Mutual Care

St. Mark’s has several programs to benefit parishioners with special needs or in circumstances in which parishioners need help.
 
Lay Eucharistic Visitors
St. Mark’s provides training for volunteer parishioners to share the pastoral and sacramental ministries of the church. The Lay Eucharistic visitors take the Communion elements to persons who are house-bound or who cannot otherwise participate in the Eucharist at regular services. The Communion elements are blessed during the regular church services, and are given to the Lay Eucharistic Visitors for that day, in order that the house-bound parishioners and others in hospitals and nursing homes share the same bread and wine that the congregation shares. The Lay Eucharistic Visitors perform a simple order of worship and share information about the parish.
Contact: Freda Iverson f.iverson@me.com
 
Email Prayer Group
Prayer requests are forwarded by email to prayer group participants, and included on the prayer list in the Sunday service leaflet and the ERoar. Members of the Prayer Group pray for those on the prayer list, and they are included in the Prayers of the People at Sunday services.
Contact: Sandie Mullin sandiemullin@gmail.com
 
Transportation Guild
St. Mark’s provides transportation assistance to parishioners and friends – whether to church, doctors’ appointments, the pharmacy or the grocery store or other places the parishioners (or friends) need to go.
Contact: Bill Connell wconnell@connellandersen.com
 
Meals
St. Mark’s has a dedicated group of parishioners who are available to take dinner to parishioners with a temporary need for this service, such as recovery from medical procedures, a new baby in the house, or other circumstances requiring this service.
Contact: Laura DeJohn dejohnfamily@gmail.com
 
Grief Group
St. Mark’s Grief Group meets on the third Monday of every month at 4:15 in the Parlor. The Grief Group is led by Dr. Douglas Smith, a clinical psychologist and parishioner of St. Mark’s. Attendance at the Group varies from two or three individuals to as many as ten participants. Most of the participants in the Group have experienced significant losses in their lives, including the death of a spouse, child, parent or sibling. Other attendees have experienced losses of a different nature including emotional losses surrounding a divorce or other disruption of a family situation. The Grief Group provides support for those suffering from a significant loss, and it provides a place for the participants to talk about their feelings with others who have also experienced intense grief. The Group also provides feedback to the participants on ways to cope with intense grief, and it helps the participants discover ways to find meaning in life after a significant loss.
Contact: Dr. Doug Smith drdougsmith@gmail.com