COMMUNITY/MISSION PARTNERS
Saint Mark’s is privileged to join with other faith communities, non-profit organizations, and community agencies in joining God’s mission in our neighborhood and city. Growing numbers of our members continue to discover that God is already ‘up to something’ in our neighborhood and across the city and are joining up with fellow citizens to work for the common good. We continue to develop new lay leaders and deepen our volunteer capacity among current ministry partnership commitments.
Community Aid Network of MN (CANMN).
CANMN is a volunteer-led mutual aid organization serving the residents of Minneapolis. CANMN works to build mutual aid bonds with Minneapolis neighbors, organize volunteers and redistribute resources to ensure everyone has the means for dignified survival. CANMN’s operations and distribution site is now located at Saint Mark’s Cathedral. To learn more and how you can donate or volunteer, go here.
Emerson Spanish Immersion Learning Center (ESILC)
ESILC is located in the Loring Park neighborhood. Saint Mark’s seeks to serve the needs of the students and families through our relationship through the Parent Teacher Association. The school has a very vibrant, diverse, and active community. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Bill Holmes.
Minneapolis College
Minneapolis College located in the Loring Park neighborhood, is a public two-year college enrolling over 11,000 credit students annually and is an active partner in initiatives designed to strengthen the social, economic and cultural vitality of the Twin Cities metropolitan area. We seek to support the students through our annual Christmas offering for the Lionheart Scholarship, as well as through special requests that come through the Student Resource Center, If you are interested in learning more, please contact the Rev. Lowell Johnson, Deacon.
Groveland Food Shelf
Groveland Food Shelf is a non-profit providing emergency groceries for hungry individuals in the Minneapolis area and is is located at Plymouth Congregational Church. About 2,000 clients are served per month and over 40,000 pounds of food are distributed. Saint Marks is a founding congregation member of the Groveland Food Shelf. Support is given through monetary donations and food donations (directly to the food shelf) and by having a Saint Markan sit on the organization’s board. Minneapolis College, one of the Saint Mark’s partners, also distributes food through Groveland Food Shelf at the Student Resource Center on campus. If you are interested in volunteering with Groveland Food Shelf, please contact Heidi Haner.
Circle of the Beloved
Circle of the Beloved is a community of young adults who live together in intentional community while spending a year serving in non-profit organizations. Young adults come from all walks of life and various faith and family backgrounds to spend a year living at Liberty House and serving together in North Minneapolis.. The Episcopal Service Corps is a national young adult service year program affiliated with the Episcopal Church. Saint Mark’s supports Circle of the Beloved through the annual Easter offering as well as through volunteering. For more information, please contact Denise Graber, Program Director.
Minnesota Council of Churches Refugee Resettlement
Saint Mark’s, in partnership with the Minnesota Council of Churches Refugee Services, a local affiliate of Episcopal Migration Ministries, is gearing up to co-sponsor the resettlement of an Afghan refugee family in the local area. Episcopal Migration Ministries is the refugee resettlement ministry of The Episcopal Church, proudly carrying on a century-old legacy of Episcopal ministries that welcome immigrants and refugees. In that same spirit, we have a team of cathedral members to assist with various aspects of resettlement. We are being invited into partnership in ‘welcoming the stranger’ through co-sponsoring a refugee family. There will be opportunities to work directly with the family, as well as perform behinds-the-scenes support tasks. To learn more, please contact Lindsay Strand.
Most Urgent Needs:
1) Donate directly to Saint Mark’s to help with the family with rent, groceries, and mass transit costs. Our goal is $7000. Donate online here. Select ‘Afghan Appeal.’ By Check: Send a check made out to Saint Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral, with ‘Afghan Appeal’ in the memo line to: Saint Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral, 519 Oak Grove St, Minneapolis, MN 5403
2) Give a Cub or Aldi gift card or a Metro Transit bus pass. Put it in the collection plate on Sunday, drop it off at the cathedral Welcome Center during regular business hours, or mail it to: Saint Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral, Attn: Archdeacon Turnham, 519 Oak Grove St, Minneapolis, MN 55403.
THE Dignity Center
The Dignity Center, a non-profit offshoot of our neighbor, Hennepin Avenue Methodist Church, works with people to achieve and maintain stability in housing and employment. Participants engage with one advocate, working together on skills such as problem solving, decision making, organization and budgeting. The Dignity Center relies on volunteers in several areas, not just advocates, to support this ministry. If you are interested in learning more, please contact George Ewing.
Northside Achievement Zone (NAZ)
NAZ exists to permanently close the achievement gap and end generational poverty in North Minneapolis. Together with their partner organizations, NAZ family coaches walking side by side with low-income families as they put their children on a path to college. We at Saint Mark’s work to connect our resources with NAZ and NAZ partners for the further of NAZ’s mission. Lay leaders are needed! If you are interested in learning more about NAZ and volunteer opportunities, please contact The Venerable Rena Turnham, Archdeacon.
ALIGN MPLS
The Align MPLS is an interfaith collaboration of 13 downtown Minneapolis churches, synagogues, and mosques working together to end homelessness in Hennepin County. Saint Mark’s is a member congregation in the work to coordinate faith community led direct services and to connect this hands on work to advocacy in solidarity with those in our community experiencing housing insecurity. If you are interested in learning more about the work of Align MPLS or to volunteer with other congregations in their on-site direct service ministries, please contact John Cuningham.
DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY MEAL
Every Sunday evening, from 5 to 6 pm, downtown congregations help to serve a free, to-go, meal to community residents. All are invited. The meals are served at Plymouth Congregational Church at 1900 Nicollet Ave S in Minneapolis, Saint Mark’s Cathedral hosts this meal on the second Sunday of the month. We provide a volunteer team to serving and clean up a meal catered by Appetite for Change. To volunteer, please contact Michele Mandrich.
For questions concerning ways to serve at Saint Mark’s,
please contact The Venerable Rena Turnham, Archdeacon and Associate for Community Engagement.
UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT
Called to Serve: A Community Engagement Connection Space
Feb 01 at 7:00 PM
Stop by our Monthly Virtual Community Engagement Connection Space ‘Called to Serve’ on the first Tuesday of the month at 7pm. Register here. Grounded in prayer and through casual conversation, cathedral staff, clergy and members will help you to identify and...
Called to Serve: A Community Engagement Connection Space
Mar 01 at 7:00 PM
Stop by our Monthly Virtual Community Engagement Connection Space ‘Called to Serve’ on the first Tuesday of the month at 7pm. Register here. Grounded in prayer and through casual conversation, cathedral staff, clergy and members will help you to identify and...
Called to Serve: A Community Engagement Connection Space
Apr 05 at 7:00 PM
Stop by our Monthly Virtual Community Engagement Connection Space ‘Called to Serve’ on the first Tuesday of the month at 7pm. Register here. Grounded in prayer and through casual conversation, cathedral staff, clergy and members will help you to identify and...