In the News
Journey Through Holy Week and Celebrate Easter at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church As the season of Lent draws to a close, and the promise of Easter approaches, we invite you to walk with us through the sacred days of Holy Week at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, located at 680 Calder Avenue in Downtown Beaumont. Whether you’ve been with us for years or are simply searching for a deeper connection, we welcome you with open arms. This is a time of reflection, renewal, and rejoicing—and there is a place for you here. Holy Week & Easter Schedule Palm Sunday – March 29 🕗 8:00 a.m. – Spoken Service 🕥 10:30 a.m. – With Choir and Organ We begin Holy Week remembering Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, waving palms and lifting our hearts in praise. Maundy Thursday – April 2 🕕 6:00 p.m. – Maundy Thursday Service 🕖 7:30 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. – Overnight Vigil We gather to remember the Last Supper, Jesus’ command to love and serve one another, and then keep watch through the night in prayer. Good Friday – April 3 🕛 12:00 p.m. – Good Friday Service A solemn and powerful service marking the crucifixion of Christ, inviting us into deep reflection on the meaning of the cross. Easter Egg Hunt – April 4 🕚 11:00 a.m. – All are welcome! Join us for fun and fellowship as we celebrate the joy of Easter with children and families from our community. Easter Sunday – April 5 🕗 8:00 a.m. – With Organ & Soloist 🕥 10:30 a.m. – With Choir, Brass, & Organ He is risen! Celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord with glorious music, vibrant flowers, and a spirit of joy!
Looking for a way to get connected this Lent? Join us for any or all of our Lenten offerings. From Formation Sunday mornings, to midweek Bible Study, to Choral Evensong, and our Newcomers' Class -- we hope you'll join us at St. Mark's Beaumont.
At the close of the day, come and listen. Join the choir of St. Mark's Episcopal Church for a service of Choral Evensong for Lent at 5PM on Sunday, March 1. The sung service of evening prayer offers an opportunity for reflection and contemplation. RSVP! Let us know you're coming on our Facebook Invite Worship in the beauty of holiness as the choir sings the "Preces and Responses" of William Smith and Harold Friedell's setting of the "Evening Canticles in F." The Choir will also offer Friedell's classic anthem "Jesus, So Lowly" as well as anthems by English composer Herbert Howells (O Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem) and Philip Wilby (If Ye Love Me.) Come rest in the beauty of sung psalms, canticles, and anthems drawn from the rich Anglican choral tradition. Whether this is a long-time favorite or your very first Evensong, all are welcome. Free! A reception follows.
BEAUMONT -- Friends, family, and parishioners joined clergy from across the Diocese of Texas for the Ordination of Reverend Christopher Hilton on February 13. The elaborate service included the presentation, the examination, and the consecration of Rev. Hilton. The Rt. Rev. Jeff W. Fisher, Bishop Suffragan of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, presided over the 90-minute celebration. Father Christopher will continue in his ministry as Curate at St. Mark's and as Campus Missioner to Lamar University where he hosts weekly Evening Prayer at Canterbury (Thursdays at 6 p.m.) in the Wesley Student Center. If you missed any of the service, you can watch it here (YouTube link) Together, we pray... God and Father of all, we praise you for your infinite love in calling us to be a holy people in the kingdom of your Son Jesus our Lord, who is the image of your eternal and invisible glory, the firstborn among many brethren, and the head of the Church. We thank you that by his death he has overcome death, and, having ascended into heaven, has poured his gifts abundantly upon your people, making some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry and the building up of his body. Therefore, Father, through Jesus Christ your Son, give your Holy Spirit to Christopher; fill him with grace and power, and make him a priest in your Church. May he exalt you, O Lord, in the midst of your people; offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to you; boldly proclaim the gospel of salvation; and rightly administer the sacraments of the New Covenant. Make him a faithful pastor, a patient teacher, and a wise councilor. Grant that in all things he may serve without reproach, so that your people may be strengthened and your Name glorified in all the world. All this we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
All are invited to the free event on Friday, January 30, but a RSVP is a required.
It is with great joy and excitement that we announce that our Curate, Rev. Christopher Hilton, will be ordained to the Priesthood on Friday, February 13, 2026, 6:00pm at St. Mark's Episcopal Church - Beaumont, TX by The Right Reverend Jeff Fisher of The Episcopal Diocese of Texas. Deacon Christopher has invited the parish and the community to the celebration. He writes, "Please pray for me and my family as I prepare for this next season of ministry in Christ's Church. I hope you can join in person or attend via livestream!"
