Grace Presbyterian Church in downtown Dawsonville will celebrate its second anniversary on Sunday with a special Kirking of the Tartans service during morning worship at 11 a.m.

The first Presbyterian church in Dawson County, Grace was constituted as an official congregation on Nov. 21, 2010, with founding pastor the late Mark Weaver.

"Kirking" is derived from the Scottish word for church, which is kirk. In this context it means blessing.

Tartans are the traditional designs associated with specific Scottish clans, and are usually made of wool cloth and featured on kilts and banners.

A Kirking of the Tartans ceremony was originally created in the last century as a means of instilling Scottish homeland pride in Scottish-Americans. The ceremony itself was conducted across the United States in churches with a Scottish heritage, mostly of Presbyterian denomination.

Members of the church will carry their family tartan on a banner and process into the sanctuary accompanied by the sound of bagpipe music.

The service will include prayer, singing, preaching and a blessing, or kirking, for each of the families represented in the church. Following the service, the congregation will gather in the fellowship hall for a Thanksgiving meal and a time of celebration for another year of ministry in Dawson County.

The public is invited to the special service, which will feature musical accompaniment by violinist Lori Gomez of Cartersville, and Daniel Bollinger of Dahlonega on bagpipes.