Welcome from the Rector

Father Paul Lillie, Rector

Aloha on behalf of the people of St. Mark's. Welcome to our website, and we look forwarding to welcoming you in person at our church.

A generous 'ohana, St. Mark's is a growing church within the Episcopal Diocese of Hawai'i, and we enjoy celebrating our Anglo-Catholic heritage and our Hawaiian mission roots.  The patron of St. Mark's is Queen Emma, the wife of King Kamehameha IV. The Holy Sovereigns invited the Church of England to the Hawaiian Islands, and Queen Emma is known for her many works of support and advocacy for the poor and sick. She died on St. Mark's Day, April 25, in 1885.

We are a diverse parish, representing the many different peoples of O'ahu. It is our faith in Jesus Christ, expressed through our Anglo-Catholic spirituality, which unites us.  When we come together for the Eucharist, we become one in Christ. Since 1908 St. Mark's has been ministering the love of Christ to the neighborhoods of Kapahulu and Diamond Head in Honolulu. We also now serve the neighborhood of Waikiki, and on a typical Sunday, tourists and seasonal visitors worship with us too.

Whether you are new to the church, local, or visiting, please join us.

Father Paul Lillie
Rector, St. Mark's Episcopal Church

 

News from the Rector

Rector's Journal
From the Rector: Speed-Reading the Psalms
From the Rector: Speed-Reading the Psalms

The other day I caught myself speed-reading Vespers. Instead of praying the psalms, I was rushing the psalms, so that I could finish Vespers efficiently and move on to the next task. I forced myself to start Vespers over, taking my time and praying with intention.

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From the Rector: Ecology, Stewardship, and Honey Bees
From the Rector: Ecology, Stewardship, and Honey Bees

This Sunday we celebrate the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology. The featured photo is the roof of the Parish Hall. Those who are new to St. Mark’s may not realize that years ago St. Mark’s installed solar energy for all of our buildings, including the rectory. It is one of the primary ways in which we care for God’s creation.

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From the Rector: Mary Invites us to Go Deeper into Christ
From the Rector: Mary Invites us to Go Deeper into Christ

Today is the Feast of Our Lady of Walsingham. Walsingham is a village in Norfolk, England, and it was there that in 1061, a certain noblewoman, Lady Richeldis de Faverches, experienced a Marian vision showing her the Holy House of Nazareth, inviting her to establish a counterpart in Walsingham. Walsingham eventually became famous throughout England and Europe, welcoming countless pilgrims, and this continues today.

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From the Rector: The Gift of Unity
From the Rector: The Gift of Unity

It has been a few weeks since I have returned from the Centro Pro Unione in Rome and their summer study course, and I continue to reflect on my four weeks in the Eternal City. It was an immense privilege to attend the lectures, museums, liturgies, and various holy and cultural sites, and I enjoyed meeting many new colleagues from around the world as we studied ecumenism and interreligious dialogue together.

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From the Rector: Candlemas
From the Rector: Candlemas

This year Easter Day arrives early on Sunday, April 5, with Holy Week beginning on Palm Sunday, March 29, and Lent beginning with Ash Wednesday on February 18. Including this Sunday there are four more Sundays before the arrival of Lent, and within this time we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation, also known as Candlemas.

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From the Rector: Annual Meeting
From the Rector: Annual Meeting

This Sunday we gather for the annual meeting after the high mass. A light lunch will be served, and the meeting will begin at 12:45 noon in the Parish Hall. At the annual meeting the parish elects candidates for the vestry and our diocesan convention delegates. The 2026 budget will also be shared, along with current stewardship statistics of the membership. If you have not pledged for 2026, you may still do so.

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