We had the most services attended by the most people that have ever graced our Easter week activities. Our clergy and staff performed remarkably well and were supported by more than one hundred volunteers playing crucial roles. Especially important was the contribution by the Liturgy Planning Team and Lisa Ramish and her church decorating group. Jessie Babcock and David Deutsch were everywhere.

 

To review, it all started on Palm Sunday morning services during which the St Marks Dance Company knocked us out again with their marvelous liturgical dance. What you may not have appreciated at the time was that Jeff Kempskie wrote the original music for the dance and that the music, dance and narration had to be synchronized artfully to make the thing work so beautifully. The talented cello work added a level of musicianship and sense of pathos that was marvelous. It is captured on The St Mark's Facebook page and on Youtube if you need a refresher.

 

This year Michele decided to split Tenebrae apart from our Maundy Thursday format and it worked like a charm on Wednesday night. The liturgy was extremely tough as it directly addressed the many and hurtful ways we both sin against our neighbor and justify ourselves up to the hilt. About 50 people went and I urge you to consider adding this to the list of holy week services you attend next year.

 

On Maundy Thursday 175 people came to the reception, dinner and service to see our new approach to foot washing and liturgy. Raiford Gaffney, Elin Whitney-Smith and Marilu Sherer worked for weeks to make sure that the tables were ready with the right equipment for our fun dinner. Michele's powerful sermon about the hopelessness she felt at ground zero and being brought back to herself by the power of community expressed in a friend's phone call was very moving. The story of her washing the feet of a dazed passerby put our own foot washing into a new and helpful perspective. We will hear this "kinship" theme from her often and it fits so well our collective sense that we come to know ourselves and deepen our understanding of the holy in our relationships.

 

Good Friday and the Stations of the Cross was impressive in many ways. Charmiane Crawford's solo and the choir were very special. The pictures of the stations outside the Capitol spoke eloquently about our hopes to make an impact.

 

On Saturday the inaugural Vigil for the Young and the Restless attracted a small but very enthusiastic crowd. Caroline McReynolds-Adams has identified an activity that is bound to grow as word spreads about what an impact it made on kids and adults alike.

 

Easter Sunday was a total blowout. Lisa Ramish's simple but vey beautiful decorations wowed the large crowds at all three services. Jeff had rounded up a very impressive brass group and Chris Herman on the cello, the choir and the three soloists Marika Klein, Marjorie Coombs Wellman, and Adam Caughey made heavenly music. Michele's sermon about how faithful and powerful Mary is in the Easter story was great and delivered with enough joy that I think all of us felt that our gathering was indeed good news.

 

None of this would not have been possible with support that can seem largely invisible. The choir practiced an enormous repertoire of music, the staff and the Liturgy Planning Team worked for hours to produce Bulletins and services that seemed to go round the clock. Greeters met our many guests, the Altar guild had silver shining, the list goes on and on.

 

We are so blest to be in each other's company.

 

Hugs

 

Peter

Please consider signing the petitions and volunteering to deliver them on the 13th. I would love to know if you are interested in assisting with the vigil planning or gun violence prevention throughout the year. And, if this issue is difficult for you or if St. Mark's and the Diocese's advocacy on this issue makes you uncomfortable, I'd also like to hear from you!

Peace,

Justi

Dear St. Mark's,



Please consider attending an upcoming choral concert featuring the music of William Byrd (1543-1623).  Hosted by St. Mark's on Saturday April 16th at 8pm, the concert will be performed by Carmina, an early music ensemble led by Vera Kochanowsky. Repertoire will include the Mass for Four Voices and motets from Gradualia. Suggested donation: $15.



Peace,

JEFF