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“Sacraments, Liturgy, and Mission”
April 22-23, 2024
The Saint Mark’s Conference concerns the confessional, sacramental, and liturgical life of the Church of the Augsburg Confession.
The Rev. Paul Gregory Alms will speak on Sacraments and Vocation in Luther’s Lectures on Genesis in two parts. Pastor Alms is the pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Catonsville, Maryland. He is a graduate of Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana, having earned Master of Divinity and Master of Sacred Theology degrees there. He has published articles in journals such as Touchstone, First Things Online, Concordia Theological Quarterly, Lutheran Witness, and others. He is married to Suzanne and they have four daughters and two grandchildren.
The Rev. Charles McClean will discuss A Chapter in LCMS History: The Liturgical Society of Saint James. Pastor McClean is a graduate of Concordia Seminary, Saint Louis and has been pastor of Our Saviour since 2013. Pr. McClean has served parishes in Virginia, Illinois, and Pennsylvania, among other places. His Master of Sacred Theology thesis, Theological Issues at the Colloquy of Montbeliard 1586, was prepared under the supervision of the Rev. Dr. Arthur Carl Piepkorn. Pastor McClean is editor of The Conduct of the Services.
The The Rev. Dr. Douglas Spittel and the Rev. Benjamin Janssen will talk about Service for All People: The Lutheran Liturgy in Mission, Outreach and Catechesis. Dr. Spittel is the senior pastor at First Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Pittsburgh, PA, having served there since 1998. He received the Master of Divinity degree from Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne, in 1990 and a dual diploma Doctor of Ministry from the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and the Antiochian House of Studies in 2007. He also serves as President of the Pittsburgh Area Lutheran Ministries, and as Suffragan (Auxiliary) Bishop and Vice-President for the Eastern Region of the English District. Pastor Janssen is called by First Trinity Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Pittsburgh, PA to serve Holy Cross Evangelical-Lutheran Chapel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a mission congregation of First Trinity Church and the Pittsburgh Area Lutheran Ministries. In 2023 he graduated with a Master of Divinity degree from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indianna. He and his wife Elizabeth are happily married and keeping busy as they raise their two sons in the Christian faith.
Additionally, we will have:
The Rev. Stefan Gramenz
Pastor of The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Christ the King
Pawling, New York
Preacher at Divine Service
Rev. Roy Axel Coats
Pastor of the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer
Baltimore, Maryland
Preacher at Divine Service
Rev. Benjamin Hertel
Pastor of Zion Lutheran Church and St. John’s Lutheran Church
Accident, Maryland
Preacher at Vespers
The Rev. Brian Westgate
Pastor of Saint Paul Church, Kouts, Indiana
Conference Organist
The Saint Mark’s Conference concerns the confessional, sacramental, and liturgical life of the Church of the Augsburg Confession. It is hosted by Our Saviour Lutheran Church, Baltimore, Maryland and is open to interested clergy and laity.