Split Church Starts Worships in New Place

5/27/2007

By Kristin Smith
First Coast News

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- The Church of the Redeemer is worshipping in its new digs - the Beth Israel Jewish Temple on Baymeadows Road. Beth Israel is accomodating the church as a temporary place of worship.

Last Sunday was the church's last day worshipping in the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer. They had to move locations after a state judge decided the Episcopal Diocese of Florida owned the land.

Because Church of the Redeemer split from the Episcopal Church, they had to find somewhere else to worship.

The split started about two years ago, when the Episcopal Church appointed a gay bishop in New Hampshire. The Florida bishop ruled in January, 2006, that the dissidents here would no longer belong to the Episcopal Church.

"I know for many of you it's already an uncomfortable morning because you can't find your familiar seat," said Reverend Neil Lebhar, Church of the Redeemer Rector.

It's an unfamiliar place for these churchgoers, and this church has been through a lot of change.

"Change to be better, change to have more outreach, and keeping with the way most of us, all of us, believe the way it should be," said Bill Stich, a Church of the Redeemer parishoner.

"The lord has lead us through an interesting journey," said Lebhar.

"That was a beautiful place and peaceful place to worship, until the last two years. After being through so much turmoil and not knowing, and stress, it's almost freeing to be here," said Church of the Redeemer parishoner, Jana Prater.

Davette Turk is serving as interim rector at the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, now that Reverend Lebhar's left. She says they spoke on the phone last night, and are parting on peaceful terms.

"He said, 'do you know where the lights are, do you know where the switches are, do you know where everything is, Davette,'" said Turk.

Now, in their new place, there's a lot to get used to. But some of it won't be so hard.

"This area out here is better than anything we had. So it's just a wonderful area for us to carry on," said Church of the Redeemer parishoner, Bob Hutton.

Lebhar says he expects the Beth Israel building to be the church's home for about 2 years.

The Church of the Redeemer is one of 12 Florida congregations that broke ties with the Episcopal Church.

The Church of the Redeemer now belongs to the Anglican church in Uganda. Reverend Lebhar says international unions are common when churches split.

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