St. Mark's welcomes you! - Meet the Staff

Meet the Staff

Meet the Rector

The Rev. Bert Baetz is a native Texan, born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. He grew up with a great appreciation for South Texas and he graduated from Alamo Heights High School in May 1997.

Father Bert received his Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin in May 2001, with a minor in Religious Studies. Upon graduation, he served as a missionary in the Dominican Republic and then spent a few months teaching, traveling and fly fishing throughout New Zealand. Through those experiences, Father Bert discerned a clear passion to further pursue his theological studies.

In the fall of 2002, Father Bert began his graduate studies at Duke Divinity School. He particularly enjoyed studying sacramental theology and ethics and was profoundly shaped by his Clinical Pastoral Education at the University of North Carolina Hospitals. Father Bert spent the summers of 2004 and 2005 serving as a seminarian and lay minister at Trinity Episcopal Church, Marble Falls, Texas. Father Bert graduated with a Master of Divinity from Duke University in May 2005.

Father Bert then joined the upper school faculty of St. Andrew's Episcopal School in Austin, Texas, where he taught courses in Ancient World Civilizations and Theology. He also served as the school's associate chaplain as he discerned a call to the priesthood through his sponsoring parish, St. David's, Austin. In his third year with St. Andrew's, Father Bert attended the Seminary of the Southwest where he took courses in Anglican Studies and received his diploma in May 2008.

In June 2008, Father Bert was ordained to the diaconate at Christ Cathedral, Houston, and then began his curacy with St. Mark's, Austin. Father Bert served as assistant rector and was ordained priest in February 2009. He continued to serve as associate rector of St. Mark's, Austin, until he accepted the call to become rector of St. Mark's, Richmond, in January 2011.

In addition to his responsibilities as rector of St. Mark's, Father Bert has several positions of leadership in the Diocese of Texas. Father Bert is a member of the Camp Allen Board of Trustees; he serves as dean of the Southwest Convocation; and he is a member of the Standing Committee of the Diocese of Texas. Father Bert also exercises his entrepreneurial leadership through such creative initiatives as the Fishers of Men Retreats.

Father Bert and his wife, Sarah, are grateful to be a part of the St. Mark's community. They have enjoyed the nurturing environment of the church, especially as they raise their two children, Eloise and Oliver. It is Father Bert's hope that you will join us at St. Mark's to discover and receive the love God has for all of us through Jesus Christ.

Phone: ext. 2001
Email: bbaetz@stmarksfortbend.org

A Word from the Rector

Thank you for visiting our website and your interest in St. Mark's Episcopal Church. We are a church with a long history in the Rosenberg/Richmond area. In 2009, we moved to our current location and we are excited about the new possibilities for growth within our community. We are a church reaching out to discover new people and new opportunities in the kingdom of God in our time and place. We invite you to come to St. Mark’s and join us in this journey.

We are a steadfast community of Christians grounded in worship and formation. We believe the life and ministries of our parish are shaped and nurtured by Word and Sacrament. We celebrate Holy Communion every Sunday, and we therefore believe we are living members of Christ’s body sent into the world to proclaim by word and example the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Our Adult Christian Formation Classes meet on Sundays at 10:10a.m. where we engage in classes based on Scripture and other topics of the Christian faith. Youth Christian Formation Classes are offered at the same time to children, grades five through eight. The youth classes follow a curriculum based on the appointed Scripture readings for each Sunday, giving each child a full encounter with the Scripture through formation and worship. We have a nursery available every Sunday, staffed by persons compliant with the Diocese of Texas Safeguarding God's Children Policy.

Our choir meets for practice at 8:15am with our organist, Dr. Steve Godowns. We are blessed by their gift and faithfulness to our worship. We welcome all people to join us in worship as we are an exceptionally warm and welcoming community. We conclude our morning celebration with refreshments after the worship service where we enjoy the company of one another.

As a steadfast community of Christians, we offer opportunities for service, spiritual growth, and fellowship throughout the week. We have an active Men's Group that meet on Thursday mornings at Whataburger in Richmond and who also play golf on a regular basis. Our women's group, ECW, is active in church hospitality and fellowship as well as several outreach projects, including our commitment to Helping Hands.

We hope you visit us at St. Mark’s and discover the joy we know in our church.

Faithfully,

Bert+

"Speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." Ephesians 4:15-1

Meet the Executive Administrative Assistant

Kimberly Hart is a native Texan, born and raised in Houston, Texas. In September of 2002, Kimberly married her husband, Josh. They have three children Anthony, Alexis and Krystal. Kimberly received her Bachelor of Business Administration in 2009 minor in Accounting.

Kimberly has been with St. Mark’s since 2010. Kimberly makes the Sunday bulletins, newsletters, social media, up to date church membership and provides the most updated information on the church calendar and website. If you have any questions about your membership, want to be put on the email list for the newsletter or to add something to the church calendar email Kimberly at office@stmarksfortbend.org and she will be happy to assist you.

