Pastor Mark grew up primarily in Wisconsin and Michigan and is an avid Detroit Tigers and Michigan Wolverines fan. He received his undergraduate degree from Concordia-Wisconsin in 1996. He received his Masters of Divinity from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Mo., in 2000, and then his doctorate in Old Testament studies also from Concordia in 2011. Pastor Mark began serving Chapel of the Cross in October 2002 as an interim preacher. On July 6, 2003 he was ordained our Pastor.

In 2001 he and his wife, Erin, were married. They and their three sons, Micah (2003), Isaiah (2005), and Asher (2007), currently live in St. Charles. Erin graduated from Concordia-Chicago in 1997 and teaches at Zion Lutheran Preschool in Harvester.

“I enjoy spending time with my family, coaching our kids’ baseball and basketball teams, reading my Bible with a good cup of coffee, and working on my ‘Knowing God Knowing Me’ series, which helps the reader to see that all of the Bible is really about Jesus and His love for you.”

Pastor James grew up in Michigan and Indiana. He graduated from Concordia-Chicago in 2003, as a Director of Christian Education. He served as the Director of Youth and Family Ministry for Cheshire Lutheran Church in Connecticut. In 2006 he and his wife, Jaime, were married and moved to St. Louis where he began studies at Concordia Seminary. He served as a youth worker/vicar here at Chapel of the Cross until he graduated from Seminary in May 2010. He was called to serve as our Associate Pastor in August 2010.

Pastor James and Jaime have three children: Mackenzie (2008), Jonah (2011), and Gabriella (2014). Jaime currently is a physical therapist in St. Louis.

“I enjoy almost any outdoor activity, but I spend most of my free time hanging out with my family and training to run races. If you’re looking to learn about Jesus and grow in your faith, or just to add a few miles to your weekly runs, I’m your guy.”

Pastor Nelson grew up in Missouri and Kansas. He attended Concordia University-Nebraska and was certified as a Director of Christian Education in 2009. He served at Messiah Lutheran Church in Sterling, IL before accepting the call to serve as the Youth and Family Life Director at Chapel of the Cross in 2012. While serving as a D.C.E., Andrew earned a Master of Arts (Theology) from Concordia University-Irvine. In 2023, he completed his studies at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis and was ordained/installed as Associate Pastor at Chapel of the Cross. Andrew and his wife, Laura, have two children: Adley (2015) and Noelle (2016). They live together with their yorkie-poo, Rufus. “I enjoy sports, watching TV with my family, and time spent enjoying the community of a local coffee shop. In all things, I strive to reflect my Savior, Jesus, and deliver the goods of His Gospel in word and deed.”

Josh spent most of his life in the great sate of North Dakota. His father is a pastor in the LCMS and he was very active in his church’s youth programs. When the time came to think about college, God guided Josh to pursue studying to work in ministry. He attended Concordia University – St. Paul to be a part of the Director of Christian Education program. During his time at CSP, he met the woman who is now his wife, Kara (they married in 2016). After graduating from CSP in 2017, Josh accepted his first call as a DCE to Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Augusta, GA. During his five years there, Josh and Kara welcomed two wonderful children into their family: Hallie and Judah. In June of 2022, God led Josh to accept the call to serve as Youth & Family Life Director at Chapel of the Cross. Josh is excited to teach and walk alongside the youth and families here at Chapel, all while pointing them to their Savior, Jesus.

Bev has been a part of the office staff at Chapel of the Cross since July of 2000. She is originally from St. Louis, but did spend 12 years in Texas before returning to the Midwest. She has two older sisters (one who lives in St. Louis and the other who lives in Texas) and one younger brother who lives in Central Illinois. Bev and her husband, Rich, have been married since 1993. “For vacations, we enjoy jumping in the car and driving across the country. We have been to every region except the Northwestern United States and have also driven across Canada as far north as Fort St. John, BC, then back south down the Icefields Parkway. In my spare time, I enjoy solving crosswords, reading books, and embroidering counted cross-stitch.”

Erin was born and raised in St. Charles. She graduated with a B.S. in Elementary Education from Concordia Chicago in 1997. She served as a 1st grade teacher at St.James Lutheran in Quincy, Illinois for 2 years before returning to St. Charles to teach 3rd grade at Zion Lutheran. She took a break from teaching when her boys were young and then resumed teaching as a preschool teacher at Zion. Erin and her husband Mark have 3 sons- Micah, Isaiah, and Asher who are active in sports. She spends a lot of her free time watching them play basketball and baseball. She is also an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan. She enjoys playing games and spending time with her family.

Our preschool teacher, Miss Mikayla Lowe, was born and raised in Atchison, Kansas. She attended Concordia University Nebraska and graduated with a degree in Early Childhood Education and her Lutheran Teacher Diploma. Her parents and sister are also teachers; it's a family profession! Some of her hobbies include cooking/baking, reading, and watching movies. ​She is excited to educate young children through hands-on learning activities and through sharing the love of Jesus with them everyday.