Beach Chapel has history book for sale
The oldest congregation on Fort Myers Beach has a new publication about its past.
Chapel by the Sea has published a history of their congregation entitled “A Church For The Community.” The 104-page book was authored by Chapel Rev. Maynard Pittendreigh and can be purchased at the church between the office hours of 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., online through Amazon.com or the church’s web page at www.chapelbts.org.
“Over the years, we’ve had several small history pamphlets. After almost 70 years, it just seemed appropriate that we have a more comprehensive book,” said Pittendreigh. “Another reason is that we have a lot of photographs in one of the closets. We enjoyed seeing those photographs so much, we decided to put some of them in a book and tell a little bit about the history.”
Pittendreigh said Chapel by the Sea started up after Beach residents approached the pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Fort Myers. With the help of that congregation, a Sunday school class began meeting in 1932 at the Red Coconut RV Park, and then in homes, on boats and even in a local casino. The Presbyterian Church sent a founding pastor, Alexander Linn, to the Beach in 1933 to help organize the new congregation.
“Back in the days when there was very, very few people on the island and Estero Boulevard was an oyster shell road, land was inexpensive,” said Pittendreigh. “Linn was a Presbyterian missionary and worked with the Seminole Indians and drove all over Florida and through the Everglades.”
The Chapel reverend joked about “the very strict financial accountability” of the Presbyterian Church. Linn’s expense vouchers are still on file with the denominational archives.
“We know every mile he drove for more than 40 years, every tire he bought, every battery he replaced. One year he put over 33,000 miles on his Model T Ford as he traveled throughout the Florida wilderness,” he said.
Due to the work he did with the Seminoles, a lot of Linn’s work can be found in the Florida state archives. The missionary was involved with the group that began the Sunday school class.
“Out of that came Chapel by the Sea,” said Pittendreigh. “The church was organized in 1938, the year we officially began.”
The book states Chapel started the community’s Easter Sunrise services on the beach in 1939. When the Episcopalians founded St. Raphael’s in the 1950s, Chapel invited their sister congregation to join them in what has now become a truly ecumenical annual event.
Long before the Roman Catholic’s established the Ascension Church on Fort Myers Beach, Chapel by the Sea arranged to provide for Father James O’Riordan to come to the Beach on a monthly basis. Beginning on Palm Sunday, 1945, and continuing for several years, O’Riordan and other priests would come to Chapel by the Sea to conduct Mass for the Roman Catholics on the beach.
Although Chapel by the Sea built the first church on the island, the Presbyterians no longer have the oldest church building on the island. That honor goes to Saint Raphael Episcopal Church because Chapel gave away their original sanctuary. It now serves a sister church off-island in the Harlem Heights community.
“Rev. Don Jafvert was here for 19 years and was instrumental in building the present day Fellowship Hall, the Christian Education Building and the Sanctuary,” said Pittendreigh. “The original Sanctuary is located in Harlem Heights. They closed the bridge one night and moved it off the island in three trips. It’s on Concourse Street now.”
Jafvert, pastor emeritus of Chapel by the Sea, told the congregation when he visited last February, “Chapel helped start all of the sister churches in our community. Many of their charter members were at one time members of Chapel by the Sea, and many of the organizational meetings to start the other churches were held at our church.”
Pittendreigh said that oral tradition in this community often suggests that Chapel by the Sea was a non-denominational community church that later became Presbyterian. “However, the church was Presbyterian from the very beginning. The confusion comes from the fact that Chapel by the Sea has always been very ecumenical,” he said.
The reverend recounted several other stories about the days of old, like when an early newspaper article invited people to Chapel by the Sea and people would use pesticides to fight off the mosquitoes. Other early pastors included Dr. Jenkins Williams and Preacher Bill Hunter during World War II.
“It is an interesting history of this church. It has been through a lot,” said Pittendreigh. “This book is a thorough history which includes some of the difficult times as well as the good times.
The present sanctuary was built in 1985. It is known for its pulpit, which is shaped like the bow of a ship. The large cross behind the pulpit is a scale model of a mast of Old Ironsides. The stained glass windows show various symbols that reflect both Christian faith and our island community. The large Dolphin Trinity window on the front of the church is a replica of the window that was destroyed by Hurricane Charley. The center of the original window, depicting a ship with a cross, survived the storm and is now in a shadow box directly behind the pulpit.
“In Moby Dick, before they set sail, the whalers worshiped in a little chapel. There’s a wonderful chapter in that book about the pastor of the church preaching from the bow of a ship. In the story, the pastor literally has to climb up a ladder. I’m thankful we have steps,” said Pittendreigh. “They wanted to capture both the spiritual interests and the nautical atmosphere of the community as well. A ship is often a symbol of the missionary effort in the church.”
One of the most prominent elements of the Chapel’s present sanctuary is the pipe organ. It had long been a dream of the pastors and members of our church to have a pipe organ for our congregation and for community concerts. Members worked hard to raise the funds, and finally wrote a check to the Moller Organ Company, which was one of the most distinguished and reputable organ makers in the world. Pittendreigh said their organs could be found at Camp David, in our military academy chapels, and in many of the largest churches in the country. Unfortunately, within a week of cashing Chapel’s check, Moller declared bankruptcy. It was an agonizing period of the church’s history.
Eventually the company was bought by a group of investors who were able to continue to build Moller Organs. While that effort eventually failed, Chapel by the Sea has one of the last two Moller Organs ever built.
Pittendreigh said the history book’s final chapter briefly recounts some of the most recent events at the church. In 2010, Chapel by the Sea’s foundation was in such a state of disrepair that the sanctuary was in serious danger. One engineer who inspected the facility expressed his opinion that the sanctuary was within months of being condemned.
“While the nation was going through a difficult economy, Chapel by the Sea had to initiate a Capital Fund Campaign with a goal of over $350,000. Thanks to the hard work of its members and friends who gave sacrificially, Chapel by the Sea was saved and will be able to serve God and our beach community for many years to come,” said Pittendreigh.
The reverend said the church attendance jumps from 120 people in the summer to close to 1,000 by Easter.
“We have two services this time of year. We also broadcast in Silver Hall (fellowship hall), so if there is an overflow, whatever is being shown on the screen is projected into Silver Hall as well.”
For more information about ordering copies of the Chapel’s history book, visit the church’s web page at www.Chapelbts.org.
–information provided by Rev. Maynard Pittendreigh