75th Anniversary - April 21, 2024 to October 9, 2024
Sunday April 21, 2024 – The kickoff for our celebrations takes place after the 10 am service, with a light lunch and a 75th birthday cake for St Mark’s Day. There will also be a display of St Mark’s historical material and Bill Barber will make a brief presentation about the architecture of the church.
Sunday May 26, 20204 – Tree planting between the 8 am and 10 am services
Saturday June 22, 2024 – Strawberry Tea, organized by the Mothers’ Union, will begin at 2 pm.
Saturday September 28, 2024 – At 2 pm there will be concert in the church by Aged in Harmony. This will be followed by refreshments in Bishop Reed Hall.
Sunday October 6, 2024 – Windup Celebration. There will be a special 10 am church service, including confirmation, with Bishop Shane Parker in attendance. This will be followed by lunch in Bishop Reed Hall.
Sunday April 21, 2024
We kicked off our 75th anniversary celebrations with a St Mark’s Day service and a delicious luncheon featuring a display of historical material and a brief presentation on the architecture of the church. Many thanks to the 75th Anniversary Committee for their hard work in making it all happen!
Crowd enjoying the luncheon
Bill Barber giving a brief overview of the architecture
Fr Julian and the wardens cut the anniversary cake
(L to R) John Hancock, Suzanne Bisson, Fr Julian, Janis Perkin, Joseph Amuah
Sunday May 26, 2024
There was a good attendance for the ceremonial tree planting between our two morning services. There was a brief ceremony led by Fr Julian. Ray Davidson, Sheila Pitt, Fr Julian, Councillor Devine and Councillor Brockington helped to shovel mulch around the tree while the choir sang.
The ceremony concluded with everyone saying together the following prayer:
God of the Universe, you made the heavens and the earth, so we do not call our home merely “planet earth”, we call it your creation, a divine mystery, a gift from your most blessed hand. The world itself is your miracle. Upon this tree may your stars rain down their blessed dust. May it and us be blessed with rain and sunshine. Grant us humility that we might become more human, that we might mend our rift from your creation, that we might then know the sacredness of the gift of life, that we might truly experience life from your hand. For you planted humanity in a garden and began our resurrection in a garden. Our blessed memory and hope, therefore, lie in a garden. Thanks be to God, who made the world teeming with a variety of things on the earth, above the earth and under the earth. Thanks be to God for the many kinds of plants, trees and fruits that we celebrate. For the centipedes, ants and worms, for the mice, marmots, bats, squirrels and for all creatures. We rejoice that we find ourselves eclipsed by the magnitude of generosity and mystery you so freely give. Thanks be to God. Amen.
At the end of the ceremony Councillors Riliey Brockington and Sean Devine presented a certificate to the church in recognition for its long-standing contribution.
Fr Julian leads the prayers for the tree planting ceremony
The Choir sings The Hand of Mark, a hymn written by the late Norma Mellon for our congregation, during the spreading of the mulch
Sheila Pitt spreads mulch for the new tree
Ray Davidson spreads mulch for the new tree
Councillor Sean Devine adds to the mulch.
Fr Julian spreads the last mulch, mindful of his white robe.
Councillors Riley Brockington and Sean Devine present the plaque to Fr Julian
Anniversary Plaque
The group in front of the church with St Mark’s original banner
Saturday June 22, 2024
The ladies of the Mothers’ Union put on a lovely strawberry tea with delectable food, trivia (Who was the prime minster in 1947?), singing and a video presentation of the history of the church from 1949 until 2015. Thank you to the Mothers’ Union!
Guests at their table
Sandwich Platters
Assorted tasty desserts
Strawberry Tarts
Ladies with Hats
Guest in their finery
Entertainment for the younger set in the link
Thank you to the Mothers’ Union
StMark@75 - Weekly memories in the Newsletter
1958 Girls Choir
Early Picnic
Lorne Bowerman burning the mortgage in 1983. “Debt Free in 83” Rob Mellon and Bishop Edwin Lackey in the background
Rev Jessica Worden and Sheila Pitt ministering to residents of the Perley-Rideau.
Fr Roger Steinke and Ariane Dind entertaining at a Strawberry Social.
Pentecost 2014
Ray Davidson, Bobbi Cain & John Kirby are recognized for their long service to the choir.
1965 Sod Turning for the construction of Bishop Reed Hall
2019 Picnic – Bruce Lodge, Wes Adams, Doreen Matweow and Wanda Bowman.
This young man turned 91 on June 16, 2024. Happy Birthday Ray Davidson!
Margaret Blakeney, Sheila Young, Pam Rogers, Maria Padin, Cynthia Greer and Gilliam Morris prepare for the Canada 150 celebration
Sod Turning for the Church building. June 23, 1954
Customers browsing at St Mark’s 50th Annual Art Show
St Mark’s Senior Choir
Director Don Marjerrison 1982-1988
Our church has an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) which is located in the link outside the nave. Here some parishioners are part of a group receiving training on how to use it.
In the second week of August 1992, renovations began on the church which closed the stairway at the back of the church, created the chapel and added new stairs to the lower hall and the cloak room as well as reconfiguring the sanctuary. Here is a view of the original sanctuary. Note the pipes for the organ on the left and the low lights on the wall for providing light to the choir.
THis is one of the last pictures taken before the construction. Note that the organ box is gone, replaced by speaker screens, the low lights have been replaced by higher ones and perpetual light has been added.
Although our annual Fall Bazaar won’t occur until November 2 this year, preparations have already begun.
This is a picture of the Christmas pageant from 1991. One of these faces still regularly attends and others have parents regularly attending…..Who can you identify?
Until the pandemic, the pancake supper was a long-standing tradition at St Mark’s. This is a collage from 2014.
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On April 21, 2022 Coffee, Company & Conversation resumed after the pandemic. This is a picture from that first CCC.