Construction on St. Anne's Episcopal Church began March 20, 1898. Edmund Harding Tift, brother of Tifton's founder, H. H. Tift, supervised the construction and assumed responsibility for providing materials and funding. Because the Tifts were in the lumber business, the woodwork in the original church was carved from rare curly pine so delicate it had to be carved underwater.


C.K. Nelson, the Bishop of Georgia, began locating isolated members of the Episcopal Church in South Georgia immediately after his consecration in 1893 and had founded three or four communications in Tifton prior to construction of St. Anne's. The Rev. J. W. Turner was sent to conduct monthly services at a Methodist church. As the congregation grew, it became evident that a building was needed. In a letter to Tift dated Feb. 7, 1898, Bishop Nelson gave the plan his approval and pledged $300 toward the project. The church was consecrated by Nelson Jan. 26, 1902.
A parish hall was added to St. Anne's original site at the corner of Central Avenue and Fourth Street in 1940. By 1982 the church had outgrown its beautiful but small building and needed more space. A lot was purchased at Central Avenue and 24th Street and the original church was moved there. Construction of a education building for Sunday school classes moved forward at about the same time, followed by a 300-seat sanctuary built in a style compatible with the elegant simplicity of the old building, now used as a chapel. A new parish hall followed in 1986.

The Chambers Memorial Organ was added in 1994 in memory of Jerry Chambers. Homer Rankin headed the committee for the organ. It was built by Casavants of Canada. Also shown is the the Christus Rex carved by St. Anne's member, Dr. Travis Smith.


In 1997, an icon was purchased from Russian iconographer Nikolai Bogdanov. His creation "Christ Pantokrator" (Jesus Lord of All Creation) is also commonly called Christ The Teacher. It was taken from an icon written in the 1400s which is currently on display in the Pushkin Museum in Moscow. The original pattern is believed to be the "Sinai Christ" currently at St. Catherine's monastery which may be from the 3rd century. Bagdanov lives in St. Petersburg with his wife Natasha. ( Special Thanks to Pam Guice (of Honey Creek fame) for providing the research on icons)!