179 Main Street, Penn Yan, New York 14527
St. Mark's Episcopal Church
315-536-3955 | office@stmarkspennyan.org
Services
The Episcopal Church is a liturgical church. The term liturgy literally in Greek means "work for the people," but a better translation is public service or public work. Early Christians adopted the word to describe its principal act of worship, the Sunday service. This service, liturgy, or ministry is a duty for Christians as a priestly people by their baptism into Christ and participation in his high priestly ministry.
The Eucharist
The Eucharist is the sacrament of Christ's body and blood, and the principal act of Christian worship. The term is from the Greek, "thanksgiving." Jesus instituted the Eucharist "on the night when he was betrayed." At the Last Supper he shared the bread and cup of wine at a sacred meal with his disciples. He identified the bread with his body and the wine with his blood. Jesus commanded his disciples to "do this" in remembrance of him. The Eucharist makes Christ’s sacrifice present, and in it we are united to his one self-offering. The Last Supper provides the basis for the fourfold Eucharistic action of taking, blessing, breaking, and sharing. Christ's body and blood are really present in the sacrament of the Eucharist and received by faith. Christ's presence is also known in the gathered Eucharistic community.
Weddings
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Christian marriage is a solemn and public covenant in the presence of God. In the Episcopal Church it is required that one, at least, of the parties must be a baptized Christian; that the ceremony be attested by at least two witnesses; and that the marriage conform to the laws of the State and the canons of this Church.
Weddings are available for members of St. Mark's Episcopal Church and their families and may be extended to non-members of the parish as approved by the Rector.
Services
Sunday Mornings
9 am Eucharist
Joyful, Casual, Musical
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Evening Prayer
Evening Prayer is a liturgy in use in the Anglican Communion and celebrated in the late afternoon or evening. It is also commonly known as Evensong when the office is rendered chorally, when most of the service is sung. It is roughly the equivalent of Vespers in the Roman Catholic Church and the Lutheran churches. It was originally formed by combining the monastic offices of Vespers and Compline. Evening Prayer, like Morning Prayer and in contrast to the Eucharist, may be led by a layperson, and is recited by some devout Anglicans daily in private.
At St. Mark's, Evening Prayer is said on Wednesday during Lent and Advent and the last Wednesday of each month.
Funerals
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The Book of Common Prayer offers several liturgies that deal with death. Perhaps least know in the Litany at the time of Death. When family and friends are able to join in saying this litany, it draws those present into a common action of prayer and intercession for the dying. The Eucharist is a normative part of the Funeral Service. From the earliest days of the Church, the Eucharist was celebrated at such moments. In the bread and wine we see both the redemption that Christ accomplishes on the cross, which provides the way to new life. Depending on the wishes of the family, the service may take the form of a simple memorial. At the time that the remains are committed to their final resting place, a brief service called The Committal is said.
Whatever arrangements required for the comfort of the family and the desires of the departed, the Rector will work to provide services that bring healing and wholeness.