ST MARKS LUTHERAN CHURCH

What ST MARKS LUTHERAN CHURCH does

St. Mark's Lutheran Church is a religious nonprofit organization located at 6 2nd Street in Oakland, Maryland, serving the Garrett County community. Founded in 1850, the church celebrated its 175th anniversary in 2025 and is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) while operating as an independent congregation. The church is led by Pastor Carrie Hoff (who succeeded Pastor Scott Robinson in 2021) and Church Administrator Ellda Bennett, supported by a six-person staff and a network of member volunteers.

The church operates a portfolio of ministry services rather than commercial products. Core offerings include weekly Sunday worship at 10:00 a.m., a Worship & Music Program featuring the St. Mark's Choir and Hand Bell Choir led by music directors Debi and Sean Beachy, Christian Education for ages 2 through 12th grade, and a weekly Adult Forum. Community outreach ministries include the Shawl Project (handcrafted prayer shawls and blankets distributed to hospitals, nursing homes, hospice centers, and children's hospitals), the Bikes Ministry (annual bike collection in partnership with Bikes for the World), and member volunteer support for the Christian Crossing Thrift Shop, which serves Garrett County residents of limited means.

The organization's revenue model is entirely donation-based, with no commercial pricing or products sold. The church operates with limited office hours (Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.) and relies on word-of-mouth, its 175-year community reputation, Facebook presence, and weekly bulletins for outreach. No technology platform, digital products, or AI capabilities are evident; the church exists as a traditional in-person community institution.

Name

ST MARKS LUTHERAN CHURCH

Legal name

St. Mark's Lutheran Church

Website

https://stmarksoakland.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1850

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

St. Mark's Lutheran Church is a 175-year-old ELCA-affiliated religious nonprofit in Oakland, Maryland, serving the Garrett County community through weekly worship, Christian education, music programs, and outreach ministries including the Shawl Project and Bikes Ministry.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Organization Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues) (BPAGAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG)

Keywords

• Lutheran worship services
• Christian education programs
• Community ministry outreach
• Pastoral care services
• Religious fellowship

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

St. Mark's Lutheran Church is a 175-year-old ELCA-affiliated congregation in Oakland, Maryland that delivers weekly Lutheran worship services, pastoral care, Christian education for all ages, music programs, and community outreach ministries. The church operates multiple service ministries including the Shawl Project (handcrafted textile outreach to hospitals and nursing homes), the Bikes Ministry (annual bike collection with Bikes for the World), and volunteer support for the Christian Crossing Thrift Shop serving Garrett County residents in need.

Product overview

St. Mark's Lutheran Church offers a unified ministry portfolio centered on spiritual community service. The church's programs include the Shawl Project (handcrafted textile outreach), Bikes Ministry (annual bike collection for Bikes for the World), Worship & Music (choir and handbell programs), Christian Education & Youth Program (Sunday School for ages 2 through 12th grade), Adult Forum (weekly educational sessions), and support for the Christian Crossing Thrift Shop (community assistance through affordable goods distribution). These interconnected ministries support the church's mission of sharing God's love through community service, fellowship, and worship.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Weekly Worship Services Sunday worship service held at 10:00 a.m. for congregation members, families, and visitors seeking Lutheran worship and spiritual community, with downloadable weekly bulletins.
• Shawl Project Ministry A volunteer outreach ministry producing prayer shawls, baby blankets, lap robes, and blankets through crocheters and knitters, distributed to hospitals, nursing homes, hospice centers, and children's hospitals; suitable for homebound participants wanting to share their talents.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bikes for the World (B4W)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025St. Mark's partners with Bikes for the World to collect donated bikes for shipment to recipient organizations around the world. In 2025, the church collected 58+ bikes and donated over $1600 through the April special collection and bike donors. Approximately 20 church members volunteered to prepare bikes for shipping by flattening them (lowering seats and handlebars, removing pedals).
• Christian Crossing Thrift ShopcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMany members of St. Mark's volunteer at the nearby Christian Crossing Thrift Shop. The shop's mission is to improve quality of life for Garrett County community members of limited means and those in crisis. The shop accepts donations of clothing, furniture, appliances, household items, books, and toys, selling them at affordable prices. Furniture, appliances, clothing and household items are given free to those in critical need as referred by social service agencies.
• Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSt. Mark's is affiliated with the ELCA, a large Lutheran denomination. The church displays the ELCA logo and links to ELCA resources including daily Bible reading materials.
• Lutheran Immigration & Relief ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a resource link on the church website, providing connection to refugee and immigration support services.
• Lutheran World ReliefminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a resource link on the church website, connecting members to international humanitarian relief efforts.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Others

• Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service: A Lutheran-affiliated refugee and immigration services organization. Listed as a resource on St. Mark's website, reflecting the church's connection to denominational social service programs.
• Christian Crossing Thrift Shop: A volunteer-operated thrift shop in Garrett County that St. Mark's congregation actively supports through volunteer staffing. Operates in the same geographic community and shares the church's mission of serving residents of limited means.
• Lutheran World Relief: An international humanitarian organization affiliated with the Lutheran tradition. Listed as a resource partner on St. Mark's website, representing the global humanitarian arm of the Lutheran community that member congregations connect to.
• Bikes for the World: A nonprofit that collects and ships donated bicycles to international recipients. St. Mark's is a recurring partner collection site, demonstrating the church's integration into broader charitable networks.

Broad incumbents

• Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA): The national Lutheran denomination of which St. Mark's is a member congregation. ELCA provides the structural, theological, and programmatic framework for St. Mark's operations and connects it to broader Lutheran resources and ministries.
• Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS): The second major Lutheran denomination in the United States. While distinct theologically and organizationally from the ELCA, LCMS serves a comparable congregational mission and represents an alternative Lutheran tradition that operates small local churches in similar rural and small-town settings.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/St-Marks-Lutheran-Church-118795884804657
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/st-marks-lutheran-church

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ST MARKS LUTHERAN CHURCH