Annual Report
2025-26
We are excited to celebrate the many ways St. Mark’s Community Church has been making Jesus famous this fiscal year. See below for stories and statistics highlighting our year!
The For Your Neighbor Initiative
A faithful vision preparing our facility, increasing our accessibility, and expanding our capacity to welcome His abundant harvest!
This fall, we leaned in together to cover our community in prayer and serve our neighbors from the Triad to the Triangle!
Over 500 families made commitments for their neighbors totaling over $5 million to fund:
A community soccer field in partnership with the Alamance Dream Center and Broadview Middle School
A Student Center overhaul putting our passion for the Next Generation on display for our community
A Worship Center facelift to create a welcoming and intimate worship experience
A Parking Lot expansion to accommodate our continuing growth
For more project details, FAQs, or to make a pledge, visit our For Your Neighbor webpage here!
NEXT GEN: STUDENT & FAMILY MINISTRY
Growing Excitement at Waypoint Student Ministry
“This year has been a unique year for us as it began with the For Your Neighbor campaign and concluded with the closing of the Student Center for renovations. Our goal was to challenge students to think missionally, not just about their friends, but also about the students who will come after them at Waypoint.
And so, we were overwhlemed that several Waypoint seniors, who will be graduated and gone before the new Student Center opens, committed to regular giving to the For Your Neighbor campaign to benefit the students who will come after them.
We are so excited about the opening of the overhauled student center and the energy and new opportunities it will bring to engage students for Christ! We cannot wait for the doors to be open so students can find a place where they belong like never before.”
-Shawn Colacchia, Student Ministry Director
2026 marked the largest Walking Wisely Weekend (above) on record with over 900 people from 12 different churches, schools, and organizations, including over 200 from St. Mark’s, thanks to students inviting friends into the hope they’ve found in Jesus.
15 students were baptized (below) this year in response to finding Jesus at camps and retreats!
Kids’ Ministry: Building Foundations for Lifelong Faith
Aligning Curriculum—and Hearts
One of our biggest accomplishments this year in Kids’ Ministry was developing a custom curriculum designed specifically for our church, families, and kids. By aligning lessons with the main service, we've created opportunities for faith conversations at home while increasing engagement among both children and volunteers.
We also focused on helping kids develop lifelong spiritual habits. Through hands-on Bible engagement, children are growing in confidence as they learn to navigate Scripture, while lessons on generosity have helped them understand how their giving supports God's work locally and globally. Prayer has also been an area of significant growth, with many kids becoming more comfortable talking with God and praying for others.
Most encouraging is the growth we see in everyday discipleship. Kids are excited to come to church, building strong relationships with their leaders, and increasingly living out their faith at home, school, and in their communities. While not every measure of growth can be captured in numbers, we see it clearly in their actions, conversations, and growing desire to live and love like Jesus.
Making Jesus Famous for the Next Generation.
SMC Weekday Preschool Highlights
“What an incredible year it has been at SMC Preschool, focused on building a stronger sense of community among our preschool, families, church, and the surrounding community. Through meaningful experiences, our students learned what it means to be part of something bigger than themselves.
A major highlight was our 1st Annual Fall Fest Costume Parade and Trunk-or-Treat, which brought families together for fun, fellowship, and community.
Another memorable event was Community Helper Day (below), where students met local heroes from the Fire Department, Police Department, K-9 Units, NC Forestry Service, Waste Management, and other community organizations, learning valuable lessons about service and teamwork.
“This successful year was made possible by the support of our preschool families, church family, and dedicated staff. Their encouragement, generosity, and commitment help create a nurturing environment where children can learn and thrive.”
As we celebrate a wonderful school year, we are excited for our summer camp programs and look forward to another year of growth, learning, and connection. Thank you for helping make this year so memorable!”
-April Wevers, Weekday Preschool Director
MISSIONS & OUTREACH
Back 2 School: More Than a Supply Drive
Back 2 School was our largest outreach event of the year, impacting 1,000 students across Alamance County. Through the generosity of church members, community partners, local businesses, and over 100 volunteers, backpacks filled with school supplies were distributed to help students begin the school year prepared and encouraged.
The centerpiece was the celebration at Burlington Athletic Stadium, where children and family members enjoyed an afternoon of food, activities, entertainment, and community support. Backpacks were distributed through 7 local elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as the Alamance Dream Center, extending the reach of this ministry throughout the county!
Back 2 School provided opportunities to share Christ’s love, strengthen community relationships, and remind families that they are valued and supported. We are grateful to every volunteer, donor, sponsor, and partner who helped make this outreach an important expression of faith, hope, and service!
A Dream Partnership
Our partnership with The Dream Center provided meaningful opportunities to serve our neighbors and share Christ’s love in practical ways.
