St. Mark Lutheran Church has stood on Oliver Street in North Tonawanda since the early 1940s, but the congregation itself reaches back to May 26, 1891, when eight charter members first organized the parish. Today the church is part of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, and the Wisconsin Lannon sandstone sanctuary that houses it seats about 525 people. The building shares its block with a smaller structure that, since 1954, has been home to the congregation's preschool, a ministry that has welcomed three and four year olds to the North Tonawanda community for more than eighty years.
A Worship Pattern Rooted in the Lutheran Confession
The parish gathers twice on the weekend for the Divine Service. Saturday worship begins at 5:00 PM, and Sunday worship follows at 10:30 AM. Both follow the historic Lutheran liturgical order that Pastor David Keating describes as a setting in which "Christ Jesus is really, truly present as He cares for all of us through the gifts He freely gives." Those who cannot attend in person can join the Sunday service through Facebook Live, where the livestream begins at 10:30 AM, and a video archive of past services is also available on the parish's YouTube channel under the title Service of the Word.
What the Parish Teaches
St. Mark's statement of faith gathers around a handful of plain convictions. The Bible is the inspired Word of God and "true in all it says to us," as relevant to today's problems as when it was first written. God created all things; the first humans disobeyed Him; and every person since stands in need of restoration to a right relationship with God.
The parish teaches that Jesus Christ is God, born into the human family through the Virgin Mary, who lived a perfect life for us, took the punishment for our sins on the cross, died, and rose again. His death and resurrection have declared sinners forgiven and have given peace with God and eternal life in body and soul. Salvation is described as "rescue" from sin, guilt, and hell, and as a "gift of God" that cannot be earned by good works but is received through faith in Jesus' death and resurrection.
The parish celebrates Holy Baptism as the means by which the gracious heavenly Father "liberates us from sin and death by joining us to the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ," and Baptism is offered to infants, children, and adults alike. A short membership class with Pastor Keating welcomes new adults into the congregation.
Five Core Values Shape the Parish
St. Mark's mission is to "foster a vibrant faith community through worship and service," and its vision is to be "a courageous church, faithfully responding to our community with love, care, and grace." Five core values animate everything the congregation does:
- Acceptance: Jesus offered grace and love to all who sought it, and the parish seeks to extend that same welcome.
- Community: A church is planted not just for its members but for the people around it.
- Leadership: Members are encouraged to use their gifts in service to the church and the wider community.
- Transformation: Worship and fellowship are experiences that draw people into growth.
- Proclamation: The Gospel is life-changing, and the parish seeks to share it broadly as "a beacon of light and hope."
More Than a Century on Oliver Street
St. Mark was established on May 26, 1891, with eight charter members. Its original church and schoolhouse stood near the parsonage on Washington Street. The greatest figure in the early life of the parish was the Reverend Paul Fretthold, who served as pastor from 1916 to 1958, the longest tenure in the parish's history. Fretthold was known as a scholar, theologian, administrator, preacher, counselor, evangelist, and promoter of Christian education. He also served as Eastern District President of the Missouri Synod. Under his leadership, St. Mark grew by roughly one hundred communicant members every ten years, and by 1958 it was the second largest congregation in the Eastern District.
Carl Koenke served St. Mark Lutheran School from 1923 to 1964 and again from 1966 to 1967, leaving a lasting mark on the parish. An outstanding teacher, principal, choir director, church organist, and Freedom Foundation Medalist, he is remembered by former students as "the smartest and best teacher" they ever had.
The greatest event in the parish's history was the dedication of the present church building on Sunday, May 10, 1942. Built from Wisconsin Lannon sandstone at a cost of $125,000, it was designed by the architect R. Maxwell James. Building Committee Chairman Charles Meyer reportedly answered the architect's question about what kind of church the parish wanted with the now-famous reply: "One that, when you walk into it, you know to take off your hat."
