St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Canton, Ohio

06/10/2026

In the Gospel reading from the Daily Office today (Matthew 16:1-12), the Pharisees and Sadducees asked Jesus for a sign from heaven. Jesus had already healed many people. He had raised a young girl who was dead. He had miraculously fed crowds. What greater sign could they want?

The problem was not that Jesus had not demonstrated that he was the one to bring the Kingdom of Heaven. The problem was that they did not want the kingdom on the terms Jesus was bringing it. No sign would have been enough to change their minds.

There was a time when I thought that if I could produce enough convincing evidence for my Christian faith, I could persuade anyone to accept the Gospel. It is good to give a reasonable defense of our faith. However, the problem is often not a lack of evidence. The question is more often whether people want the Kingdom of Heaven if it means accepting Jesus as the one who brings it.

06/09/2026

🍓 Thank you to everyone who made our St. Mark’s Strawberry Social such a wonderful day!

After a beautiful Morning Prayer service in the Betty Fortney Sanctuary in the Woods, we gathered for a picnic filled with great food, sweet strawberries, and even sweeter fellowship.

Special thanks to grill master Joe Hoot, Chef Carol and her amazing team, Bob Morrison for the music, and all the volunteers who helped make our first outdoor service of the year a success. ☀️

06/08/2026

In the Gospel reading from the Daily Office today (Matthew 15:21-28), a Canaanite woman asked Jesus to heal her daughter. At first, Jesus ignored her, but the woman persisted. Finally, Jesus answered her with the statement, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” She responded by saying that even the dogs get crumbs from the table, and Jesus healed her daughter.

This exchange is commonly seen as offensive. Why would Jesus refer to the woman as a dog? There have been attempts to soften the statement. However, this was a common reference to Gentiles, especially wealthy Gentiles from Tyre who bought grain from Galilee even when the Jewish people of Galilee went hungry.

Earlier in the Gospel, Jesus told his disciples to go only to the cities of Israel. At the end of the Gospel, Jesus commissioned the disciples to go to all nations. That would not happen until after Jesus death and resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit. The issue was not that the woman was a Gentile. The issue was that the time had not yet come for the blessings of the Messiah to extend to the Gentiles. However, the woman’s faith called for the blessing of the coming age to extend back to her age.

There are many blessings, such as universal justice and healing, that will come only with the return of Christ. Do we have the faith to move the timeline backward to our own time so that the justice and healing that will occur then can occur in our own time?

06/07/2026

June 7 2026 outdoors

06/07/2026

Join us this week!

06/05/2026

🦁 The Lion's Pause Highlights

🔔 Capital Improvement Update
The church's boiler hot water pump and valves will be replaced in June. Donations to the Capital Reserve Fund are appreciated as we work to maintain our facilities.

🌿 Garden Spruce Up
Saturday, June 6 | 9:00–11:00 a.m.
Join us as we put the finishing touches on the gardens and outdoor spaces before our first outdoor service of the season.

🍓 Strawberry Social & Cookout
Sunday, June 7 after the 10:00 a.m. service
Bring your favorite strawberry dish and join us for food, fellowship, and fun in the Sanctuary in the Woods.

📚 Book Club
Monday, June 8 at 3:00 p.m.
Discussion: Who Is Government by Michael Lewis.

🧘 Yoga Returns Soon
Classes resume June 30 and continue throughout July.

🔒 Safety & Directory Reminders
Please do not open church doors for unfamiliar visitors, and do not share the parish directory password.

🎂 June Celebrations
Happy birthday and anniversary month to all our St. Mark's family members celebrating in June!

Read more: https://conta.cc/4xbbZ1w

Email from St. Mark's Episcopal Church The Latest News at St. Mark's WE SEEK TO UNITE ALL PEOPLE WITH GOD AND EACH OTHER IN CHRIST THROUGH WORSHIP, FELLOWSHIP, EDUCATION, AND SERVICE Rector's Rambling

06/03/2026

As Pride month begins, save the date for a gathering commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1976 General Convention resolution declaring that LGBTQ+ people have a full and equal claim to the pastoral care and support of The Episcopal Church. The event, “Full and Equal: 50 Years in Pursuit of a Promise,” will celebrate progress and acknowledge the work that remains.

The three-day gathering, held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Sept. 3-5, will include storytelling coaching, workshops, a banquet, and a Eucharist featuring Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe as presider and Bishop Gene Robinson as preacher. Spanish-language interpretation will be available.

More registration details will follow. Please save the date and help spread the word.

06/03/2026

The pipes are calling… and it’s not the organ.

This spring, a key boiler pump failed, impacting several areas of our building. A full repair requires a system shutdown, scheduled for June once school is out.

Estimated cost: $7,845
Current reserves: Currently below recommended levels.

We invite you to prayerfully consider a special gift to our Capital Reserve Fund to help cover this needed repair.

Thank you for supporting St. Mark’s.

06/03/2026

St. Mark’s Strawberry Social and Cookout! 🍓

Sunday, June 7, 2026
After the 10:00 service
In the Betty Fortney Sanctuary in the Woods

Our first outdoor service is scheduled for Sunday, June 7. The 10:00 service will be followed by a cookout and our Second Annual Strawberry Social! The last one we had a couple of years ago was so successful, we decided to do this again! So please plan on bringing your favorite Strawberry recipes to share - salads, desserts, pies, shortcake - all the favorites!

Please sign up on the kiosk in the Narthex with what you will be bringing!