St. Mark’s Episcopal Church Announces Growing Campaign
On Sunday, January 6, 2013, the congregation of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church viewed a new, professionally-created video supporting their new chapter of “Growing in Grace,” a strategic campaign with goals which include expanding the current facilities.
The Vision and Strategic Planning Committee defined 12 goals for 2013-2014, based on a parish-wide survey and mission field demographic data, refined by a committee visioning session.
“Our future education and preschool building will transform the lives of children; it will serve our needs for mission and ministry, and it will be the place where future parishioners will come to know the love of Christ we know at St. Mark’s,” said the Reverend Bert Baetz.
The church, which services the Greater Fort Bend community from its location at 7615 FM 762, the extension of Crabb River Road across from George Ranch, was originally founded in Rosenberg in 1956 by a nucleus of 13. In 2009 the FM 762 facility was donated by Dean and Jackie Leaman. St. Mark’s is quickly outgrowing its present sanctuary and fellowship areas.
St. Mark’s logo includes a tree, which symbolically covers and protects its members, while allowing the birds of the air to nest in its branches. The “Growing in Grace” campaign has continued this theme with the distribution of a small packet of mustard seeds distributed to the congregation, following the parable in Matthew 13.31-32. The parish is encouraged to grow the church and its facilities, much as a mustard seed expands into a shrub and then a tree.
The church’s mission states, “St. Mark’s Episcopal Church is a steadfast community of Christians dedicated to providing opportunities for worship, service, personal and spiritual growth, fellowship and comfort all people in an caring environment.” Core values are described as Gracious, Rooted, Authentic, Christ-centered and Empowered, spelling “GRACE”.
Reverend Bert Baetz shows St. Mark’s future worship and fellowship areas to Vision Awareness Team Leader Kim Janke and his daughter, Jordan. Ground breaking will be held in the first quarter of 2013 at 7615 FM 762, across from George Ranch, on the extension of Crabb River Road.
