Saint Mark's Church | MO
ALPHA OMEGA ARTS
By Ernest Disney-Britton
Episcopalians are enthusiastically Easter People. This Sunday morning, April 24, we worshiped at Saint Mark's Church, an Episcopal church in the quiet and tree-filled neighborhood of St. Louis Hills. Arriving a little late, we filled the last of the 200 seats as we joined the warm and welcoming congregation. We sat next to Oliver, age 14-months, and his mother & father. Oliver's parents were married at St. Mark's and while they live far from this church they come back for Christmas and Easter. Sharing the pew with chubby Oliver, all decked out in plaid, smiles and laughter was one more wonderful Easter gift.
St. Mark's, built in 1938, is an extremely beautiful building in the Moderne style of the Empire State Building, and according to church records it was "one of a handful of uncompromisingly modern churches built anywhere in the world during World War ll." While the brick building's facade is simple and somewhat austere, the internal decoration uses neo-Egyption detailing like you see in the Chrysler Building in New York. At 200-seats, it's a small church but with a deep, resonant sound (and a new organ they are pleased to show-off!). In many ways it is reminiscent of an old world college chapel, or a Catholic church hospital chapel.
What is most notable about the church though are the stained glass windows. Created in pastel shades of blue, green and purple, designed by Robert Harmon, they tell the story of Christ's presence in Biblical days (north side) and then contemporary times (south side) including the fight to improve race relations. There is also a tapestry, by Beatrice Boot on the wall to the right of the altar on the race relations theme. The banner text reads, "Earth shall be fair and all her folk be one." Four additional iconic details that are unforgettable are the altar crucifix, chandeliers, processional cross, and the pulpit & lectern.
The massive steel and victorius "Christus Rex" crucifix by Sheila Burlingame, above the white marble altar dominates the front of the sanctuary and its impact is accentuated by the eight chandeliers which mimic its form and substance. On the light fixtures is a crown capped by a cross and above it hang the sun and moon, sources of light. It is however the contemporary multi-dimensional, multi-colored processional cross that most captivted me with layers of bright yellow and orange. It is a stark, and pleasing contrast to the more subdued tones of the rest of the sanctuary. The fourth defining element of this exceptional God's Art Museum are the ironworked but rather smallish pulpit and lectern from the 1950s. Created by sculptor Clarke Battle Fitz-Gerald, they are rich with symbols and images but subtle enough only to enhance and not distract.
Today's Easter Service (Holy Eucharist) was led by The Rev. Dr. Peter Van Horne. Beginning quietly (according to the program--we missed that part), the service built to a crescendo of enthusiasm aided by the incredible orchestrations of their new organ (video: organ history) played by Organist & Choirmaster, Robert Mullgardt. After services, Mullgardt and others enthusiastically shared with us the history of the church, and of course the organ including the fact that a fellow Hoosier, Dr. Janette Fishell from the Indiana University had played for the organ's dedication. It was a wonderful service, Catholic enough for me, and Protestant enough for Greg. Noting our diversity in contrast to their own lack, one of the older congregants whispered (loud enough for Greg to overhear), "Oh, I hope they come back. We could use some diversity."
Episcopalians are the American partner of the Anglican Communion, or The Church of England an entirely separate church from Rome. The Anglican church traces its roots to the reign of England's King Henry VIII who broke the English Church from the Roman Catholic Church. It is the third largest Christian denomination in the world, after Roman Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox, and is widely considered the “midway” between Protestants (Puritans and the liberals) and the Roman Catholic Church. As reflected in St. Mark's Church artwork about race relations, they are very active in social justice and their most famous contemporary figure is Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa. American Episcopalians also conduct marriages of same-sex couples. It's a religious tradition that is a very comprehensive amalgamation of the three broad religious strains of Christianity that is the Evangelical, the Catholic and the Liberal.
St. Mark's Church is located at 4714 Clifton Ave, St. Louis, Missouri, (314) 832-3588, saintmarks-stl.org, and we'll be back.
