Our Parish History
"And these are the seeds sown on good soil: they hear the Word and accept it
and bear fruit, thirty, sixty and a hundred fold." (Mark 4:20)
and bear fruit, thirty, sixty and a hundred fold." (Mark 4:20)
First Episcopal Redeemer worship service in 1957
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Two car garage served as first Sanctuary
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Our Parish History from March 17, 1957, inside a two-car garage
to SIXTY YEARS LATER, inside a 355-seat Sanctuary.
to SIXTY YEARS LATER, inside a 355-seat Sanctuary.
1956 – Redeemer Mission Established
Our church was established in May 1956 as a mission within the Diocese by Grace Chapel Parish (now San Jose Parish), the Rev. Grover Allison, Jr., Rector. That year ten acres at 6004 Terry Road near its intersection with University Blvd. was purchased for $14,000. It included a four-room frame house, a two-car garage, a leaning barn, a few dilapidated chicken houses, a cleared garden and field, a beautiful pear tree and a grape arbor. It was thought that the garage would serve as a chapel and the house could be utilized for meeting rooms, classrooms, kitchen and sanitary facilities. The Diocese paid $7,000 cash down on the property and Grace Chapel assumed responsibility for the $7,000 balance.
Formal Diocesan approval for the mission was granted in January, 1957 by the Rt. Rev. Hamilton West, Bishop. The first service was on March 17, 1957. “The Mission Church of the Redeemer” began services in the “garage-church” on March 17, 1957 with 14 registered communicants. The house was used as a Sunday school and parish hall.
Services were held at 9 a.m. each Sunday with nursery care provided. Lay readers of Grace Chapel Parish conducted Morning Prayer each week. A celebration of the Holy Communion was held every third Sunday. A regular Church School program was developed.
During the spring of 1959 the Mission Board of Redeemer concluded with much regret that the ties with Grace Chapel should be ended and that Redeemer should become a Diocesan Mission to enable Redeemer to have a full-time minister of its own.
1959 – New Chapel and Rectory
In 1959 a Rectory on Rosebay Terrace was purchased and a new chapel was begun in the fall of 1959, in front of the old one. The “garage” became the sacristy and a classroom. A classroom and office wing was built in 1960. In 1960 a second Sunday School wing and more office space was completed.
1964 – Parish Growth
The Mission Board had voted unanimously to apply to the Diocese of Florida for parish status. He observed that “since the formation of this Mission by the Diocese in January 1957, the communicant strength has grown from 14 men, women, and children to the present strength of 100 solid communicant families.” The application was accepted and Redeemer was elevated to parish status in January, 1964.
Redeemer functioned as a viable parish at the Terry Road location for the next 21 years. Eighteen altar rail kneeling cushions were embroidered by members of St. Anne's Guild between 1981 and 1983, and are still in use today. During the same period the Bishop's mahogany chair was donated by three parishioners. Since the chair back was not cushioned one was created, bearing the Official Seal of the Diocese of Florida. Another parishioner stitched the chair seat cushion.
1986 - Redeemer Relocates to Southside
By 1985, Redeemer was located in an area that included 16 other churches including several large Episcopal parishes. And so the congregation decided to relocate the Parish of Redeemer to a growth-centered area of southeast Jacksonville known as Baymeadows/Deerwood.
A site was located on seven acres of land at 7500 Southside Boulevard. Plans were drawn by Schweizer Associates Inc., an Orlando-based architect frequently asked to do Episcopal Church design. Estimated cost was $700,000. Groundbreaking was on Palm Sunday, March 31, 1985.
Two distinct and parallel buildings were constructed first. To emphasize tradition and permanence, a church facade of red brick and a gray slate-looking roof were selected. The new buildings tripled Redeemer’s worship and education space.
A bell tower with brick pillars rose 65 feet. It was funded separately as a memorial by members T. Wayne and Kitty Davis. In late 2017, after weathering and hurricane damage, the tower was deemed unsafe and it was demolished. The bell, chimes and cross were preserved so they can be reused at another time.
The Bishop consecrated the completed church buildings on April 22, 1986. The land and improvements had an estimated market value of $1.3 million. On Dec. 28, 1994 all remaining debt on the new facility was paid off through a generous $530,000 contribution and a formal "The Burning of the Mortgage" service was conducted on May 7, 1995.
1995-2003 - Progress
On May 7, 1995, the Memorial Garden was formally dedicated by The Right Reverend Stephen H. Jecko, Bishop of Florida. The ground-breaking celebration for the new Education and Administration Building was held on April 16, 2000. It consisted of a four-classroom educational building with nursery facilities on the first floor and became the third permanent building in the 7500 Southside Blvd. complex. Administrative offices were included on the second floor. A Dedication was held on Feb. 25, 2001.
2003-2007 – Theological Dispute
In 2003 many members of Redeemer had a theological dispute with the Bishop of the Diocese of Florida over the consecration of Bishop Gene Robinson in the Diocese of New Hampshire. They formed an alternative church affiliated with an Anglican bishop located in Uganda. However, they physically remained at the 7500 Southside site, although it was Episcopal Church property. In 2006 the Diocese of Florida took successful legal action that established the precedent that departing congregations cannot remain on church property.
2010 – Growth and Health Resume
The Parish was reorganized following the resolution of the dispute. The parish offices were relocated from the second floor of the Education Building to the Parish Hall Building in 2010 to enable easier access and the second floor was leased to a local business. In 2011 a new handmade wooden Cross of the Redeemer was presented to the congregation by Sue Carmichael and now hangs above the altar.
