In the fall of 1986, Episcopalians in the Jasper area, who were attending Episcopal churches as far away as Canton and Cartersville, or attending other denominational services, came together to form a worshiping community which became known as Holy Family. This group secured a commitment from Father Paul Ross to expand his circuit riding ministry to include Holy Family as well as parishes in Canton and Calhoun. Father Ross presided over the first formal service on the first Sunday of Advent in 1986. That service was held at what was then New Lebanon Presbyterian Church on Bent Tree Drive.
Slowly, but inexorably, this humble worshiping community grew and thrived, even while moving from place to place. The first three-person steering committee was formed in 1987. In 1989, the Diocese of Atlanta recognized Holy Family as a formal Worshiping Community. By that time, average attendance was 23 and the budget for the year stood at $20,000. Father Ross retired in the fall of 1991 and was succeeded by Father John Bolton as supply priest. In June of 1991, Deacon Sam Buice was appointed Vicar to Holy Family as well as St.Timothy’s in Calhoun. In November of 1991, Holy Family was granted full parish status and the first vestry was constituted. In May of 1992, the church moved up Cove Road and held its services in the Chapel of Assembly of God.
In August of 1993, Holy Family made its third temporary move to the Chapman Funeral Home in downtown Jasper. At the same time, the dream of finding a permanent home for the parish began to take shape when the vestry agreed to borrow $100,000 from the Diocese to purchase 12 acres of the Dorsey property off Griffith and Cove Roads.The property had one residential structure but no suitable place to worship, so the parish partnered with the Diocese to craft a solution that was financially feasible. By means of a grant from the Diocesan Foundation, an investment from the discretionary fund of Bishop Frank Allen, and a contribution from Holy Family, the Diocese purchased and “loaned” the parish a modular building which was installed on the property and used to conduct services and other functions until 2002. Later, an adjacent pavilion was added and today the modular building and pavilion still serve the church in many ways. The first services were conducted in the modular facility in August of 1995. At last the members of Holy Family had a worshiping sanctuary they could call their own!
By the end of 1995, the parish reported 67 members, an average Sunday attendance of 55, and $87,000 pledged for the new year 1996. In the fall of 1996, Scott Trotter, who had succeeded Sam Buice as Vicar, left, and The Venerable Dr. Jerry Zeller was appointed as Interim Rector, which was certainly providential, as he shepherded Holy Family through its most dramatic transition, continuing as Priest-in-Charge until 2003.
Not content to worship in a modular venue, the parish formed a building committee to explore the feasibility of constructing a more permanent sanctuary. To that end, 27 adjacent acres of land were purchased in late 1997.
In the meantime, the parish was evolving in its service to the community and its members. In July of 1997, the Holy Family Food Pantry was established to address food insecurity in the local community. This effort was undertaken in conjunction with several other churches in the community, but Holy Family dedicated the use of its facilities to the Pantry. The Pantry was affiliated with the Atlanta Food Bank, and, in its first year, the Pantry was open from 10:00 until noon every Friday. Groceries were distributed to 300 people including children, the elderly, and the disabled. That ministry eventually expanded into a community-wide 501(c)(3) non-profit organization known throughout Pickens County as CARES, providing food to the needy on a full-time basis.
At the same time, a Memorial Garden Committee was formed and a beautiful setting was identified overlooking Griffith Lake on Holy Family’s Campus for a site to place memorials and hold services for parishioners. A memorial garden and wall were dedicated in July of 1997. This initiative has come to provide a beautiful and contemplative resting place for many members of Holy Family.
By 1998, the exploration and preparation for a permanent sanctuary were well underway. A landscape architecture firm had been employed and architect Garland Reynolds was engaged to prepare plans for the new building. Meanwhile, the church continued to grow. Two services every Sunday were required in the modular building to accommodate an average of 100 attendees. Frank Wilson was brought on as Assistant Priest. The budget for the year 2000 reflected total operating revenues of $192,612. That year the Diocese approved Holy Family’s finance plan for construction of a church building to include sanctuary, offices, and parish hall/education spaces for $1,626,000. In January of 2000, our current Interim Rector, Bill Harkins, was accepted as a Part-time Postulant.
