On The Way Back Home
Ron Birkenholz was looking for his church home.
Involvement in Christian community was always a priority for Ron, but it had been a long time since he’d found a place to call home. “After being actively involved in St. Peter Lutheran Church when I lived in Dubuque in the 1980s, I drifted away from the church.” For a variety of reasons, he had not found a place where he felt he could sense the Holy Spirit filling him.
After a divorce, Ron felt like the time was right to look for a new church home. “I vowed to find a church that gave me the same fulfillment and spiritual well-being that I had felt at St. Peter. I Googled several Lutheran churches in the Metro and came upon St. Mark. It was relatively close to my home, and I decided to take the leap of faith.”
On a snowy Easter morning in 2022, Ron walked into the St. Mark Sanctuary. “It didn’t take long to know and feel like I was home. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming and seemed genuinely happy to have me. Pastors Bob and Jess were tremendous church leaders, the sermon was thought-provoking and inspirational, the music was beautiful, and I praised the Lord! I was moved by that service and I knew I was home!”