Church guide

We are happy to announce that the position statement reaffirming St. Mark’s commitment to being a totally inclusive church passed by 97%. Thank all of you who attended the Family Meeting on Sunday, August 25th to discuss and vote on the position statement. This is an important step in our journey to becoming a welcoming, inclusive church.

Come join us! Food, fellowship, discussion & vote to affirm the position statement condemning the Traditional Plan and recommitting ourselves to inclusivity. We expect this to be a constructive, respectful discussion and will not tolerate any disrespect. Come to celebrate who St. Mark's is and is becoming!

Some people are getting fun stuff this Sunday! I’m Excited!!!

We are down to the last key to the kin-dom! Come worship with us as we complete our August sermon series this Sunday! 8:30 & 10:45 AM

Dear Friends of St. Mark's, Like many of you, I was heartbroken and dismayed at the actions of the UMC General Conference 2019 (GC19). Like many of you, one of my first gut reactions was to walk away and find a new denomination (or work at Walmart, my husband talked me out of it). After working through some of the grief and sorrow, I am more and more convinced that that General Conference was the UMC's Good Friday and that God has a big Easter plan for us. GC19 has backfired on those who thought they could vote in hate and exclusion. It has motivated people who were previously silent and frozen in the middle, to the way of inclusion and love. It has motivated progressives to get organized as never before. This resulted in a stunning Annual Conference season in which slates of progressive delegates swept the General Conference votes and 78% of AC's passed statements against the Traditional Plan. LGBTQ+POC clergy and laity have gathered and become determined to do a new thing. The Iowa UMC has proven more progressive than we thought with the votes at AC. AND at the same time the leadership of the Iowa Annual Conference continues to fail us. They have failed to dismiss the charges unfairly brought against Rev. Anna Blaedel and we now know there will be a trial. This is hugely disheartening. However, I also see this is the last pangs of power-mongers trying to hold onto their rules. They know they are losing. They know their time is coming to an end and they are lashing out while they can. The powers of empire thought they had won on Good Friday, but Easter came for them as well. Easter will come for the Iowa Annual Conference, for Anna, for us all. You know the hardest thing (imho) about being pregnant/the adoption process, was the waiting time. When you knew that things were moving along but you could not control and you had no part of it except to live each day in hope. We are in that time. Things are moving along - the new Methodism is gestating!! But there is only so much we can do about the General Church level. We are sending 2 delegates to the Adam Hamilton Leadership summit in September. Our Research team is actively following developments such as the Indianapolis Plan below. What we can do at our level is this: Affirm our call to be fully inclusive August 25th. Be in discernment about St. Mark's vision, mission and values. How Methodist are we? What does it mean for us to be children of John Wesley? How do we live out our inclusion here in Iowa City? How do we actually minister to LGBTQ+ persons in Iowa City? How do we offer healing, refuge and grace to those who have been harmed by churches? Be prepared to join in the creation of the new progressive denomination by talking about what it means to be progressive Christians. We have to prepare the nursery so we can be ready to be a part of this new life. If you feel strongly that you just can't wait to see the birth of the new Methodist denomination next May, I understand. We can be in ministry outside the walls of this building, this denomination. Lets talk about house churches, church in the wild - the options are only limited by our imaginations. I tell you the honest truth - if I were not confident that there will be a birth of a healthier, inclusive Methodism in the next year then I would not be here at St. Mark's. But I am here for you, for all who want to be in spiritual community together regardless of what the system says. Let us continue to live in hope! Pastor Sarah

Join us for Vacation Bible School, as we journey To Mars and Beyond! July 14-18 6:00-7:30

Proud of my church and the Youth!

All those who wish to walk with St. Mark's in the Pride Parade should meet at 10 AM on Saturday (not 11 as previously stated). Or meet us downtown near the Pentacrest (Clinton and Market) before 11:30 AM.

One outcome of the Our Movement Forward summit this past weekend in Minneapolis was the "Loved and Liberated" Proclamation. You can read and join this powerful affirmation at umcSetFree.org

Mark your calendars... One month from today is St. Mark's annual Chicken BBQ! Tickets are on sale now from your local friendly St. Mark's member, or stop in to the office during the week!

The Youth are helping with the #stampouthunger Food Drive today! If you've put out food for collection, you may see them in the big church bus driving around to scoop it up! This is the second year in a row for this fun and helpful project!

The St. Mark's Miracles notched their first win of the season tonight, (already, the season started today!) winning on a walk-off hit in extra innings! Come out to the Creekside ballpark next Friday at six to see if this miracle can be repeated!

Celebrate Holy Week: Maundy Thursday 6:30pm Good Friday 6:30pm Easter morning 6:30, 8:30, and 10:45

The Methodist Federation for Social Action has been organizing and advocating for justice for over 100 years. Our Iowa chapter is going strong, and will hold its spring statewide gathering at St. Mark's on April 27th. http://www.mfsaiowa.org/

If you're looking for connections with others beyond the local church who are responding to the General Conference, this group is for you.

We don't know what the future holds. One thing we do know: at St. Mark's UMC, ALL MEANS ALL. We are a church that wants all, welcomes all, loves all, includes all, and affirms all. And we ALWAYS will.

Opening worship for General Conference is at 9:00 this morning.

General Conference begins tomorrow - the event will be livestreamed in English, French, and American Sign Language

We need smell-o-vision...

It's happening! 7 pm tonight!

What are Pastor Sean and Deacon Chris doing? Better come to the Ash Wednesday service (tomorrow at 6:30) to find out!

Pumpkins!

Last one!

Drive through

Chicken going on the fire!

Chicken BBQ 2016!