Pastor Mark

Dr. McDonough was raised on a farm in rural Kansas where care for the earth and all living things shaped his sense of compassion (animals cannot tell you what's wrong; they need you to notice), self-discipline (animals need to be fed whether you feel like getting out of bed or not), wonder (watching a prairie storm roll in) and grace (helping deliver a newborn calf or watching a prairie sunset).  After graduating from William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri with dual degrees in Communication and Religion, he worked for Trans World Airlines while pondering a call to ministry.  Pursuing a sense of call, he attended Baptist and United Church of Christ seminaries before joining the Presbyterian Church, graduating from McCormick Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity degree, and, later, a Doctor of Ministry degree.

Dr. McDonough served a small congregation (90 members) in rural Illinois, a mid-sized congregation (400 members) in Racine, Wisconsin, and a large congregation (1,500 members) in Detroit, Michigan before coming to Calvary in 2000.

With his background in several denominations, Baptist, United Church of Christ, Presbyterian, and Roman Catholic (he took classes at the Jesuit Seminary of Chicago and Catholic Theological Union while a student at McCormick), Dr. McDonough is committed to bringing the whole Body of Christ together in a spirit of mutual hospitality.

In addition to his pastoral work at Calvary, Dr. McDonough teaches a class in the Honor's Department of Marquette University and serves on the staff of NorthStar Consultants.

When not at the church, Dr. McDonough may often be found fly-fishing or gardening.  And, as a good Scots Presbyterian, he really does play the bagpipes and is a member of the Billy Mitchell Scottish Pipes and Drums of Milwaukee.

Dr. McDonough is married to Margaret (nee Johnstone) McDonough.  They have three adult children.