mary pharmer, pastor and community activistmary is the originator of the backyard mosaic women’s project. she has been a teacher, principal, community activist, and pastor. as the pastor of st. mark’s lutheran church she inspired a group of parishioners to write the initial grant to the south-central synod of wisconsin—elca that would provide the seed money for the mural/mosaic/garden at st. mark’s, completed in september 2009. Mary has the gift of recognizing people’s deepest needs, creatively finding solutions to those needs, and encouraging people of many ages and diverse backgrounds in their spiritual journeys. she continues to support us in prayer and thought.