Phone: ext. 2000
Email: office@stmarksfortbend.org

Meet the Director of Parish Life

Melissa Hamon is a native of Virginia, but grew up in North Carolina and Tennessee. She attended The University of Tennessee in Knoxville and graduated with a B.S. in Elementary Education in 1986. Melissa was hired by American Airlines, as a customer service representative, while still attending college. In February of 1989, she married her husband Rob. Melissa and Rob lived in several wonderful places during Rob’s final years in the Navy. They did tours in Connecticut, Rhode Island and Colorado. Because Melissa worked for an airline, she was able to transfer to the same cities as Rob and continue her career with American. She continued working for American until just before the birth of her son Christopher in 1995. That same year Melissa beat cancer and has been cancer free for 20 years.

Once Christopher started school, Melissa returned to her first career choice as a teacher. She taught in a local private preschool for a few years and at Calvary Episcopal School in Richmond, TX for seven years. In 2011, she decided to leave full time teaching and start tutoring. The Hamons also decided to start attending St. Marks in the summer of 2011.

Melissa was intrigued by the call for a newcomer coordinator and joined the St. Mark’s staff in February of 2013. She felt that her years as a customer service representative and as a teacher would help her make people feel more comfortable when visiting a new church. Because Melissa has been a member for only four , she understands what it is like to be new. You want to feel comfortable and welcomed. Please feel free to contact Melissa at mhamon@stmarksfortbend.org if you would like more information about our church.

Phone: ext. 2002
Email: mhamon@stmarksfortbend.org

Meet the Financial Secretary

Sandra Barkerding was born and raised in Pennsylvania and graduated from Peirce College in Philadelphia. Sandy studied project management at Villanova University and earned her certification as a Project Management Professional in 2000. Sandy and her husband Roger moved to Northern Virginia in 1996, the same year they sent their only child, Kristin, off to college. Sandy worked as a government contractor in Virginia for 17 years serving several government agencies as an IT project manager. The tug of grandchildren brought Sandy and Roger to retire here in Richmond, Texas in 2013 and join St. Mark’s. Sandra Barkerding handles day-to-day financial operations and provides financial information to various church ministries. If you have any questions about your contributions to St. Mark’s email Sandra at sbarkerding@stmarksfortbend.org and she will be happy to assist you.

Phone: ext. 2004
Email: sbarkerding@stmarksfortbend.org

Meet the Organist & Music Director

Tom Thompson has over 35 years of teaching experience in piano, organ, vocal coaching, theory, composition and literature. Tom has also served in various places of worship. He received two Bachelor of Music degrees (Piano Performance and Theory & Composition) from Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas, as well as a Master of Music degree (Music Performance & Pedagogy) from the University of Houston.

As a performance artist, he concertizes extensively both solo and collaboratively throughout Texas and other venues across the United States, Europe, and Asia. As an adjudicator, Tom has worked in such prestigious venues as Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and many other distinguished venues across the nation and in Asia. His choirs have been featured across the state, as well as in Europe and the United Kingdom. He has been featured on many recordings, both solo and collaborative. Currently, Tom is the Director of Music & Worship for the Servants of Christ United Methodist Parish in Houston, Texas. He also continues to maintain an active private studio, as well as serving as vice president for the Pasadena Area Music Teachers' Association (an affiliate of the Texas Music Teachers' Association and the Music Teachers' National Association). In February of 2008, the Pasadena Philharmonic Society bestowed upon him the honor of "Musician of the Year" at their annual fundraiser gala ball.

Tom is an active composer, arranger, orchestrator, and transcriber of music. His first completely original cantata - No Greater Love - was premiered by the choir and orchestra of the First United Methodist Church of Pasadena, Texas, in May of 2010; his current church's choir and orchestra has premiered his Unto Us, A Service of Lessons and Carols, and Gloria - three Advent cantatas, in addition to The Passion - an Easter oratorio, which were composed in honor of and in gratitude for the Servants of Christ UMP. His most recent work Magnificat was premiered in December of 2015.

Email: tthompson@stmarksfortbend.org

Meet the Sexton

Reuben Luna supports the mission of the church by providing for the cleanliness, maintenance, and safety of our church buildings and grounds.

Meet the Spiritual Director

Susan Pinter was born in Ohio but grew up in a small town in New York State and in Boulder, Colorado. She went to college at the University of Colorado during the exciting and wild sixties. This was followed by the life of an Air Force wife in multiple states and then back to Colorado for more school. She has lived in the Sugar Land area for over 30 years. She has had multiple careers, from medical assistant to preschool teacher to adult religious education director. But the most important one was being mom to six amazing children. She has been employed with Houston Community College for the last 10 years and works now in the Social Sciences Department. She has been married to her husband, David, for six years and they have nine grandchildren to keep them busy.

She began attending St. Marks in the spring of 2010. The ministry of Spiritual Direction had been a whispering of the Holy Spirit in her heart since 2003. Everything finally came together in the spring of 2012 with her acceptance into the Formation in Direction Program offered through the Diocese of Texas. She graduated from FIND and was commissioned by the Diocese of Texas in June of 2014 as a Spiritual Director. She has served St. Marks on the vestry, in adult education and is a member of the Daughters of the King.

If you would like to learn more about Spiritual Direction please email me at spinter@stmarksfortbend.org.

Email: spinter@epicenter.org