St. Mark's is Celebrating 50 Years in Westford

Come one, come all! Celebrate St. Mark’s!

On Sunday, April 26, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, located at 75 Cold Spring Road, will celebrate the Feast of St. Mark, for whom our church is named. St. Mark the Evangelist traveled with the apostle Peter, and his writings became the oldest of the canonical Gospels. St. Mark is believed to have founded the church in Africa and was the first bishop of Alexandria. His symbol is the lion, representing courage. Traditionally, St. Mark is honored worldwide on April 25, especially in Venice, Italy where he is recognized as patron saint of the city.

The Feast of St. Mark is a significant day in our parish history. On April 25, 1961, St. Mark’s Mission of the Diocese of Massachusetts came into being here in Westford. The diocese purchased five acres of land at the corner of Cold Spring and Graniteville Roads. In 1963, ground was broken for the new church, and our present church was dedicated on December 15, 1964.

Thus, we have just passed our 50th anniversary of being here on Cold Spring Road and in April we will mark the 54th anniversary of our existence within the diocese. The Vestry is designating Sunday, April 26th, “Celebrate St. Mark’s Day.” There will be several ways to celebrate:

· Bring a Friend to Church – We will welcome friends and neighbors to our 10 am worship service that day. Our rector, the Reverend Suzanne Wade, will have just returned from her vacation and the homily will be given by one of our parishioners.

· Blessing our Doors – We will dedicate our new doors, giving thanks for all that they signify as our entry into the household of God and as our point of departure to “go forth into the world, rejoicing in the power of the Spirit.”

· Potluck Italian Feast – We will share favorite Italian-inspired dishes of pasta, salad, or dessert to share at a special extended coffee hour.

Mark your calendar and plan to Celebrate St. Mark’s!