Our Rector

The Rev. Mary Glover

The Rev. Mary Glover is a native of Abilene and spent her formative years in the Episcopal Church, where her father was a choir director and her mother a long-time organist. In college and beyond, she was a member of the Baptist Church in Abilene and Austin. In the early 1990s, she rejoined the Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest in Abilene, singing in the choir, serving as a lay minister and Canterbury guide, and completing and then mentoring an Education for Ministry class. After practicing law for ten years, she entered the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin and graduated with a M.Div. in 2001. She was ordained priest and served as Curate at St. Andrew’s Church in Amarillo, TX. She was then called to be the rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in Independence, MO, where she served until 2006. As this was Bess and Harry Truman’s church, she had the privilege of officiating at various events at the Truman Presidential Library. In 2006, Mary returned as Associate Rector at Heavenly Rest in Abilene, serving with the Rev. Scott Mayer, who is now Bishop of Northwest Texas. That position ended in 2010, and the following year she became Priest-in-Charge and then Rector, a part-time position, of St. Mark’s. Mary loves coffee (it’s what heaven will smell like!) and live theatre, so it’s lucky that she can support her part-time position with additional work at Mezamiz Coffee House and various tasks at The Paramount Theatre. She can also be found onstage from time to time. Mary is daily encouraged and inspired by the dedication and faithfulness of St. Mark’s members and she invites the chance to welcome visitors, those with questions, those with doubts, and those seeking a church home.

Our Associate Rector

The Rev. Jim Smart 

Jim Smart is a native of Abilene. After graduating from McMurry University in Abilene, Jim served as a VISTA volunteer in rural New Mexico. Seeing the need for support and advocacy in that work influenced his decision to enter law school. He graduated from Texas Tech Law School and practiced law in Abilene for 34 years before retiring. Jim is married to Patricia, also a former lawyer and District Attorney in Abilene. They have raised and loved a string of Irish and English Setters, and have one of each at the present time. After an admitted absence from church, Jim returned to worship and numerous activities at St. Mark’s in the ‘90s. As part of the congregation’s community ministry discernment process in the early 2000s, Jim was called by the community to study for ordination to the priesthood (what was then called a “local priest”). He was ordained in 2007 and has served St. Mark’s since then, under a variety of titles, and now as Associate Rector. In what he calls his “imperfectly done calling,” Jim recognizes that Jesus calls us to help the sick, the homeless, and those at the bottom of society. For the last several years, he has also worked as a part-time Chaplain at Hendrick Hospital.

Our Deacon

Deacon Peggy Valentine

Deacon Peggy Valentine was born in Corning, NY, and attended Fredonia State University in NY and later received a Masters in Education from Hardin Simmons in Abilene. She has taught school in Maryland and Texas, and is still an occasional substitute teacher. Peggy was a military transplant to Texas along with her late husband, Gary. She has two sons and three grandchildren, who live in Abilene. Before retiring, Peggy was an educational software consultant and owned and operated a daycare center. Her childcare work was influential in her call to the diaconate. In the early 2000s, St. Mark’s was led through a lengthy community ministry discernment process. Through this, Peggy was called by the community to pursue the Diaconate. She was ordained in 2007. Peggy’s response to that call to serve God’s people was her creation, and continued hands-on management, of The Baby Room, providing necessities at no cost for newborns through toddlers for some of the area’s most vulnerable families. [See the Ministry tab.] Peggy preaches in rotation with the other clergy and she serves in our worship services weekly.