St. Mark's Celebrates 140 Years with a New Roof and New Floor

Posted: Nov. 3, 2009

In the mid 1800s, the property where St. Mark’s Episcopal Church now stands was a dense forest. Committed families cleared and chopped the wood to purchase lumber for the first church building. Its cornerstone was laid in 1869 with first Holy Communion on Easter, 1870. After decades of commitment to the community of South Milwaukee, its current more contemporary church was built with the Solemn Blessing in 1959.

 

Today St. Mark’s continues to be a small, friendly, community-focused parish with about 60-70 active families from South Milwaukee, Racine, Oak Creek and Milwaukee. Through the years its middle-class members have struggled with the challenge to maintain its historic site and adjacent cemetery where several Civil War soldiers have been laid to rest.

 

Recently, with leaks in the roof and asbestos in the vinyl flooring, the priest in charge, Rev. Dr. John T. Allen, and the church council kicked off a capital campaign to raise funds to return the building to a “healthier” space for religious services and educational programs as well as for outreach efforts to maintain its strong commitment to this community.

 

To date the parishioners have pledged over $23,000 to the campaign called Raising the Roof, with the hope for additional funds to come from neighbors and area businesses who appreciate the church’s long, continuous history and commitment to South Milwaukee. St. Mark’s re-opened following its renovation on October 24, 2009 with a new roof, a new floor in the church and carpet in the education hall.

 

For questions about the capital campaign or about St. Mark’s, please call 414-762-7545. Church members would welcome guests to the weekly 8:00 a.m. or 10:00 a.m. Sunday services with 9:00 a.m. Sunday school.