On the weekend of All Saints of North America, Archbishop Mark visited St. Mark's in Wrightstown for his official Annual Pastoral Visit.  During remarks at the conclusion of Great Vespers he commented on the physical and spiritual growth that is now found in so many of our parishes and the importance of all of us meeting the moment.  His homily at the Divine Liturgy on Sunday focused on the call of Christ to "Follow me," and how that call is for all of us according to the gifts bestowed upon us for the building up of the Church, which is primarily the faithful.  During the Divine Liturgy, HIs Eminence ordained Marek Szeliga to the Holy Diaconate to serve as second deacon at St. Mark's.  A longtime parishioner with his wife Renee, Deacon Marek is a recent graduate of the St. Tikhon's Diaconal Program at St. Stephen's Cathedral.  Axios and Many Years to the newly ordained Fr. Deacon Marek and Mat. Renee!

At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy presentations were made to parishioners celebrating major wedding anniversaries in the upcoming year, among them Protodeacon Gregory & Mat. Martha Moser, Subdeacon Sergei and Irene Arhipov, Deacon Marek and Mat. Renee Szeliga, Melissa and Matthew Bennett, and Nicholas and Jamie Bendas!  Many Years!

Parish graduates, including the newly ordained deacon, Reader Sam Regen, Kevin McCullough and Kaitlyn Talj were given cards and icons as recognitions of their accomplishments and blessings for their future endeavors.  

Following the services in the church, a procession to a cross planted on the site of the future altar of an expanded church took place with the blessing of the cross and the area.  

A plentiful and tasty luncheon was served in the church hall following the liturgical services, combining catered and home made dishes of fast-friendly entrees and dessert.  

The parish is blessed by many faithful who made this weekend possible in every way; logistics, preparation, presentation, of food, furnishings both in the temple and the hall, not to mention an excellent choir, readers, altar servers and our hierarch and his subdeacon, Reader Nicholas. Glory to God for all things!

His Eminence, Archbishop Mark made his annual visitation of the parish this weekend, July 26 and 27. After meeting with our Building and Stewardship Committees and members of the Parish Council, he presided at Great Vespers where he spoke at the end of the service about the service of Vespers as an expression of the Church's presence as a source of rest and refuge. Sunday morning His Eminence served the Divine Liturgy along with the Rector, Fr. Raymond Martin Browne and Protodeacon Gregory Moser and our parish subdeacons, Marek Szeliga and Dustin Joseph Crosby, assisted by Reader Samuel Regen, Jack Crosby and Jesse James Killough. At the conclusion of the service presentations were made of Diocesan Gramotas to three parishioners nominated by their fellows for their service to St. Mark's: Daria Cortese, Eileen McKeown, and Kevin Swan. Then His Eminence offered a prayer of blessing for those celebrating wedding anniversaries from 55 years to 10 years. Each couple received a beautiful, custom designed scroll made by our very gifted Jeanette Ruano, marking their anniversary and signed by His Eminence. Veronica Gula received an icon and gift from the parish as she prepares to leave for the University of Iowa to pursue degrees in soil science. Finally, a Litya was served for beloved parishioner Raymonde Djokic whose third anniversary of repose was this past week. Following this we processed to the Shrine of the Theotokos in our woods where the archbishop blessed a bench made by Raymonde's son in law and gifted by her family, many of whom were present, in her memory. Our festive annual picnic followed beneath a tent. Despite threats of inclement weather, all went off without any disruption and a joyous time was had by all. It was also announced that the parish will soon kick off its Capital Campaign for our proposed building project, but by the grace of God and the generosity of some, in pledges and cash, we are 67% to our goal of $4 million dollars. Glory to God for all things.

On June 19, His Eminence Archbishop Mark made his annual Archpastoral Visit to St. Mark’s.  During the services, he ordained Sergei Arhipov to the subdiaconate and presented the rector, Fr. Martin, with the Jeweled Cross as awarded by the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church in America.  At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy eight couples were given special blessings as they observe wedding anniversaries in 2022 ranging from five to forty five years.  Both the rector and Pdn. Gregory and Mat. Martha  Moser were among those couples.  The Mosers were also presented with a Gramota from the Holy Synod in recognition of their Fortieth Wedding Anniversary and Pdn. Gregory’s thirty-fifth anniversary of ordination to the diaconate.  These presentations were followed by a full parish photograph and parish picnic on the church grounds.

His Eminence, Archbishop Mark made his annual pastoral visit to St. Mark's on Sunday, serving the Divine Liturgy at which couples who marked wedding anniversaries in 2020 and 2021 from 5 to 50 years were recognized with a special blessing.  Before the Divine Liturgy His Eminence tonsured Marek Szeliga a Reader and ordained Dustin Joseph Crosby a Subdeacon.  After the Divine Liturgy the parish library was dedicated by His Eminence at the request of St. Mark's Parish Council, to the memory of Father Vladimir and Matushka Mary Borichevsky, which a memorial plaque was blessed which was offered in memory of one of the lay founders of the parish, Alla Nakonetchny.  Members of both the Borichevsky and Nakonetchny families were able to attend.  A picnic followed under a tent in the fresh, but very hot air and was enjoyed by those in attendance.

Tonsuring of Dustin (Joseph) Crosby as a Reader by Archbishop Mark. May God grant Reader Joseph and his family Many Happy & Blessed Years!

Christ is risen!

On Sunday, December 17, 2017, the choir and church school sang carols at the Birches care facility in Newtown. Merry Christmas to all!