Mark was born Jan. 12, 1970, to Orris and Elwood Brown in Homewood, Pa., one of eight children. He leaves behind three siblings, nieces and nephews, and many brothers and sisters in Christ. He went to glory on Mar. 30, 2022.

Mark was a man who truly and deeply loved the Lord. He possessed a simple faith: The Bible says, and Mark did. When he felt the calling of the Lord, he followed that call. He trusted God would direct his path; he prayed God would reveal his path; and he consistently followed the path that was revealed. Sometimes there would be obstacles, but he trusted that God would pull him through those obstacles.

Mark received his master of divinity degree from the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary in 2015 and his Association of Certified Biblical Counselors certification in 2016.

Mark was a loving man. He served Providence (Pittsburgh, Pa.) RPC as a ruling elder for about five years, giving much of his time to the flock. He communicated regularly with all of the members, be it face-to-face during fellowship lunch, over the phone during the week, in writing, and often all of the above! He would follow up with those who had asked for prayer to see how the Lord had answered their prayers, as well as the prayers he had offered on their behalf. He was not afraid to gently challenge those who needed to be challenged, and he always had time to listen to those who needed someone to talk to.

Mark loved food. He had his favorite pizza places, Chinese restaurants, and sushi buffets. He loved to cook, and he loved to share a meal with those he loved. He enjoyed his fish and plants and kept a fairly eclectic variety of both in his small apartment.

Mark loved the church, Providence RPC, yes, but moreso the broader church of Christ. Despite his love for Providence RPC, when Mark was called to serve the flock in Selma, Ala., and meet the ministry needs of the Reformed Presbyterian congregation there, he did not say no. He knew it would be difficult, but he knew it was where God was calling him, and he was not willing to hide from that call. And even from Selma, it was truly amazing how closely he kept up with so many in the Providence RPC family.

Eventually God called Mark back to Pittsburgh, Pa. Though his health was steadily declining, he still eagerly brought the Word to a number of our churches, despite it becoming more and more physically difficult to do so. His gaze was ever directed toward his Lord and Savior.

While we who remain on this earth mourn the loss of a dear friend and fellow laborer, God has gained a faithful servant, and we rejoice in the knowledge that Mark is now free of sin and misery, in the presence of God’s glory for all eternity, and we look forward to one day joining him there with the many that have gone before him.