Photo of the members
from the first 'Cottage'
meetings...
1964 Laying of Corner Stone
Rev.. Arthur Ellersiech, Jr.
Mr. Melvin Franke
Rev. Richard Brueseke
Rev. Garry Scheuer
Rev. Henry Damm
Rev. Paul Laubengager
Winter 1964
St. Mark Church Under Construction.
1978 it's time to Expand...
First drawing for church addition.
November 1978
New Addition begins construction
Construction Complete 1979
Moving the
original Marble Altar from
the old sanctuary, now Fellowship Hall,
to the new sanctuary...
ST. MARK UNITED
CHURCH OF CHRIST
HISTORICAL TIMELINE
August 1958... home to home, door to door
contact by senior Eden Seminary student Herbert Schafele employed by the Church
Extension Committee of the Evangelical & Reformed Federation of greater St.
Louis to see how many families were/were not active local church members and if
a new Evangelical & Reformed church could be formed.
-- Out of 1000 homes, 140 unites registered
interest. Did evaluation of community and selected a number of possible
church sites.
May 22, 1959... Church Extension Committee
met with senior Eden student Ronald Christiansen who returned to Arnold for
intensive restudy of growth prospects of community / survey any major new
housing developments. 20 more interested families located.
June 25, 1959... guided tour of mission
officials takes place. Meet under trees on Fox School recreation field and
reside to authorize to begin in the Fall.
August 24, 1959... Board of National
Missions employs Mr. Christiansen as organizer of new church. Was to
conduct a series of small home cottage meetings which would lead to organizing
of a Fellowship and Temporary Church Council / Steering Committee.
Then to conduct worship services / organize the procedure necessary to make the
Fellowship a Church / Lead them through their organizational days.
September / October 1959... series of 10
cottage meetings held. Candidates nominated for Steering Committee.
September 21, 1959... Senior Eden student
John Gantt assigned / begins work as the associate student pastor. Duties
were to lead Sunday worship / guidance & development of youth program.
September 28, 1959... permission was granted
by Fox School Board for use of Fox School gymnasium for a mass meeting on
October 11. Were 111 present, representing 32 families. Rev. Dave
Langerhans & Dr. Erwin Bode extended greetings from the Missouri Valley Synod of
St. Louis / spoke of work done and to be done to organize a church.
Richard Simpson elected moderator of business meeting. 12 nominations
received from cottage meetings for temporary church council called the Steering
Committee and three nominated from floor.
October 11, 1959... first Steering Committee
held at Simpson home. Upcoming worship service discussed. A leader
appointed to head up Sunday School. Committee formed to investigate
potential church property. Charter membership committee formed.
Committee formed to plan youth program. Petty cash fund of $25 / church
phone for Mr. Christiansen approved.
-- Fox School Board petitioned for Sunday
morning use of gymnasium for worship.
October 26, 1959 an agreement reached on
3-month renewal contract with a $10 rental fee for each use.
November 15, 1959... first worship
service held. 106 were present. Church school met for the first
time.
January 24, 1960... was Constituting Day for
the formal organization of the congregation. In worship was Rev. Henry
Damm, Field Secretary for the Board of National Missions, who preached on behalf
of the Missouri Valley Synod of the Evangelical & Reformed Church. He
officially announced church being constituted as a mission congregation under
care of the Synod.
April 3, 1960... Organization Day with June
5th as end of Charter Membership period.
February 28, 1960... a special congregation
meeting to vote on a name was set / postponed until March 20 due to heavy snow.
The naming committee presented approximately 25 names. The official name
"St. Mark" was approved at the April 10 first congregational meeting.
April 3, 1960... 59 adults received into
membership / congregation declared officially organized by Mr. Christiansen.
Rev. Herbert Wintermeyer of St. John E & R, Mehlville, officiated at the
Sacrament of adult baptism and delivered the sermon.
April 18, 1960... at the first Church
Council meeting, Charles Ross McClellan presented as candidate for pastor.
Called May 11, 1960.
May 11, 1960... upon receipt of the
petition signed by 67 names, the Synodical Council cleared St. Mark application
for membership in the Synod at Hope Church. Church received into the
Missouri Valley Synod of the Evangelical & Reformed Church.
Easter Sunday 1965 ... the first church
building was dedicated
1979... Church Sanctuary dedicated
While Rev. Ross McClellan was the first pastor,
other former pastors included Revs. Arthur Ellersieck, Ronald Christianson, John
A. Noonan, Melvin F. Lichte, Dennis Johnson, and Kevin Weaver as interim
minister. Rev. Roger Horn (current) joined us in January 1991.
During his ministry we have come into the 21st Century. Thanks to his
dedication and leadership St. Mark is continuing to grow and renew.
We have come a long way in a short time. Our
open, casual, and friendly atmosphere is appealing to many new families who appreciate
the closeness of a smaller church family. We look forward to serving the
community for many years to come.
St. Mark Church
St. Louis Association of the United Church of
Christ
Missouri Mid-South Conference of the United
Church of Christ
United Church of Christ at national level in
Cleveland, Ohio
We welcome guests to our church for worship,
fellowship and mission....
Our
website has recently gone through an extensive overall. If you
find a link that does not work please let us know... E-MAIL
us so that we may fix it immediately. Thank you!
