St. Mark's Lutheran Church has stood at the corner of O'Farrell and Franklin Streets in San Francisco's Cathedral Hill neighborhood for more than a century and a half, and its roots in the city go back even further. The congregation traces its origin to 1849, when the Rev. Frederick Mooshake of Goettingen University arrived in San Francisco to minister to German immigrants during the Gold Rush. Today the church is the oldest Lutheran parish west of the Mississippi, a Reconciling in Christ congregation, a Sanctuary Congregation, and a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Sierra Pacific Synod. With about 390 members, St. Mark's gathers around a landmark Romanesque Revival sanctuary that has been rededicated, retrofitted, and lovingly restored, while keeping a steady rhythm of worship, education, and outreach that points both inward and outward into the city.
175 Years on O'Farrell Street
The history of St. Mark's reads like a small history of San Francisco itself. After meeting in homes and in the Congregational Church of Christ, the German-speaking congregation organized formally in 1859 as the First German Evangelical Lutheran Church. A second church was built in 1862 on Geary Street facing Union Square, but leadership splits sent part of the flock in 1867 to form the more conservative St. Paulus Lutheran Church at Eddy and Gough. Between 1867 and 1883, nine pastors cycled through St. Mark's, and for a brief time pews were rented for ten dollars each to keep the congregation afloat.
Stability returned with the arrival in 1883 of the Rev. Julius Fuendeling, who would serve for twenty-nine years. Under his leadership the present red-brick church was built on two lots purchased for $17,500 on O'Farrell between Franklin and Gough, closer to the Western Addition where many parishioners had by then moved. German-American architect Henry Geilfuss designed a Romanesque Revival structure with Gothic interior elements: pointed gables and arches, pier buttresses, a Rose Window, and a striking pair of towers, the lower one octagonal with a conical roof, the higher squared with four upper corner turrets and a pyramidal roof. Buff-colored brick and Bedford stone detail the facade, and stained glass windows throughout the building carry symbols drawn from Jewish and Christian traditions.
The cornerstone was laid on June 24, 1894, and the building was dedicated on March 10, 1895, the largest German church in California at the time. The chandelier from Germany and a Schoenstein organ, both gifts from sugar tycoon Claus Spreckels, were moved from the Geary Street church. Less than eleven years later, on April 18, 1906, the great earthquake and fire tore through the city; St. Mark's was damaged, the east tower was weakened, and the cross on the roof melted in the heat, but the building stood. Dynamite set off a block away at O'Farrell and Van Ness to fight the flames failed to bring it down, and the church immediately became a refuge for displaced families. Through the twentieth century the building survived the major 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, the 1906 disaster, and the long seismic retrofit that followed.
German-language worship continued at St. Mark's until 1932, when English was introduced, and was fully discontinued in 1938. The chancel was refurbished in 1944, a Moeller organ was installed in 1947, and the centennial of the congregation was celebrated in 1949. As the surrounding neighborhood declined in the 1950s, the church chose to stay and become part of the urban renewal story. In the mid-1960s the congregation built Martin Luther Tower, a 121-unit affordable independent living residence for seniors, and the Urban Life Center with an auditorium, meeting rooms, and offices. Victorian houses were cleared and the street pattern reworked, creating the open plaza now known as St. Mark's Square.
In 1971, the city of San Francisco designated the church San Francisco Registered Landmark #41. After the 1989 quake, city mandates for unreinforced masonry buildings set in motion fifteen years of fundraising, capped by an $11 million renovation. While the sanctuary served as a film set for scenes from the movie RENT, the church closed in June 2005 and reopened on December 10, 2006, in a celebration titled "Fling Wide the Doors." A new slate roof, structural reinforcement, restored stenciling and gilding, an expanded Heritage Hall, and the magnificent Taylor & Boody tracker organ were all part of the project, which earned a 2007 Preservation Design Award from the California Preservation Foundation. A time capsule discovered under the foundation during the work was opened on October 9, 2005, revealing 1863 newspapers, a German hymnal, a German Augsburg Confession, and a San Francisco-minted half dollar. A new time capsule was sealed in 2007 for opening in 2057. Another round of renovations in 2018 brought a new sanctuary floor, repaired stained glass, and an elevator connecting all three stories. In late 2024, the congregation broke ground on Ella Rohlffs Place, a new 95-unit affordable senior housing building on the Square. The 175th anniversary was marked on Reformation Sunday 2024 with Bishop Jeff Johnson preaching and an organ hymn festival in March 2025.
