Baptisms at St. Mark’s

Holy Baptism is the sacrament by which God adopts us as his children and makes us
members of Christ’s Body, the Church, and inheritors of the kingdom of God.  – Book of Common Prayer, Catechism, p.858.

Baptism is a spiritual washing by water and the Holy Spirit that represents full entry into
this worshiping community, the Body of Christ, and the Episcopal Church. This is a
permanent blessing on the person being baptized that mark’s them as Christ’s own
forever in the presence of their new sisters and brothers in Christ.

If you are interested in being baptized or having a child baptized, please contact the
Interim Rector by phone in the office (301-854-2304) or by email:
stmarkshighland.rector@gmail.com.

Weddings at St. Mark’s

 

Christian Marriage is the sacrament in which two people enter into a life-long union and
commitment to one another. These vows are made before God and the Church, and it is
through these vows and prayer that the newlyweds receive the grace and blessing of
God to assist them in fulfilling their vows to one another their whole lives long.

If you are interested in being married at St. Mark’s, or in renewing your marriage vows,
please contact the Interim Rector by phone in the office (301-854-2304) or by email:
stmarkshighland.rector@gmail.com.

Funerals at St. Mark’s

The liturgy for the Burial of the Dead is an Easter liturgy. It finds all its meaning in the Resurrection. Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we, too, shall be raised.

The liturgy, therefore, is characterized by joy, in the certainty that “neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).

This joy, however, does not make human grief unchristian. The very love we have for each other in Christ brings deep sorrow when we are parted by death. Jesus himself wept at the grave of his friend. So, while we rejoice that one we love has entered into the nearer presence of our Lord, we sorrow in sympathy with those who mourn.

For assistance in planning a funeral at St. Mark’s, please click here.

For extensive advice on planning for end-of-life issues, please click here.

Saint Mark’s Cemetery

The Episcopal Church parish of St. Mark’s in Highland Maryland has an attached Cemetery area available for the burial of caskets and cremains and for the interment of cremains urns in a Columbarium. This Cemetery is open to visitors and is maintained as an honor to those buried there and as a service to those in need of burial and interment services. Our Cemetery is always open to current members of our congregation and former members and their families that retain burial privileges. Our Cemetery is also open to members of our local community in need of burial and interment services and provides a caring, family-friendly, and affordable option for end-of-life needs. Those seeking burials and interments at St. Mark’s require ownership of burial privileges, payment of opening and closing costs, and scheduling approval of Church Clergy and Vestry for opening and closing of graveside locations and graveside services.

St. Mark’s membership volunteers have a mission responsibility to provide the following cemetery services to Saint Mark’s Clergy, Vestry, congregation, and the general public:

  • Provide an appropriate and attractive addition to the Church location in Highland, MD
  • Identify burial site locations and arrange for opening and closing of cremation and casket burial sites in the Cemetery lot and interments in the Columbarium
  • Sell and record burial privileges and pay for opening and closing of site locations for burials and interments
  • Maintain Cemetery records, grounds, and monuments in good order
  • Acknowledge and provide thanks in writing for contributions in honor of those buried at St. Marks
  • Provide prompt response to requests for information for families in need of funeral home services and monument vendors in the local area

For detailed information and prompt response to inquiries contact the Church office by phone or email. For contributions or written requests contact the St. Mark’s Cemetery at PO Box 71, Highland, MD 20777.