View of St. Mark's Church from The Asa Packer Mansion Museum Photograph Courtesy of Stephanie M. BoritsView of the Alter and Reredos Photograph Courtesy of Stephanie M. BoritsClose-up of the Reredos Photography Courtesy of Stephanie M. BoritsThe Baptismal Photograph Courtesy of Stephanie M. BoritsThe Tiffany Windows Photograph Courtesy of Stephanie M. BoritsThe Rose Window Photograph Courtesy of Stephanie M. BoritsThe Chapel Photograph Courtesy of Stephanie M. Borits
The Episcopal Parish of Saint Mark & Saint John  21 Race Street  Jim Thorpe Pennsylvania  18229  Phone 570.325.2241
"The strength of our Nation can be no stronger than the faith of its leaders."  ~  Asa Packer
Photographs Courtesy of Stephanie M. Borits
The Episcopal Parish of Saint Mark and Saint John
The Episcopal Parish of St. Mark & St. John
Sunday Services
Chapel Service  8:00 A.M. 
Holy Eucharist II
Main Church Service  9:30 A.M. 
Holy Eucharist II

Church School
May - September
Held During The 9:30 Service

Tour Schedule
Please Call For Tour Schedule
570.325.2241
Admission
$4.00
A Historic Church
St. Mark's Church is adjacent to the picturesque row of old stone houses which, amid the surrounding mountains, gives the town of Jim Thorpe the well deserved title of '"The Switzerland of America."
 
The church is one of the most notable of the late Gothic Revival churches in Pennsylvania.  The plans were formulated by the elder Richard Upjohn, who as a builder of the third Trinity Church in New York City, was already famous.  For decades, Upjohn was the country's leading architect in the field of religious construction.  St. Mark's was one of his last and most interesting works.

Design and Interior of the Church
Of Gothic design, the church is laid out in the form of a cross.  The alter is of white Italian marble and is a memorial to Asa Packer given by his wife, Sarah Blakslee Packer.  The reredos contains exquisite statuary while the main panels are replicas of the reredos found in St. George's Chapel in Windsor, England.  A beautiful baptismal font is flanked by great brass gas standards to represent the flames of The Holy Spirit.  The church has a fine Austin Organ and the beauty of the Minton tile floors and Tiffany windows must be seen to be fully appreciated.  One unique feature is the Otis Elevator which was installed due to the generosity of Asa Packer's daughter, Mary Packer Cummings.

The Packer Family Connection
The connection with the church and the Packer Family can still be seen today in the beautiful memorial gifts that the church proudly displays.  Asa Packer, who believed "he owed whatever he possessed under the providence of God," was instrumental in the building of the present church and served as a vestryman for over forty years.

An Architectural Treasure
St. Mark's has been a center of attraction in the area since 1829.  The cornerstone of the present church was laid in 1867 and the church was dedicated in 1869.  This architectural treasure was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987.

Sources
Pennsylvania State Archives, Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission