Why St. Mark's?
Posted on by Kent Slonaker
From Kent Slonaker
The phone rang the other day, and it was Malinda. She asked, “Would you be willing to talk…” and before she could go any further I replied “Yes!” Because let’s be honest, if there’s one thing I love to do, it’s talk. Then she explained that my talk would be directly related to our annual stewardship drive and my answer remained affirmative. She let me know that Howard would be in touch.
Howard called soon thereafter. He said, “We would like you to answer a question that can only be answered by you; why St. Mark’s to begin with, and why did I stay? So I got to thinking. How had I chosen this parish, and why have I remained?
Well, I came here to find a husband. No, seriously. I was newly single, living in the Fan, and ready to build a life that was based on my choices. I am a cradle Episcopalian, and have always felt at home in it, but the suburban church I was raised in just didn’t have much appeal to me. So I decided to shop around. As a Richmond native, I already had preconceptions about the Episcopal churches around here. I will not share my mother’s views on any of them, but I quickly narrowed the field to three and started with St. Mark’s. You all have been stuck with me off and on ever since.
It wasn’t until about five years ago that I really became engaged here, and like most beginnings, it followed swiftly on the heels of an ending. My mother succumbed to a long illness in 2019. During her last few months, Buck was kind enough to come visit her at our home. Buck sounds exactly like my mother’s father, and they hit it off.
When she died, the rector at her church was away on vacation and there was no assistant at that time and so we were in need of an officiant, There was a Baptist preacher from my brother-in-law’s church who would have happily and I am sure ably presided, but we all agreed that my mother, ever the traditional Virginia Episcopalian that she was, might not be thrilled at that prospect. So I asked Buck, and he and David were there at All Saints and Hollywood for her
service and it was beautiful. Buck and David worked together like an old married couple, and between David’s ears and Buck’s tongue, they proved perfect for the moment.
About a year later I was at an extremely low point in my life. David and Sarah were there for me at a very critical time. At a moment when kin had proven to incapable of caring, they did. Benjamin has continued that relationship of support and understanding. It is not maudlin to say that I am not only here at St. Mark’s because of them, but also simply “here”.
My fellow parishioners have also been a tremendously supportive and caring influence, and I cannot imagine things without this chosen family. I don’t know if I can ever give as much as I have gotten, but I try to every day. I am thankful to worship and serve with this church
Kent
post script - after Kent's Sunday testimony someone came up to me and commented on what a wonderful talk it was but they couldn't remember his name and said, "he's our bike minister - right?" I thought it a perfect title. Kent created, organized and with Ed's help implemented a bike donation ministry that supplied 24 bikes for Rag & Bones, a local collective that repairs and provides bikes at no or low cost to those in need, as well as training young people to repair bikes. They were thrilled and commented that they didn't realize there was a church in Richmond that knew who they were and what they did for the community. They do now, thanks to Kent - they know St. Mark's. Good on ya Kent, Minister of Bicycles!