About Saint Mark the Evangelist · Grand Blanc, Michigan
St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Community is a parish of the Diocese of Lansing located at 7296 Gale Road in Grand Blanc, Michigan (the Goodrich area, in southeastern Genesee County). Founded in 1978 as a 'Mission Church' at the request of local families, it has grown from humble beginnings in the town hall and high-school cafeteria into a small but active parish with weekend and weekday Masses, a Religious Education program, a Confirmation program, youth ministry, and a full slate of parish groups and outreach efforts. Since 2018 the parish has been clustered with nearby Holy Family Parish in Grand Blanc and shares a pastor, while still maintaining its own liturgical life and ministries in the Goodrich community.
- Established
- 1978
- Patron
- St. Mark the Evangelist
- Rector
- Father Joseph Krupp
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lansing
Why belong here
St. Mark offers the warmth of a small, community-sized parish with the full rhythm of Catholic life: Saturday Vigil and Sunday Mass (livestreamed), weekday Masses Monday through Friday, regular Confession, Eucharistic Adoration, and a deep bench of lay ministry. Active groups include the Council of Catholic Women, the Men's Club, Prayer Shawl Ministry, Family Faith Formation, a youth group and Confirmation program, AA meetings, and an active social-justice commission supporting Family Promise, the North End Soup Kitchen, and Catholic Charities' 'Hope in a Box' collection. With a pastorate clustered with nearby Holy Family but its own site on Gale Road, parishioners get the close-knit feel of a neighborhood parish with strong ties to the wider Goodrich/Grand Blanc community.
Mass times at Saint Mark the Evangelist
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:30 pm – 5:00 pm (before the 5:30 pm Vigil Mass)
- Tuesday 7:00 pm (after the 6:30 pm Mass)
About St. Mark the Evangelist
St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Community is a parish of the Diocese of Lansing serving the Goodrich and Grand Blanc area of southeastern Genesee County, Michigan. Founded in 1978 as a 'Mission Church,' it is now a community-sized parish with weekend and weekday Masses, a Confirmation program, Family Faith Formation, youth ministry, and an active social-justice outreach. Its mission statement is: 'St. Mark the Evangelist Parish strives to grow in faith, hope and love, demonstrated through responsible stewardship.'
Our History
In 1978, after local families petitioned Bishop Kenneth Povish, the first Mass was celebrated in what is now the Goodrich Library, then moved to the Goodrich High School cafeteria. Religious Education classes began that fall. In 1979 land was purchased for a permanent site; the groundbreaking was in 1981 with 150 registered families. The first Mass in the new church was in January 1982. The Parish Pastoral Council, an Altar Society, and the Men's Club were all formed in this early period.
Pastoral Leadership Over the Years
On June 28, 1989, Sr. Joan M. May, SSJ — a Sister of St. Joseph of Nazareth, Michigan — became the parish's first Pastoral Coordinator, a role she held until her death in January 2009. Fr. Michael W. Kuchar was appointed the parish's first Pastor by Bishop Earl A. Boyea on July 1, 2009 (installed September 20, 2009) and served until his retirement in June 2018. After a brief five-day period when Msgr. Jerry Vinke served as the shared priest during the clustering with Holy Family Parish, Fr. Joseph Krupp was appointed Pastor of both parishes in late July 2018. In the summer of 2019, Fr. David Howell answered a call to occupy the vacant rectory and now serves as Sacramental Minister.
- 1989–2009: Sr. Joan M. May, SSJ — first Pastoral Coordinator
- 2009–2018: Fr. Michael W. Kuchar — first Pastor
- 2018 (5 days): Msgr. Jerry Vinke — shared priest; later named Bishop of Salina, Kansas
- 2018–present: Fr. Joseph Krupp — Pastor (clustered with Holy Family, Grand Blanc)
- 2019–present: Fr. David Howell — Sacramental Minister
Parish Center & Buildings
A home west of the church on Burpee Road was purchased in December 1989 as a pastoral residence. To accommodate growing needs for classrooms, offices, and a parish hall, plans for expansion were drawn up, and Bishop Povish dedicated the Parish Center on March 20, 1994.
Our Dedicated Staff
Parish leadership includes a clustered pastor, a retired-priest sacramental minister, a deacon/pastoral associate, a music director, business and administrative staff, a liturgical ministries coordinator, and maintenance/housekeeping staff. Contact emails use the @stmarkgoodrich.org domain where staff are parish employees.
- Father Joseph Krupp — Administrative Pastor
- Father David Howell — Sacramental Minister
- Deacon Ronald Kenney — Pastoral Associate ([email protected])
- Michael Goetz — Director of Music Ministry
- Joanne Salvati — Administrative Assistant
- Sue Griffith — Business Manager
- Colleen Seymour — Liturgical Ministries Coordinator
- Tim Gainey — Maintenance
- Bonnie Gainey — Housekeeping
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Religious Education has been part of St. Mark since the parish's first year, when high school classrooms doubled as religious education classrooms. Today the parish runs Family Faith Formation on Sunday mornings and a Confirmation program for 8th and 9th graders, along with a Soul Surfing Vacation Bible School and First Reconciliation / First Eucharist mini-sessions.
