Lutheran activities in Utah began in the 1800’s when a representative of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod came to minister to several Scandinavians in Salt Lake City.  A small congregation of the Augustana Synod met in Provo in 1889 in a building on 300 West between Center and 300 South. Reverend R Runolfson became the first resident pastor of Icelandic Lutheran Church in Spanish Fork on 31 October 1893.  Services and Sunday School were held once a month until 1930.

In 1930, the Reverend Bunde Skov accepted a call to become the first missionary-at-large in Utah. He place an advertisement in the Daily Herald to attract prospective members.  His first service was held on Sunday 08 February 1931 at the Strand Theatre on West Center Street.  The church roster included, among others, OJ Severson, Mr and Mrs Victor Johnson, Ed Isaccson, Bill Peterson, and the Wahlquist, Dinesen, and Backman families.

From 1931 until 1961, the Lutheran congregation met in various locations in Provo, such as the Seventh-Day Adventist Church (1931-41), the Ladies Clubhouse of Provo, the Community Congregational Church, and the old Lincoln Grade School (1949-60) until the school ceased operation in 1960.

In 1942, the Evangelical Lutheran Church was renamed to St Mark’s Lutheran Church and soon after the congregation purchased land and a new building at its current location.  On 11 August 1963, the new chapel was dedicated at 464 West 3700 North in Provo. 

The Lutheran congregation was served by many pastors over the years.  Rev Rudolf Runolfson (1892-1929), Rev Bundy Skov (1931-40), Rev Emil Leising (1940-42), Rev Charles Looker (1944-46), Rev Clement C Harms (1946-47), Rev Herman Klein (1947-52), Rev Armin H Wagner (1952-55), Rev Herbert B Miller (1955-59), Rev Roland H Constein (1959-61), Rev Roald D Leach (1961-67), Rev Floyd W Duesing (1968-74), Rev Bruce Jeske (1974-82), Rev John Stube (1983-91), Rev Ronald A Saatkamp (1992-2003), and Rev Robert E Kraft (2005 to present).  

A native of Ogden, Utah, Pastor Kraft has lived in Utah for most of his life until university. He graduated from the Lutheran Bible Institute in Seattle, Washington with a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies (1994-98).  He continued to earn his Master’s of Divinity at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana (1999-2003).  He is currently preparing for his doctorate.  Before his call to St Mark’s, Pastor Kraft was a missionary to the Wind River Lutheran Mission in Fort Washakie, Wyoming.  He also had the opportunity to serve Lutheran congregations in the United Kingdom.  Pastor Kraft was installed as the current minister to St Mark’s on Trinity Sunday 2005.