Groundbreaking for the new sanctuary was held in the spring of 2001 and the first service in the completed sanctuary was held on Pentecost Sunday, May 19, 2002. A year later, Father Zeller retired. He was much beloved and appreciated for his leadership of the parish through such an important time of transition.
In August of 2004, the Reverend Mary Johnson was called as Rector of Holy Family. By 2005, average Sunday attendance was 165 with 232 active members and a budget of $350,000.
The Good Samaritan Health Clinic was started in 2003 by two physicians who were members of Holy Family. From humble beginnings, Good Samaritan has evolved into a Federally Qualified Health Clinic that provides critical health care to the underserved in Pickens County and the greater north Georgia community.
By the end of 2009, a segment of the congregation had become dissatisfied with the direction of the parish which resulted in Mother Mary deciding to resign as Rector. In the aftermath of Mother Mary’s departure, Bishop Keith Whitmore led discussions to begin a reconciliation process. Reverend George Yandell became the next Rector of Holy Family. He, too, instituted small-group meetings to further help the parish heal from the divisions left in the wake of Mother Mary’s exit.
Holy Family celebrated 25 years of Episcopal ministry in our four-county area in November of 2011, joined by Bishop Neil Alexander. By 2012, Holy Family had an average Sunday attendance of 183 with 437 active members and the annual operating budget in 2013 was the 22nd largest out of the 110 congregations in the Diocese of Atlanta.
As the parish thrived under the leadership of Father George, in 2016, the vestry began to grapple with the burden of a $736,000 mortgage which would have to be refinanced in 2023. In 2019, the Vestry endorsed a plan to pay off the outstanding mortgage before refinancing. In 2020, undeterred by the Covid-19 pandemic, a debt reduction campaign resulted in $468,000 in contributions leaving a balance of $135,000. The Diocese of Atlanta then lent Holy Family the balance at 1.9% to be paid off in five years. That loan from the Diocese was paid off and the burning of that mortgage was celebrated with Bishop Robert Wright on January 5, 2023.
Covid-19 hit Holy Family hard, but we provided online access to worship, initially through iPhone recording technology. By the summer of 2020, Holy Family had a fully operational system in place with a booth built by parishioners that could both live-stream and record services. Throughout the pandemic, from the point when only essential worship personnel were allowed in the nave, through restrictive and limited seating and up to today, Holy Family has continually provided online access to worship.
Holy Family, following guidelines from the Diocese of Atlanta, gradually worked through the appropriate venues for services including outdoor services in the bracing winter climate of north Georgia. We were all so happy when restrictions were lifted and in-person attendance was permitted, but many chafed at precautions such as mask-wearing or were unwilling to risk infection even with precautions. Now that the pandemic is in our rearview mirror, we are slowly rebuilding our attendance and membership, but we have not returned to the zenith of the early 2010’s.
Thankfully, throughout the ups and downs of Holy Family, for more than two decades, the rector and the parish have been the beneficiaries of additional support. The Rev. Dr. Ted Hackett and The Rev. Byron Tyndall have provided liturgical, educational, and pastoral assistance. Deacon Katharine Armentrout retired in late 2023 after 20 years of invaluable service to Holy Family.
In keeping with Holy Family’s tradition of incubating community initiatives, parishioners jump started a one-day community volunteer project in 2022 called Serve Pickens. On a Saturday in October, more than 100 volunteers fan out through Pickens County to perform much needed tasks for local non-profit organizations who have requested help.
Holy Family has come through the trials of the pandemic, maybe slimmed down a little in size, but on a firm financial footing with a commitment to its members and the community, and faith in a bright future.