(To see slideshow of entire event, scroll down to bottom of this news story.)
Sunday, September 26, the Church of the Redeemer celebrated its 60th Anniversary of being on Palm Avenue in downtown Sarasota. The evening’s events began at 5:15 p.m., with the first Solemn Evensong of the season, which was followed by a Blessing, Dedication, and Ribbon-Cutting for the newly constructed Palm Avenue terrace and entrance to the church’s Gillespie Hall.

Over 300 parishioners and guests from the community attended, including Mr. Timothy Hensey, Executive Vice President of W.G. Mills, Inc., whose company oversaw construction of the terrace addition; project architects Javier Suarez and Javi Suarez of Apex Studio Suarez; mosaic artist Truman Adams; and Tom Younkman, who designed and installed the landscaping along the new terrace and Palm Avenue sidewalk. Members of the Downtown Sarasota Alliance and Sarasota City Commissioner Suzanne Atwell attended as well, and Sarasota Mayor Kelly Kirschner spoke during the ribbon-cutting.

The new terrace, entry, wall mosaic, stained glass windows, and trees and plantings were all blessed by the Rt. Rev. Dabney T. Smith, the fifth bishop of the Diocese of Southwest Florida, attended by the Rev. Fredrick A. Robinson, Redeemer’s Rector, the Rev. Richard Marsden, Associate Rector, and Reverends Richard Lampert and Lance Wallace.

The event featured University of Florida student soprano Adelaide Boedecker singing solo, Ann Stephenson-Moe on organ, Principal Trumpet for the Sydney Symphony Orchestra Daniel Mendelow in accompaniment, and a full choir, under the direction of Dr. Daniel Moe, Composer in Residence. A reception followed inside Gillespie Hall.
A traditional Episcopal parish with nearly 2,000 members, the Church of the Redeemer has been serving the Sarasota community since the mid-1880s. Sarasota’s first mayor – Colonel J. Hamilton Gillespie – was among the church’s earliest members and served as a deacon. Over the years, under the leadership of Redeemer clergy and laity, Episcopal congregations were established at St. Mark’s Church in Venice, St. Boniface Church on Siesta Key, and St. Wilfred’s Church on Clark Road in Sarasota. Lay people from Redeemer were also instrumental in initiating All Angels by the Sea on Longboat Key, Holy Spirit Church in Osprey, St. Margaret of Scotland and Church of the Nativity, both in Sarasota, and St. Mary Magdalene in Manatee County.
The Church of the Redeemer established Resurrection House in 1990, to serve as a daytime care and resource center for homeless persons in the community. Resurrection House has since become an ecumenical facility serving over 150 people every day; Redeemer’s Rector, the Rev. Fredrick Robinson is the President of Resurrection’s Board of Directors. As well, Redeemer runs the Episcopal Thrift House located on Second Street in downtown Sarasota; all profits from the Thrift House are funneled back into local, national, and global charities.
Sunday worship services are offered at 7:30, 9, and 11 a.m., as well as a 1 p.m., service in Spanish; Saturday, a contemporary worship service is offered at 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, the Holy Eucharist is offered twice — Wednesday at 7:30 a.m., and Thursday at 5:30 p.m., with Morning and Evening Prayer offered daily at 8:30 a.m., and 5:15 p.m.