About Our Church

St. Mark's Lutheran Church is in the Central States Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).  We welcome all to come and worship with us. Our Sunday services are 8:30 a.m. Traditional and 11:00 a.m. Contemporary with a Parish Education hour from 9:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.  Confirmation classes are available for 7th graders and above Sunday nights from 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., starting in August.

St. Mark's Mission Statement

St. Mark's Lutheran Church welcomes a diverse community to celebrate the sacraments and to join in joyful worship of the Holy Trinity. Following the example of our Lord Jesus, we embrace the commitment to love, teach, guide and share in Christian fellowship. Within St. Mark's, we pursue growth in our congregational family and in our outreach missions by striving to reflect the light of Christ.

Church History

St. Mark's Lutheran Church, founded in 1948 by a group of interested Lutherans in and around Olathe, began with a survey by two parish workers, Marie Pohlman and Alice Pagenkopf, at the request of the Mission Committee of Central District of the American Lutheran Church (ALC).  The official organization took place on Pentecost Sunday, June 6, 1948 with nineteen confirmed members adopting a constitution and applying for membership in the ALC.  In May of 1949, the congregation purchased a site at State and Park Streets and its first church building was dedicated February 19, 1950. Olathe's population was approximately 4,500.   By 1957 a new sanctuary was built to accommodate the increasing growth of the congregation.  Mr. R. R. Osborne, a local banker and developer, donated a three acre tract to help the church.  St. Mark's stay at 515 South Ridgeview has included several additions including the construction of the current sanctuary in 1988.  In 2001 space became an issue again and it was decided to purchase 9+ acres in the northwest area of Olathe to reach out to the families moving into the city and surrounding areas. With the pay off of the land mortgage in 2007, the congregation is now moving forward, getting ready to build a new building on the new land in 2008.