Worship at St. Mark's
Sunday is the heart of the week. Two services fill the sanctuary. The 9:00 a.m. service is described as more contemporary, with piano and organ, hymnal, and a slightly abbreviated liturgy, while the 11:00 a.m. service is the more traditional Choral Eucharist with the full choir, more use of the hymnal, and the grandeur of the Taylor & Boody organ. Both include Holy Communion and a Children's Time with the preaching pastor, and both take place in the sanctuary. All who wish to partake are welcome at the table; anyone who prefers not to receive is invited to come forward for a blessing by crossing the arms across the chest.
Between and after the services, the rhythm of the morning unfolds. Childcare is available from 8:45 a.m. for ages 0 to 6. At 10:00 a.m., Sunday School gathers on the Square for children preschool through sixth grade, while the Adult Forum meets in Heritage Hall and on Zoom. After the 11:00 service, coffee hour spills into Heritage Hall for conversation and refreshments. The 11:00 service is livestreamed on YouTube, and an archive of recordings is available to view at any time.
St. Mark's holds that children belong in worship and that their presence helps the whole congregation worship more joyfully. Children's Time at both services offers a moment of conversation, reflection, and prayer with the pastor. At the front of the sanctuary, a welcome table holds crayons, books, paper, and soft toys for active children, and families are encouraged to sit near the front.
Midweek, the community gathers again. Wednesday evenings bring Choir practice at 7:30 p.m. in the sanctuary, and during Lent and Advent, a 6:00 p.m. supper in Heritage Hall is followed by a 7:00 p.m. Eucharist vespers service. Confirmation class meets on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. in the Fireside Room. AA meetings take place in the Auditorium on Saturday mornings at 8:00 and 10:00 a.m.
The Taylor & Boody Organ and the Music Program
The instrument that defines the acoustics of the sanctuary is the Taylor & Boody tracker organ, Opus 37, built in Virginia and dedicated on March 25, 2007. Two thousand and sixteen pipes are arranged on two manuals and pedal, with a freestanding black walnut case, mechanical key and stop action, and a wind system with three bellows that sounds best when raised by foot pumping. The organ is tuned to an unequal temperament suited to the works of J. S. Bach and his contemporaries, and its design draws on surviving 17th and 18th century Lutheran instruments. For organ builder George Taylor, the choice reflected St. Mark's deep Lutheran and German heritage.
The instrument is led by Director of Music and Organist Zach Ullery, a conductor, organist, and educator with nearly thirty years of experience in church music, including sixteen years as Canon Precentor and Director of Music at The American Cathedral in Paris. He is also the Artistic Director of Resound Ensemble in San Francisco. The St. Mark's Choir leads worship at the 11:00 a.m. service from September to June, rehearsing on Wednesday evenings, and the sanctuary also hosts Jazz Vespers, concert series from dozens of Bay Area ensembles, and recordings by touring vocal and instrumental artists.
Children, Youth, and Family Life
Children and youth ministry at St. Mark's is built around the conviction that the youngest members of the congregation are full participants in the church's life. The Nursery, located beneath the sanctuary next to the kitchen, is open Sundays from 8:45 a.m. until 1:45 p.m. and welcomes children ages 0 to 6 for play, rest, and quiet time. Nursery Coordinator Edda Mai Johnson brings more than thirty years of experience and master's degree work in child development, and all nursery staff are CPR certified. Nursing parents are always welcome, and diaper changing areas are available in the nursery and in the bathrooms.
Sunday School gathers at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings during the school year, with time for games, a weekly lesson, and a craft activity. In the summer, a day camp presented by Mt. Cross ministries has been hosted on site. A confirmation program serves middle school-aged youth, and St. Mark's youth also connect with the Sierra Pacific Synod Youth Committee. A Parents' Group meets occasionally to share conversation, parenting wisdom, and friendship.