- Family Faith Formation — Sundays at 11:00 am
- Confirmation program — open to 8th and 9th graders
- First Reconciliation / First Eucharist mini-sessions
- Soul Surfing (VBS) — Catechist aides welcome
- Catechist aides (Education/Formation Commission)
Youth Ministry
A Youth Group meets on Sunday evenings at 5:00 pm. Through the Youth Stewardship Commitment Form, teens can sign up for roles across Worship, Education/Formation, Parish Life, Social Justice, and Building & Grounds commissions, including Altar Server, Cantor/Choir, Bell Choir, Greeter, Lector, Usher, Gardening, Painting, Funeral Lunch-Serving, and Family Promise / North End Soup Kitchen service.
- Youth Group — Sundays at 5:00 pm
- Worship Commission — Altar Server, Cantor/Choir, Bell Choir, Eucharistic Minister (must be confirmed), Greeter, Lector, Usher, Instrumental Musician
- Education/Formation — Catechist aide, Soul Surfing (VBS)
- Parish Life — Events serving and setup/takedown, Funeral Lunch-Serving
- Social Justice — Family Promise (food donations or volunteer time), North End Soup Kitchen
- Building & Grounds — Gardening, Painting
- Student Representative on Pastoral Council
Music & Liturgical Ministries
Music and liturgical life at St. Mark is led by Director of Music Ministry Michael Goetz and Liturgical Ministries Coordinator Colleen Seymour. The parish supports a Cantor/Choir, a Bell Choir, instrumental musicians, and a full roster of liturgical volunteers (Altar Servers, Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Ushers, Greeters, and Art & Environment setup crews).
- Michael Goetz — Director of Music Ministry
- Colleen Seymour — Liturgical Ministries Coordinator
- Cantors and Choir
- Bell Choir
- Instrumental Musicians
- Altar Servers, Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Ushers, Greeters
- Art & Environment setup and takedown
Parish Life & Fellowship
Parish life is shaped by a number of lay-led groups and regular social events. The Council of Catholic Women and the Men's Club anchor parish-wide fellowship, while a Prayer Shawl Ministry supports members in need. Hospitality Hour follows Sunday Mass, and the parish calendar includes a Parish Breakfast, Trivia Night, Epiphany Potluck, and other seasonal events.
- Council of Catholic Women — Sue Griffith, 248-627-3100
- Men's Club — Frank Salvati, 810-814-6755
- Prayer Shawl Ministry
- Parish Breakfast — Sundays after the 9:30 am Mass
- Hospitality Hour — Sundays after Mass
- Trivia Night and seasonal parish events
Marriage & Family Life
St. Mark offers Marriage Preparation through its 'Better Together' program, delivered in part via Zoom sessions for engaged couples.
- Better Together Marriage Sessions (Zoom)
- Marriage Prep information available on the parish website
Social Justice & Outreach
A Social Justice Commission coordinates the parish's outreach to neighbors in need, including ongoing food and volunteer support for Family Promise and the North End Soup Kitchen. The parish also partners with Catholic Charities of Genesee County (main office near St. Michael Church in Flint) and runs the 'Hope in a Box' collection for current Catholic Charities needs (recently toilet paper and travel-size toiletries).
- Family Promise — donate food items or volunteer time
- North End Soup Kitchen volunteers
- Hope in a Box collection (current need: toilet paper and travel-size toiletries)
- Catholic Charities of Genesee County — 810-232-9950
- Network Lobby for Catholic Social Justice resources
- Genesee County Recycling Info and Household Waste Disposal links
- World Evangelization Collection (annual)
Sacraments & Special Needs
Beyond the regular Mass and Confession schedule, the parish celebrates the sacraments of Confirmation (8th–9th grade), First Reconciliation and First Eucharist, and prepares couples for Marriage. The parish has implemented low-gluten hosts for parishioners with celiac needs — those affected should contact the parish office so accommodations can be made.
- Confirmation (8th/9th grade)
- First Reconciliation / First Eucharist
- Marriage Preparation
- Low-gluten hosts for those with celiac disease — available by contacting the parish
Visit & Contact
St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Community is located at 7296 Gale Road, Grand Blanc, MI 48439 (the Goodrich area), and can be reached at (810) 636-2216. The Sunday 9:30 am Mass is livestreamed on the parish's YouTube channel; the parish is also active on Facebook and Instagram. Visitors and parishioners are warmly welcomed to weekday Masses, Confession times, and the parish's many ministries and outreach efforts.
- Address: 7296 Gale Road, Grand Blanc, MI 48439
- Phone: (810) 636-2216
- Website: https://stmarkgoodrich.org/
- YouTube: channel linked from the parish site
- Facebook & Instagram: linked from the parish site
- Diocese: Diocese of Lansing
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Sr. Joan M. May, SSJJune 28, 1989 – January 2009
First Pastoral Coordinator (appointed by Bishop Povish); served until her death in January 2009.
- Father Michael W. KucharJuly 1, 2009 – June 2018
Appointed by Bishop Earl A. Boyea; installed as the parish's first Pastor on September 20, 2009; retired in June 2018.
- Msgr. Jerry Vinke5 days in June/July 2018
Served briefly as shared priest between St. Mark and Holy Family while the clustering was being arranged; subsequently appointed Bishop of Salina, Kansas.
- Father Joseph KruppLate July 2018 – present
Appointed Pastor of St. Mark and Holy Family Parish in Grand Blanc; current Administrative Pastor.
- Father David HowellSummer 2019 – present
Retired priest who answered the call to occupy the rectory; serves as Sacramental Minister.