who we are

Pastor

The Rev. William J. Gohl, Jr.

(he/him) has served as Bridge Pastor at St. Mark’s since February 2025, a role he took on while currently serving his second term as Bishop of the ELCA’s Delaware-Maryland Synod. Prior to being called to this work, Rev. Gohl was Lead Pastor of Epiphany Lutheran Church and Intern Supervisor/Vice Pastor of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, both in Baltimore. Previously, he also served at Peace Lutheran Church in Glen Burnie and vice pastorates at Our Saviour, Lansdowne; Zion, City Hall Plaza; Faith, North Avenue; and assisted at All Saints, Loch Raven, and Peoples Community, Baltimore.

He attended Gettysburg College (BA, 1996) as well as the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg (MDiv, 2000). He is now caught somewhere between an STM and DMin at United Lutheran Seminary.

Bill is married to the Rev. Arwyn Pierce Gohl, and they have four children: Saliese, David, Andrew and Joyanne.

The Gohls make their home in the northeast corner of Baltimore City and enjoy time with their families: the Gohl side in Shrewsbury, Pennsylvania (by way of Long Island, where the bishop grew up) and the Pierce side in Fairhaven, Massachusetts.

Contact Rev. Gohl about: pastoral care appointments, church membership, church leadership, church curiosity, LGBTQ+ welcome, weddings, and funerals.

BGohl@demdsynod.org

Staff

James Harp, Cantor

is well known in the Mid-Atlantic area as a pianist, organist, stage director, singer, composer, lecturer, writer and conductor. He began his musical career at age 7 as a church soloist, and has concertized in Italy, France, Greece, Israel, the Bahamas, and extensively throughout his native Southern United States. Among his more unusual musical experiences include singing “My Old Kentucky Home” as a soloist on National Television at the 1981 Kentucky Derby, coaching Lily Tomlin in arias from AIDA for an Emmy-nominated “Homicide” segment, and nearly drowning after falling backwards into the Sea of Galilee while conducting madrigals.

He has been the Cantor (Organist/Choirmaster) at St. Mark’s since January 4, 1987 and over the years has done much to encourage lively liturgical worship in the grand church music tradition. His Mass setting “Missa Sancti Marci” as well as anthems and liturgical propers are found in the music libraries of many other churches. He has been the organist for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra since 1983 and has been featured in works such as the Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony and Handel’s Messiah. In demand as a silent film organist he has over 25 original movies scores in his repertoire.

He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the Peabody Conservatory and is the Artistic and Managing Director of Maryland Opera, the Mid-Atlantic’s newest opera company and arts organization, where he is building a comprehensive and innovative opera and opera education/outreach program to serve the entire state of Maryland.

Contact Mr. Harp about: singing in the choir, offering music in worship

jharp@marylandopera.org

Mo Goff, Vicar
(he/him) is in his third year attending United Lutheran Seminary and an endorsed candidate to be Minister of Word & Sacrament. As a vicar, he’s indeed blessed to be a pastor-in-training seeking to learn about parish ministry from St. Mark’s. His first career was spent working in politics in Washington, DC, developing expertise within the political arena and spending time with all sorts of characters on Capitol Hill.

Mo holds a passion for social justice and a love for the LGBTQ+ community. In his private time, he worked in support of LGBTQ+ concerns both federally and within the ELCA. Most recently, Mo is a leading voice in A4, an organization seeking to bring the LGBTQ+ and faith communities together in Maryland.

He's a graduate of the University of Oklahoma where he was selected by his graduating class as the Homecoming King. His husband is an ELCA pastor serving in the Delaware-Maryland Synod. Their daughter lives in Washington, DC, and you might see her around sometimes. Mo’s interests are politics, travel, and telling stories.

Contact Vicar Mo about: pastoral care, church accessibility, church leadership, LGBTQ+ welcome, placing an item in the bulletin

vicar@stmarksbaltimore.org

Tori Wick, Administrator
(she/her) grew up in Denver, CO and moved to Maryland in 2011 to attend St. John’s College in Annapolis. After graduating with a B.A. in Liberal Arts in 2015, she began her career working in campus sexual violence prevention, where she ultimately discerned a call to Christian ministry. Tori completed her M.Div. at the University of Chicago Divinity School in 2020 and was ordained by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in 2021. Tori has served congregations in Chicago, Catonsville, and Hagerstown, and she is especially passionate about helping communities become safer and more welcoming places for queer folks, people with disabilities, and children. She currently lives in the Waverly neighborhood of Baltimore with her partner and her dog, Maisie, who is named after the Parable of the Pearl of Great Price. Her favorite liturgical season is Advent.

Contact Tori about: reserving space in the church, adding events to the calendar, submitting to the e-newsletter, requesting prayer, reporting building needs and repairs, and any other general questions you have about St. Mark’s

admin@stmarksbaltimore.org

Jaime Wise, Sexton
(she/her) grew up in Howard County and moved to Baltimore in 2004. She has a big heart, is a natural born leader, and brings over 20 years of cleaning experience to the role. She's a mother of 13, grandmother of 3, and has been happily married to her wife, Sherice, for 10 years. Her family also includes many beloved pets: dogs, cats, turtles, and fish!

Jeffry Spangler, Sexton Emeritus

(he/him) was born in Hagerstown, Maryland in 1955 to Southern Baptist parents. He attended public school and from the age of six studied piano privately until the age of 18. At age 12 he took up the stringed bass and in 1971 he earned a place in the All-State Orchestra. In 1972 he studied organ. In 1973 he graduated from South Hagerstown High School and three months later was accepted into the Peabody Conservatory of Music, studying Piano with Dr. Konrad Wolff and Dr. George Walker. He graduated in 1978 and moved to New York City, where he worked for Saks Fifth Avenue and Macy's Herald Square. In 1983, he returned to Baltimore where he worked for New City Optical Company, and Fader's Tobacco Stores in both Towson and downtown, among other businesses.

Jeffry is also an accomplished musician and has frequently played piano for our worship.

Deacons

St. Mark's is blessed to have several deacons called to volunteer their service and ministry. Members of The Order of St. Stephen, Deacon (OSSD) serve in calls of Word and Service, serving as Assisting Ministry during worship and visiting and caring for congregants and neighbors.

Connie Lisch arrived at St. Mark's in August of 1988. She felt the call to the Diaconate in 1992 and entered classes. She was set apart as a deacon in May of 1995. Since then, Deacon Lisch has continued to serve St. Mark's in the choir, as Assisting Minister on Sundays and visiting our homebound members and members who are in the hospital. She has also served at the Keswick Multi Care Center since 1996 as an Associate Chaplain with a Deacons Mass and serving communion. Since July of 2021 she has also served as Sacristan of St. Mark’s. This involves preparing the altar for every service and maintaining all of the linens placed on the altar, ordering all things related to worship, such as communion wafers, candles, etc. She also provides flower arrangements for every Sunday that is requested. Her backround as a florist is helpful!

Contact Deacon Connie to: receive pastoral visits in the hospital or at home, sponsor flowers for the altar.