St Mark's Episcopal Church

Advent Forum
2025-12-07 11:30 - 12:30, 2025-12-14 11:30 - 12:30, 2025-12-21 11:30 - 12:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
Join us each Sunday in Advent for a special forum after the 10:00 a.m. service. Led by Rev. Kirsten Spalding, these forums will include discussion of scripture and theology, our Episcopal traditions and our call to action at St. Mark’s in this season of preparation & hope.

Centering Prayer
2025-12-10 08:30 - 09:30, 2025-12-12 09:00 - 10:00, 2025-12-17 08:30 - 09:30, 2025-12-19 09:00 - 10:00, 2025-12-24 08:30 - 09:30, 2025-12-26 09:00 - 10:00 | Kennedy Room – St. Marks, 600 Colorado Ave, Palo Alto, California, 94306
Gather to spend time with God in quiet communion and Centering Prayer

Good Reads October Book Club
2025-12-11 16:00 - 17:00, 2025-12-25 16:00 - 17:00
In November, the Good Reads Book Group will be reading and discussing Miracles and Wonder: The Historical Mystery of Jesus by Elaine Pagels.
The group meets bi-monthly via Zoom on Thursdays at 4:00 p.m. Contact Marie Highby at mhighby@gmail.com for the Zoom link!

Choir Rehearsal
2025-12-11 19:30 - 21:00, 2025-12-18 19:30 - 21:00, 2025-12-25 19:30 - 21:00 | Sanctuary, 600 Colorado Ave, Palo Alto, CA, 94306

8 a.m. Liturgy in Chapel of St. Mary Magdalene
2025-12-14 08:00 - 09:30, 2025-12-21 08:00 - 09:30, 2025-12-28 08:00 - 09:30 | Chapel of St. Mary Magdalene, 600 Colorado Ave, Palo Alto, CA, 94306
Join us for a spoken 8:00 a.m. service from the Book of Common Prayer held in the Chapel of St. Mary Magdalene.

10 a.m. Liturgy
2025-12-14 10:00 - 11:30, 2025-12-21 10:00 - 11:30, 2025-12-28 10:00 - 11:30 | Sanctuary, 600 Colorado Ave, Palo Alto, CA, 94306

Deacon Celebration Day
2025-12-14 10:00 - 11:30
Join us at the 8:00 a.m. or 10:00 a.m. service to celebrate Deacon Debie Thomas as she serves as our deacon for the first time since her ordination! We will be joined by The Venerable Canon Nina Pickerrell (Archdeacon) on this special occasion.

St. Mark's Book Club
2025-12-16 14:00 - 15:30
The December book for the St. Mark’s Book Club is Lovely One by Ketanji Brown Jackson. We’ll meet on December 16 at 2:00 in the Kennedy Room. All are welcome!

St. Marks Book Club
2025-12-16 14:00 - 16:00 | Kennedy Room – St. Marks, 600 Colorado Ave, Palo Alto, California, 94306
The St. Mark’s Book Club is a group of dedicated readers who gather to discuss great books! We meet every 3rd Tuesday of each month at 2 p.m.
The November book for the St. Mark’s Book Group is Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck by Sophie Elmhirst. Nadine O’Leary will lead our discussion.
Email Kathy Gillam, kgillamk@stanford.edu, for more information and to be added to the group email.

Scripture Discussion: Revelation for Normal People
2025-12-16 19:00 - 20:30, 2025-12-30 19:00 - 20:30
Starting in November, the Scripture Discussion group will be reading and discussing Revelation.
We read aloud passages of Scripture and then have discussions following Study Guide materials. All are welcome; no prior Scripture background is needed,
The group meets every-other week in the Kennedy Room (or the Library) on Tuesday Evenings 7:00 PM – 8:15 PM
Contact Ken Bencala [kenbnc@hotmail.com] for more information.
For our discussions we will be using the Study Guide Revelation for Normal People: A Guide to the Strangest and Most Dangerous Book in the Bible by Robyn J. Whitaker
It has never been more important to read Revelation well. Whether you love it, hate it, or avoid it like the plague, the last book of the Bible’s influence permeates our cultural, political, and religious landscapes. From the so-bad-they’re…still bad actually…Left Behind series, to conspiracy theories about microchips and barcodes, to all-too-real political discourse and actions, John’s visions in Revelation reach far beyond anything their ancient author could have imagined. But what did John imagine? Who was he writing for and why? And what’s the deal with all the hideous horned beasts? Join New Testament scholar Robyn Whitaker as she uncovers the real-world contexts behind this ancient apocalyptic text. A world occupied by an oppressive empire, a marginalized people, and a God committed to justice. Where a beast overthrown was a declaration of authority and a falling star was a statement of evil’s demise. Where symbols gave voice to resistance and visions provided a glimpse of hope. A world utterly and entirely ancient. Only when we understand Revelation’s ancient contexts can we begin to find meaning from it for our own.

Greening of the Church & Soup Supper
2025-12-21 17:00 - 19:00
Join us on the Sunday before Christmas, Dec. 21 at 5:00 p.m. for a soup supper in the church Narthex and the annual Greening of the Church. It is fun, festive work to decorate the church interior, with tasks for helping hands of all sizes, including crafts for children. All are welcome! If you can bring a crock pot of soup to share, or a salad, or bread/rolls for our soup supper, sign up in the narthex, or email Stuart Sailer at stusailer@gmail.com to let him know.

Christmas Pageant Service
2025-12-24 15:00 - 16:00
At 3:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve, our Christmas Pageant will be performed as part of our Christmas Pageant Service with carols and Holy Communion. The roughly hour-long service will begin with a traditional opening prelude and prayer, followed by the pageant performance, which is usually about fifteen minutes long. Then we will continue our service with Christmas hymns and a service of Holy Communion.
Children of all ages are invited to participate in the pageant. Anyone who arrives on the day of the pageant and wishes to join will be given a costume and assisted by adult volunteers. If your child would like to have a rehearsed or speaking role in the pageant, click here! Those with rehearsed parts should arrive at 2:00 p.m. for costuming and dress rehearsal.

Cookies, Cider & Caroling
2025-12-24 16:00 - 17:00
We will gather at 4:00 p.m. for a cider and cookie social followed by a Christmas Carol sing along.

Christmas Eve Choral Service
2025-12-24 17:00 - 18:30
A Christmas Eve service celebrating the birth of Christ with choir music and Holy Communion.

Christmas Morning Service
2025-12-25 10:00 - 11:30
Celebrate Christmas Day with us in a service featuring traditional carols and Holy Communion.
