A Congregation on 24th Avenue South
St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church sits on 24th Avenue South in Grand Forks, North Dakota, an ELCA congregation whose motto is "Small enough to care. Large enough to make a difference." The congregation belongs to the Eastern North Dakota Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and is one of three parishes that make up the GIFT (Growing in Faith Together) of Grace Lutheran Ministry Parish.
The congregation's mission statement is short and outward-facing: "A healthy, vibrant congregation reaching into the community, caring for all of God's children." That reaching posture turns up everywhere from Sunday morning coffee in the fellowship hall to a girls' school in Tanzania that the women of the church help to support.
Sunday Worship with Holy Communion
Worship at St. Mark's gathers at 10:30 a.m. each Sunday. The service centers on the reading of God's Word and the celebration of Holy Communion with the congregation gathered as one body around Word and Sacrament. Children are part of the gathering throughout the service rather than sent off to a separate program, and the entire assembly is welcomed to the communion table.
The liturgy is sung from the Evangelical Lutheran Worship book, with old familiar hymns and newer favorites woven together. Settings change with the seasons of the church year, and the result is what the church calls "Lutheran worship at its best." Each week, the congregation hears the Word and receives forgiveness and encouragement for daily life.
Immediately after the service, the fellowship hall opens for coffee, juice, and treats. It is the easiest place for visitors to meet people and to find their footing at St. Mark's.
Sunday School, Confirmation, and Vacation Bible School
At 10:40 a.m. on Sunday mornings during the program year (September through May), the children and confirmation students head to their own learning hour. Sunday school is for children ages four through sixth grade and uses the Spark Curriculum. Confirmation is for seventh through ninth graders and follows the Re:Form Curriculum. Both programs follow the public school calendar, with Sundays off in late October, late November, and around Christmas.
St. Mark's often partners with Augustana Lutheran in Grand Forks for Vacation Bible School. One summer the two congregations met at Northern Air in Grand Forks for their shared VBS, with sessions full of learning and fun. The Sunday school students have also joined Augustana for an Easter egg hunt, and the two congregations have collaborated on cookie projects, baking and frosting 200 cookies together, with St. Mark's 100 cookies going to residents at Northland Rescue Mission and Augustana's cookies raising funds for Feed My Starving Children. Thrivent Financial donated the funds for cookie dough and frosting.
Helping with the Global Friends Coalition's annual picnic is a tradition that has become a yearly event for St. Mark's Sunday school and confirmation students. In past years, the Sunday school has offered ukulele and guitar classes for students, and some students have attended Camp Metigoshe and Red River Bible Camp in the summer. Longtime leaders Michele and Kristen organize Christmas programs, Mother's Day cookie bakes, and the pumpkin patch outing at the Patch at the Point in East Grand Forks.
Confirmation in the Life of the Congregation
Confirmation is a regular part of life at St. Mark's. Students preparing for affirmation of baptism are brought before the congregation during worship, and Student Pastor Phyllis Johnson has presided over the rite.
Adult Ministries: WELCA, J.O.Y., Men's Group, and Bible Study
At St. Mark's, the adult ministries are organized around food, fellowship, and the Bible. A monthly lunch circle, a deeper study of Scripture, a place to serve, or simply a friendly face: there is room for all of these.
Women of the ELCA (WELCA) carries much of the church's hospitality and outreach work. The group hosts the Christmas Tea and the Mother, Daughter, Sister, Friend Brunch, oversees Sunday morning coffee fellowship, helps serve funeral meals, and gathers in monthly circle Bible study groups. WELCA also sponsors a young woman at the MaeSAE Lutheran School for Girls in Tanzania and has hosted updates from visitors to the school.
J.O.Y. ("Just Older Youth") is the senior fellowship group, open to anyone who defines themselves that way. They meet on the third Wednesday of nearly every month at 11:30 a.m. for a short devotion, a sit-down lunch, and a program. Programs have ranged from spring lawn care tips with the NDSU Extension Service to a travelogue on a Holy Land trip taken by two members, a fraud-protection talk with AARP, a presentation on Norman Rockwell, a visit from the executive director of Red Willow Ministries, and a talk by a visiting deacon from Venezuela. Sandy McCleary is a regular cook for the J.O.Y. luncheons.
