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The
Mission of Saint Mark's is to embrace diversity, practice hospitality, and
make known Christ's presence in word and deed.
Through the Grace of God, we are a people
RECONCILING IN CHRIST
As a
community of the people of God, we are called to minister to all people in
our world, knowing that the world is often an unloving place. Our world is
a place of alienation and brokenness. Christ calls us to reconciliation
and wholeness. We are challenged by the Gospel to be agents of healing
within our
society.
First, all persons regardless of race, color, age, economic condition,
marital status, social class, physical or mental handicap or affectional
orientation are welcome at St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Second, we affirm with the apostle Paul that in Christ "there is neither
Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor
female" (Galatians 3:38). Christ has made us one. We emphasize that this
reconciliation extends also to those whose affectional orientation is
toward a person of the same gender. For that reason St. Mark's has
endorsed the
program initiated and continued by Lutherans Concerned/NA to recognize
those Lutheran Churches which have specifically and deliberately chosen to
let it be known that they are welcoming to gays and lesbians. St. Mark's
was the first church in the Delaware-Maryland Synod to gain this
distinction and has
maintained the same for the past eighteen years. |
