Sacraments

Baptism

In the Episcopal Church, baptisms are a corporate event and are usually celebrated at the 10:45am services.  In accordance with Episcopal tradition, baptisms are scheduled four times a year:  Epiphany, Holy Saturday before Easter, Pentecost and All Saint’s Day.  Baptisms may also be held over the summer by special arrangement.

 

Confirmation/Reaffirmation of Faith

All adults and children are invited to be confirmed or received into the Episcopal faith.  Children must be in grade six or above and are required to attend an 18 week confirmation class, an overnight retreat, and pass a final exam. 

At St. Mark’s, confirmation class is held in addition to regular Sunday school class.  Enrollment occurs in the fall, and a special ceremony is held in the spring upon completion of the program.

Additionally, adults who have been raised in a different faith tradition may be confirmed or received into the Episcopal Church.  St. Mark’s offers an Adult Inquirers Class, open to all adults in the parish, to review the basic tenets and beliefs of the Episcopal Church.

 

First Communion

Any adult who is baptized in the Christian faith is welcome to receive communion at St. Mark’s.  Children in grades 2 or higher are required to attend a 3 week First Communion class that is held in addition to regular Sunday School.  Enrollment for this class occurs in the fall.

 

Weddings

Parishioners, their family members and those of the Episcopal faith are welcome to hold wedding celebrations at St. Mark’s.  Wedding receptions may also be held in St. Mark’s Parish Hall.  Specific information about scheduling arrangements, pre-marital counseling, photography and other policies may be obtained by contacting the parish administrator.

 

Funeral and Memorial Services

The clergy of St. Mark’s will assist with funeral or memorial service arrangements upon notice of the death of a church member.  Memorial services follow the same liturgical format as funerals and are appropriate following cremation or when death and burial has already occurred outside the jurisdiction of the parish.  Both memorial and funeral services are typically scheduled so that members of the congregation have an opportunity to attend. 

St. Mark’s Memorial Garden is a natural columbarium for cremated remains.  Designed in the mid 1980’s, the Memorial Garden is located just north of the church and next to the Burnett Park Cemetery.  Parishioners and families with an affiliation to St. Mark’s church may make arrangements to have their ashes or the ashes of loved ones and family interred directly into the ground.  The name, year of birth and year of death are engraved on stone benches that reside on either side of the garden.  There is a small fee for burial in the Memorial Garden, which includes the cost of engraving. 

 

Additional Information

For more information on any sacrament, please email info@stmarkssouthborough.org