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Our past, present and future

St. Mark's has always been a mission congregation throughout its history, and even before.

The nucleus that led to the formation of St. Mark's was an outreach of mission to the children of Black Rock when Salem Lutheran Church established an independent Sunday School on Princeton Street in 1911, 37 years before it developed into St. Mark's.

Pastor Albert Wollert, then a student, began to work with the adults in the Black Rock area in 1947. The Board of American Missions became interested and, in 1948, St. Mark's was chartered as a mission congregation under the leadership of Pastor Charles Bergstrom. The church met in various locations, including the Princeton Street Chapel (donated to St. Mark's by Salem Lutheran Church), and St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, and finally in our own church building in 1951.

The initial impetus, led by Pastor Bergstrom, was followed by a period of growth under Pastor Frank Anderson, who arrived in 1954. A succession of pastors followed: John Spittal in 1969; David Yasenka in 1974; John Ferra in 1975; Kim-Eric Williams in 1982; Arthur Wyse in 1988; Dale Gingrich in 1998; and from 2001 until 2006, a group of dedicated supply pastors.

Since late 2005, Pastor Beth Anderson has presided over our small church. She is the first female pastor in St. Mark's history.

Under the current leadership, St. Mark's senses opportunities for new beginnings in areas of service to our own members, the surrounding community and to the world. We see great promise for St. Marks as it extends a welcome to all who wish to learn of God's abundant grace.