Sunday worship service will be last in new church for St. Mark's congregation

By Paul Garrod

09/26/2011

PAW PAW - A victim of the struggling economy, the congregation at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Paw Paw, will gather Sunday, Sept. 25, for one last service from their church at 201 W. Michigan Ave.
The sermon, '"The Celebration of Promise," will focus on all the good things that have happened in this building,"' said The Very Rev. Rebecca Crise, who has served as St Mark's Church Rector for the past four years.
Just over six years ago, the congregation gathered to consecrate the site. Now, they prepare to leave the building.
"Following the 9:30 a.m. service, there will be a extended coffee hour, with a little party afterward," said Mother Rebecca.
After Sunday's worship, that afternoon, religious items will be removed from the church.Two handcarved doors that were part of the original church, are among the items that will be moved from the site.
On Monday. Sept. 26, at 7 p.m., Bishop Robert Gepert will visit the church and return the space to secular use through a short prayer, according to Mother Rebecca.
The church columbarium will be temporarily housed in St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Kalamazoo, according to Mother Rebecca. "We're squelching all rumors that we are closing," she said.
The church and its congregation have had a presence in the Paw Paw area for more than 160 years, and plan to continue that, according to Mother Rebecca. "We will continue to be a congregation, worshipping and outreaching.
"The congregation wants to move forward," said Mother Rebecca.
The current building was constructed in 2005, at a cost of $1.2 million. Mother Rebecca said since the church's move from its former site, expenses have exceeded income.
Plans for the new structure began in 1994. The Rev. Joseph Neiman, church Rector at that time, said in 2005, after its completion, "The congregation has sacrificed much for over a decade to build this new facility."
Original plans included dedicating the new structure in 2001 on the 150th anniversary of the church.
Mother Rebecca said of the congregation's impending move, "It will be sad, hard, to leave this place. It is such a beautiful building. But," she quickly added, "there is hope for the future to find our home. Within a few years, we hope to have a space of our own."
Crise said, "The congregation is so strong, so faithful. We're going to be okay."
The Paw Paw Seventh-day Adventist Church has opened its doors to help St. Mark's congregation during this time of transition, according to Mother Rebecca.
"Pastor Ben Orion and his congregation have been welcoming and accommodating, wanting to help," said Mother Rebecca. "Their sabbath starts on Friday at sundown and continues through Saturday at sundown. That was a deciding factor in sharing the space," she said.
Mother Rebecca said she is grateful for offers from several area churches to share space, or just help one way or another.
The Very Rev. Crise said the church's mission statement best reflects her congregation: "Working through God's love to eliminate physical and spiritual hunger."
On Oct. 2, St. Mark's will return to its Sunday morning service at 9:30 a.m. at the Seventh-day Adventist Church, 60409 M-40 South, Paw Paw. That first Sunday will be one combined service at 9:30 a.m.; then they will return to two worship times of 8 and 10:30 a.m.

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