Please e-mail St. Paul's at: stpauls07@yahoo.com

The Reverend C. Blake Rambo:
fbjr06@yahoo.com

Last updated June 11, 2008

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church ~ New Smyrna Beach
~ Celebrates 100 Years of Faith, Fellowship & Service ~

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in New Smyrna Beach, celebrated the Centennial of our historic church on October 27th and 28th, 2007.

The festivities began on Saturday Oct. 27th at 10am with a picnic, games, festival, historic displays and tours of the church. Sunday Oct. 28th included a special celebratory Mass.

The Right Reverend John W. Howe, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida officiated, along with the Reverend C. Blake Rambo, Rector of St. Paul’s. A dinner was held on the church grounds following the 10am service.

~ Parish History ~

Historic Property plaque on the front of Saint Paul's Church

St. Paul’s can look back on its historic legacy as the oldest church in New Smyrna. Religious ties date back to Anglican services performed in the English Crown Colony of Old Smyrna, circa 1764, by the Rev. John Forbes of St. Augustine. In 1769, a year after Dr. Andrew Turnbull founded the colony of New Smyrna; a Church of England congregation was formed as the first established Anglican congregation in Florida, under the Rev. John Fraser.

During the British Colonial period, which ended in 1783, records show the existence of an Anglican church building in New Smyrna, but no traces of it remain. When the British lost their Florida colonies to Spain in 1783, the Church of England dwindled away and no services were held for 40 years. Spain would only tolerate the Roman Catholic Church in their possessions.

After Florida became a United States territory in 1821, the church was revived once more with the arrival of Episcopal missionaries to this region. With the formation of several Episcopal congregations throughout Florida, seven of those joined together in 1838 to organize the Diocese of Florida before Florida’s statehood in 1845.

From 1875 to 1906, several church denominations shared a community church building, called "Union Church", at the corner of Washington and Faulkner Streets in New Smyrna. In 1907 the existing church was constructed at the corner of Palmetto and Downing streets, under the name of Grace Church. The architectural style is 'Carpenter Gothic'.

In 1922, the first resident Priest-in-Charge was the Rev. John Cyril Marsden. During that year, the church was consecrated by the Rt. Rev. Cameron Mann and renamed St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. The Altar Guild was also established during that year. St. Paul’s was elevated from mission to parish status in 1952. The Rev. Charles O. Farrar, the Rev. David C. Clark, the Rev. Kee H. Harrison and the Rev. Larry D. Lossing, served as Rectors in the years from 1954 to 1982.

The year 1977 was a banner year for the history of St. Paul's. The church building was moved from its first location, to its current location, 1650 Live Oak St. and the sacristy was added. The Parish Day School was opened on October 31st of that year and is still in existence today.

From 1983 to 2006, the Rev. James C. Biegler, the Rt. Rev. Reginald Hollis, and the Rev. G. Richmond Bridge, served as Rectors. During that time many changes and additions occurred. A new organ was installed, The Resurrection Garden was completed, new pews were installed, and the Riverview Counseling Ministries was established. It was during that time that a Surfer’s Mass was begun by the Rev. Lossing. They met in Coronado Elementary School and became known as St. Peter's Chapel under the leadership of the Rev. Tyrrel Dear. In 1987, it became St. Peter the Fisherman, a diocesan mission.

The Reverend Charles Blake Rambo, Jr. became the 9th Rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on August 12, 2007. Father Blake and the church look forward to growing in our Faith, Fellowship and Service! Father Blake earned a Master's of Divinity degree from The School of Theology, at The University of the South, Sewanee, TN, and a Bachelor's of Music Education degree from Stetson University, DeLand, FL.

Learn more about St. Paul's newest Rector by visiting the Rector's Page.