St Mark’s Lutheran Church

Gorgeous church, very modern on the inside. It’s kind of tricky to find as you have to drive down Gough St on the L hand side and have to turn in quickly. If you pass SHCP High School, you’ve missed the church. It’s the only way to get into this tiny parking lot since Gough is one way traffic.
The exterior of the church is old looking but the inside is very modern. We had a memorial reception downstairs where the entrance is to to Left of the church in the lower level. They have a huge kitchen and dining room area which can hold almost 100. A very nice place and just 1 block away from the First Unitarian Church which is a gorgeous church.

This review is for venue purposes
Attended St Mark’s Lutheran Church as part of the Midsummer Mozart Festival & it was our first time here. We usually go to the Berkeley location for a Daddy-​Daughter Date Day… but for some reason, this year, the Berkeley dates were all nighttime events & Daddy can’t stay up that late so we had to miss seeing it together this year
So the BFF & I ventured over to St Marks & it’s a quaint little church, nestled amidst all the grandiose churches on Cathedral Hill
Red brick & stained glass welcome you to a lovely cream-​walled, smallish church w/​more stained glass & nice arching ceilings. There is also a small balcony — just like the church in Berkeley & overall it was a very serene & pleasant environment. In fact, the architecture & interior design remind me of the Berkeley location… maybe they’re related?
Putting this over the top, there’s also a PRIVATE PARKING LOT & while small, it’s still a breath of fresh air when parking in this area is next to impossible to locate
We had seats in the back & were still afforded a decent view, as long as no one was in front of us. Thankfully for us (maybe not so much so for the performers) this was not a sold out show so we could slide down the pew as people came to sit in front of us… otherwise, we’d have lost our view all together.
But that said, it was also hot as blue blazes in there — to the point that 2 poor boys in the SF Boys Chorus fainted from heat — right up there on the stage. There were parents in the crowd who had just come from the hospital (still in scrubs) who tended to the boys & there were no causes for alarm or stoppage of the performance… but just sayin’, it was *that* hot in there! So plan accordingly!
Seymour Lipkin closed out the show w/​his piano virtuosity & Maestro George Cleve conducted another year’s super performance & it was another fantastic year for Midsummer Mozart

We were married here about a year ago and yes, the church is absolutely stunning but it comes with a lot of restrictions and a fairly hefty price tag so just do your research before booking. $ 2,400 (not including the $ 500 deposit in case you break something) for 3 hours of use though they do let you in early so it’s probably 4 hours realistically:
1 hour for set-​up
1 hour for ceremony
1 hour for photos
They charge $ 100 for every 30 minutes you go over so it made us a little nervous but they’re not too strict about enforcing. Church seats probably close to 350 at the max, comfortably 200.
The restrictions are included in a handbook but they forgot to send us the handbook until about 2 months before the wedding. The St. Mark’s wedding coordinator was super pregnant at the time so she was a little unresponsive, never worked weekends or after 5pm, and another person ended up managing the day of the wedding.
Anyway restrictions:
1) Music — needs to be approved by their music director. Nothing secular allowed and he is included in the price of the church rental as the organist so you might as well use him to play from his selection of music.
2) Pastor — needs to be Lutheran. Otherwise your pastor can only co-​officiate with a St. Mark’s provided pastor. This became a problem when our pastor wanted to preach on the Ephesians marriage passage — he wasn’t allowed to mention how a wife submits to her husband because the St. Mark’s pastor found it offensive or something so he only did half a sermon about how the husband must be willing to die for his wife and love his wife as Christ loved and died for the Church.
3) Pre-​Wedding Counseling — you are required to receive at least one session of counseling with a St. Mark’s pastor. I think you also need a minimum set of hours of general counseling but we had that covered with our own pastor anyway.
4) Rice, bird seed, flower petals, aisle runner — not allowed. Fake flower petals are okay but you need to clean it up yourself after.
5) Photography — the photographers aren’t allowed to get past the first I think 6 or 7 rows of the pews during the actual ceremony so don’t expect any close-​ups or great angles of the ceremony. Also no flash photography.

This is a beautiful Church for a wedding ceremony. I was here on Saturday afternoon for a wedding ceremony. The church is bright and cheerful and beautiful inside. Great location too.

We got married at this church October 2011. We could have not have been more pleased. The church is absolutely beautiful, the music is exceptional and the staff is outstanding. The church is the most beautiful church you have ever seen.
Everything was perfect!
If you are getting married check out this church you won’t regret it.

