St. Mark Evangelical Lutheran Church

Our mission is: St. Mark Cares: welcome, worship, witness

Grace to you and peace to you. Nearly fifteen years ago, on June 7, 2008, I was called as Pastor to St. Mark. As we part, I am profoundly aware of a rewarding sorrow inhabiting my heart. It is rewarding because of this time of ministry I have shared with you. It is sorrowful because I will soon say goodbye.

There are not enough words to thank you for the love, kindness and support you have shown to me during these years. Through our shared worship and ministry I have been privileged to witness the love of God, and the presence of the Risen Christ in our midst. I have seen the Holy Spirit made manifest as we have prayed together, studied together, celebrated our 100th anniversary together and have been blessed to be able to baptize new Christians, marry those who have come to commit themselves before God to each other, and bury those we have loved. For those opportunities I give God thanks and praise, and I thank you for ministering alongside me, sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I am grateful to all of you who have visited, sent me notes, letters, texts, cards, gifts and e-mails thanking me affirming my ministry, and offering your love to Tom and me. Your expressions of kindness have buoyed my spirit and strengthened my faith. Your gestures of love mean more to me than you can ever know.

Please know that I love you, will always love this church and will miss you terribly. Still, as of June 7, 2024, I am obligated by a Code of Ethics to now absent myself from the life of this congregation. That means that I will not be present or participate in any of the ministries of this church and would only ever do so by invitation of the interim or called pastor. I will not perform baptisms, weddings, or funerals, nor participate in the worship or ministry life of the church. This is my ethical commitment to you, which I believe is the best way for me to love you, even as I depart.

Some of you have asked how you might be in touch with me. I can now be reached at tfisher75@yahoo.com. As I share this email address with you it is important that you know that I will not discuss the church other than to offer words of affirmation and support.

As we say goodbye, I want to ask your forgiveness for any mistakes I have made that may have done any harm or caused you any heartache. I will always remain grateful for the ways my ministry among you has been received and as I leave I will forever carry with me all that I have learned and experienced, all of the love I have received.

The best gift you can give to me and the way you can best honor my ministry is to continue your presence in and support of this church. It is my prayer that St. Mark will continue to be a beacon of hope for the least, the last, the lost, and the lonely here in the Westend of Davenport, this community, and the world. Therefore, be strong and of good courage, do not lose heart, remember that God is with you, be the church, love one another, and serve the Lord.

I can think of no better words to share with you as we say goodbye than these penned by the Apostle Paul to the church at Philippi. "I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing the Gospel from the first day until now. I am confident that the One who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1: 3-6).

Now let us step into the future in peace, and may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the presence of the Holy Spirit be with us all.

Blessings,
Pr. Travis Fisher-King

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St Mark Evangelical Lutheran Church is a congregation of
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. ELCA
in the Southeastern Iowa Synod (hotlink: seiasynod.org)

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