We believe that faith is a living, daring confidence in God’s grace.

We are always growing and changing to live out God’s grace. For us, this means paying attention to where the Spirit leads and being open to Spirit-led action in the world. Our faith is a dynamic experience of God that gives us the freedom to wonder and discover, that challenges us to grow and take risks.

We believe that we are called to compassion and justice.

We seek to care for each other as God in Christ cares for us, both within our congregation and in our community. We work together to serve compassionately in response to our neighbors in need. We are constantly giving of ourselves to participate in God’s work now for healing and justice.

We believe that all people are created in God’s image.

We recognize, welcome, and accept all people. We actively seek to uphold the rights and dignity of all people. We challenge barriers that exclude participation and equity in this church and in society—for women, people of color, minority ethnic groups, people with disabilities, people who are marginalized or living in poverty, and the LGBTQ community. We strive for equality of every person because we believe Christ is present in every person.

We believe in forgiveness and mercy.

We understand that God’s grace and love is demonstrated in Christ, and that this makes a difference for all people. Freed by this grace, we choose to live faithfully and serve joyfully. As people of God, we seek to embody forgiveness in our words, actions, and relationships.

We believe the Gospel of Jesus provides hope for life, now and forever.

We create a safe space for people of all ages to discover an authentic, genuine faith. We don’t have an answer for all questions, but we do trust that God is working in the mess of the world and humanity. We embrace the a whole person—questions, complexities, and all—as we seek to explore how we live out our faith.

St. Mark’s Lutheran Church is part of a wider faith community called the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).