Spirits are high heading into Easter weekend for four of Anna Maria Island’s churches and their congregations.
The resurrection is central to the Christian faith.
With the reopening of its chapel ahead of the holiday, Roser Memorial Community Church is almost back in full swing after last year’s hurricanes and the damage they wrought.
Roser, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria, has been hosting services in its sanctuary since last October due to damage to the historic chapel sustained last fall.
According to an April 9 news release from Roser communications specialist Bev Hunsberger, the chapel’s floorboards were lifted by flooding, the electrical system was destroyed and the original wainscoting was ruined.
The chapel organ suffered damage and had to be removed.
With the help of Mark Gill, Axelle Builders and carpenter Johan Harding, along with a bevy of volunteers and staff, the chapel has been restored.
The floorboards were dried out, refinished and laid back, the electrical system was redone and moved from under the floor to the walls behind the new wainscoting and the large double wood doors were sanded and refinished.
Roser’s Maundy Thursday service at 7 p.m. April 17 will be the first in the chapel since Hurricane Milton.
The Good Friday service at noon April 18 will also be hosted in the historic chapel, while two Easter celebrations will be held in the sanctuary and outside in the church’s waterfront parking lot.
Roser pastor Dr. Dirk Rodgers told The Islander April 11 that the church got back into its educational building, thrift store and food pantry — which sustained storm damage — in February.
He said the Roser congregation was going strong again.
“It’s still surprisingly healthy,” Rodgers said. “There is some changeover happening and we are still waiting for some of our faithful residents to come back … but people are in good spirits.”
In Bradenton Beach, Harvey Memorial Community Church, 300 Church Ave., is getting back to full strength, according to the Rev. Steve King.
The small church — only a block from the bayfront — was flooded during last year’s storms, resulting in extensive damage to its floor and back-room appliances.
Volunteers ripped out flooring and touched up the existing flooring below, replaced appliances and redid the kitchen.
“Our board did a great job just handling things and making it happen,” King said. “The church looks great — a little different than it did before — but it looks great.”
Harvey held services at temporary locations on the mainland for about three months before returning on Christmas Eve.
The church is now aiming to redo its landscaping and parking lot, which is expected to take a couple of months.
In the meantime, King said the congregation has been impacted by the loss of residents following the storms, especially those from the Pines Trailer Park.
Harvey Memorial Community Church’s Easter service will be at 9:15 a.m. April 20.
In Holmes Beach, St. Bernard Catholic Church, 248 S. Harbor Drive, is working toward restoring its damaged parish hall.
Matthew Nowicki, director of faith formation, told The Islander April 11 that the fellowship hall flooded during Helene and lost part of its roof to Milton.
The roof was replaced but the interior must be redone, which could take the summer to complete.
The church proper was unscathed, so St. Bernard never fully closed and continued offering services.
Nowicki said the congregation has been strong since Christmas and has held steady into the spring.
“We’ve been very busy here,” he said.
St. Bernard will host Easter Vigil Mass at 8:30 p.m. April 19 and four Easter Masses April 20.
CrossPointe Fellowship, 8605 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, may have been the luckiest church on the island.
Church administrator Sandy Watts told The Islander April 11 that CrossPointe sustained “basically no damage” from the hurricanes.
A couple of air conditioners were replaced due to water damage, but the church already had plans to replace them.
The congregation hardly skipped a beat.
“We look very much like we did eight months ago,” Watts said. “We are very thrilled to be able to be running well and to be able to help folks on the island who did not come through it with the ease we did.”
Other island churches did not had the same luck.
The Episcopal Church of the Annunciation, 4408 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, remains closed due to storm damage. Its services are currently hosted at the Christ Episcopal Church, 4030 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 6608 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, also sustained damage from the storms and permanently closed its doors Jan. 18.