Service and Outreach

We aim to serve Christ in all persons locally and globally. We place a special emphasis on assisting those in need in our local community at large through volunteer work and financial and in-kind support of local homeless shelters and food programs. We have developing ministries to refugees, our local college campus and among local Hispanic and Asian communities. You are invited to join in these various ministries with your time, talent and gifts. Other initiatives are always welcome.

• Day Laborers Support Project
• Refugee Service and Advocacy for detainees at Elizabeth Detention Center
• St. Mark's Overflow Shelter for the Homeless: every Sunday evening in February and March
• Peter's Place Shelter, a no-questions-asked shelter in Hackensack
• Hosting the Walk-in Dinner Program at the Community Action Shelter in Hackensack
• Organizing a Bike Bergen Team
• Backpacks and School Supplies for Children at Englewood Center for Food Action
• Serving as visitors and pen pals for refugees at Elizabeth Detention Center.
• Bring Your Can to Church weekly collection of non-perishable food for the Center for Food Action
• Donations of supermarket certificates for the Center for Food Action
• Collection for new baby needs for North Porch Women and Infants Center in Paterson which serves needy mothers and children who need emergency assistance
• Play Group hospitality support for families enrolled in the WIC center at St. Mark's (Women's, Infants and Children's Nutrition Program) on Monday mornings.
• Math Adventures and Word Play, a learning enrichment program for children from St. Mark's and the wider community on Saturday mornings.
• For Whom the Bells Tolls, a nationwide program of houses of worship who ring their bell for 2 minutes at 7 pm on any day that an execution takes place in our nation. Volunteers to ring our bell are welcome.
• United Thank Offering (UTO), sponsored by the Episcopal Church Women is an ongoing program of offering thanks and making a small donation in a small home or office UTO collection box as a token of appreciation to God. Twice a year our offerings are collected and eventually combined nationwide to make millions of dollars that supply worldwide grants (some in our local area) for which others are able to give thanks.

St. Mark's provides meeting space for guest community and support organizations such as WIC (Women, Infants and Children Nutrition Program), Alcoholics Anonymous, Alanon and Alateen, Nicotine Anonymous, Holy Name Hospital 50 First Health and Wellness, Scleroderma and Low Vision Support Groups, HOPES (Healing Ourselves Physically, Emotionally and Spiritually for adult survivors of childhood abuse), Teaneck Peace Coalition, Girl Scout Troop 54 and Teaneck Girl Scout Leaders. St. Mark's hosts events for other community groups and serves the Township as a polling place.