Welcome to St. Mark’s.
Our mission is to help you connect faith + life every day.
St. Mark’s is full of people just like you … families with kids of all ages, working professionals, empty nesters, grandparents, and more. We are a church for all ages and all life stages. No matter who you are, we have a place for you!
Join us Sundays on-site or online and spend time with us to see why we are passionate about
connecting people to Jesus for spiritual growth and life change.
St. Mark’s is a Lutheran congregation affiliated with Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ, or LCMC. Our Lutheran history and heritage go back more than 125 years to 1886, when the congregation was founded. Our source for all teaching is the Bible, the inspired Word of God.
Our congregation is approximately 2,000 partners (our name for members), but we strive to maintain the close feeling of a smaller congregation by encouraging everyone to connect with their church and build relationships by participating in a FaithLife (small) group. We are a welcoming congregation with two different worship styles, but one message: Jesus Christ crucified.
Visit Us
Address
8300 C Avenue
Marion, IA 52302
Phone
(319) 447-0100
Our History.
1885
16 charter members founded the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Saron Church of Cedar Rapids. During these early years services were held in members’ homes. In 1891, the congregation built a church building located at Second Avenue and Third Street Southwest. In 1911, the church began conducting services in English rather than Swedish.
1930s
By the early 1930s the church was becoming well known in the community for its annual Swedish smorgasbord event. During the 1930s, members began discussing changing the name of the church and moving to a larger, more suitable building.
1945
On Trinity Sunday, May 27, the name of the church was officially changed to St. Mark Evangelical Lutheran Church. A new church building was constructed and dedicated in 1949 at First Avenue and Twenty-first Street Northeast.
1997
22 acres of land in Marion were donated and the people of St. Mark’s once more answered God’s call to enlarge His tent. The building, St. Mark’s Faith and Life Center, was dedicated on Sunday, May 2, 1999.
2010
St. Mark’s commemorated its 125th anniversary as a community in Christ.
2011
New building project completed that more than doubled the size of the church including new fellowship areas, nursery, Family Ministry space, and wider hallways and stairs.
2019
Paul Hennings installed as Senior Pastor in Fall of 2019.
2021
Our livestream ministry officially “went live” on January 3, 2021, helping bring the good news of Jesus to those outside our walls. God is on the move!