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St. Mary's Episcopal Church was founded in 1892, and has been an active part of Utah County since. The church building was built in 1907 and consecrated in 1908. In subsequent years offices and a Library/Meeting Room were added, and in the 1970s a large Parish Hall was constructed, including upstairs meeting rooms and a large kitchen. The large parking area serves multiple groups during the week (over 400 people a week use St. Mary's Church!). The Community Garden sits at the corner of the lot where it can be easily seen.
Community Outreach. Early on, St. Mary's has been an integral part of the community. This culminated in 1966 with two parish couples beginning to serve lunch to homeless and hungry persons after church each Sunday. When the need outgrew the space, the ministry was incoporated as the Food & Care Coalition, and a house nearby was purchased and a director hired. In 2006 the Coalition (F&CC) purchased property in south Provo and constructed a modern facility that included a large kitch, meeting rooms, examination rooms, and 42 beds for people seeking transitional housing. The members of the St. Mary's Church continue to serve the Sunday lunch on the second Sunday of each month. The Community Garden is part of this ministry.
St. Mary's serves as a meeting place for many support groups, including SA, AA, NA, Al-Anon, PFLAG, and LGBT one-on-one and group therapy. St. Mary's is an active participant in the Utah Valley Interfaith Association, and with Habitat for Humanity.
The Community Music Outreach Program provides a venue in which individuals and groups can practice, rehearse, and express their gifts and talents in vocal and instrumental music.St. Mary's has hosted operas, jazz concerts, and student recitals.
Worship at St. Mary's Church. St. Mary's offers an Adult Discussion Group at 9:15 a.m. Sunday mornings, a Tuesday Night Discussion Group at a local restaurant, and Evening Prayer Services on Wednesday evenings. Sunday worship is at 10:30 A.M. and is inclusive and involves nearly every member of the congregation, including the children. The coffee hour following the service is always busy and noisy. The red doors on the church proclaim St. Mary's Church as a sanctuary for many types of hurting people, many of them going through important personal transitions.
Utah County sits immediately south of Salt Lake County. The northern half of the county is growing rapidly due to an expanding technology industry. The southern part of the county, including Provo, is notable for two institutions of higher learning: Brigham Young University, operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS), and Utah Valley University, the largest public university in the state with over 35,000 students. The U.S. Census Bureau indicates that Utah County is 90% LDS (even the Church admits that only half of those go to church!), 9% Roman Catholic, and 1% "other."
Worship times
Volunteer opportunities
Hospitality for groups and concerts.
Ministries
St. Mary's Community Garden
St. Mary's started its Community Garden in spring of 2016. In its first season, it provided 200 lbs of fresh produce for the Food & Care Coalition. The Community Garden works on a reverse tithe - the gardener keeps 10% of the produce, donating 90% to the Food & Care Coalition.
St. Mary's Community Music Outreach Program (CMOP)
The Community Music Outreach Program of St. Mary's Episcopal Church was established in 2015 as a core ministry of the congregation. to enrich and serve the community of Utah County by providing a venue in which individuals and groups, and particularly students at Brigham Young University (BYU) and Utah Valley University (UVU), can practice, rehearse, and express their gifts and talents in vocal and instrumental music. This purpose is based on our Baptismal promise to “proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ,” and in our Affirmation to “care about the communities in which we live…” This ministry utilizes the existing resources of St. Mary's Church, in particular, the church-building with its moderate scale and superb acoustics, making use of the physical location in downtown Provo, more than adequate parking, and a parish hall in which receptions and lectures may be held.
St. Mary's Support Group Ministry
St. Mary's Church offers space, support, and sanctuary to those in Utah County seeking recovery and/or support. We provide space for AA, NA, SA, Al Anon, PFLAG, LGBTQ one-on-one and group support.
St. Mary's Support of Food & Care Coalition
St. Mary's has been in support of the Food & Care Coalition since before it opened its doors in the 8o's. It was one of three churches that were involved in the process of setting up the Food and Care Coalition, and it has had a presence there, both on the Board and in service.
On the 2nd Sunday of the month, St. Mary's Parishioners serve the homeless a meal. St. Mary's also provides a bar-b-que for the clients of F&CC on Pioneer Day every year.
St. Mary's Parish Children's Education
The children and youth of St. Mary's are involved in Eucharist every Sunday with one Sunday focused on them. The go to the front as Father Peter gives his sermon in an interactive way with them. The Noisy Bucket is taken to each pew, and congregants give donations; the donations go to Episcopal Relief and Development, which is who the children have chosen to collect donations for.
There is a Parish Children's Education Sunday where the children do hands-on activities, learning to make Eucharist bread, making Soul Cakes, Advent Wreaths, and many other creative and educational crafts & food.
50 W. 200 No.
Provo, UT 84601
United States
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