NURTURING FAITH AND LIFE FOR LOVING SERVICE
St. Mark's: Called and empowered to be
Christ-Centered
Proclaiming the Word of God through worship,
sacraments, prayer, and study.
Loving Community
Giving importance to human relationships, celebrating
individual gifts, and maintaining a sense of belonging.
Action Oriented
Seeing the image of God in all people and striving to
do God's work in the community and the world.
Devoted
Serving faithfully with passion and dedication.

Because there was a need and because there was a dream, St. Mark’s Lutheran Church came into being.  St. Mark’s was a mission congregation of the Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church.  Land for the future site was purchased in 1952 in the expanding southwest part of Sioux Falls.  With the generous support of Augustana Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls and the other Swedish-background churches of the Sioux Falls District, St. Mark’s embarked upon its ministry.  It held its organizational meeting on November 29, 1954.  The congregation’s first pastor was the Reverend Dallas Young.  Worship services were held in the chapel of Bethany Lutheran Home until the church’s first unit was completed in 1958.  St. Mark’s joined the other churches of the Sioux Falls District as a part-owner of Bethany Home.

In 1962, St. Mark’s became part of the newly merged Lutheran Church in America.  In 1975, the congregation constructed its distinctive pyramid-shaped sanctuary and expanded its Sunday School, office, and lower-level space.  In 1988, St. Mark’s became part of the newly formed Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

St. Mark’s began hosting a Sudanese congregation in March 2000.  In September 2000, the church dedicated its latest building addition.  On October 30 & 31, 2004, St. Mark’s celebrated its 50th anniversary with all six of its former pastors present.

St. Mark’s continues to be known as a vibrant, open, mission-minded, and welcoming congregation.