Regular Service Times:
Holy Communion with a spoken liturgy
Holy Communion with a sung liturgy. Family service with children’s ministry, followed by morning tea
Holy Communion with a spoken liturgy
Morning worship from the daily service liturgy
Morning worship from the daily service liturgy
Service of readings and prayers by Saint Mark’s School students. Parents and caregivers welcome
Sermons
What is meant when Jesus uses the words ‘flesh’ and ‘blood’? The prologue to the Gospel according to John may help us understand.
Holy Communion
The Great Thanksgiving, or Eucharist comes in several different forms in A New Zealand Prayer Book.
Eucharistic Liturgy in English and Te Reo Māori featuring the Benedicte Aotearoa and the Apostles’ Creed
Eucharistic Liturgy featuring featuring the Song of Praise and a Liturgical Affirmation
A sung eucharist is a feature of the 10am Sunday Service. All the music is chosen to reflect the readings and illuminate the gospel of the day. The musical settings apply to the regular structure of the Great Thanksgiving, with seasonal variations.
Hymn singing includes all the great classics as well as modern hymns, particularly by New Zealand composers. We even sing some fun ones and Christmas carols during Advent.
Accompanied by an organist, pianist, or band, our congregational singing is a vital expression of faith, of praising God in music and with enthusiasm.
Prayer Services
The Book of Common Prayer historically required all clergy to pray the daily offices of Mattins and Evensong in church. There are now enough Liturgies of the Word in A New Zealand Prayer Book to fill each of the ancient monastic offices!
Morning Devotion on the Lord’s Prayer provides an opportunity for reflection and prayer, with readings from the New Testament.
Morning Prayer - Morning Worship, Mattins, or the ancient monastic offices of Matins, Lauds, and Prime combined - features the morning canticles the Benedictus, “The Song of Zechariah, Te Waiata a Hakaraia”, and the Te Deum Laudamus, “The Song of the Church, Te Waiata a te Haahi”.
Morning Prayer together as a family brings God into our home life.
Midday Prayer - Diurnum, or the ancient daily offices of Terce, Sext, and None combined - helps us to realise the presence of God at the heart of daily life.
Evening Prayer together as a family is a good time to mention the activities of each one in the family and the needs of others as well.
Evening Prayer - Evening Worship, Evensong, or the ancient daily offices of Vespers and Compline combined - features the evening canticles of the Magnificat, “The Song of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Te Waiata a te Puhi Tapu a Meri” and the Nunc Dimittis, “The Song of Simeon, Te Waiata a Himiona”
Night Prayer - or the ancient daily office of Compline - carries us over the threshold from daytime to night.
Evening Devotion on the Lord’s Prayer provides an opportunity for reflection and prayer, with readings from the New Testament.
Patron Saints Day Services
Saint Mark is the patron saint of the Anglican church in Opawa. We celebrate Saint Mark’s Day on the Sunday nearest to April 26.
Saint Anne is the patron saint of the Anglican church in St Martins. We celebrate Saint Anne’s Day on the Sunday nearest to July 26.
School Services
Baptism
Baptism is a new birth into the family of God. All the church family are present to welcome the newest member into the church.
Baptisms are held during Sunday worship services, at a date and time agreed with the Vicar.
A bishop or priest presides over a baptism. A bishop presides for confirmation and renewal of vows.
A summary of the teaching of the church, set out in a traditional question and answer format.
Weddings
A wedding is one of life’s great moments, a time for good wishes, feasting and joy. There are three different forms of service to choose from.
To arrange a christian wedding at St Mark's, please contact the office for consideration by the vicar. Preference will be given to those who are actively living the Christian faith.
Every couple seeking to get married at St Mark’s will have a course of marriage preparation meetings with the vicar to prepare for a Christian marriage.
The first option of marriage liturgy features vows to love, comfort and honor, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others.
The second option of marriage liturgy features vows of “Wherever you go I will go. You are my Love.”
The third option of marriage liturgy features vows that “Whatever life may bring I will love and care for you always”
Couples wishing to live in the Christian tradition of marriage may be remarried in an Anglican church after divorce, with the approval of the vicar.
Funerals
The funeral liturgy in the Anglican Prayer Book of New Zealand gives some helpful options in planning the ceremony
Christmas
The Children’s Christmas Service is a nativity play where all children are welcome to dress up in costume and play one of the characters
Christmas Service Times
Easter
Ash Wednesday is a day of prayer and reflection, marking the first day of Lent.
Palm Sunday celebrates Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem, riding on a donkey, with crowds waving palm branches and shouting “hosanna”
Holy Monday services commemorate Jesus’s cleansing of the temple
Holy Tuesday services commemorate service and redemption
Holy Thursday (Maundy Thursday) services commemorate the Last Supper
Good Friday services commemorate the suffering and death of Jesus on the cross
Eucharistic Liturgy in English and Te Reo Māori featuring the Summary of the Law and the Nicene Creed