‘For Everything There Is a Season’: Christ Church, Fort Meade, Closes

After many prayers for discernment and much discussion, Christ Church, Ft. Meade, has closed. The 139-year-old parish held its final service on Palm Sunday, March 29.

The decision to close the parish was far from easy. “I would say that most of the prayerful discernment and decision-making took place on the part of the leadership at Christ Church in Fort Meade,” explained the Rev. Canon Dr. Dan Smith, canon to the ordinary for the Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida. “Russell Hancock, who is in our ordination process, has provided incredible leadership to Christ Church for several years. His thoughtful, prayerful decision-making has been vital to this process.

“I would also add that the Very Rev. Becky Toalster, dean of the Southwest Deanery and rector of Holy Trinity in Bartow, has provided an important sounding board for Russell,” he said. “Together, they met with Bishop Holcomb and others and told us it was time to close this congregation. While the idea of closing Christ Church had been under discussion among the bishop’s staff, Russell’s leadership ultimately led to this decision.”

“It was a very difficult call to the diocese, but during the meeting to discuss the closing, it made sense that now was the time,” Hancock said. “We had eight parishioners. Throughout this process, Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 kept coming to mind.”

For now, diocesan CFO and Administrator Roman Franklin will inventory the church’s assets, including buildings, furniture and equipment, with a view to maintaining them until they are monetized or redeployed productively. “We are still exploring all available options, including leasing and selling the property, in consultation with diocesan Finance and Real Estate Commissions,” he said.

Hancock worked for nearly six years to help Christ Church grow. “In a small town of approximately 6,000 people, with 26 churches, I realized it was a near-impossible task,” he said. “It also hit me that I had pushed so hard for so long that I was missing out on that spiritual nourishment. It was a very difficult call to the diocese, but during the meeting to discuss the closing, it made sense that now was the time.”

Toalster became Hancock’s mentor during his internship at Holy Trinity. “He would attend the 8 a.m. service at Holy Trinity and then lead the 10 a.m. service at Christ Church,” she said. “We started meeting occasionally, and he would ask me how I would handle something somewhere. Before long, I discerned that it might be time to pray about closing the parish.”

Hancock felt called to the ministry many years ago but didn’t heed it. “Through leading services and writing homilies/sermons each Sunday, it felt natural that, after years of feeling in limbo, this was what I was supposed to be doing. Because of the situation at Christ Church, I have humbly accepted the call to the ministry to become a priest.

“The final service was sad yet uplifting,” he continued. “Over 50 people attended: families of members who have passed on, some former members, the remaining members, family and friends. The service just had a bittersweet atmosphere. It was a service of thanksgiving, but when we processed out to the final hymn, ‘Onward, Christian Soldiers,’ with me as the crucifer, there were many tears.’

The remaining parishioners are now worshipping at Holy Trinity, Bartow.

“It is always sad when a congregation closes,” Smith said. “That said, we should give thanks for all the lives that were touched by Christ Church’s mission and ministry. It was a place of baptisms, marriages, funerals and most importantly, a place where the gospel was proclaimed. That legacy will be remembered.

“We also need to recognize as Christians that we believe in life after death: resurrection,” he continued. “We may not yet know what that will look like. Still, we do know that we will be able to use any financial resources gained by closing Christ Church to either start a new congregation or to help with the revitalization of a congregation.”