The pioneer church of Livingston was the Methodist Episcopal, the cornerstone being laid July 25, 1883, by the Rev. George Comfort. Remaining a Methodist Episcopal for many years, it was eventually sold to the Church of the Nazarene, later passing to the Church Universal and Triumphant in 2002, which remains in the building today. It was they who named it St. Mark's
Very much Gothic Revival in design, the wood frame building remains in excellent condition, sporting relatively new paint on what appears to be stucco siding. The highlight of the church's exterior is its steeple, very much nineteenth century Gothic in design. With a tall central spire, the steeple is square to the top of the belfry, with pronounced buttresses at each corner. Atop each buttress is a smaller spire, or finial, each with a flared roof and overhanging eaves. Belfry openings are faced with white carved wood panels showing plenty of Gothic arches. The octagonal central spire is topped with a wooden cross. The front gable end of the nave is decorated with white painted trefoils and quatrefoils, below which are curved brackets. Further below is a round window. All windows in the nave are Gothic arched and filled with stained glass.
When nearly completed in November of 1883 it was stated that the ultimate cost of the building would be $5,000. Judging by its appearance today, we suspect that the parishioners would have felt it a well spent $5,000.
For at least a month prior to the beginning of construction the church placed the following ad in local newspapers soliciting bids on the construction from contractors.
Bids will be received at my office—where plans
and specifications may be seen—until Friday noon,
July 13th, 1883, for the erection of a Methodist
Episcopal Church in Livingston, Montana.
The right to reject any and all bids is reserved.
H. T. CEPERLEY,
Secretary of the Board of Trustees.
Livingston, MT., July 6, 1883.
From The Livingston Daily Enterprise
CUT buys church building in Livingston
Scott McMillion - Bozeman Chronicle | May 4, 2002
Livingston -- The Church Universal and Triumphant has purchased the
oldest church building in Livingston as a place for its local members to study and worship, it announced Thursday. The New Age sect has bought the Church of the Nazarene building on the corner of D and Lewis streets.
Although the CUT has had its world headquarters in Corwin Springs since 1986 and has dozens of local members here, this is the first time its followers in Livingston have had a building of their own. Members have leased several buildings at different times, met in private homes, and, most recently, have been meeting in the basement of the Lincoln School.
The church seats 125 people.
Jack Camp, the pastor of the Nazarene church, said his congregation of about 40 people hopes to build a new sanctuary just south of town. The building, which has classrooms, a kitchen, a bell tower, stained-glass windows and solid oak pews, had been listed at $300,000. Camp said it sold for $195,000.
The building was erected in 1883, the year after Livingston was founded, as the Methodist-Episcopal church.
It will be called Saint Mark's.
Lewis said different types of services will be held there every day from Wednesday to Sunday. The public will be allowed to attend introductory services on Thursday evenings.
From the Bozeman Chronicle