About St. Mark’s

for a brief history of St. Mark’s,

The people of St. Mark’s have been gathering “to know Christ…and to make Him known” for more than 130 years in the mountains of North Georgia. We are the only Episcopal Church in the area, which means that we have an incredible diversity of beliefs, opinions, and points of view on any given subject. That diversity, we believe, is a wonderful source of strength, even as it is a witness to the Kingdom of God, into which all manner of people will be gathered.

Our more ancient heritage is that of the “Episcopal” Church, also referred to as the “Anglican” Church, with Celtic, Roman Catholic, and Protestant spiritual roots in Britain from the earliest days of Christianity. This heritage calls us to a way of worship that respects the “Holiness” of God, the essential goodness of God’s creation, and the joy of God’s grace.

In worship, where we gather to offer up our very selves in thanksgiving, we always try to balance that sense of mystery and holiness with the joy that we feel hearing the Good News of the Gospel. As one newcomer put it, “I come in quiet and reflective, in awe of it all, and yet there are times when I want to sing my heart out and hug the person next to me!”

In the Dalton area, St. Mark’s has had the reputation of being a creative, original force in the community, especially in the area of Outreach. St. Mark’s parishioners have either begun or continue to play a significant part in such institutions as D.E.O. (Dalton Episcopal Outrerach), DOC-UP (Dalton Organization of Churches - United for People), Family Promise (a homeless ministry - coming soon), Hospice, Infant Pre-School Council, Alcoholics Anonymous (which meets at St. Mark’s), The Cancer Support Group, and many others. Perhaps most importantly, the St. Mark’s Pre-School was created, integrating “typical” children with “special needs” children—the only one of its kind in North Georgia, and a model for many others in the state.