St. Mark’s is built on a tradition of meaningful worship, service to others, and lively intellectual discussion about the purpose of our lives. We are a part of the larger East Bay community, and involved in service to the homeless and to each other. We try to put our faith into action by feeding the hungry, providing warm clothes to the those who need them, and visiting the sick in and outside our community. Please call us or send an email if you would like to know more about our service programs. The phone number and e-mail address are at the bottom of this page, or visit the Contact Us page.
Matthew 25:37-40
“‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ “And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.'”
Hot Meals for the Hungry
Volunteers from St. Mark’s offer a free meal for the needy in our community on the third Saturday of every month. The volunteers work in two shifts.From 1:30-4 p.m. volunteers set tables, prepare and cook the meal, and prepare box lunches. From 4:30-6:30 p.m., volunteers serve the meal and clean up. Volunteers are always welcome! For more information, email the Hot Meals team.
Clothing and Items for the Homeless
St. Mark’s collects and distributes clothing and items that are needed by those who are homeless in our community. To donate, please contact the parish office.
Suitcase Clinic
The Suitcase Clinic is a humanitarian student organization and volunteer community offering free health and social services to underserved populations since 1989. Run by a graduate student group from the UCB School of Public Health, St. Mark’s provides the Suitcase Clinic with space and a kitchen.
Prayer Shawl Ministry
The Prayer Shawl Ministry is a national movement started in 1998 to provide shawls to people who are confined to home, nursing home, or hospital, and to those who have recently given birth or suffered a personal loss. A group of avid knitters gather once a month to knit shawls or blankets for members of the congregation in need of this ministry.
St. Mark's Study Hall
The parish’s primary internal outreach to Cal is in the form of the Study Hall which provides students preparing for exams a quiet, spacious parish hall or library with reliable wi-fi for study during “dead week” and exam week at the end of both semesters. Free coffee, tea, and snacks—many home-baked by parishioners—are also provided. The Study Hall is open from Noon until 10 PM on weekdays and from 2-8 PM on weekends. The parish provides food and funding, as well as offering 194 hours of staffing (door and a study hall monitors). The response from students has been good, with many returning each semester. To find out more or get involved with this ministry, contact Alda Morgan.
Social Justice Committee
The 25th chapter of Matthew’s Gospel reminds Christians of their obligations to care for “the least of these my brethren” [vs. 40] with food, drink, hospitality, visitations, etc.; the Social Justice committee is the delegated group within Saint Mark’s to concern itself with these issues. The committee is concerned with Social Justice both locally and beyond the Bay Area. Recent activities of this committee have included supporting our parish deacon as she starts a pre-school for children of workers at the plaza market in Guatemala. We have also espoused the cause of the UC contract workers now seeking university employee status that would give them overtime pay, medical benefits, vacation pay, etc. The committee is what its members make it.
The Social Justice Committee coordinates a monthly InAsMuch Offering named after Jesus’ charge in the Gospel of Matthew to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, care for the sick, and visit those in prison: “Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these . . . you have done it unto me.”