By Ernest Disney-Britton
Episcopalians are enthusiastically Easter People. This Sunday morning, April 24, we worshiped at Saint Mark's Church, an Episcopal church in the quiet and tree-filled neighborhood of St. Louis Hills. Arriving a little late, we filled the last of the 200 seats as we joined the warm and welcoming congregation. We sat next to Oliver, age 14-months, and his mother & father. Oliver's parents were married at St. Mark's and while they live far from this church they come back for Christmas and Easter. Sharing the pew with chubby Oliver, all decked out in plaid, smiles and laughter was one more wonderful Easter gift.
St. Mark's, built in 1938, is an extremely beautiful building in the Moderne style of the Empire State Building, and according to church records it was "one of a handful of uncompromisingly modern churches built anywhere in the world during World War ll." While the brick building's facade is simple and somewhat austere, the internal decoration uses neo-Egyption detailing like you see in the Chrysler Building in New York. At 200-seats, it's a small church but with a deep, resonant sound (and a new organ they are pleased to show-off!). In many ways it is reminiscent of an old world college chapel, or a Catholic church hospital chapel.
What is most notable about the church though are the stained glass windows. Created in pastel shades of blue, green and purple, designed by Robert Harmon, they tell the story of Christ's presence in Biblical days (north side) and then contemporary times (south side) including the fight to improve race relations. There is also a tapestry, by Beatrice Boot on the wall to the right of the altar on the race relations theme. The banner text reads, "Earth shall be fair and all her folk be one." Four additional iconic details that are unforgettable are the altar crucifix, chandeliers, processional cross, and the pulpit & lectern.
The massive steel and victorius "Christus Rex" crucifix by Sheila Burlingame, above the white marble altar dominates the front of the sanctuary and its impact is accentuated by the eight chandeliers which mimic its form and substance. On the light fixtures is a crown capped by a cross and above it hang the sun and moon, sources of light. It is however the contemporary multi-dimensional, multi-colored processional cross that most captivted me with layers of bright yellow and orange. It is a stark, and pleasing contrast to the more subdued tones of the rest of the sanctuary. The fourth defining element of this exceptional God's Art Museum are the ironworked but rather smallish pulpit and lectern from the 1950s. Created by sculptor Clarke Battle Fitz-Gerald, they are rich with symbols and images but subtle enough only to enhance and not distract.
Today's Easter Service (Holy Eucharist) was led by The Rev. Dr. Peter Van Horne. Beginning quietly (according to the program--we missed that part), the service built to a crescendo of enthusiasm aided by the incredible orchestrations of their new organ (video: organ history) played by Organist & Choirmaster, Robert Mullgardt. After services, Mullgardt and others enthusiastically shared with us the history of the church, and of course the organ including the fact that a fellow Hoosier, Dr. Janette Fishell from the Indiana University had played for the organ's dedication. It was a wonderful service, Catholic enough for me, and Protestant enough for Greg. Noting our diversity in contrast to their own lack, one of the older congregants whispered (loud enough for Greg to overhear), "Oh, I hope they come back. We could use some diversity."
Episcopalians are the American partner of the Anglican Communion, or The Church of England an entirely separate church from Rome. The Anglican church traces its roots to the reign of England's King Henry VIII who broke the English Church from the Roman Catholic Church. It is the third largest Christian denomination in the world, after Roman Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox, and is widely considered the “midway” between Protestants (Puritans and the liberals) and the Roman Catholic Church. As reflected in St. Mark's Church artwork about race relations, they are very active in social justice and their most famous contemporary figure is Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa. American Episcopalians also conduct marriages of same-sex couples. It's a religious tradition that is a very comprehensive amalgamation of the three broad religious strains of Christianity that is the Evangelical, the Catholic and the Liberal.
St. Mark's Church is located at 4714 Clifton Ave, St. Louis, Missouri, (314) 832-3588, saintmarks-stl.org, and we'll be back.
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