FAQ

Sundays are a bit like the family gathering of God’s people.

• As we come together we want to listen to God our heavenly Father speak, so the Bible is read and someone spends some time exploring the things we read and how they apply to our lives. There is generally a chance to ask questions about what was read and said.

• We spend some time talking to God in prayer, usually led by someone out the front. Sometimes there is a chance for anyone who wants to, to pray – but no one is required to pray out loud.

• We spend some time singing some songs that remind us about who God is and what he’s done. There are really only two places that Australian’s sing together; at the football and at church – that’s because football and God are two things that people get passionate about!

• Sometimes someone will get up and talk a bit about what God has been doing in their life, or share the story of how they came to start trusting in Jesus. We regularly celebrate the Lord’s Supper together which is fully explained at the time.

• We end our time by sharing morning tea or supper together. This is a chance to find out more informally about what’s going on in each other’s lives, how we can pray for and encourage each other. It’s a chance to meet new people or to ask the speaker some more questions. Hang around, grab a coffee and a bit of slice and meet some new people.

We take a pretty simple, no mucking around approach to church. We try and start on time and expect the ‘formal’ part of our gathering to take around 60 – 75 minutes; it kind of depends on how many questions people have during ‘question time’! Morning tea or supper can stretch out as people enjoy their conversations (and their coffee!) and you’re free to stay as long as you like to chat.

St Mark’s is committed to catering for the needs of families and so ensuring that your children are well looked after.

A well resourced children’s ministry runs each Sunday morning from 10am to 11.30am for children from pre-school to year 9. Creche and cry room facilities are provided at our 10am service.

Youth programs are run on Friday night and Sunday afternoon and ‘Night Church’ on Sunday’s at 6.30pm is a service that teens and young adults tend to gravitate to.

See groups for more details.

St Mark’s aims to be a place where people can ‘check out Jesus’ or spend some time exploring ‘a Jesus-shaped world view’ and so just be open and upfront about where you’re at in your thinking. No one will be pushy, but they will be happy to help.

If you’ve got honest questions or issues then nobody is going to be offended by you asking them – whatever they are. Our leaders have access to books and other resources that might be of benefit to you and are more than happy to sit down over coffee or lunch to talk about your questions – just ask!

We ’re pretty sure God doesn’t care and we’re not that fussed either, but some people ask.

If you’re a bloke and you wear jeans and a collared shirt, you’ll fit right in. If you’re a woman – then I would not dare advise you what to wear!

St Mark’s runs mid-week ‘Growth Groups’ that meet in the evening (and some in the daytime) which give you a chance to read and discuss the Bible together in a lounge-room setting and to get to know other people better.

There are also special courses for new believers or interested non-believers and special events for men and women. To find out more about any of these send our pastor Craig Schafer an email – craig.schafer@stmarks.com.au.