New church to be built in Jacksonville Beach
by Linda Borgstede
The new home for Church of our Savior is planned for property near Adventure Landing in Jacksonville Beach. (artwork submitted)
It is the vision of Church of Our Savior members that you will one day see a church tower as you enter Jacksonville Beach over the Intracoastal Waterway on Beach Boulevard.
Formed by the merger of two Anglican congregations just over two years ago, the church is now ready to build its own permanent home on property near Adventure Landing in Jacksonville Beach.
Church of Our Savior currently worships in the historic Beach Chapel in Jacksonville Beach, and has meetings and offices at 511 Pablo Ave.
“A permanent home will be such a benefit,” member Zann Williams said. “It is a great location and we are excited.”
The new chapel will have similarities to the historic Beaches Chapel where the congregation now meets as it will incorporate design elements found in the Carpenter Gothic genre. It will seat 165 in the sanctuary, which will be approximately 3,900 square feet in area. A church team has been working with local church architect Ron Scalisi for the past year to “capture and translate the taste and operational requirements of the congregation,” according to Williams.
“The chapel will be viewed as a landmark for the community with a classic bell tower welcoming visitors and residents to Jacksonville Beach and inviting them to worship,” the Rev. David Ball, pastor, said. “The chapel will serve as a central point from which Church of Our Savior will minister to its congregation and provide outreach and services to the Beaches area.”
Ball added that modern construction techniques and materials will be used throughout with an emphasis on environmental efficiency. Great care has been taken to create a design that will be compatible with the blended commercial and residential setting, including preservation and restoration of natural vegetation through careful planning.
A Capital Campaign called “Growing in Grace, Building in Faith” will open with a target of raising $1 million over three years to enable the development of the land and the building of the chapel. Site development is expected to begin in spring 2016.
The merger in May of 2013 brought together Calvary Anglican Church, established in 1989 as an Episcopal Church, from the west side of the ICW and Resurrection Church, formerly Beaches Anglican Church, established in 2006. The new church is an Anglican church which belongs to the Gulf Atlantic Diocese and the Anglican Church of North America.
For more information, see www.church-savior.com. A new website, www.growing.church-savior.com, will be available soon.
Read more: The Beaches Leader | Ponte Vedra Leader – New church to be built in Jacksonville Beach
