St. Mark's Lutheran Church is a congregation with a Christ-centered ministry reflecting historic Lutheran theology. We take seriously our heritage as Lutheran Christians and believe our Lutheran identity is a unsurpassed benefit. We joyfully and fully use the worship resources of our hymnal and liturgical tradition as Lutheran Christians. We are committed to weekly celebration of Holy Communion. We consider the distinctive nature of our Lutheran identity to be a commitment to the Word of God, a vital and dynamic sacramental life, a vibrant musical life in the liturgy, a concern for the welfare and well-being of the whole person, and a shared accountability to the Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. We have a mix of people and ages including families with small children. This diverse group helps us to maintain a full liturgical setting for worship without being stiff or rigid. We have gifted staff people and are confident you will find a welcome home among the people of our congregational family. On the historic liturgy “Our Lord speaks and we listen. His Word bestows what it says" (Page 6, Lutheran Worship hymnal) Many wrongly think of “worship” as primarily something we do for, or give to, God. The historic liturgy, however, is all about God serving us; God giving us his grace, forgiveness, life and salvation. This is what we are trying to say by calling the liturgy the “Divine Service.” Current trends of changing the Divine Service in order to appeal to people’s “felt needs,” or making it “entertaining,” actually destroy the main focus and purpose of worship. Our true need is for forgiveness of sins, salvation and the love of God. By the ritual (the Biblical words) and ceremonial (the actions that accompany the words) of the liturgy, we literally experience “heaven on earth.” We invite you to learn about the historic liturgy of The Holy Church Throughout the World by worshiping with us each week. Regarding the Sacrament of Holy Communion: “To say that one takes and receives the forgiveness of sins in this sacrament is not speaking incorrectly; for where Christ is, the forgiveness of sins is. Here are His body and blood according to His Word” (Martin Luther). As we receive His gift of forgiveness during the Divine Service, we ask guests desiring to commune to kindly speak with the pastor before the service. For scriptural reasons, St. Mark’s Lutheran Church practices “closed” communion. |
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