‘A community for all.’
Please, join us for our last remaining services at Gloria Dei, Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, at 4 p.m. Dec. 29‚ the 1st Sunday of Christmas and 9:30 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 18 — closing service at 2 p.m.
Not all island churches are thriving in the midst of repairs from Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church announced on its website that it will close mid-January and, as yet, there is no word on the future of the church, the building or the property.
Sometimes while looking forward, it’s good to keep an eye on the rear-view mirror.
What came before can be enlightening in some respects.
The Christian Science Church at 6300 Marina Drive in Holmes Beach held its final service in December 2003. Its sale and demolition made way for two streets of three-story duplex-style condos.
The congregation, which had become small, and the value of the church property, which had grown large, justified the sale.
It’s sad to think that after all the troubles in the world from Sept. 11, 2001, to now, including economic struggles that resulted in the sale of homes by many islanders, that we have come to a point where a church can not maintain its assets in the community.
The Gloria Dei congregation formed in February 1959 and the roof has been an island landmark since it was built in 1964. It is a beautiful structure inside and out — an asset to the community.
In 2016, the church sought a rezone of a small area on the outside edge of the church parking lot that the church deemed suitable for two homes.
The church attorney told the city then, “We are here to save the church.”
Without knowing the financial ins and outs of a religious institution, it’s hard to know what brought the church to its point of need.
At that juncture, after the church carved away that small portion of land, apparently, it did not suffice.
Sometimes the future is unclear.
Hopefully the church and local visionaries can find a path forward that preserves the building.
To bring you up to date on the other churches on AMI, we checked websites.
Roser Church is active and the sanctuary is open, but the fellowship hall and chapel suffered damages and the repairs are ongoing.
The same is true at St. Bernard Catholic Church with Mass continuing in the sanctuary and repairs ongoing due to flooding in the parish hall.
It appears Crosspointe Fellowship in Anna Maria is still serving its congregation, and there was a minimum of damage at the church, according to the Rev. Ed Moss.
According to the Episcopal Church of Annunciation website, they are celebrating Sunday services at 9:15 a.m in the Chapel of the Good Shepherd at Christ Episcopal Church in Bradenton.
They extend a “HUGE Thank You” to Rev. Michael Brady and the members of Christ Episcopal Church for allowing them to hold services there while repairing the damages from Hurricane Helene.
Christmas Eve, the service at Chapel of the Good Shepherd will start with Christmas carols at 4:30 p.m. with the service to follow 5 p.m.
Christmas Day, they will celebrate the Holy Eucharist with Good Shepherd at 10 a.m.
Harvey Memorial Community Church’s pastor, the Rev. Steve King, shared the “good news:”
“Behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will be for all people; for today, in the city of David, there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
This was the message of the angel to the shepherds on that first Christmas so long ago, and the words that still thrill our hearts and touch our spirit as we gather for worship each week over 2000 years later!
It truly is ‘the Good News!’”
King announced they would gather for their Christmas Eve Service at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 24, at their own sanctuary at Harvey Memorial Community Church where the floors are sanded but not finished and seating will be in chairs instead of pews — “there is something beautiful and right about being back in our own ‘spiritual home’ for Christmas Eve!
King thanked the members, as well as everyone else for their gifts and donations for the renovations.
Finally, he said, “The greatest good news of all is that we will celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
With a grateful heart — Pastor Steve.
— Bonner Joy