Peace River Presbytery

Updates on New Church Development/Redevelopment

The efforts of Peace River Presbytery in the areas of evangelism, church development/redevelopment are positively explosive!  All of the efforts outlined below are actively supported by Peace River Presbytery, with money, time, advice, and professional consultation in their grant-seeking efforts.

Peace Presbyterian in Lakewood Ranch is a new church development in the Bradenton-Sarasota area.  Elizabeth Deibert has been called as organizing pastor.  Click here for Peace Presbyterian Updates and News.

Vanderbilt Presbyterian Church, Naples, is actively pursuing new church development for the East Collier County area on the Immokalee Road corridor.  Property has been purchased and the name Crossroads Presbyterian Fellowship chosen.  Rev. Ed Gray is the organizing pastor effective July 24, 2006. During the year 2007, the name was changed to NEW LIFE PRESBYTERIAN FELLOWSHIP.  Click here for their web site.

Vanderbilt is also hosting a Brazilian Fellowship, which has called a part-time lay minister, Silvana Franca.  (She is completing the ordination process.).  Click here for a  Description of Ministry.

Estero New Church Development and Grace Presbyterian Church, with the guidance and support of the committee, combined their resources and energies into a redevelopment/union effort called Hope United in South Lee County.

Christ Church of Longboat Key, with around 115 members and 22 affiliate members, was chartered February 26, 2006, as the 38th member congregation of Peace River Presbytery.  Their session was ordained and installed on March 12, 2006.  For more information, click here.     

Redevelopment/reinvigoration efforts and new church development require diligent prayer and careful ground work.  Part of that process has been exploratory meetings held throughout the Presbytery, as well as giving hefty numbers of grants to refurbish and modernize worship facilities, with the purpose being to revitalize these ministries and attract new congregants.

These are just part of the efforts being made by Peace River Presbytery in its extremely active effort to plant new churches, activate new programs, and support the re-energizing of our older congregations to meet the challenges of new attitudes and new opportunities in a new century.  We are limited not by a lack of vision, but by our meager resources.