Adult Forum and the Wider Conversation
At 10:00 a.m. most Sundays, between the two services, the Adult Forum gathers in Heritage Hall and on Zoom for what the church describes as Sunday School for grown-ups. The program has long offered a window into the questions that animate the congregation: Lutheran theology, biblical study, social justice, racial healing, immigration, housing, climate, the history of the Western Addition, jazz journeys, and visits from ELCA missionaries. Recent series have included a multi-week Lenten study on "Unpacking White Privilege," a screening of the film Sugarcane for Orange Shirt Day, a Lenten series called Sumud, an exploration of Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, and reports from delegations to the congregation's sister parish in El Salvador. The forum is also where the congregation has welcomed new pastors, heard budget and capital campaign updates, and marked major anniversaries.
Women's Fellowship, Young Adults, and the Knitting Ministry
Women's ministry at St. Mark's centers on two monthly gatherings. A women's Bible study meets on the second Tuesday from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in Heritage Hall, using Gather magazine and other study materials, with drinks and dessert provided. The "Women of the Book" book group meets monthly for literary discussion. The Young Adult Ministry gathers adults aged roughly 18 to 30, single, partnered, and parenting, at least once a month for a shared meal, a discussion, an outing, or a game night. The Knitting Ministry knits year round to provide scarves, lap robes, prayer shawls, and baby blankets for homeless and low-income residents in San Francisco and beyond.
Reconciling in Christ and Sanctuary
St. Mark's adopted an LGBT-inclusive Statement of Welcome on June 1, 1984, becoming one of the first Reconciling in Christ congregations. The current statement affirms, with the apostle Paul, that in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, and explicitly extends that reconciliation to people of all gender identities and sexual orientations. LGBTQIA+ persons are welcomed into membership, ministry, and leadership. St. Mark's is also a Sanctuary Congregation, committed to continuing education about the plight of immigrants, accompanying those seeking asylum, and advocating for those whose lives are endangered by the process. The Sanctuary Team has compiled a 200+ page information kit that includes FAQs and volunteer opportunities.
Racial Equity and the Land Acknowledgment
St. Mark's Racial Equity Team, formed in August 2020 with eight members and supported by the pastor, leads the congregation in antiracism work in the church and the wider community. The team's mission is to build congregational awareness, solutions, and leadership for racial equity through faith-driven transformative ideas, education, and experience, and to dismantle systems and the culture of white supremacy by enacting antiracist policies. The team maintains a lending library of books including James Baldwin's "The Fire Next Time," Robin DiAngelo's "White Fragility," James Cone's "The Cross and the Lynching Tree," Isabel Wilkerson's "The Warmth of Other Suns" and "Caste," Michelle Alexander's "The New Jim Crow," and Ibram X. Kendi's "How to Be an Antiracist," and it encourages supporting Black-owned bookstores including Marcus Books, The Collective, and Ashay By The Bay.
The congregation's Land Acknowledgment Statement, adopted in 2022, names the unceded ancestral homeland of the Ramaytush Ohlone peoples as the place where the church sits, mourns the exploitation of those peoples and the destruction of their ancestors, homeland, and culture, and commits to growing toward right relationships with Indigenous people and the Earth. The statement is read in worship, and a 2022 mural on the north side of the Urban Life Center, titled "All Creatures Great and Small," celebrates Bay Area native plants and animals.
Outreach and Service
Service in the wider community is woven into the congregation's identity. The Interfaith Winter Shelter program has long hosted unhoused neighbors in the ULC auditorium during the coldest months, with members preparing and serving breakfast and dinner. St. Mark's also staffs the Interfaith Food Pantry at Old First Church on several Saturdays each year, unloading food, setting up distribution, and serving over 300 people. The congregation is a member of the San Francisco Interfaith Council and of Faith in Action Bay Area, and a delegation visits the sister parish, Iglesia Luterana Cordero de Dios in Soyapango, El Salvador, at least once every two years.
The San Francisco Night Ministry was begun by St. Mark's to reach out to homeless people between 10:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m., and the congregation continues to support it as a presence of love and goodwill on the streets. The Endowment Committee distributes grants of $500 to $3,000 each year to projects that expand the ministry of St. Mark's locally and around the world, with priority for projects that have the greatest impact consistent with the mission, that establish new relationships, and that have not previously received allocations. Recent grantees have included Lutheran Social Services of Northern California, Mt. Cross Ministries, Project Homeless Connect, Pathways for Refugee Education, the SF-Zurich Sister City Coffee Project, and the Music Ministry of St. Mark's itself.
