Annual Report
2023-24
Lead Pastor Pete Stearns speaks about God’s blessings over our last fiscal year at St. Mark’s Community Church. Keep scrolling below for more!
IMMERSED IN GOD’S LOVE
20 people baptized in our first-ever Lenten celebration and baptism service this March!
In response to a growing number of people seeking to be baptized as a result of faith decisions and life transformation, this year we instituted a special service welcoming the season of Lent while also providing a sacred space for baptism. Leland Morris (pictured) joined twenty others in this uplifting moment. About baptism, Leland wrote:
“I was baptized when I was very young and I wanted to renew my faith in Christ Jesus and to live for Him for many years to come. My wife Kay is now in Heaven with God and Jesus Christ and I know I will see her again.”
Those baptized this spring joined 68 other men, women, and children baptized last August at Lake Cammack! For more info or to sign up for baptism this summer, click here!
WORSHIP & SPECIAL SERVICES
Sunday Energy & Growth
This year, we have witnessed exciting energy in our Sunday worship services, including rocking performances from our children during Volunteer Appreciation Sunday!
Our current series Commissioned offers practical and encouraging messages to inspire our congregation to further engage in servant leadership across our church and community. Other influential series included Hazmat, Missional Heart, and Dangerously Divided.
16% growth in our services
30% growth in our children’s ministry environments
44 children dedicated or baptized in our Sunday services this year
Christmas & Easter Services
We also held some powerful nights of worship in preparation for Advent and Holy Week with Candles and Carols services in December and Good Friday services (pictured) this March.
The Chapel was packed for both of these special times of reflection, worship, and communion.
Annual Snapshot
98 people enrolled in Connect Class
46 people began Apprentice journeys
71 people joined one of 54 active Community Groups
89 people baptized in August and March
Began Primer Podcast in January as companion to sermons and Online Group Study Guide
424 first-time guests through First Impressions
35 men joined our first-ever Guys’ Golf Fellowship event
223 ladies joined us for Coffee and Conversation with Lysa TerKeurst (pictured)
GROUPS & SPIRITUAL FORMATION
A Vision for Formation
“God’s intentions for our lives are not static; they are dynamic and engaging beyond a mere set of beliefs. To become more like Jesus, we must embark on a spiritual journey that promises continuous growth and transformation.”
-Fil Anderson, Spiritual Formation Pastor
Spiritual formation retreats, such as those held over the weekends at St. Francis Springs Retreat Center and the Critical Journey retreat lead by Pastor Fil at St. Mark’s in November, help us walk the path of our spiritual journeys together, in community.
NEXT GEN: STUDENT & FAMILY MINISTRY
Student Ministry Stories
“I always hear incredible stories coming out of Walking Wisely Weekend (W3) every year. One story stands out in particular. A high school girl who hadn't been walking with the Lord for several years due to baggage from her past was invited by a friend to W3. The connection she experienced with the other students there, and the love that she felt from God, caused her to rethink her relationship with God. She rededicated her life to following Jesus and found freedom from the baggage that had weighed her down. Now she volunteers at St. Mark's every week and doesn't miss a high school night!”
-Shawn Colacchia, Student Ministry Director
697 students across Alamance county attended W3 in 2024!
Family Ministry Fun
“One family shared that they were planning on not attending one Sunday, but their 4-year-old told them they had to go because he loves church so much! He has really connected with the volunteer, who serves weekly, and looks forward to seeing new friends every Sunday.”
-Sarah Sprinkle, Weekend Preschool Coordinator
We are growing!
“Our Kids Ministry has grown about 30% and we are continuing to grow each week with an average of 3 new families each Sunday. We have increased our volunteer team with adult leaders by 50% and still have our incredible student leaders serving as well!”
-Mollie Vaughan, Kids Ministry Director
Making Jesus Famous for the Next Generation.
Weekday Preschool
“One of the most exciting moments during our preschool year is Pumpkins with Pop. I actually don't know who enjoys this event more—the children or the fathers! Our dads enjoy this special time with their children. This event provides an opportunity for dads or someone important to come together and to feel like they are a part of the St. Mark’s Preschool family, and to be with their child! We are known for our devotion to children here at St. Mark’s Preschool, and including our families is an important part of that. We had 106 fathers, grandfathers, and/or significant others come to this event.”
-Anna Kass, Weekday Preschool Director
Weekday Preschool Leadership Update
After 30 years with the preschool and 12 years as director, Anna Kass is retiring. Under the leadership of Ms. Anna, as the kids call her, St. Mark’s Preschool has continued to grow and thrive!
