Our History

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St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church was established May 6, 1889, by a group of Lutheran Christians near the former Bethlehem Steel factory on Bethlehem's South Side. These German-speaking immigrants insisted that for their children to mature in the faith, they needed to experience worship and Christian education in English, so that they might better understand and share the gospel throughout their lives.

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After decades of ministry on the South Side, the people of St. Mark's recognized a growing mission field in the Bethlehem Township area and moved locations to our current home. As people moved from the mill villages and settled into developing suburbs, the congregation cited the population migration and construction of Freedom High School, Bethlehem Area Vocational Technical School, and East Hills Middle School as reasons for the relocation, saying that "a church should be ready to ‘welcome’ people in an area."

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A lot has happened in Bethlehem Township since 1971, and the people of St. Mark's have worked diligently and faithfully to remain connected to our history of accessible worship, faith formation, and to the community God has called us to love and serve.

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Join us in continuing the Holy Spirit's work and the legacy of our predecessors by growing, sharing, and serving alongside us!