Leading St. Mark's life and ministry is a shared responsibility of members, clergy and staff. The Staff includes professional worship leaders and administrators. Many other members are involved leading ministry teams and groups. You will find more information about those areas under MINISTRY.
Staff
Rev. Susan J. Butler- interim priest
The Rev. Susan J. Butler has been serving as St. Mark’s Interim Rector since the spring of 2017. Previously, she served as rector for nearly 20 years at several different churches, including Grace Episcopal Church in Chattanooga, TN. Her education includes: Master of Divinity Degree: Magna cum Laude, The Theological School at Drew University, Madison, NJ (Ezra Squire Tipple Scholar), Clinical Pastoral Education: Christ Hospital, Jersey City, NJ, Education for Ministry (EFM): University of the South, Sewanee, TN and Bachelor of Arts Degree: Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, PA (Major in English) among other certificates.
Music director- Beth Nichols
Beth Nichols joined the St. Mark’s community as organist and director of music in April of 2016. Previously, she served 10 years as organist/choirmaster for Church of the Nativity in Fort Oglethorpe, GA. In addition, she has served since 2003 as organist and pianist for Mizpah, a Reformed Jewish congregation in Chattanooga, TN. She is an active member of the Chattanooga chapter of the American Guild of Organists (AGO), having served as both Sub-Dean and Membership/Hospitality chairperson.A lifelong choral enthusiast and singer, Beth received a B.S. Sacred Music degree from Tennessee Temple University in 1993, presenting recitals in voice and piano. Several years later, after having discovered the Episcopal church and the beauty of liturgical worship, she became drawn to the pipe organ; it took only a couple of lessons to know she had found her niche. She took several years of organ study, and her teachers include Dr. Walker Breland (Univ. of TN-Chattanooga), and long-time Episcopal church organists Mary Ellen Meloan and Dr. Keith Reas (Chattanooga). In 2015 she completed a week-long master class workshop with noted American organist Dr. Wilma Jensen. Beth continues to sing whenever possible, and has been a member of the soprano section for many choirs, including the Lexington Singers (KY), Chattanooga Symphony & Opera Chorus, Chattanooga Bach Choir, Choral Arts of Chattanooga, and the Voice of Reason Women’s Ensemble.
Beth can be reached via e-mail at beth.nichols@stmarksdalton.org
Beth can be reached via e-mail at beth.nichols@stmarksdalton.org
Preschool Director- Laura Bock
Laura Bock became the Director of St. Mark’s Preschool in August 2017. She has taught at the preschool for more than twenty years, teaching both the three and four year old classes. Laura received a BS and MS degree in Early Childhood Education from Tennessee Technological University.
In her spare time, Laura volunteers with the Anna Shaw Institute, coaches a Special Olympics Masters Bowling team, and also enjoys gardening and reading.
Laura can be reached through email at laura.bock@stmarksdalton.org
In her spare time, Laura volunteers with the Anna Shaw Institute, coaches a Special Olympics Masters Bowling team, and also enjoys gardening and reading.
Laura can be reached through email at laura.bock@stmarksdalton.org
Parish administrator- curry mcclurken
Curry McClurken became the Parish Administrator in December 2018. She has worked in many areas over her 25 year career span. This includes accounting, customer service, assistant teaching, a lot of administration work and human resources. Her most recent work was volunteering at her home church which turned in to a temporary job that helped her have a base understanding of working in a church office.
Curry can be reached through email at curry.mcclurken@stmarksdalton.org
Curry can be reached through email at curry.mcclurken@stmarksdalton.org
sexton-ezequiel Martinez
Lay leadership
VESTRY
The Vestry is an elected governing board whose members have designated responsibilities and serve for three year terms. The Senior Warden is appointed by the Rector for a one year term, and the Junior Warden is elected each year by the Vestry.
Cindy Michaels
Sr. Warden, Outreach 
Jamie Beckler
Children and Youth Formation 
Mike Anderson
Property and Grounds |
John Schwenn
Jr. Warden Parish Life 
Bob Caperton
Welcoming 
Rick Powell
Stewardship |
Jim Halverson
Finance 
Sally Little
Adult Formation Pastoral Care 
Marilyn Lance
Worship |
st. Mark's vergers
One of the relatively new jobs in the worship area at St. Mark’s is that of verger. The office of verger goes back as far as the 12th century in the Church of England. If you see coronations or royal weddings from England, the procession is led by a verger. Originally the verger’s job was to lead the procession and clear the animals and riffraff from the aisles so the bishop could make his way. It is traditional for the verger to go first in the procession, but at St. Mark’s and several other churches in our diocese, the cross goes first, followed by the verger. At St. Mark’s, the verger organizes the acolytes and checks to be sure Eucharistic Ministers and lectors are all present. The verger may also act as crucifer, gospeler , Eucharistic Minister or lector. In a nutshell, the verger takes care of the details so that the service flows smoothly. The verger carries a ceremonial rod called a virge. The typical robe of a verger is a black open front gown worn over a black cassock. We have 2 verger gowns, one trimmed in black velvet and one trimmed in red velvet. Some of the vergers in our diocese have gray robes. Twenty years ago vergers were found only at the cathedral or in larger churches. Today there are over 275 vergers in the Diocese of Atlanta.
Marilyn Lance
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Blake Bennett
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Rick Powell
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