St. Mark’s is an Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) congregation in Charlotte, North Carolina, and we extend a warm and unconditional welcome to all people in the community to come and worship.

St. Mark’s ministry echoes the great invitation of Jesus.

Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28)

Remember the old finger-play that we did as children? We’d interlock our fingers, put our two index fingers together in a point and say: “Here is the church, here is the steeple, open the doors (while turning our hands inside-out) and see all the people (remember to wiggle your fingers).”

It’s true, the church is the people. It’s not the building or the grounds, it’s the people. It’s people gathered around Word and Sacrament, gathered around service and outreach, gathered in prayer and praise, worship and celebration. It’s people gathered in joys and sorrows, good times and hard times, celebrating the seasons of life, celebrating the Christ who walks with us in the journey of faith from birth until we are born into the final Kingdom of God beyond this veil.

The church is people because that’s who Jesus came for—people. People like you—people like me. He didn’t give his life for the building or the grounds. He gave his life, as John reminds us, for the world and its people—all its people—not just those who identify with the church.

If you are without a home church, if you are new to Charlotte, or if you are just browsing, we invite you to worship and share in our ministry to family, the community and the world.

So come, join the people of St. Mark’s who, for most of the week, are scattered throughout this city but who gather in a building to formally give praise to the One who gathers us under the cross. Come and join the scattered to be gathered saints of St. Mark’s.