New pastor installed at St. Mark's Lutheran Church, Steeleville

On Jan. 3, the Rev. Mark E. Harriss was installed as pastor of St. Mark's Lutheran Church, at 105 N. Garfield St., in Steeleville.

The Rev. Timothy Scharr, Southern Illinois District president, was the guest preacher for the worship service. The Rev. William Engfehr, retiring Interim Pastor at St. Mark's, and the Rev. Arthur Eichhorn, pastor at St. Salvator Lutheran Church in Venedy, presided over the installation ceremony.

Afterward, there was a luncheon for 200 people at the large hall of American Legion Post BBK 480 in Steeleville.

The Rev. Harriss is originally from Venedy, and came to St. Mark's from Zion Lutheran Church in Hillsboro, Missouri. He graduated from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale with a degree in Industrial Technology, but after working in the construction industry for eight years he decided to attend Concordia Seminary in St. Louis to obtain a Masters of Divinity degree, which he finished in 2016.

The Rev. Mark Harriss and his wife, Rebecca, along with their three daughters, Elsa, 5, Maggie & Abbie, twins age 2, are making their home in the church parsonage. Elsa is excited to be attending kindergarten at St. Mark's Lutheran School.