Pastor Mark Friedrich was born in The Dalles, Oregon and grew up in Marcus, Iowa. He is a third generation Missouri-Synod Lutheran pastor and the third of four children. Following graduation, his family moved to Jamestown, North Dakota; where his parents remained until his father’s retirement. His father currently lives in Algona, Iowa.
Mark received his BA degree from Concordia College, St Paul, Minnesota, after which he attended Concordia Seminary, St Louis, Missouri. During his vicarage in Golconda, Illinois, he met his first wife Kathy. They were married two days after his graduation from seminary. They moved to Dalhart, Texas for his first pastoral call to serve at Grace Lutheran Church. During their four year call, God blessed them with two children, Megan and Daniel.
Pastor Mark was accepted a pastoral call to a dual parish at Trinity Lutheran Church, Phillips and Zion Lutheran Church Kennan in Wisconsin, serving these congregations for 5 years. God further blessed Mark and Kathy with two more children, Nathan and Abigale.
Pastor Mark was then called to St Paul Lutheran Church in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Following their move, Kathy was diagnosed with lung cancer. She fought the good fight and God called Kathy to her eternal home on Aug 7, 1997.
God did not want Pastor Mark to be a single parent of four children, so He brought a wonderful woman into his life. He met Cindy, who was raising her daughter in Maryland, via an online Widow/Widowers chat group as Cindy’s husband, Rick, had died in the same year as Kathy from a pulmonary embolism. Following their courtship, they were married in Cindy’s home state of West Virginia. Together they have raised five children and God has and continues to bless family.
Pastor Mark was received a pastoral call to Mountain View Lutheran Church in Apache Junction, Arizona in 2005. After visiting Arizona, he accepted the call of God and continues to faithfully serve.
Pastor Mark is thankful to God for the grace and mercy He has shown to him and his family. Without God’s love, none of us could ever stand before his holiness. It is by God’s grace we have been saved, a true gift of God.
“We have enjoyed our many years at Mountain View Lutheran. God has blessed our ministry. The church has been growing and we have many opportunities for mission and ministry.
One of my passions is hiking and I love to connect with people through hiking. Getting out in God’s creation is a wonderful way to see God’s beautiful creation and how he provides for us and all he has created. Anyone who would like to go hiking with me can check for times and places in our church bulletin”
