Redeemer Review
The Episcopal Church of the Redeemer
April, 2008
From our Interim Vicar:
Dear Friends,
My name is the Reverend Mark Ruyak and I am pleased to accept your call to be your new Interim Vicar at the Church of
the Redeemer in San Rafael. I look forward to our time together as I join your community and get to know the blessings
and gifts of your church family.
I would like to give you some background about my ministry experience. I graduated from the Church Divinity School of
the Pacific in Berkeley in 1999. For the past seven years, I have served at Grace Cathedral as Associate Pastor for Adult
Christian Formation and Youth and Young Adult Ministry. In addition to my tenure at Grace Cathedral, my own gifts of
ministry have been deeply nurtured most recently at St. Stephen’s, Belvedere; Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Baltimore
and Church of Our Saviour in Mill Valley. My work with congregations in pastoral care, liturgy, and preaching, the
healing ministry, spiritual direction, outreach, youth and young adult ministry, empowering lay ministry, and stewardship
has been rooted in the understanding of the primary importance of Christian Formation and our living into the Baptismal
Covenant. I have a passion for building community through Christian Formation, intergenerational outreach projects,
small group ministry, fellowship, hospitality and prayer. I thoroughly enjoy working with people who are unchurched and
welcoming newcomers to the Episcopal Church.
I received national recognition from the Episcopal Church Center for my programs in Christian Formation and Youth and
Young Adult Ministry. These included a 20s/30s Film Festival, Outdoor Hikes with Worship, Theology on Tap, Spiritual
Retreats, Contemplative Prayer for Youth and Young Adults, and the San Francisco Interfaith Habitat for Humanity
House. I also received invitations to teach and speak at the Young Adult Festival at the General Convention, 2006, in
Columbus, Ohio and the First Young Adult Ministry Gathering, 2003, in Atlanta, Georgia.
I have lived in the Bay Area for the past 12 years, which includes the last 8 years in Mill Valley. Prior to my seminary
education, I worked as a realtor and partner in a real estate firm in Pennsylvania. I have an M Ed. in Art Education with a
specialty in Fiber Arts and Painting. I also owned an art gallery and worked as a gallery director for the Brooklyn
Museum of Art. So, I bring experience from the world of business and the arts for my ministry in the church and building
congregations.
During the next month at Redeemer, I would like to explore building a youth program. On Sunday April 6 at noon, we
will gather to take a look at the history of the youth program at Redeemer and discern what it would look like to develop a
youth ministry program that would become part of Redeemer’s congregational life.
Also, the Wednesday Morning Bible Study will resume on Wednesday April 23 at 10:30 am at the Church. We will begin
with Morning Prayer and there will be a group reflection on the scriptural readings designated for the upcoming Sunday.
This group is for beginners and those who have participated in bible study groups in the past. Everyone is welcome to
attend.
I look forward to our journey together during Eastertide and getting to know each one of you better.
Blessings!
Father Mark
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