The Rev. Canon B. Wiley Ammons currently serves as Rector after having previously served as Canon for Youth Ministry, Summer Camp Director,and founding chaplain for the University of North Florida. Fr. Wiley came to Redeemer from Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, Jacksonville, having served there as Deputy for Outreach Ministry.
While the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer is over 60 years old, in many ways it is a modern, new, young and vibrant congregation full of enthusiasm.
Our church was established in May 1956 as a mission within the Diocese by Grace Chapel Parish (now San Jose Parish), the Rev. Grover Allison, Jr., Rector. That year ten acres at 6004 Terry Road near its intersection with University Blvd. was purchased for $14,000. It included a four-room frame house, a two-car garage, a leaning barn, a few dilapidated chicken houses, a cleared garden and field, a beautiful pear tree and a grape arbor. It was thought that the garage would serve as a chapel and the house could be utilized for meeting rooms, classrooms, kitchen and sanitary facilities. The Diocese paid $7,000 cash down on the property and Grace Chapel assumed responsibility for the $7,000 balance.
Formal Diocesan approval for the mission was granted in January, 1957 by the Rt. Rev. Hamilton West, Bishop. The first service was on March 17, 1957. “The Mission Church of the Redeemer” began services in the “garage-church” on March 17, 1957 with 14 registered communicants. The house was used as a Sunday school and parish hall.
Services were held at 9 a.m. each Sunday with nursery care provided. Lay readers of Grace Chapel Parish conducted Morning Prayer each week. A celebration of the Holy Communion was held every third Sunday. A regular Church School program was developed.
During the spring of 1959 the Mission Board of Redeemer concluded with much regret that the ties with Grace Chapel should be ended and that Redeemer should become a Diocesan Mission to enable Redeemer to have a full-time minister of its own.
1959 – New Chapel and Rectory
In 1959 a Rectory on Rosebay Terrace was purchased and a new chapel was begun in the fall of 1959, in front of the old one. The “garage” became the sacristy and a classroom. A classroom and office wing was built in 1960. In 1960 a second Sunday School wing and more office space was completed.
1964 – Parish Growth
The Mission Board had voted unanimously to apply to the Diocese of Florida for parish status. He observed that “since the formation of this Mission by the Diocese in January 1957, the communicant strength has grown from 14 men, women, and children to the present strength of 100 solid communicant families.” The application was accepted and Redeemer was elevated to parish status in January, 1964.
Redeemer functioned as a viable parish at the Terry Road location for the next 21 years. Eighteen altar rail kneeling cushions were embroidered by members of St. Anne's Guild between 1981 and 1983, and are still in use today. During the same period the Bishop's mahogany chair was donated by three parishioners. Since the chair back was not cushioned one was created, bearing the Official Seal of the Diocese of Florida. Another parishioner stitched the chair seat cushion.
1986 - Redeemer Relocates to Southside
By 1985, Redeemer was located in an area that included 16 other churches including several large Episcopal parishes. And so the congregation decided to relocate the Parish of Redeemer to a growth-centered area of southeast Jacksonville known as Baymeadows/Deerwood.
A site was located on seven acres of land at 7500 Southside Boulevard. Plans were drawn by Schweizer Associates Inc., an Orlando-based architect frequently asked to do Episcopal Church design. Estimated cost was $700,000. Groundbreaking was on Palm Sunday, March 31, 1985.
Two distinct and parallel buildings were constructed first. To emphasize tradition and permanence, a church facade of red brick and a gray slate-looking roof were selected. The new buildings tripled Redeemer’s worship and education space.
A bell tower with brick pillars rose 65 feet. It was funded separately as a memorial by members T. Wayne and Kitty Davis. In late 2017, after weathering and hurricane damage, the tower was deemed unsafe and it was demolished. The bell, chimes and cross were preserved so they can be reused at another time.
The Bishop consecrated the completed church buildings on April 22, 1986. The land and improvements had an estimated market value of $1.3 million. On Dec. 28, 1994 all remaining debt on the new facility was paid off through a generous $530,000 contribution and a formal "The Burning of the Mortgage" service was conducted on May 7, 1995.
1995-2003 - Progress
On May 7, 1995, the Memorial Garden was formally dedicated by The Right Reverend Stephen H. Jecko, Bishop of Florida. The ground-breaking celebration for the new Education and Administration Building was held on April 16, 2000. It consisted of a four-classroom educational building with nursery facilities on the first floor and became the third permanent building in the 7500 Southside Blvd. complex. Administrative offices were included on the second floor. A Dedication was held on Feb. 25, 2001.
2003-2007 – Theological Dispute
In 2003 many members of Redeemer had a theological dispute with the Bishop of the Diocese of Florida over the consecration of Bishop Gene Robinson in the Diocese of New Hampshire. They formed an alternative church affiliated with an Anglican bishop located in Uganda. However, they physically remained at the 7500 Southside site, although it was Episcopal Church property. In 2006 the Diocese of Florida took successful legal action that established the precedent that departing congregations cannot remain on church property.
2010 – Growth and Health Resume
The Parish was reorganized following the resolution of the dispute. The parish offices were relocated from the second floor of the Education Building to the Parish Hall Building in 2010 to enable easier access and the second floor was leased to a local business. In 2011 a new handmade wooden Cross of the Redeemer was presented to the congregation by Sue Carmichael and now hangs above the altar.
The Rev. Canon B. Wiley Ammons currently serves as Rector after having previously served as Canon for Youth Ministry, Summer Camp Director,and founding chaplain for the University of North Florida. Fr. Wiley came to Redeemer from Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, Jacksonville, having served there as Deputy for Outreach Ministry.
While the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer is over 60 years old, in many ways it is a modern, new, young and vibrant congregation full of enthusiasm.
