Founded in 1954 as a Mission by 16 families, a small church in the rolling countryside of Barrington Hills was born. These families originally met every Sunday for worship in the living room of a home just down the road until a small church was built and completed by the summer of 1956. St. Mark's continued as a Mission for 5 years when the Bishop granted approval for the organization of St. Mark's as a parish. With a steady growth in families and number of children attending Sunday School, it was inevitable that the original church became woefully inadequate. Thus, our beautiful white church in the hills was built and completed just in time for Christmas Eve 1963. Since that time, St. Mark's has add a well-attended and highly reputable Day School and a wonderful Columbarium for Christian Burial.

During the time of St. Mark's third rector, Fr. John Peterson, the parish enjoyed its greatest growth as it became clear about its mission to the area. The Sunday School and Day School ran in tandem - the inimitable Thelma Stevens, the first Director of both - providing a fantastic ministry to local families. The congregation swelled as these two schools provided an excellence of service. 

Another feature of the church's strength was the involvement of its members who supported the programs and activities of the church as well as outreach ministries supporting the lives of people locally, nationally, and globally.