St. Mark Lutheran Church - Eau Claire, 3307 State St, Eau Claire, WI 54701, US

Bethesda History History of the Lutheran Brethren The Church of the Lutheran Brethren came into being as the result of a spiritual awakening that swept over a large territory of the Midwest in the late 1800s. In December 1900, representatives from several independent congregations gathered for a convention at Milwaukee, Wisconsin and decided to organize the Church of the Lutheran Brethren. To know more about who we are and what we believe go to The Church of the Lutheran Brethren website: www.clba.orgHistory of Bethesda In the summer of 1920, the Church of the Lutheran Brethren sent Rev. O.M. Flugstad and a seminary student named Peder Langvand to Eau Claire to conduct a series of meetings. These meetings were held in a tent raised on some railroad property near the junction of the Eau Claire and Chippewa Rivers. According to an early account, the Gospel message was proclaimed in its sincerity and truth, in the Power of the Holy Spirit, unto the salvation of precious souls." And "through this means of Grace" came most of the charter members of Bethesda Lutheran Brethren Church.This group of Christians began praying for a place to worship together. The Lord heard their prayers. The North Side Presbyterian Church on Fay Street was purchased, and in 1924 Bethesda Lutheran Brethren Church was officially organized as part of the Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America.The congregation continued to grow through the years, and in 1955 purchased two acres of land on Polk Avenue for a new church building and parsonage. The new church was dedicated April 12, 1959. By 1973, the church began holding two Sunday morning worship services to accommodate the increasing attendance. In 1976, the congregation purchased five acres of land at Hamilton and State, our present location.The congregation held its first service in the new sanctuary on Palm Sunday in 1980. The Lord continued to bless the ministry of Bethesda and in September of 1991 the congregation decided to offer three Sunday worship services and two Sunday School hours.