The Bell of St. Mark

"The sound of the bells will be

heard when he enters the Holy

place before the Lord and when

he comes out…” Exodus 28:35b

Dear St. Markians:

           We used to have the symbol of St. Mark with the Winged Lion standing upon the Bible and the title “The St. Mark Bells” each month on the top of our newsletter. Well this month we changed it a bit to highlight the St. Mark Bell. We have one bell that rings out to the world so that all know when we are entering into worship.

            Back in the days of the Israelites wondering in the wilderness, God taught the people how to worship. They established the first tabernacle with the altar and lampstands. The instructions even included the proper robes and furnishings that should be included when worshipping. Included in this detailed explanation of proper worship, was the mention that the bells should be heard as the high priest enters worship and leaves the sanctuary of the Lord.

            To this day, churches throughout the world still ring bells, calling people to worship and at other special times. Our “Oriole Bell” (seen above) has been ringing since 1883 when it replaced our first bell in the tower of the old church. The bell came to St. Mark after a few years of leading the Oriole Festival parades through the streets of Baltimore. After the 2,328 pound bell was dedicated and installed at St. Mark, it took on a whole new career of calling the faithful to worship and reminding the community of the holiness of God and the Sabbath.

            To this day, that bell stands as a reminder of the mission we all share as God’s people. It is fitting that this newsletter is named the Bell (dropping the “s”) because it models the ringing of our tower bell. It rings forth with the fullness of the ministry and devotion of this congregation and the people that make up this family. Let us always ring forth to share the message, to tell the story, to invite people to worship, to remind of the holiness of God and the importance of the Sabbath.

               Ring loud and clear – Praise the Lord always!

                                                            In faith and peace,

                                                                        Pastor Kirk Griffin