«What’s that thing hanging from the ceiling?» It’s my brother. He’s being weird again. And the sculpture looks like an art project I had in the 5^th grade, making stars out of construction paper.
«It looks like that thing Superman came to Earth in!» He’s laughing at his own joke now. And I’m laughing cause it’s ridiculously stupid.
It’s Friday night. The night before my sister’s wedding. Both her and her then fiancé are reciting their vows. Friends and family are here. It’s almost like a backstage pass.
Ironically, my three sibling and I attended Lutheran School and Church for many years. This church looks a lot prettier than ours. And it’s kind of amazing how after so many years of driving through the S curve from Geary to O’Farrell that I never noticed this gem of a church and it’s charming red brick façade.
The inside is refined and elegant, from the gold trim to the periwinkle rising up into the dome. I hate using words like refined and elegant. But hey, it is what it is.
And yes, the sculpture of the Star of Bethlehem hanging from the ceiling does look a little like Superman’s spaceship. If my sister didn’t already, I’d totally have my wedding here.

Gorgeous church that was the perfect venue for watching Volti, a chamber choir originating in the Bay Area who specializes in performing new and unique music. The acoustics were incredible for hearing an a cappella choir to perform, I don’t think there is a bad seat in the house. Aesthetically, the interior of the church is just ncredible with beautifully ornate details. As other Unilocalers have mentioned, this would be a great setting for a wedding ceremony.

My wife and I were married at St. Mark’s in September of 2009. I would strongly recommend this church to anyone considering San Francisco as a wedding venue. This church is excellent in every category in which a church can be judged in regards to a wedding ceremony.
St. Mark’s was originally constructed in the late 19^th century and survived both 20^th century devastating earthquakes. The exterior of the church is old red brick, while the inside, restored in 2006, boasts charming light blue vaulted ceilings, hardwood floors, tasteful and elegant stained glass windows, pews and alter, and a beautfiul organ in the back balcony of the sanctuary. Please visit the website to view pictures. I cannot think of another church as charming as St. Mark’s, both inside and out.
Aside from aesthetics, what really made our wedding a joyous and smooth-​sailing experience were the top-​notch individuals of St. Mark’s involved in the wedding. Rev. Elizabeth Ekdale expertly guided us through the pre-​maritial planning process, and presided over the ceremony. Her kindness, professionalism, attention to detail and sincerity made my wife and I feel very confident and at ease in the months leading up to our wedding. She led the ceremony beautifully, and we are forever grateful. In addition, Timothy Zerlang, the Director of Music, played the organ for our ceremony, and we received many compliments at the reception from friends and family regarding the music. In the planning stages, we expressed the style of music that we wished to hear during the ceremony, and he selected and played beautfiul pieces.
In short, St. Mark’s offers the complete package for wedding ceremonies. From the buidling to the pastor and music, getting married at St. Mark’s is a meaningful, complete, spiritual and overall outstanding experience.

We got married here in July 2007 after the renovations. It’s the most beautiful church we visited and we visited many of them in sf (non-​catholic). The sanctuary is magical. They require premarital counseling which is practical and not a huge time commitment. The pastor was really sweet. The price is very affordable too. Everyone who went to our wedding remarked how beautiful the church was.
It’s also nice because every time we pass by we try to get a glimpse of it, and say to my husband this is where we got married and hold his hand and we remember what a grand time we had.

