The Oldest Public Building in Grand Rapids
St. Mark's Episcopal Church sits at the corner of Pearl and Division in downtown Grand Rapids, a Gothic Revival structure of stone quarried from the Grand River with walls two feet thick. The building was finished in 1848, making it the oldest public building in the city, and it has been the home of an Episcopal congregation since 1836, when the parish was incorporated eight years before Grand Rapids was even chartered as a city. Expanded in 1872 and beyond, the cruciform church echoes Trinity Church in New York City, with soaring ceilings and hand-painted stained glass that draw on early Renaissance cathedrals. President Gerald R. Ford grew up here, and the parish gave rise to Butterworth and Blodgett Hospitals (now Corewell Health) and to the first college in the region.
An Inclusive Community at the Heart of the City
St. Mark's mission statement is short and steady: We are an inclusive community of faith, reflecting Christ's love, ministering to all who hunger in body, mind, and spirit. The Statement of Inclusion calls the parish a growing, welcoming, and affirming community that celebrates the dignity of every person regardless of ethnicity, cultural heritage, denominational background, ability, sexual orientation, or gender identity. The vision is to create a spiritual community shaped by worship, accessibility, belonging, formation, and a commitment to social justice.
Sunday Worship: Two Eucharists and a Livestream
Sunday services follow the Book of Common Prayer, the red book in the pew rack, and the rhythm gives the day its structure. At 8:00 a.m., a spoken Holy Eucharist gathers the early congregation without music. At 10:30 a.m., the principal Holy Eucharist with Music features the Adult Choir, organ, and congregational singing. That 10:30 service is livestreamed on YouTube, and recordings of past services are available on the parish's channel.
On Monday evenings at 8:00 p.m., Compline, the church's ancient bedtime prayers, is streamed live on Facebook. On Wednesdays at noon, a Midweek Eucharist is offered from September through May, a quiet midday pause in the week. St. Mark's describes its liturgical worship as carrying a certain "peace of predictability" that links worshipers both to one another and to Christians across the centuries.
The Music That Fills the Nave
Music is a defining part of St. Mark's identity, and the Adult Choir leads the congregation in song at the 10:30 service from September through May. The choir sings a broad repertoire with a constant eye to its Anglican heritage, and no auditions are required. Organ and choral scholars are drawn from area colleges. Rehearsals are Wednesday evenings from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. A Bell Choir adds its bright sound at specific seasons and reads music by audition.
The instrument at the heart of it all is a four-manual, tracker-action pipe organ installed in 2004 by the English firm J.W. Walker. With 57 stops and 71 ranks of pipes, it is engineered to speak into the Nave, Transept, and Choir from a detached, reversed console. The instrument anchors the Sacred Sounds at St. Mark's concert series, a free offering that began with the 2008-2009 season. Held at 5:00 p.m. on various Sundays throughout the year, Sacred Sounds has welcomed Anonymous 4, the American Boychoir, English tenor Charles Daniels, the Grand Rapids Symphony Youth Chorus, African dance troupe Bi-Okoto, the Grand Valley State University Gospel Choir, and English organist Martin Neary, among others. The St. Mark's choir takes part by singing services of Choral Evensong, Lessons and Carols, and performances of major choral works with orchestra. Director of Music Dr. Gary Gordon oversees all of it.
Children, Youth, and Lifelong Learning
Children and youth are woven into the rhythm of Sunday morning. From 9:15 to 10:15 a.m., the parish offers children's formation for K-5 and youth formation for grades 6-12, beginning with Make a Joyful Noise Children's Choir at 9:15 and Sunday School at 9:35. Nursery care for children under kindergarten runs from 9:15 a.m. through the 10:30 service. During the 10:30 liturgy, after the Gospel reading, children of any age are invited to St. Mary's Chapel for a special message and activity, returning to the sanctuary at The Peace.
For older youth, Grand Rapids Episcopal Youth (GREY) is a joint offering with St. Andrew's Episcopal Church. Director of Faith Formation Jeff Brown oversees it all. For adults, the parish offers an Inquirer's Class, a Confirmation Class, Wednesday night series through the academic year, and several retreats. Education for Ministry (EfM) is a four-year program in which participants read the entire Bible, study church history, theology, and classic philosophical texts in weekly discussion-based meetings.
Serving the City Beyond the Nave
St. Mark's outreach extends across Grand Rapids, both through programs the parish runs and through coalitions it helps sustain. Every Saturday, the Breakfast Cafe serves a free meal to unhoused neighbors and others in need, with cooks, servers, coffee makers, greeters, and clean-up volunteers all in steady demand. Once a month, Michigan State medical students provide a health clinic at the same time, and the Grand Rapids Symphony plays monthly as well.
The parish is a member of Together West Michigan, a coalition of 19 organizations focused on housing, public safety, mental health, child care, and immigrant and refugee well-being. St. Mark's also partners with the Grand Rapids Climate Coalition, a 70+ organization alliance working toward climate neutrality for the city by 2030. Reading tutors and supply drives support the Gerald R. Ford Academic Center, a local public PreK-8 school, and Feeding America Food Trucks visit four times a year. On Wednesdays during the school year, the church opens its doors for United Campus Christian Fellowship, a lunch and fellowship gathering for GRCC and Kendall College students. Partner organizations include DeGage Ministries, Dwelling Place, God's Kitchen, ACCESS, Westminster Food Pantry, Mel Trotter/Heartside, Arbor Circle, and Kids Food Basket.
A Parish That Plans for the Long Haul
The practical work of parish life happens in a network of administrative ministries. The Property Ministry cares for the historic building, the Endowment Board manages invested funds, Finance and Stewardship keep the books and the annual giving plan on track, Human Resources advises the Rector and Vestry, and a Safety Ministry works to keep worshipers and visitors secure. A Dismantling Racism Ministry equips members to recognize and respond to racism through book studies and action, partnering with Together West Michigan. A Creation Care Ministry meets monthly to engage the parish in environmental service and education, while a History and Archives Ministry tends the substantial records of a parish nearly two centuries old and offers tours of the building. Prayer Ministry, Visiting Eucharistic Ministry, and the monthly Lunch Bunch (a childcare-enabled lunch for parents and adults after the service) round out the rhythms of parish life.
Clergy and Staff
The Rev. Jedediah "Jed" Fox serves as Rector. A native of Helena, Montana, he graduated from Carroll College and the General Theological Seminary in New York City, and came to St. Mark's after serving as Assistant Rector at the Church of St. Michael and St. George in Clayton, Missouri, and as Rector of the Church of the Redeemer in Kenmore, Washington. The Rev. Jan Gockerman, ordained to the diaconate in 2018, has been a member of St. Mark's for nearly forty years and brings the needs of the world into the congregation's prayer and service. Dr. Gary Gordon directs the music program, and Jeff Brown leads faith formation for children and youth.
Visiting and Getting Involved
The church is located at 134 North Division Avenue in Grand Rapids, with the 10:30 service the easiest one to slip into for a first visit. Newcomers are greeted by a parish-wide hospitality network, with social hour after each Sunday service in the Parish Hall. Adult Choir welcomes new members at any time without auditions, and a volunteer form opens the door to dozens of ministries, from the Altar Guild to the Dismantling Racism Ministry. Donations can be made online, by automatic giving, or by pledge form.