St. Mark's Church, East Longmeadow, MA August 2008--

	St. Mark's is an appealing town and country congregation bordering Springfield, MA. 41 years ago I worked as a seminarian at St. John's Church in Warehouse Point, CT just a few miles south of the border from here. St. Mark's has just concluded a significant building addition and has recently said goodbye to their rector of 21 years who moved to Connecticut. The interim issues of relaiming identify and refreshing leadership will be very important. The parish has a good relationship with the Diocese and with the other Episcopal congregations in the surrounding area. Relationships with the wider fellowship in East Longmeadow are strong.
The liturgical life of the parish is very strong and unusually imaginative. What a joy for an interim to lead worship with a community of faith that expects church to matter. Elegant simplicity informs everything that happens except when it is just plain fun.