St Mark’s hosts music events throughout the year, which is how I ended up at this beautiful church on a March Sunday afternoon. Hosting a reprisal of a fundraiser from 1840 by Mendelssohn (marking his 200^th year birthday) to build a status of Bach in his hometown of Leipzig. I don’t think it is difficult to not admire Bach and personally, I love organ recitals — I don’t think other instruments can really drive the chills through your spine so effectively when well played. That being said, most organs are played so badly it’s almost like listening to a drunk bagpipe player. In my musing while I sat listening to Jonathan Dimmock (SF Symphony organist), I considered the possibility that some religious fervour could be derived from the power that is pulled from church-​inspired music.
In some respects, the church today is much-​tied to the 18^th-​19^th century. So much of the architecture was built and music penned during this period. St Mark’s was built in 1894 and seems to have survived the various quakes that have rattled the city since then. It was renovated in 2004 and truly, kudos must be given to the architects of this renaissance. It sits, a small entity in comparison to St Mary’s towering spire next door, but when you walk through the doors, you see how much work has gone into the rebuild. It is stunning. It makes me feel like I could have sat in the same place over a century ago and very little would be different. It makes me think of Pride & Prejudice and empire-​line dresses. With the sound of the organ swimming around me in the ether (especially the Pastorale in the second half of the recital), I was able to escape present day and drift away.
The organ is apparently new (I guess part of the renovations) and it is a beautiful piece of workmanship. Some of us sat facing toward the back of the church in order to really take advantage of watching the recital as is progressed. I haven’t watched someone play for years and I had never see someone step so gaily across the pedals whilst simultaneously playing the keyboard. It is such a complex design and I am overawed watching it being played so masterfully.
So, in conclusion, I loved St Mark’s. You won’t see me at a Sunday service, as I am not that way inclined, but I will go back to see other music events. Oh and the best part is, its free. Well, its donation-​led ($ 10 was suggested for today, more or less depending on wealth of the doner) and well worth the value.

I’ve been attending this church for almost a year now and I become an official member back in April (2008). I haven’t been a member of a church for over eight years, so this is a pretty big commitment for me; plus, I live in the East Bay, so it’s not exactly across the street. So why am I a part of this community? Why would I drive into the city on a Sunday morning when there are all kinds of churches here in the EB? Because this church does more that pay lip-​service to the idea of ‘community’; it actually acts like a community! The pastors provide excellent leadership and good, thought-​provoking sermons (ok, almost always) and the liturgy is respectful without being stuffy. The congregation is very gay-​friendly but has a very good mix of different age groups and interests. There’s pretty much everything you might want to be involved with from the purely social to works of social justice. If you think you might like a church that’s committed to living the gospel yet open to voicing the questions that we ALL have (admitted or not), you should join us some Sunday morning. The main service is at 11:00 am (not too early) and there is a GREAT coffee hour after. (More like lite lunch). Please check us out. Seeing the restoration of this 1895 structure (pre-​quake) will make your visit worthwhile.

Large and spacious best defined this church.

I don’t believe in God so why am I reviewing a church? I only have a problem with religion/​religious people when they push their ideology on you, try to scare you into believing, talk down to you because you are a «sinner». Um. I am a good person, probably better than a lot of church goers.
Here’s what I do believe in:
Good people doing good things for other people.
This is what St. Mark’s is all about. My bf grew up coming to St. Marks. His mom and dad are/​were in the choir. His mom does flowers for the church, etc etc. Therefore I come here about 1 – 5 times a year. Everyone here is SOOOOO nice and caring and giving and non judgmental. This is what churches are supposed to be. Close knit, non judgmental communities where people can be free to argue, discuss, lean on others, share, give, and receive. This is a real community with real people who will do everything they can to support their members. There are many gay couples who are accepted with open arms. Also, they are really fun here. People laugh and tell jokes and go to the movies together. After church they have a coffee hour where people bring lots of food and drinks and hang out and talk.
Their church has just been restored and is MAGNIFICENT! Just for pure historical purposes, you should visit this church.
They have a great nursery for the kids to play in.
They have a great choir.
They have a HUGE beautiful kitchen.
The pastor, Elizabeth is so sweet. She often remembers my name even when I haven’t been there in a while and is sure to welcome me by name during sacrament.
OH! Janet (choir member) makes their sacrament bread fresh and it is AMAZING. She should sell her bread for a living, she’d be rich.
And… one of the coolest things… The funeral scene in Rent was filmed here. (before the restoration). For Mardi-​Gras we watched Rent in the chapel. It was awesome and everyone sang along to the songs. Very fun.

Disclaimer: I’m an active congregant here.
St. Mark’s Lutheran is a vibrant, active, and interesting Lutheran congregation, a place that I’ve really found to be home in these post-​college years. They have all of the traditional liturgical elements of the Lutheran church that I grew up in — sung by an amazing choir which you often have to hear to believe — and a strong sense of social justice. How many other churches do you know of that get together to tie dye and silkscreen tshirts to wear in the PRIDE parade?
While there are many young adults who attend St. Mark’s, there’s no regular young adult fellowship, persay — but it’s wonderful to be part of such a diverse inner-​city community of faith who are sincerely interested in who you are as a child of God and the gifts that you can offer.