Worship

The worship of Almighty God is at the very heart of the Christian life - both for individuals and for the parish community. Our encounters with the Holy One and, indeed, with one another, provide meaning and direction, solace and strength for all of life's journey. As a parish of the Episcopal Church, the American branch of the Anglican Communion, worship at St. Mark's, Troy, is deeply grounded in the liturgical heritage of The Book of Common Prayer. Here you will have the opportunity to enter into worship that is profoundly reverent and dignified - a liturgical approach and aesthetic that seeks to cultivate the "beauty of holiness" and, likewise, the holiness of beauty.


At St. Mark's, the Holy Eucharist - also known as the Mass, Holy Communion, and the Lord’s Supper, depending on one’s tradition, piety, or past experience - is celebrated each Sunday at the 9:30 am service, at 12:15 pm  on Wednesdays,  and on every major feast of the church year. This sacred meal of bread and wine has served as the principal act of Christian worship for over 2000 years - since the days of the early church, when the apostles first carried out Jesus' instruction to break bread and share wine in remembrance of him. During the Holy Eucharist, we enter into the mystery of God's love: that he gave his only Son to live and die for our salvation, and sent the Holy Spirit to enable and empower us as we strive to build up his kingdom on earth. When we offer our praise and thanksgiving in word, music, bread, and wine, we pray that God will strengthen us to follow the most basic commandments: to love him and to love our neighbors as ourselves.


The Daily Office, an ancient and disciplined approach to prayer, is, along with the Holy Eucharist, a vital part of the spiritual fabric of this parish community. Rooted in Judaism and maintained since the dawn of Christianity, the Daily Office provides an ordered way for the church universal to "pray without ceasing." It serves as a reminder that all time is sacred since all time belongs to God. 


There are many rich and varied opportunities for worship at St. Mark's. No matter whether you are a life-long Christian or someone with no faith at all; a cradle Episcopalian or a member of another Christian denomination; we invite you to worship with us.