Connect with Others
We believe that we are created to connect to God and to others. Through the Holy Spirit, our ministries support and strengthen these connections. Through education, fellowship, prayer, and support, we build meaningful relationships and express Christ's love. Details about each of these ministries are available in our monthly newsletter.
Fellowship
Rainbow Fellowship
The St. Mark’s Rainbow Fellowship meets for fellowship, support and sharing the joys and concerns of Christians who identify as LGBTQ and their allies. The group meets at 9 a.m. the third Sunday of the month in the church library. Please email rainbow@umcstmarks.org, or call the church office (520-297-2062) if you would like more information. Better yet, if this group is for you – please join us anytime.
Mark-a-ritas
A group of women who believe it’s important to have girlfriends at church, too! They meet monthly and share leadership of movie outings, service projects, studies, dinners out, and more.
Marksmen
Friendly retired and semi-retired men meet for a program, breakfast, and fellowship.
Plus walking groups, Veteran’s monthly lunch outing, and more! Check out our newsletter for upcoming fellowship opportunities!
Common Grounds
Common Grounds is a space for youngish adults (in their 20s-40s) in any walk of life to meet monthly and connect. Each month is a little different, and a lot of fun! We typically meet the 3rd Saturday of each month in the Magee campus library. We have fun events from game nights, to paint nights and escape rooms! We are always open to new members joining us, and childcare is always available! For more information, or to reserve childcare, contact Rachel in the church office.
Prayer
Prayer Ministry Team
This group provides for congregational prayer life in a variety of ways. This is a group of individuals focused on strengthening the individual and corporate prayer life of our church by providing education, resources and new opportunities for prayer. It is their desire to hold up all the ministries at St. Mark’s, as well as the larger church and the surrounding community. The St. Mark’s Prayer Ministry Team provides monthly prayer request information for various church activities and services, mission opportunities and people we can pray for during the month.
Prayer Chain Group
This group of people receives prayer requests via email and are willing to pray at a moment’s notice for an urgent need. Anyone may submit a prayer request at our Prayer page.
Ties That Bind Ministry
Ties That Bind is our prayer quilt ministry. We promote prayer through the use of handmade, lap sized quilts which are blessed by members of our congregation and others as they tie knots in the threads while saying prayers for someone in need of prayer. The prayer quilts are a gift of love, prayer, and our belief in God and his power to comfort, strengthen and heal. Ties that Bind is different than St. Mark’s other quilting and prayer shawl ministries and is an addition to the unique ways we can bless those in need of our prayers through our Congregational Care Ministries. We meet as needed to sew. Donations of cotton fabric and monetary gifts are greatly appreciated.
Arts and Crafts Ministries
Quilters
The St. Mark’s Quilters meet on Thursday mornings to plan patterns, cut fabric and quilt, as well as to enjoy conversation while they work. Quilts we make are donated to different services in the Tucson area. To raise funds for batting and supplies, people bring quilts to us they wish to have hand quilted and a group of our ladies do that for a fee. Donations of fabric, batting and monetary gifts are greatly appreciated.
Craft Circle
Craft Circle meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month, with additional meetings on the second and fourth Tuesdays in July and August. This dedicated group creates handcrafted items for sale at the Masterpiece Festival in November and the UWF Craft and Bake Sale in December, raising funds to support our mission efforts. Donations of craft items are always welcome and greatly appreciated. For more details and updates about Craft Circle, please check our church newsletter and bulletin.
Card Recyclers
Card recyclers use donated cards to make new cards to sell at a nominal fee. Money from this project is donated to Youth on Their Own and the Amphitheater and Marana clothing banks. Donations of cards are always welcome; meeting times are advertised in the bulletin and newsletter.
HeartWorks
HeartWorks is a self-paced sewing ministry that provides patterns and fabric for creating bags at home. These bags are given to children being removed from their homes by social workers. Often, children in foster care have only a trash bag to carry their belongings. A HeartWorks bag offers them a more dignified alternative.
Others
Also check out Ties That Bind or sign up for our Newsletter to for other crafting opportunities.
Ties That Bind
Newsletter
Support
Grief Support
Experiencing a loss can sometimes make you feel as though you have lost your place in the “circle” of life. You may feel isolated, angry, deeply saddened, depressed, or even numb. You may find few people to safely share your intimate grief journey. This weekly grief support group can provide a healing circle of care and compassion and offer a safe, supportive place for your feelings, your stories, and your healing.
Healing in grief is not done alone. Each of us has a unique experience of grief while at the same time, a universal connection with others in grief. Giving voice to your unique experience, finding avenues of self-care and validation, while nurturing your connection with others, leads to a healing that can create new meaning in your life. The Grief Support Group meets once a week. Please contact the office if you are interested in attending.
Chronic Illness and Pain Support Group
The St. Mark’s UMC Chronic Illness and Pain Support Group meets from 10:30 a.m. to noon the second and fourth Wednesday of each month in the church library and via Zoom. We offer a time of prayer during each meeting and time to share personal joys and concerns, as you are comfortable. We want to help each other whenever we can. At each meeting, we remind ourselves that we are meeting in a safe space as we listen and share, and everyone’s confidentiality is respected and held. For more info or for the Zoom link contact April DuBoce at chronicillness@umcstmarks.org or call the church office at 520-297-2062. You do not have to be a member of St. Mark’s to participate.
Counselor-in-Residence Program
St. Mark’s United Methodist Church offers a Counselor-in-Residence (CIR) program that provides professional counseling and psychotherapy for individuals, couples, families, children, and adolescents. These services are available to both St. Mark’s members and the wider Tucson community.
The CIR program is rooted in the belief that healing happens within the connections we build with ourselves and others. Our program is dedicated to offering resources and therapeutic support to those seeking guidance. Fees for these services are based on a sliding scale according to the client’s ability to pay, as outlined in our CIR contract.
While the church supports this initiative, these services are not provided free of charge. We encourage clients to discuss their financial situation with the counselor during the initial consultation. For more information about our Counselor-in-Residence program, please contact the office.
Susan Proebsting
Ph.D. Counselor-in-Residence