Weddings, Concerts, and the Sanctuary Building
The sanctuary is one of the most sought-after small performance venues in the Bay Area, with a capacity of about 300 on the main floor and 103 in the balcony, thirteen pews on each side of the nave, and an aisle approximately sixty feet long. Weddings at St. Mark's are open to all couples, including same-gender and transgender couples, and the church has been blessing same-sex unions since the early 1980s. Pre-wedding counseling is recommended but not required, and couples may bring their own clergy to participate alongside the Lead Pastor. A Wedding Coordinator is included with the package, as is the Director of Music. The wedding photography policy asks photographers to refrain from flash and from taking pictures on the Chancel during the ceremony, and the sanctuary is also home to a Sauter 8-foot piano, a portativ organ, and a harpsichord.
The 1894 building is an official San Francisco landmark, rededicated in 2006, and is available for weddings and receptions, rehearsal dinners, concerts, recitals and rehearsals, funerals and memorials, meetings, workshops, retreats, corporate team-building events, film shoots, fundraising staging, and outdoor barbecues. Heritage Hall is a carpeted hall with sash windows and period details, comfortably seating 65 for a sit-down reception or 75 to 90 for something less formal. The Auditorium accommodates up to 180 for a sit-down reception or up to 300 for a cake and beverage event, with a stage, dance floor, and bar permitted. St. Mark's Square itself, with views of Cathedral Hill and the red-brick facade, has hosted the annual Circus on the Square with Circus Bella, receptions with food trucks, and outdoor celebrations. A parking lot with spaces for 40 vehicles is accessible from Gough Street.
The building hosts an unusually large list of resident ensembles, including Chanticleer, the Philharmonia Baroque Chorale, the California Bach Society, the American Bach Soloists, San Francisco Choral Artists, the San Francisco Girls' Chorus, the Junior Bach Society, New Century Chamber Orchestra, and the Deutscher Musikverein, among many others. San Francisco Classical Voice has nominated St. Mark's for Best Small Performance Venue and has praised the acoustics of the space.
The Columbarium
Inside the church, on the west wall outside the chancel, St. Mark's maintains a columbarium, a structure of niches for cremated remains, made possible because San Francisco has no public cemeteries. The columbarium spans eight feet and holds 14 single niches and 14 double niches. Current or former members of record may purchase subscriptions, with single niches priced from $1,500 to $2,500 and double niches from $3,000 to $5,000 depending on location. Niches are selected on a first-come, first-served basis, and St. Mark's pledges to care for the columbarium in perpetuity as long as the church exists.
Practical Information for Visitors
St. Mark's is located at 1111 O'Farrell Street, at the corner of O'Farrell and Franklin, in the Cathedral Hill neighborhood of San Francisco. The mailing address is 1031 Franklin Street, San Francisco, CA 94109. The church office is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and the main phone line is (415) 928-7770. The parking lot is accessible from Gough Street at Starr King Way, with reserved spaces marked "SMLC" for staff and guests during the week; the lot is fully available on evenings and weekends. MUNI's 38 Geary, 31 Balboa, and 47 or 49 Van Ness lines all stop within walking distance. The sanctuary, Heritage Hall, the Auditorium, and the rest of St. Mark's Square are wheelchair-accessible, by ramp or elevator.
First-time visitors are invited to fill out a Welcome Card at the entrance of the sanctuary or in the pew rack, or to speak directly with a pastor. Large-print bulletins with all music included are available from the ushers. The 11:00 a.m. service is livestreamed on YouTube, and a YouTube account is not required to view the stream, only to comment or subscribe. Giving is accepted online, by electronic transfer through Simply Giving, and by check.
From a Gold Rush storefront in 1849 to a restored Romanesque sanctuary on Cathedral Hill, from a German-language parish to a bilingual and multicultural congregation, from a struggling neighborhood institution to a developer of affordable housing and a Sanctuary for immigrants, St. Mark's Lutheran Church has spent 175 years holding the same conviction: that God's grace is wide, that justice and peace are worth pursuing, and that a city church is, above all, a place to belong and a base from which to serve.