Our history begins in December 1999 when a family belonging to St. Michael and All Angles in Cancun moved back to their permanent home in Mérida. Before they left Cancun, they offered their home to St. Michael's vicar, (The Rev.) John Hayes, as a location for holding services in Merida. .

On the first Sunday of February 2000 we began holding worship services in their home, so that makes Margot and Jorge Solis the first members of the congregation.

During the following months, Father Hayes organized the congregation and had it accepted as an "Organized Mission" of the Diocese of Southeastern Mexico. During the first four months, our services were held every second week. Then, in late May, two deacons in St. Michael and All Angels (Cancún) were ordained priests and our bishop, the Right Reverend Benito Juarez, asked Father John to hold regular weekly services in Merida until our congregation could become more organized and he could find a permanent priest.

On the first Sunday of August, 2000 we began to hold our public worship services in the facilities of the Hotel Fiesta Americana Mérida; this was then our home for over two years, until the end of 2002. We wish to thank the hotel for its gracious hospitality.

We moved to Progreso at the start of 2003 because it is as accessable to residents of northern Merida as is a downtown location, and many of our winter members live in the Progreso - Chelem area.

Father John donates his time to the work of the church as an unpaid volunteer member of the clergy. This has allowed us to be able to cover the basic expenses of operating as an Organised Mission even though our income is quite limited. To date, our major expense is the $1,500 yearly expense for Father John's weekly 11 hour 500 mile round trip from his home outside Cancun to Merida and then on to Progreso.

STAFF PROFILES

Ye Vicar: (The Rev.) John E Hayes

"Padre John" received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University in 1968. After serving as a Naval Aviator in the Marine Corps he moved to Monterrey, N.L., in northern Mexico.

While working as an engineer manufacturing heavy duty cranes and hoists, he "read for orders" and was ordained in the Episcopal Church in 1987.

While living in Monterrey, Father Hayes served Holy Family Episcopal Church as part of a ministry team made up of three non-remunerated clergy. In 1991 he moved to Cancun to begin a commercial acuaculture operation. Soon afterwards he founded the congregaion of St. Michael and All Angels as a hotel chaplaincy holding public worship services in the Hotel Marriott Casa Magna Cancun. After assisting two Cancun members to become ordained in 1999, he began St. Marks in February 2000 and has served as our vicar ever since.

Father Hayes has been a Delegate to the General Convention of the Episcopal Church three times: once as a lay delegate, once while a deacon, and once as a priest. Since the Province was created in 1995, he has been a clerical delegate to the three General Synods of the Anglican Church of Mexico and served on the Province's Executive Committee during the first nine years after our provincial autonomy began. He currently serves on the Diocesan Standing Committee as its President.

Besides his church work in Cancún and Mérida, Father Hayes is a Past President of the Cancun Rotary Club. He is also active in The American Legion where he is a Past Department Commander of the Department of Mexico (Mexico and 4 neighboring countries) and currently serves The American Legion's national organization as a National Executive Committeeman.

BISHOP'S COMMITTEE :
These profiles are pending:
Mrs. Marion Lake - Senior Warden
Mrs. Margot Soliz - Junior Warden

Mr. Peter Appleton - Treasurer

SUNDAY SERVICES: Casa Isodoro, Calle 21 #116 (between Calles 58 & 60) in Progreso - 6:00 p.m.
MAY WE INVITE YOU TO CHURCH ON SUNDAY ?

St. Mark's Anglican Church

-- Serving Mérida, Progreso, & Northern Yucatán --

A Little History

STAFF PROFILES