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History
Canonically established in 1965, St. Mark's Catholic Church has a history of parishioner participation and growth. The following history,
prepared in chronological order, provides an overview of some major events in the history of the parish. There are many more rich experiences
in the memories and photo albums of parishioners.
St. Mark's during 1960 - 1969
| November 18, 1960: |
10.19 acres of land was purchased for a new parish. There was a one and one-half story stone house on the property that
later became the parish house and religious education center.
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| August 1, 1965: |
The parish was canonically established. Fr. John P. Coleman was appointed as the first pastor. The parish gathered at
Blackburn School Auditorium for the first celebration of the Eucharist.
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| October 1965: |
Men's Club was formed. Soon thereafter the Alter Society was formed.
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| October 12, 1965: |
Religious education classes for public school students began.
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| December 25, 1965: |
Midnight mass was celebrated at B&D Rollerink. Mass was held there for the next two years.
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| January, 1967: |
Angus McCallum was retained to draw up plans for a new church and parish center. A Parish Council was elected at this
time.
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| May, 1967: |
A School Board of Religious Education was formed.
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| September, 1967: |
Construction began. The new building was completed in the Spring of 1968 and cost $218,000.
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| Palm Sunday, 1968: |
The first mass was held in the new church and was dedicated on April 13, 1969.
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St. Mark's during 1970 - 1979
| Spring, 1973: |
The St. Joseph Table was held for the first time. |
| 1975: |
Fr. Donald Miller was assigned to the Parish. |
| Summer, 1975: |
A north parking lot was added. |
| 1976: |
St. Vincent de Paul Society was formed. |
| Fall, 1976: |
Holy Family School opened and serviced St. Mark's, St. Mary's and St. Joseph the Worker parishes.
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| 1978: |
Small Wonder Preschool was opened. |
| October 26, 1978: |
Ross Beaudoin was ordained a Permanent Deacon. |
| December, 1979: |
Over 2,000 homes within the parish were visited by volunteers to complete a parish census. |
St. Mark's during 1980 - 1989
| Fall, 1980: |
Mother's Day Out program begins. |
| 1981-1983: |
It was decided to expand and renovate the parish center. Bishop Sullivan suggested that the church be enlarged also. The
basement was expanded by an addition which was 60' x 60'. Seating was added on the ground floor for an additional 100
people plus overflow seating in a new cry room/chapel. A new sacristy, nursery, restrooms, and office were also created.
The sanctuary of the church was relocated and enlarged. A new ceiling, light fixtures, sky lights, carpeting and pews
were installed. The renovation also added a vestibule connecting the entrance from the south doors to a new entrance
created on the north side.
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| May 28, 1983: |
The first Mission team set out from the parish for Spur, Texas. |
| September, 1983: |
The first mass in the new chapel was celebrated. The new additions were dedicated on November 20, 1983. |
| June 8, 1984: |
John R. Thompson was ordained to the diaconate. |
| July, 1986: |
Fr. James Healy, a former associate pastor of the parish, replaced Fr. Donald Miller as pastor. |
| August 1, 1987: |
Ross Beaudoin became pastoral associate, after an absence of three years from the parish. |
| 1988: |
St. Mark's Mission volunteers began work in Juarez, Mexico. |
| Winter, 1988: |
The parish house and offices were renovated. A new office space was created, the building was painted, wallpapered, new
carpeting was laid and new drapes purchased.
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St. Mark's during 1990 - 1999
| 1990: |
The space, which had been added in 1982-1983 was finished due to tremendous growth in the area (over 226 new families
joined the parish in a 4 year period). This included finishing ceilings, room divisions, storage, cloak room; two new
restrooms, air conditioning both new and old halls, installation of an elevator and painting.
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| Fall, 1990: |
The north and south parking lots were repaired, the north lot was expanded and new lighting was installed.
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| July, 1992: |
Fr. Ron Verheage, newly ordained, was named Associate Pastor and remained until July 1994. |
| 1994: |
Our Singles Group began. |
| 1995: |
The ReMARKables parish ministry program for senior adults began. |
| 1995: |
An office wing addition was constructed adding a reception desk, copy area, closet storage area, 8 individual offices,
and restrooms. Also added at that time was a meeting room with a kitchen area. The entire construction was over 5,200
square feet and was paid for without a building drive.
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| 1996: |
Staff restructuring took place when the parish lost its priest associate pastor, Fr. Matthew Brumleve. A full-time
Business Manager, Pastoral Care Coordinator and an Adult Education Director were added to the staff.
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| 1996: |
Holy Family School closed due to declining enrollment (below diocesan guidelines) and financial trouble. |
| 1997: |
A home-based catechesis program began called Parents As Religion Teachers. |
| 1998: |
A Steering Committee was formed to study overcrowding at Mass. |
| August, 1999: |
The decision was made by parishioners to propose building a new worship facility to the Diocese. |
St. Mark's 2000 - Present
| April, 2000: |
The Facilities Master Plan was approved by Bishop Raymond Boland. |
| September, 2000: |
The Special Events Catechists program began. |
| December, 2000: |
The Building With God Capital Campaign began to raise funds to build a new worship facility. |
| 2001: |
Schematic Drawings and Design Development Stages of the Building Project were completed. Construction documents for the
new North Parking Lot were completed, with plans to bid in early Spring 2002.
