The beginning …..

" With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord:

He is good, his love to Israel endures forever.

And all the people gave a great shout of praise to

the Lord, because the foundation of the house of

the Lord was laid "

On a cold winter morning, the face of the earth blanketed by snow, 75 individuals representing 20 plus families, gathered together at 310 Scott St, Wheeling, Illinois to witness and participate in a very historic occasion, a very defining moment that will remain etched in our memory forever.

Blessed by the hand of God Almighty, inspired by the encouragement and support of Bishop Thomas Samuel, motivated by the fervent prayers of our members and humbled by the best wishes of friends, St. Mark's CSI Church opened its doors to the world. The time, 10.30 am, the date, 01 February, 2004 !

Flanked by an aspiring congregation on both sides and against the backdrop of the melodious hymn, Rev Alex P Oommen of the CSI Congregation of Dallas walked down the aisle, leading the service. Individually and as a congregation, members acknowledged this happy day with a very thankful heart and sought the guidance and the blessings of the Almighty to steer them through the years that lie ahead.

St. Mark's thus joins the ranks of congregations in New York, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Texas and Michigan that are affiliated to the Madhya Kerala Diocese of the Church of South India. We acknowledge the Bishop of the Madhya Kerala Diocese as our spiritual leader and extend our sincere thanks to the current incumbent, Rt. Rev. Thomas Samuel for his encouragement, guidance and support.

St. Mark's is committed to a new beginning, an era of orderly worship under a time tested discipline. Love and mutual respect shall be the pillars of our church and each member will endeavor to recognize and appreciate the God given talents and values of each and every individual in the church and try as far as possible, to place another above oneself.

We are blessed with abundant talent and resources. We pray that God may help us harness all our resources into sheer positive energy and work for His kingdom and for His glory.