OWLS – Our active older congregants group, who plan an active meeting schedule with education, trips, lunches, dinners.
Community Meals: Mark’s members and friends, along with volunteers from Mary Mother of the Church, Power Packs, and other community groups, serve monthly free meals to people in the Mount Joy and surrounding areas. The goal of these dinners is to provide healthy, home-cooked meals. These meals are usually held the third Sunday of each month September through June. The meals are curbside pickup at the rear of St. Mark’s Church between 4:00 and 5:00 on the days of the dinners. Volunteers are needed each month to help package and distribute the meals, as well as donate cakes and pies for the desserts. For more information about St. Mark’s Free Community Dinners, or to volunteer, contact Janet Lehman at lehmanfamily@comcast.net.
Connect Groups: Small groups are key to spiritual growth, and St. Mark’s encourages all members and attenders to join a Connect Group. These small groups meet at least once a month, preferably off-site, to explore various studies and support one another. St. Mark’s offers a wide range of materials from book studies to video studies covering countless subjects and topics. Each group maintains its own schedule and study preferences. You may join an existing group, or we can form new groups.
Children’s Ministry: We offerplenty of opportunities for children of any age to experience the love, grace, and peace of Jesus Christ. From weekly Sunday School time at either the 9:00 or 10:30 service to our new mid-week program KidZone, there’s plenty of opportunities for our younger friends to get involved in the life of the church! For more information on these opportunities, please reach out to Kim Reese, or Children’s Ministry Director.
Sunday Morning: At each service on Sunday morning we encourage children to experience the first half of our worship service with their families. We believe it is important for children to hear scripture read, prayers prayed, and songs sung as a worshiping community. At the mid-point in the service children are invited forward for a children’s message before heading to Sunday School in the children’s room located just off of the Welcome Center. There they will learn lessons, play games, sing songs, and of course enjoy a special snack! All children are invited to join!
Children’s Choir: We love to hear our children sing a joyful song! Our Children’s Choir rehearses each Thursday evening from 6:30-7:15 to prepare for our monthly second Sunday singing in the church service! We alter between the 9:00 and 10:30 services so that all of St. Mark’s can enjoy! All children are invited to join us, no music background required!
KidZone: Building strong connections between St. Mark’s UMC, Faith Factory Learning Center, and the Mount Joy Community, KidZone is our new and exciting midweek children’s program! Bring your kids for a free family dinner in Fellowship Hall, and send them off for games, story, crafts, and lesson. Parents are welcome stay for coffee and dessert with an option of a fun game for the adults! KidZone meets the second Thursday of each month from 6:00 – 7:30.
Visiting Ministry
Hospitality: Our Hospitality Team is one of the first faces visitors and members have each and every Sunday. Greeting at the door, answering questions, and making accommodations when they can, their primary objective is to create a warm, kind, and inviting space for all. For first time visitors, the Hospitality Team has a small gift they give, as well as more information on St. Mark’s. In addition to making all feel welcomed, they also serve coffee, donuts, and other fantastic treats between services to help create a sense of community and comradery. The Hospitality Team is always looking to grow their program, and if you’re interested, please contact the church office.
Bible Study: Mark’s offers short- and long-term Bible studies throughout the year that cover a wide range of interesting and relevant topics. Groups meet mostly on Wednesdays, either at 1:00 PM or 6:30 PM, with a Zoom option available for those who can’t attend in person. Most Bible studies are led by the pastor. Contact the church office, 717-653-5493, Or Email Here for information or to register.
Music Ministry: “Making a joyful noise to the Lord” is something we take very seriously at St. Mark’s Church! Music is INTEGRAL and VITAL to the life, function, and purpose of our congregation. It has been used regularly to elevate and enhance worship services and experiences since our founding. Choral groups of all ages allow enthusiastic singers the opportunity to fellowship with others while at the same time, lifting our voices to God in song. A multi-octave set of high-quality handbells provides another outlet for musical praise and performance. Over the years, our original Möller two-manual pipe organ has been expanded and updated to a three-manual hybrid pipe and digital organ that can provide both meditative moments and celebratory splendor!
Chancel Choir: The Chancel Choir is a volunteer group of mixed voices, men and women, that regularly rehearses on Thursday evenings, from 6:30 until 8:00 in the lower level of the church. Supplying the music for the 9:00 Sunday Service, the Chancel Choir performs a healthy variety of sacred pieces of all styles. Seasonally, the Chancel Choir has also presented Christmas, Lenten, and Easter Cantatas. The choir usually sings from September through mid-June. Over the summer months, soloists, instrumentalists, and small ensembles provide special music for our Sunday Services. Are you interested in adding your voice to the choir? Michael Kohler, our Choir Director, and can be contacted at bwaynut@comcast.net or by contacting the church office for more information on joining the Chancel Choir.
Worship Team: The Worship Team is a small group of dedicated musicians who weekly lead the 10:30 Service into the presence of God through worship and song. Meeting each Thursday evening for rehearsal from 8:00 until around 9:15, they share life, joys, concerns, and music together before bringing their talents to the congregation on Sunday mornings. If you’re interested in leading worship with us, reach out to Patti Shearer or Jimmy Law and together we can lift up an offering to the Lord!
Bell Choir: Mark’s possesses a first-rate set of handbells and chimes that are used throughout the church year to bolster the worship experience. Their ethereal ringing through our sanctuary is mesmerizing, reminding us of the truly holy nature of God. Most recently, the bells have been practicing and performing from the balcony at the rear of the church sanctuary overflow area, ringing their sound over the congregation. To use the complete set of bells requires roughly 10 ringers (players). Although playing most regularly at holiday times such as Christmas & Easter, the bells’ presence in worship is always eagerly anticipated. To join the ranks of the St. Mark’s Ringers, contact the church office.
