Like Laurent Clerc who left his native land and became a sojourner in a foreign land, we have been called by God to sojourn now in these temporary fleshly bodies, these tabernacles to be Christ's ambassadors. We've been called for a purpose to leave our native land of Satan's society and uplift others with God's teachings and encourage them with our example of Christ living in us (2010 Feast of Tabernacles sermon from Panama City Beach, Florida).

Mark Welch

Pastor, United Church of God

Mark graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree, Theology major, from Ambassador College, Pasadena, CA in 1978.  He married Barbara Lemke in October of 1978 and they have two grown children, Jaime and Matthew.  Mark was ordained in 1985 and hired into the full-time ministry in 1989.  Mark is the coordinator for United’s Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Services and his wife, Barbara, is an interpreter for the Deaf.