January 8, 2026 Dear St. Mark’s Family, I am writing to you today to share some transition news about St. Mark’s staff. Lauren Johnsen has served at St. Mark’s in our children/youth ministries since 2015. When I arrived in August of 2021, I quickly saw how faithfully and creatively Lauren served. She was then leading our children’s ministry and a couple of years later assumed leadership of our youth ministry. All can witness the remarkable growth and renewal in these ministries and so much of what we celebrate today is because of Lauren’s ministry. While Lauren, Chris, and their family will actively remain with us at St. Mark’s and in Beaumont, they have a new business opportunity to undertake together. This is indeed an exciting new chapter for the Johnsen family. Because of this new possibility, Lauren will need to transition away from her ministry staff positions at St. Mark’s. Though will still see the Johnsen family still regularly participate in our shared life at St. Mark’s, Lauren will not be doing so as a staff member. Lauren and I are working together right now to plan all the ministry activities for the Spring and then at Easter, she will transition out of her staff role. I will be gathering and meeting with our families with children and youth in early February. This will be a chance for all of us to reflect together about how we best move forward in such vital ministry areas at St. Mark’s. During this time, I am discerning as to how we can fill this leadership positions. As we do this work together, please share your gratitude with Lauren for her amazing work at St. Mark’s. We have a robust and growing children and youth group that we will continue to build upon. As their parish family, let us together pray for Lauren and Chris as they step into this new chapter in their lives. Together, we at St. Mark’s will move forward in 2026 as we FOLLOW JESUS TOGETHER! Faithfully, Father James
You're invited to the 84th Annual St. Mark's Chili Supper and Bazaar on Thursday, November 13th. Lunch: 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Supper: 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Bazaar & Silent Auction: 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Visit our website: https://www.stmarkschili.com Proceeds from our annual Chili Supper and the St. Mark's Treasure House are awarded to local community service organizations! Thanks to Southeast Texas' unfailing support of the St. Mark’s Chili Supper as well as the St. Mark's Treasure House, we were able to award $77K to our community last spring! St. Mark's — serving Christ, Community, and Chili since 1941!
This fall, we’re relaunching Canterbury, the Episcopal campus ministry at Lamar University. Named for the historic seat of Anglican Christianity, Canterbury seeks to offer students a spiritual home rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ, the rhythms of liturgical prayer, and a welcoming community of a thoughtful and intellectual faith. College is a time of profound formation. For students, it is their first step towards adulthood and making the faith of their youth their own. They are asking life’s most fundamental questions: Who am I? What do I believe? Where do I belong? What will I do with my life? These aren’t just academic exercises — they are spiritual ones. And the good news of the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ speaks directly to each of them. The Gospel is the good news to students that their identity is not earned by their performance or striving, but is received as a gift fully and finally given to them in Christ. The Gospel frees them to live with confidence and assurance that they are Christ’s own forever, and that is a reality which is not dependent on them. My hope is that Canterbury will be a place of deep formation for students and faculty alike. We are committed to cultivating the Christian life through scripture, sacraments, prayer, song, honest conversation, and deep friendship. We want to be a community where students can bring their honest questions and doubts without fear, where they can be challenged to grow in holiness, and where they can discover how their life and vocation fit into God’s great story of redemption. Please keep Canterbury Lamar in your prayers! We had our first meeting on campus last night where six of us prayed Evening Prayer as we commemorated the feast of Thomas Cranmer, Nicholas Ridley, and Hugh Latimer. What an appropriate feast day to relaunch our unabashedly Episcopal campus ministry! Pray for students to find their way into our fellowship. Pray for clarity in my own preaching and proclamation of the Gospel. Pray that St. Mark’s would be a place of welcome and support for young adults seeking a deeper and more rooted Christian faith. If you know a student at Lamar — or if you want to help with hospitality, food, music, or prayer — I would love to talk with you! A Prayer for Schools and Colleges - Book of Common Prayer (p. 824) O Eternal God, bless all schools, colleges, and universities and especially Lamar University, that they may be lively centers for sound learning, new discovery, and the pursuit of wisdom; and grant that those who teach and those who learn may find you to be the source of all truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. — The Rev. Christopher Hilton Curate, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church — Campus Minister, Canterbury Lamar