St. Mark's celebrates 150th anniversary

When the members of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church gather for worship on Sunday, May 5, they’ll not only be observing St. Mark’s Day— an event they postponed from April 25—but they’ll also be celebrating their 150th year in San Marcos. They will mark the occasion with a single service at 10 that morning, followed by a reception where members and guests can view a commemorative slide show and enjoy exhibits depicting the church’s history in the community. Children, too, will have an opportunity to celebrate with a special 150th Anniversary birthday cake along with crafts and activities exploring the number and theme of 150. Just how big is 150 anyway? They’ll get to answer that question.

“St. Mark's was founded on the values of worship, wisdom, and welcome, Western Texas in the Episcopal Church, laid the cornerstone of the 16 x 24 ft. frame structure. The parish would continue to worship in that building until 1904, when they moved into a new brick church constructed on the same site.

Over time, however, that building deteriorated, having fallen victim to the shifting ground beneath it. One parishioner later reported that as a young person attending services there, she could see daylight through cracks in the brick walls. Realizing the need to relocate, the parish purchased the old East End School property on Wood Street in 1950 and constructed a parish hall there in 1954. That building was used for worship until the adjoining church could be completed in 1966. That building is now home to United Campus Ministries and Christ Chapel (ELCA).

For more than 30 years, St. Mark’s parish thrived in the Wood Street location, launching myriad programs for both members and the San Marcos community—a preschool, a computer school for adults, Spanish language services, the School of Wisdom, the annual Paper Party fundraiser, Canterbury (the university student ministry), and more. The congregation even survived a devastating fire in 1996 that required them to worship elsewhere for two years.

The church was rebuilt, but by 1999, it was clear that the parish was outgrowing its location. So, after an extensive search, a 20-acre plot was purchased from the San Marcos Baptist Academy on Ranch Road 12. There a new church and parish hall were constructed and dedicated in 2010. The current St. Mark’s campus includes not just those two buildings, but also a renovated ranch house that serves as offices, a beautiful outdoor labyrinth and a natural playground. The building that served as the preschool for years is now being used for a nature-based preschool program that meets on Fridays, as well as for Full Circle gatherings for new parents.

To celebrate these achievements, and the long and rich history St. Mark’s has had in this community, parishioners have been working for months to plan a variety of activities. Leading up to the festivities on May 5, they have held a series of classes focusing on different aspects of parish life—the clergy who have served the congregation, the stories of pioneering members, even the history church furnishings and accoutrements that have made the move from building to building.

“We have written a new history of the church to include the last 50 years,” Hawley noted, alluding to the account being compiled by archeologist and parishioner Katie Lukach. “We’ve uncrated and reconstituted artifacts from the 1902 church, invited former priests, musicians, and parishioners back to the event, and embarked on a broad storytelling journey with people of all ages.”

Part of the storytelling on May 5 will be an illustrated timeline painted on canvas by artists Jerry Kimmel and Jamie Lynn Shelton and stretched across one end of the parish hall. The timeline will include not just significant points in St. Mark’s history, but likewise contemporaneous events occurring around the country. Also on display will be portraits of former rectors, scrapbooks compiled by member Ellie Stewart, and a slide show created by parishioner Susan Hanson featuring people and events from the last 50 years. Finally, commemorative T-shirts will be for sale during the reception.

The focus on history won’t end there, however. “The music, prayers, and readings will encompass traditions from the last 150 years dating back to the first American Book of Common Prayer in 1789, which was still in use in 1874,” Hawley said of the worship service itself. St. Mark’s music director Jenny Henderson added, “The hymns for the day have been chosen to reflect the time periods of the various prayer book selections.” At the offertory, the Chancel Choir will be singing a piece by British composer Gustav Holst, best known for his orchestral suite “The Planets,” with accompaniment by organ and brass. Following the service, professional photographer and parishioner Daniel Plasencia will take a photo of the congregation from the balcony, making a record of the historic event.

“We anticipate a blessed day of much remembering and celebrating—and much gratitude for the grace God has bestowed on our church community,” said Dianne Pape who, with Jerry Kimmel, co-chaired the committee organizing the event. Other members of the committee were Brenda Remme and Celeste Haley, who are in charge of the reception, along with Ellie Stewart, Katie Lukach, Beverly Sparkman, family minister Tamara Talasek, parish administrator Em Pomfret, music director Jenny Henderson, and rector Christian Hawley.

What will be St. Mark’s legacy, not just from the last 150 years but also in the future? Thinking about what the parish has had to offer the San Marcos community, Hawley replied, “An enduring embodiment of sacramental mystery, a humble exploration of the Christian faith, and a place at the table for all who seek to follow Christ. Worship— Wisdom—Welcome.”