St Mark's Episcopal Church

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St. Mark's is a Total Common Ministry Congregation of the Diocese of Olympia, Episcopal Church in Western Washington. Like most Episcopal churches, we're a family-sized congregation. However, unlike traditional Episcopal churches, our clergy are locally trained, side by side with other leaders called by the congregation to serve. In Total Common Ministry, we "unpack the one man band, " the hierarchical model of ministry. We believe that we are gathered to be a ministering community, rather than a community gathered around a minister. This transformative model, rooted in our Baptismal Covenant, stresses that every member of the body has been given gifts, and has been called to serve God and community in a particular way. Of our six regular preachers, two are members of the congregation who are not ordained but who have been licensed by the Bishop to serve in this way, two are deacons and two are ordained priests. Having many preachers means that we have a rich variety of voices and perspectives in the pulpit. Having many clergy members is an outward and visible sign of the importance of the sacraments in our w orship.