:30 a.m. Before leaving for Texas, Dan preached at both congregations almost every Sunday! When I arrived at Potosi, I was informed of the history of the church and its work in the community. The church was established in 1832 and the current building was commissioned in 1907 and built in 1909. The architect of the church is John A. Lankford (1847 – 1946). Lankford would become the first African American Architect in the state of Virginia and Washington DC. He was known as the “dean of black architecture,” and would design buildings and churches throughout Virginia and DC.

Why would Potosi choose an African American architect from Virginia to design their church?

Click here for the rest of the post.

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) “BLUE SHIRT MINISTRY”

The first Sunday in Lent (March 5, 2017) is designated “Wear your blue t-shirt to church Sunday” as a testament of one of the ways One Great Hour of Sharing makes a difference. If you have supported PDA on a mission trip in the past and have one of these shirt’s, please show your faith-spirit and wear your shirt on March 5.  If you do not have one of these t-shirts - no problem, just wear something blue.  Type this link into your web browser for more information:  http://pda.pcusa.org/situation/blue-tshirts/

King David sang, “You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy…” (Psalm 30:11) 

Elijah Parish Lovejoy in Alton

 After visiting the site where Elijah Parish Lovejoy was killed protecting his printing presses (site pictured above), we visited several spots along the Underground Railroad including the Rocky Fork AME church in Godfrey, IL pictured below.

Next, we headed back to Alton, driving by Enos Apartments, Union Baptist Church and Franklin House (Lincoln Lofts) all part of the Underground Railroad or significant places in the fight against slavery.  Then, we went to the Lovejoy Monument and Grave where we said a prayer.

Lovejoy Mounment

 Finally, we had lunch at My Just Desserts which is located in the historic Ryder Building which was used as a courthouse with Lincoln visiting as a lawyer.  Thanks to Mary Beth for planning such an inspirational and educational field trip.  For more on our excursion, click here.

Visiting Des Peres Presbyterian

Pastor Anne Epling welcomes us.

 Last week the Presbyterian Women sponsored a field trip to various sites significant in the life of Elijah Parish Lovejoy, one of the name-sakes of our Giddings-Lovejoy Presbytery.  Our first stop was Old Des Peres Presbyterian Church where Lovejoy preached at one time. It is the oldest Protestant church in Missouri where the congregation still worships several times a year.  One of our members even recalled renovating the cemetery many years ago digging the stones up that had fallen and re-erecting them..

 We were privileged to have the pastor of Faith Des Peres, Rev. Dr. Anne Epling, give us a brief history of the church.  For more information, click here.  Later we walked around the cemetery seeing stones for people born in the 1700's and remembering those who have no stones.

We, then, headed to Alton, Illinois to continue our Lovejoy pilgrimage.  For more on Elijah Parish Lovejoy, click here.