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: 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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From the Rector: Savoring Christmas
From the Rector: Savoring Christmas

Beginning last Wednesday and continuing up to Christmas, we have been hearing the many different Gospel stories that lead us to the birth of Jesus. We began with the genealogy of Jesus from Matthew and Joseph's dream to honor Mary as his wife. We heard the episode of the Angel Gabriel’s visit to Mary and her subsequent visit to Elizabeth, and we have heard the stories concerning Zechariah in the temple and the nativity of John the Baptist. All of these stories culminate with Christmas when we celebrate the Savior’s birth.

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From the Rector: Advent Light Arising on the Horizon
From the Rector: Advent Light Arising on the Horizon

On Monday, December 8, the church celebrates the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. You will not find this feast listed currently in the 1979 American Prayer Book, but it is celebrated in various churches throughout the Anglican Communion. For the Church in Hawai’i, it is important to note that this feast is included in the calendar of the Prayer Book of King Kamehameha IV published in 1862.

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From the Rector: Stay Awake for Advent
From the Rector: Stay Awake for Advent

These past two Sundays we have enjoyed amazing worship. I want to thank the acolytes, musicians, ushers, and hospitality ministers for all of their hard work. Our celebrations of the Feasts of Dedication and Christ the King were spectacular, complete with rousing hymns, beautiful anthems, attentive servers, welcoming ushers, and delicious refreshments.

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