Our Vision Our Purpose
Scripture tells us that it is important to have a vision, and without it the church will die. Proverbs 29:18. We believe that God has given St. Mark's a vision and purpose for our community. As such we're deeply committed to seeing that vision come to flourish. For us the vision and purpose is fivefold. Fellowship, Discipleship, Worship, Service and Mission.
God call us from a life of isolationism to being part of His family that loves and cares for each other. In order to enrich our fellowship, where everyone is loved and cared for, we have a Pastoral Care Team that encourages everyone in our church fellowship to be on the lookout for each other in order to make everyone made to feel they belong and are loved.
God calls us to become His followers, growing daily to love Him more, serving Him and serving others. Our Sunday Services, bible studies, young people and children's church, prayer meetings foster that ethos in our church family because that is a fundamental requirement to our calling.
God calls us to His immeasurably love worship is our response of gratitude to His generous love. We express that gratitude by living lives that recognises that our talents, possessions and indeed all that we belongs to Him. Our Sunday gatherings are an expression of that, and seek to offer our gratitude of love to God. It also provides us with the opportunity to be renewed by His Holy Spirit to live lives which are devoted to Him and His purposes.
God calls us all to serve Him with our talents and gifts. In His Kingdom there isl employment for everyone and no one can be without work. At St. Mark's we seek to encourage and empower everyone to use their God given talents, time and gifts to the service of God and others in the church and parish.
God calls us to join Him in His mission of transforming the world though the power of the Holy Spirit. Through Christ, God has made a huge difference to our lives. The incarnation of Christ in human flesh, His death and resurrection for the salvation of the world, compels us to proclaim the Good News and to also support our mission partners both at home and abroad.
We believe the above objectives are summed up in the Capital Vision 2020 of the Diocese of London which reminds us of the need to be more confident in speaking and living the Gospel of Jesus Christ, more compassionate in serving communities with the love of God the Father and more creative in reaching new people and places in the power of the Spirit.
The Parish of St Mark's and St Bartholomew's Church Dalston - Safeguarding
PROMOTING A SAFER CHURCH - We are committed to safeguarding children, young people, victims/perpetrators of domestic abuse and vulnerable adults.
The PCC has adopted the church of England's policies and best practice on safeguarding which may be found on the Church of England's website: Https://www.churchofengland.org/safeguarding/promoting-safer-church-safeguarding
Our Church Safeguarding Officer is Henry Shonabare, who may be contacted through the church office on 0207 2411771.
Rev. Josh Zvimba
Sam Okoroafor
Lay Reader & Pastoral Co-ordinator
Janice Zvimba
Children's Champion
Harma Williams
Les Davis
PCC Deanery Representative
Helena Farrell
Joshua Zvimba
PCC, Worship Leader
James Eddo
Paulette Otto
Church Warden
Paul Nong
Premises Officer
Abiodun Balogun
Lezleen Graham
PCC, Pastoral Co-ordinator, Events Co-ordinator
Glen Tommy
Shante Brown
Desiree Frazer
Social Events Team Co-ordinator
Henry Shonibare
Safeguarding Officer
Ruth Min & Jenny Slyne
Zoe-Grace Zvimba
Youth Leader
The church of Saint Mark, Dalston, was constructed between 1864 and 1866, with a second phase of building between 1877 and 1880. It was designed by Chester Cheston and completed by E.L. Blackburne.
St Mark's Church was erected by the leading church builders, Dove Bros. of Islington, between 1862-6. It is built in Early English Gothic style in yellow stock brick with stone dressings, the church's most impressive feature is its size and the west tower added in 1877-80 and designed by Edward Lushingt on Blackburne. It has an impressive Rose window, which depicts Virtues and Vices surrounding the Lamb.
The church has a unique feature on the tower – a turret barometer, the only one in England. The design is based on that of St Germain L'Auxerrois. The interior of the church has been little altered since the tower was added in 1880 and still retains original fixtures and fittings.