A Sandstone Sanctuary and a Preschool Behind It
The Sunday School wing and parish hall open out behind the sanctuary, and tucked at the rear of the property stands the Day School Building, built in 1954 to house what is now St. Mark Lutheran Preschool. Founded as a ministry of the congregation in 1941, the preschool offers a play-based, low-cost early childhood program for three and four year olds, with both a five-day and a three-day option. Classes run from 9:00 AM to noon, and the staff keeps a security system in place: visitors during the school day press a buzzer at the door to be admitted by the staff.
The preschool's lead teacher is Diana Cooper, who has worked in early childhood education for more than twenty years and follows the guidelines of the National Association for the Education of Young Children and Quality Stars NY. The program explores Bible stories alongside the rest of its content areas, and parents who want more detail can request a family handbook, current tuition rates, an enrollment form, and a scholarship application from the parish office.
Sunday School, Confirmation, and Bible Study for All Ages
Children from Pre-K through sixth grade are invited to Sunday School, which meets in the church basement from 9:15 to 10:15 AM each Sunday between September and May. Lessons include Bible stories, songs, crafts, and activities, and the program is led by a team of teachers.
Confirmation is a two-year program for seventh and eighth graders. Students spend one year on the Ten Commandments and Apostles' Creed, and the second year on the Lord's Prayer, Baptism, Confession and Absolution, the Lord's Supper, daily prayers, and the Table of Duties, with key Bible stories woven through both years.
Adults have two regular Bible study options. A Sunday morning Adult Bible Study meets in the church basement, and a separate mid-week gathering called Wake Up With the Word offers another chance to study Scripture together. Sermon notes are available to print, and a digital attendance card lets worshipers share their contact information with the parish.
Quilts, Choir, and the Wider Adult Life of the Church
The Dorcas Quilters and Stitchers gather every Thursday morning from 10:00 AM until noon in the lower church hall to make utilitarian quilts for Lutheran World Relief and for local needs. No experience is required; helpers can sandwich, pin, sew bindings, or tie quilts, and the group meets year-round except for the stretch between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day.
The St. Mark Choir rehearses every Wednesday evening at 7:00 PM and sings regularly in worship. Older adults have their own gathering: OWLS, the "Older, Wiser Lutheran Seniors," meets once a month at the Roman Café in North Tonawanda for lunch, laughter, and card games. Women of all ages gather as WOSM, the Women of St. Mark, on the first Thursday of each month from March through December for fellowship and Bible study, and they organize the parish's annual Candy Cane Fair each November. A Men's Network invites men of the parish to take on small tasks around the church and to enjoy fellowship together. Other adult groups include a parish book club, a winter basketball league for men and women, and a historical society that preserves the parish's archival materials.
Caring for the North Tonawanda Community
St. Mark is connected to a wider network of help in the city. The parish maintains an active SCRIP gift certificate program: shoppers buy certificates at face value from participating local stores, and the parish keeps the negotiated discount as a fundraiser. Members also point neighbors toward the North Tonawanda Interchurch Food Pantry on Ridge Street, which distributes free food Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM until 12:30 PM, and toward the Twin City Meals on Wheels program and the Salvation Army food pantry in nearby Tonawanda. Each fall the parish hosts a Trunk or Treat in its parking lot, with games, candy, and a collection of non-perishable food for the Interchurch Food Pantry. In November the Candy Cane Fair brings more than thirty local artisans and a basket raffle, bake sale, and lunch into the church building.
Joining Pastor Keating and the Congregation
Adults who want to become members of St. Mark take a short membership class with Pastor Keating, and parents wishing to schedule a baptism of an infant, child, or adult can fill out the appropriate information form and call the church office at (716) 693-3715. The parish keeps in touch through a weekly e-mail update, online giving, prayer requests submitted online or by e-mail, and a Facebook page where Sunday services are livestreamed each week at 10:30 AM.
More than a century after the first eight members organized themselves into a congregation in 1891, St. Mark Lutheran Church continues to welcome neighbors and visitors to its Oliver Street doorstep. The parish's prayer, in the words of Pastor Keating, is that everyone who walks through the doors will "experience everything God has in store for us at St. Mark."