During the Christmas season, St. Mark’s stuffed 600 stockings distributed to children at the Dream Center’s Posada celebration, helping create a joyful and memorable experience for local families. Through a toy drive held during our Live Nativity, we also provided gifts for the Dream Center’s Christmas shop, allowing parents and caregivers to select presents for their children with dignity and pride.
As you read at the top of this report, through For Your Neighbor, we are partnering with The Dream Center and Broadview Middle School to revitalize the school’s soccer field for community use.
Together, we strengthened families, fostered community connections, and demonstrated Christ’s love in tangible ways. We are grateful for all that was accomplished together and look forward to continuing this important partnership moving forward!
WORSHIP
Sunday Services & Online Growth
This year, we worshipped together with energy and enthusiasm on Sunday mornings! We witnessed more adult baptisms as part of our worship services (see photo), which has allowed our larger congregation the chance to celebrate life-change together throughout the year.
Notable sermon series this year were our For Your Neighbor series, leading up to Commitment Sunday, The Voice: Listening for God in the Day to Day, our Advent and Christmas series No Vacancy (see photo below), Tangled Crown, exploring the life and legacy of David, and Normal People: Living an Ordinary Life with Extraordinary Grace.
Our online footprint remains strong for Sunday services and weekly content! Our YouTube channel continues to grow, with nearly 2,000 subscribers tuning in to view our Primer Podcast, full services, sermon shorts, and more!
Connecting to God and Each Other
310 New Guests visited our Welcome desk this year!
109 people attended Connect Lunch, learning more about our church and meeting our staff
74 people engaged in Connect Class, diving deeper into the St. Mark’s community
84 people were baptized across 3 different adult baptism services
51 Apprentice participants walked together in the journey of spiritual formation
GROUPS, FORMATION & FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Spotlight on New Community Groups
St. Mark’s is truly a Community Church! We had 560 active participants in Community Groups or Bible studies, with 95 new participants this year.
Since July 2025, we have added 7 new Community Groups, along with 17 new leaders, including Kent and Colleen Hursey.
“From the moment we walked into St. Mark's, we felt at home. We immediately met lifelong friends who were also new to the church, which prompted us to form our "New Here" small group. Our group has grown from 8 to 18 members, and I cannot imagine doing life without them. We look forward to seeing the Lord's plan for us here at St. Mark's.”
-Kent and Colleen Hursey, Group leaders since fall 2025
Worship Arts + Formation
This year saw an intentional integration of spiritual formation, artistic expression, and worship. From For Your Neighbor murals created by members of our church community to our Arts Collective held within our services in April, we have focused on showcasing the God-given artistic talent in our community for the sake of God’s Kingdom!
Lenten Reflections
“This Lenten season was incredibly meaningful, creating space for deeper reflection, prayer, and connection with God. From Ash Wednesday to the weekly self-guided reflection stations throughout Lent, the Worship Art Workshop, and walking through the Stations of the Cross, each experience invited us to slow down and be present. I loved seeing how our congregation participated wholeheartedly in each experience. It was a season that truly drew us closer to the heart of Jesus.”
-Jessica Flake, Groups and Formation Associate Pastor
CARE MINISTRY
Caring through Cards
Our card ministry is a special way for those who have a heart to share the love of Jesus with someone grieving, or going through a difficult time. A care receiver shared how much this ministry means to them:
“I’m not even familiar with all these wonderful people sending me cards, but during my cancer journey, these cards have truly blessed me! Thank you for the love shown to me.”
Stephen Ministry Success Stories
Stephen Ministries at St. Mark’s have trained 30 volunteers from St. Mark’s and five other churches!
Our Stephen Ministers (see below) provide support to a diverse range of individuals facing crises, including the loss of a spouse, job loss, and challenging marital issues. One of our care receivers expressed her gratitude, stating, “I am deeply appreciative of my Stephen Minister. I cannot envision navigating this crisis without the unwavering support of this ministry during this difficult phase of my life.”
Another care receiver was so moved that she generously donated to St. Mark’s, declaring, “I am eager to contribute to the continued training of more Stephen Ministers. This ministry has been a profound blessing, and I love my Stephen Minister!”
MISSION CAFÉ
This year, Mission Café celebrated its 5th anniversary! Open daily from 7am to 1pm, the café hosts about a dozen informal groups throughout the week with plenty of room for more. Come and work, gather, or, relax with a good book!
All food served is produced locally and our baristas are constantly learning new drinks, like this summer’s new special dirty sodas!
Top 5 Coffee Shop in Burlington in 2025, based on data from Google Reviews
99% positive reviews in Square
YOUR PARTNERSHIP IN HIS KINGDOM…
Finishing Strong this Fiscal Year
Budgeted Goal for Year: $3,084,446
Current Giving : $2,908,888
(through June 10, 2026)
Amount needed to finish strong: $175,558
For Your Neighbor contributions
$2,389,756 (through June 10, 2026)
Thank you for your commitment to St. Marks Community Church—your ongoing generosity allows us to boldly pursue Christ’s Kingdom together!
