St. Mark’s & Mt. Pleasant Churches

06/04/2026

bible study 6-4-26

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06/04/2026

Presiding Bishop Yehiel Curry has issued his first in a series of monthly messages that will continue through the end of this year under the title "All Together in One Place."

Each message will share a pastoral word, rooted in Scripture, that witnesses to God’s presence today, our rich theological tradition and the social teaching that connects us.

Read the full message through the link in the comments below.

06/03/2026

Congress is debating a reconciliation package that includes $38 billion in additional funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and $26 billion for Customs and Border Patrol (CBP). To read more and take action from the Action Center or directly go to Action Alert linked in comment.

06/03/2026

June is Pride Month.

As followers of Christ, we celebrate the sacred worth and belovedness of every person. We give thanks for LGBTQIA+ people whose gifts, leadership, faith, and witness continue to enrich the church and the world.

In a time when many still experience exclusion, we recommit ourselves to practicing radical welcome, cultivating belonging, and affirming the dignity of all God's children.

May this month be marked by joy, courage, community, and the assurance that every person is created in the image of God and deeply loved.

06/03/2026

Recognizing the 250th Anniversary of the United States

As we approach the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, I find myself reflecting on our nation’s founding ideals: that all people are created equal and endowed with unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that governments exist to protect those rights through the consent of the governed; and that people have the right to change a government that fails to do so.

At the same time, our history reveals a persistent gap between these ideals and reality. Indigenous peoples were displaced from their lands. Slavery denied millions their humanity and freedom. Many communities have faced exclusion and discrimination because of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, immigration status, and other aspects of their identity. Ongoing debates about voting rights, representation, healthcare, and economic opportunity remind us that the work of equality and justice remains unfinished.

As Lutheran Christians, we are called not only to profess our faith, but to live it. In our baptismal promises, we commit ourselves to serve all people and strive for justice and peace in all the earth. These promises call us to stand with those who are marginalized, challenge injustice, and speak when our neighbors are harmed.

As God’s hands, feet, and voice in the world, we cannot remain silent in the face of policies, systems, or movements that exclude, diminish, or oppress others. We are called to confront White Christian Nationalism and any ideology that distorts the Gospel by elevating power over love, dominance over service, or exclusion over the radical welcome of Christ.

As we mark the 250th anniversary of our nation, we must ask ourselves: What kind of country do we want to be? How can we help create communities where all people are treated with dignity and have the opportunity to live and flourish?

As people of faith, we are called to help build communities that reflect God’s love, justice, and concern for all people. The choices we make today will help determine whether our nation more fully lives into its promise of liberty and justice for all.

As we approach July 4, 2026, my celebration is not centered on the nation as it is, but on the people who have worked and continue to work to bring our country closer to its highest ideals. I honor those who have courageously struggled for equality, freedom, and justice for all people in the United States and its territories. Their witness calls us to continue the work of building a nation that reflects the dignity, worth, and God-given humanity of every person.

Sister Dottie Almoney
Directing Deaconess

06/01/2026

Today we remember Justin, martyr, who died around 165 CE.

A philosopher and early Christian teacher, Justin believed that faith and reason belong together. He sought truth wherever it could be found and boldly shared the good news of Christ in a world that often misunderstood and rejected it.

Justin reminds us that discipleship includes both heart and mind. We are called not only to believe, but also to learn, question, reflect, and grow in wisdom.

May we have the courage to seek truth faithfully and to bear witness to God's love with both conviction and humility.

06/01/2026

The Holy Trinity reminds us that relationship is woven into the very nature of God.

As Creator, God brings life into being. As Savior, God draws near in love and redemption. As Comforter, God remains present, guiding and sustaining us through every season.

At the heart of the Trinity is a relationship of love, shared, given, and received. Created in the image of this relational God, we are called to live in community, practice radical welcome, and care for one another as Christ cares for us.

On this Trinity Sunday, may we give thanks for the mystery of a God who creates, saves, comforts, and continually invites us into deeper relationship with God and one another.



Image: The Trinity by Russian icon painter Andrei Rublev, early 15th century.

06/01/2026

“Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable; it keeps no record of wrongs; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).