Bible studies run throughout the year and cover different books of the Bible or specific topics. The Men's Group gathers monthly for breakfast, conversation, and the occasional service project or church meal. The church's mission language, "everyone is invited to grow in their faith, connect with others, and serve Jesus," is lived out in these midweek gatherings.
The GIFT of Grace Lutheran Ministry Parish
St. Mark's belongs to the GIFT (Growing in Faith Together) of Grace Lutheran Ministry Parish, a cooperative relationship with two other area ELCA congregations, Evanger Lutheran and Walle Lutheran. During Lent, the three parishes rotate evening suppers and worship services on Wednesdays. St. Mark's hosts a noon worship on the Wednesdays it is not the evening host, so members have a chance to worship locally every week of the season.
Holy Week services move between St. Mark's and the partner parishes. Pastor John Ahola of St. Mark's leads the Palm Sunday and Easter services at the home church, Pastor Duane Hanson of Evanger Lutheran presides at the Maundy Thursday service, and Rick Jackson of St. Mark's leads the Good Friday services at both locations.
Outreach: Car Shows, Cookies, Quilts, and Tanzania
Outreach at St. Mark's is hands-on and recurring. The Annual Car Show brings roughly 45 vehicles to the church grounds for an evening picnic supper. Freewill proceeds from vehicle registrations and the supper are donated to the local Homeless Helpers charity. Boy Scout Troop 130 sets up, serves, and cleans up the event; Jerry Bear provides the music; Iver Buchmann grills the hot dogs; the Outreach Ministry coordinates the planning; and the cookie bakers and Gate City Bank keep the refreshments coming.
The Sunday school and confirmation students turn their baking into mission work too. In one year, members of St. Mark's and Augustana Lutheran baked 200 cookies, which the students frosted and decorated. St. Mark's 100 cookies went to residents at Northland Rescue Mission, while Augustana's were sold to raise funds for Feed My Starving Children. Thrivent Financial donated the funds for cookie dough and frosting.
Through WELCA, the congregation also sponsors a student at the MaeSAE Lutheran School for Girls in Tanzania. Dr. Rolf Paulson, a St. Mark's member, shared pictures and stories from a recent visit to the school at a J.O.Y. luncheon. Quilting is a regular Wednesday morning activity at the church, with quilters gathering from 9:00 a.m. until noon. The Spring Rummage Sale each April, with no early-bird shopping and no admission fee, is another long-standing fundraiser for the congregation.
Weddings at St. Mark's
The church hosts weddings for both members and non-members. The sanctuary seats 240, with an additional 26 seats in the choir loft. For members, the wedding fee is $300 plus a refundable $100 damage deposit due one week before the wedding. For non-members, the fee is $600 with the same deposit. Optional add-ons include candelabra rental with oil-filled candles ($50 per pair) and the fellowship hall for a reception ($150 for members). The fee includes a wedding coordinator, utilities, and janitorial service.
Pastoral Leadership
St. Mark's pastoral leadership includes Pastor John Ahola, who leads Palm Sunday and Easter worship, and Student Pastor Phyllis Johnson, who has presided over confirmation. Pastor Duane Hanson of partner parish Evanger Lutheran leads the Maundy Thursday service as part of the GIFT parish rotation. Longtime Sunday school leaders Michele Peterson and Kristen oversee children's ministry.
Visiting St. Mark's
Sunday worship begins at 10:30 a.m. at 715 24th Avenue South, Grand Forks, North Dakota. Coffee and fellowship follow immediately, with Sunday school, adult education, and confirmation classes beginning at 10:40 a.m. during the program year. The church office can be reached at 1-701-772-4807 or stmarkselca@msn.com. The church shares updates on Facebook throughout the week, and the Annual Car Show, Rummage Sale, J.O.Y. luncheons, and Christmas Tea are open to neighbors as well as members.