During her tenure, we have added a 2-year-old class, which has doubled in size, and new 3-year-old classes. The annual Christmas program is a huge hit, routinely bringing in 750-800 parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, and friends.
Carrying on with St. Mark’s Preschool family tradition, we’re excited to announce that beloved teacher Ms. April Wevers (below, with Ms. Anna) will be taking over as director next fall! We can’t wait to see what God will do next in the lives of our children in this next chapter!
MISSIONS & OUTREACH: Local
Back 2 School Event for Eastlawn Elementary
1,160 backpacks packed and distributed to Eastlawn students
786 students and families attended
Over 200 Bibles given out
259 volunteers helped
26 partners and vendors
A Positive Partnership
Hand in Hand, our tutoring program in partnership with Positive Attitude Youth Center, just finished its 3rd year, with 36 kids in the program and nearly 50 volunteers!
Here’s just one of many academic success stories, from Hand in Hand director Leslie Woody:
“One of our fourth graders got a progress report from her teacher saying that her reading grade had improved 20 points since the year started. She was so excited and proud and could not wait to tell us all about it!”
Pictured, the “Toothfairy in Disguise” came to visit with the Hand in Hand tutoring kids as Lori Wilson taught kids about the importance of good dental hygiene and the love of Jesus!
MISSIONS & OUTREACH: Global
Relief Work with Global Partners
REBUILDING IN PAKISTAN
When religious riots erupted this year in Pakistan, the churches of mission partner Indo-Pak Ministries were targeted and burned. Along with others, our Missions and Outreach efforts helped restore these places of worship and allow Pastor Tamran Inayat to continue his powerful work in Pakistan.
ON THE GROUND IN KENYA
Recent flooding in Kenya devastated the efforts of mission partner Break The Cycle Global to build new schools, already in progress. According to director John Kellogg:
“The work we had started would have prevented this but it [the flooding] caught us too early, but the way we are rebuilding will provide a foundation that will allow us to build a permanent multi floored cement structure some time in the future.”
Missions director Margaret Wooten and members of our Missions team will travel to Kenya this June to assess the damage and lend a hand to help rebuild.
CARE MINISTRY
Stephen Ministry at Work
“Currently, we have ten active Stephen Ministers (some of whom are pictured) walking with individuals through grief journeys. Without these Stephen Ministers and their commitment, it would be challenging for those struggling with grief to find wholeness and healing.”
-Gordon Wong, Care Ministry Director
Caring Cards
Our Care Ministry card team has sent over 4,000 cards to those in our church who have lost a loved, going through emotional or spiritual crisis. The feedback from those who have received cards have been encouraging and overwhelming.
Senior Socials
St. Mark's Community Senior quarterly events have been an encouragement to our seniors to find relationships and community. The senior community has responded with appreciation of a church remembering the needs our seniors.
Our senior socials have included bingo and even an evening with Elvis! Well…an Elvis impersonator. Nobody parties harder at St. Mark’s than our seniors!
WE LOVE ELON & OUR COMMUNITY
Love Elon
We kicked off our Love Elon campaign in late August with a football tailgate designed to bring together Elon students and our community, while connecting students with our college ministry partners. Look out for our second tailgate to come this fall!
As Pastor Pete Stearns said in his video above:
“In April we hosted over 70 Elon students, faculty, and staff members for lunch, strengthening connections that empower them to live into their faith on campus.”
Thriving Community Events
Our annual Touch-A-Truck event had another huge turnout of families from across our community to see, touch, and honk the horns of all kinds of cars and trucks.
Last fall, Thrive Together Thursdays brought us together weekly for community fun, fellowship, and service. We enjoyed a concert, a pack-a-thon, group vision night, and a family block party!
MISSION CAFÉ
Meeting new people and growing a relationship with them, watching them become regulars, and serving them as new members of our community is a central focus at Mission Café.
“Recently, I served a trio of women who were looking for a meeting place one Saturday. I struck up a conversation with a lovely lady who, since then, has brought her son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren to visit our shop! The best part is that, by serving this family with love, we may see new church members and preschool students sooner than later. There is no such thing as a small moment when God is working!”
-Jordan Fayne, Mission Café Manager
Mission Café is open daily from 7am to 1pm. Come to work, gather, or relax with a good book!
YOUR PARTNERSHIP IN HIS KINGDOM…
Finishing Strong this Fiscal Year
Budgeted Goal for Year: $3,010,052
Current Giving (as of May 19): $2,670,243
Amount needed to finish strong: $339,809
Thank you for your commitment to St. Marks Community Church—your ongoing generosity allows us to boldly pursue Christ’s Kingdom together!
