St. Raphael’s Church turns 60
The oldest church building on Fort Myers Beach and the first denominational church to be established on Estero Island received some well-established praise Thursday morning.
St. Raphael’s Episcopal Church at 5601 Williams Dr. became the seventh in a line of older structures to be presented a Historic Designation plaque and recognized by the Town of Fort Myers Beach with a ceremony. The short program was held in the church’s Parish Hall.
Designed by Cyril Shawcross and Cyril Harby in 1951, St. Raphael’s Episcopal Church was completed in 1953 as a modern mission-style building and, to this day, remains unaltered. Church officials say the 60th anniversary celebration will last through February 2012 with special events being scheduled for each of the six months.
Vice Mayor Bob Raymond represented the Town Council at the event and began the ceremony by acknowledging the history of the pristine church. Historical Preservation Board Chairperson Rochelle Kay led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance and Vicar Don Nicholson gave the invocation afterwards.
“Every organization on this Beach has used this place at one time or another,” said Raymond. “We’re fortunate enough to be here at the beginning of your 60th year anniversary.”
St. Raphael’s Episcopal Church Clerk Ellie Bunting made reference to the power point slides being shown all morning long inside Parish Hall before touching on the church’s history.
“We started in 1949 as a group of interested Episcopalians who met with Father Brown from St. Hilary’s, and they started the first denominational group on the Beach,” she said. “In 1951, we were granted commission status, and the first service was held in 1952.”
Town Community Development Director Walter Fluegel said the church campus is a good example of the Town’s community character.
“I enjoyed driving into this wonderful little neighborhood and finding the sanctuary of the church tucked into it. This is where neighborhood identity comes from and where community character comes from. It’s interesting to see the neighborhood wrapped around this church.
“Churches are the anchors in our community and often they really tie our common goals and value systems together. It’s not just the structure; it’s the sense of placement it creates in this community. A form of community comes together in a church.”
Fluegel presented Vicar Nicholson with the historic designation plaque and extended the Town’s gratitude and appreciation for the church’s sense of community and history. The vicar has been with St. Raphael’s for only one year.
“It has been a joy and a privilege,” he said. “I hope it goes on for a long time. This is a wonderful parish.”
The church structure is shaped like a cross and features a long gable roof with an intersecting gable roof near the rear. At each end of the gable ends, the building features parapets that are reminiscent of Spanish Colonial buildings.
Much of the interior remains intact and still includes the original altar, pulpit, communion rails, bishop chairs, acolyte bench, some choir pews and stalls, hand-crafted hymn boards and beach-theme-designed needlepoint kneelers.
The stain-glass, awning-style church windows involve an adaptation to the tropical Florida climate and were added after the installation of air conditioning.
St. Raphael’s Church was designated as a Historic Church in 2002.
This is the seventh structure on the island the Town has designated historical. The Town in conjunction with the Historic Preservation Board and the Historic Advisory Committee has presented plaques for the Smith Cottage, the Carter Cottage, The Rain Barrel, The Annex, The Historic Cottage as well as Beach Elementary School.