The Facts
Pastor Mark is the Pastor at Cross of Grace, but the people here call themselves "Partners in Mission," because every one of us is called to be a minister of the Church, just the same.
Before moving to Indiana, in 2001, Pastor Mark lived between Ohio and Michigan at various times in his life. He graduated from Midland High School, in Midland, Michigan, before moving to Columbus, Ohio, to attend Capital University. After graduating with degrees in Psychology and Criminology from Capital, in 1996, he attended Trinity Lutheran Seminary, also in Columbus, where he graduated in 2001 with a Masters of Divinity, before accepting the call to lead Cross of Grace Lutheran Church as a Pastor/Mission Developer.
The Family
Mark married Christa in October, 2000. (They met several years before, at Capital University, but she had no interest in dating him until he got his act together - by cutting his hair, among other things.) Christa is a Registered Nurse and currently works at the Indiana Surgery Center at Community North Hospital, in Indianapolis. They have two sons. Jackson was born in March, 2004, and Maxwell was born in May, 2007. Except for things like "artwork" etched into the passenger-side door of the car and some pretty serious sleep deprivation, Jackson and Max keep Pastor Mark and Christa smiling most of the time.
The Fun Stuff
Mark ran track for fun in high school. Now you'll see him running at the gym or around New Palestine to keep his weight and cholesterol low, thanks to bad genes he inherited from his father. He also just got a bike, which he rides to and from church for the sake of his health, the environment and rising gas prices. In his spare time, he likes to read, add music to his iPod and watch television and movies. The best book he's read lately, is The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini. His iPod is loaded with music from the Indigo Girls, Bruce Springsteen and KISS, and he never misses Oprah, "The Office" or "Lost," thanks to digital video recording.
The Faith and Life of it All
What Mark likes best about being the Pastor at Cross of Grace is the chance to get people in the Church to try new things when it comes to worship, learning and service. He's best at this when it comes to preaching and creating worship experiences that are fun, meaningful and connected in relevant ways to what's happening in the lives of those who show up to be part of it. Most of all, Pastor Mark feels blessed to share grace in ways that too many people don't find when they come to church, that is, the unconditional love of God with no pre-requisites, no questions asked and no strings attached.
If you're still reading, Pastor Mark and the people of Cross of Grace look forward to getting to know you. Give us a call, drop us a note and please join us for worship on Sunday mornings at 3519 South 600 West (Mt. Comfort Road) just north of New Palestine. You're always welcome!