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| April, 2001: |
Building With God Campaign was wrapped up, with pledges at $3,750,000. |
| 2002: |
Small Wonder Preschool celebrated its 25th anniversary. |
| April, 2002: |
The new North Parking Lot was constructed. |
| July, 2002: |
Groundbreaking for the new church was held with Bishop Boland. |
| September, 2002: |
The Get Real program for 5th & 6th Graders began. |
| September, 2002: |
A new Grief Support series was introduced. |
| September, 2002: |
Construction began on the new facility. |
| October, 2003: |
The "Generations of Faith" model for parish-wide faith formation was launched, with All Saints/All Souls as the topic.
Over 300 parishioners prepared to more actively celebrate these feasts. The next session is scheduled for February 2004
and will focus on the Rite of Dedication for the new church.
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| February, 2004: |
Hilda Beck was promoted to Missions Director. Hilda will lead programs for local outreach as well as mission trips.
Current missions include Casa de la Cruz in Colonia de Anapra, Juarez, Mexico; Our Lady of Fatima in Chinle, AZ, and Hour
Mother's House in New York, NY.
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| March 7, 2004: |
New Church Dedication by Bishop Raymond J. Boland. |
| April, 2004: |
St. Mark's Parish Choir releases new CD. A collection of favorites in celebration of our new church. The CD
was offered for sale at the Open House and after Masses. Copies are available in the parish office.
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| April 26, 2004: |
An Open House was held to give the broader community an opportunity to visit the New Church. |
| June, 2004: |
Betsy Bain is hired as Administrative Assistant to Adult Education and Pastoral Care. Betsy succeeds Hilda Beck, who was
promoted to Missions Director.
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| June 14, 2004: |
ReMARKables board Amtrak for Santa Fe! Lee Ward, Pastoral Care Director, led 34 travelers on a 5-day tour of
Santa Fe and surrounding areas.
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| June, 2004: |
Vacation Bible School Registration begins for Summer 2004: Beach Trek! |
| June, 2004: |
Volunteers from St. George Parish in Odessa, MO begin the labor-intensive task of removing pews and sanctuary furnishings
from the old church. The furnishings will be used to furnish their new church, now under construction. Their donation
will be put in a fund toward refinishing the floor.
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| June, 2004: |
Remaining Pews offered to parishioners. Several parishioners purchased either a pew as a remembrance of the former church.
Proceeds were placed in a fund for refinishing the floor.
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| July, 2004: |
St. Mark's welcomes our TWO new Youth Ministers. Courtney Matlon will lead junior and senior high education, leadership,
service and fellowship activities for grades 7-12. Cindy Bisacca will lead the confirmation program and sacrament
preparation for teens.
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| August, 2004: |
A concert benefiting the Truman Heartland Habitat for Humanity was hosted by St. Mark's. An afternoon of beautiful music
was followed by an ice cream social.
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| September, 2004: |
Two buses of eager ReMARKables departed for Cape Cod on September 11th. They returned on September 18th with many memories
and stories to recount!
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| September, 2004: |
The second season of Generations of Faith features Sacraments. The September sessions focus on Baptism, followed by
Anointing in October.
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| September, 2004: |
In September, 2004 we replaced the boiler that supported the basement and west side of the classrooms. We also added air
conditioning to five of the classrooms.
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| November, 2004: |
"Being an Adult Child of Aging Parents" is being offered for the first time. Presented by Lee Ward, Director of Pastoral
Care, the session features "15 Decisions Every Family Makes". Topics covered include nursing homes, health care, finances
and more.
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| December 24, 2004: |
Our first Christmas Eve in the New Church was hampered by a frozen pipe which broke in the vestibule area and sent water
rushing into the church. 3:00 p.m. Mass had to be held in the old church while countless volunteers helped clean up the New
Church and had it ready to go for 5:00 p.m. Mass.
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| April 5, 2005: |
A Memorial Mass was held at St. Mark's for His Holiness Pope John Paul II. Pope John Paul II died on April 2, 2005.
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| May 14-15, 2005: |
After almost 19 years as pastor of St. Mark's, Fr. Healy announces that he is being transferred to St. Robert Bellarmine
in Blue Springs, Missouri. He indicates that Fr. James Taranto has been assigned as St. Mark's new Pastor.
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| June 12, 2005: |
A farewell reception was held for Fr. James Healy. Hundreds of parishioners turned out to wish Fr. Healy farewell.
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| July 1, 2005: |
The parish welcomed Rev. James Taranto as it's fourth pastor. He was welcomed with a parish picnic on July 10, 2005.
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| September 6, 2005: |
The JustFaith program began at St. Mark's. The program is designed to empower and transform participants so that they can
become voices for the voiceless and agents of God's good news to the poor.
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| October, 2005: |
The classroom wing got a new roof. Cornell Roofing donated all the supplies and labor. Thank you Cornell Roofing!
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| June 3-4, 2006: |
St. Mark's said farewell and best wishes to Joe and Susan Walker. Refreshments were served after all the Masses as the
parish said thank you to Joe and Susan for all their years of hard work and dedication.
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| August, 2006: |
The South Parking lot was resealed and restriped. |
| September 24, 2006: |
The parish staff said thank you to all its many volunteers with a Volunteer Appreciation Open House. |
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