It began as a simple observation: The church needs a new paint job. But over time, that simple observation in the fall of 2018 by The Rev. Michelle Roach, priest-in-charge at Christ Church, Longwood, grew into so much more.
On Feb. 28, 2021, the church held a special rededication service at which The Rt. Rev. Gregory O. Brewer, diocesan bishop, preached, followed by a socially distanced time of fellowship and refreshments on the church grounds. City officials Mayor Richard Drummond, Deputy Mayor Abby Shoemaker, Commissioner Matt McMillan and Commissioner Brian Sackett were in attendance as well.
When Roach first noticed the church was looking “shabby,” she mentioned her concerns to a vestry member, who promptly offered to pay for the work. Roach, who remembered similar repainting done on her own home, said, “I thought the estimate would come in at maybe $2,000 or $3,000.”
When the actual estimate—$23,000—arrived, Roach knew a real challenge lay ahead.
Not only did the church need paint, but areas of rotting wood meant it also needed some extensive repairs. And Christ Church faced an additional challenge: As the oldest church in continuous use in Seminole County, the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This meant all repairs and renovations would need to comply not only with the city of Longwood but with the NRHP as well. This included using the original paint color and preserving the same basic structure throughout.
The church launched a capital campaign, “God at Work,” and had the blessing of raising $18,000 toward renovations in just one year. As time passed, however, the problems grew. “You could see holes forming over the steeple area, and when it rained, we had water on the floor of the church,” Roach said.
By this time, it was 2020, and the church received a new bid from a contractor who was also a member of the Christ Church congregation. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
The bid from Mario’s Renovations, LLC, came in at just over $24,000. Because of the pandemic and lockdown, “We wondered, ‘Should we even spend a penny?’” Roach said.
However, by this time, it was more and more obvious that the work was not a luxury but a necessity. “I did not meet any opposition at all,” Roach said, noting that several of her congregants’ parents had played a part in enhancing the church property in years past. As a result, these members have deep emotional ties to the building.
In August 2020, the church applied to the Diocesan Board for a loan to cover “remediations, repairs and renovations to the church’s facilities.” After its unanimous approval, the renovation process began in early December. Having fewer people on campus because of the pandemic made it easier to complete the renovations, Roach said.
“There was much more wood rot than we knew, and the final cost was just over $34,000,” Roach said. “We are grateful for the diocese contributing to help us achieve this goal and preserve our church building. People tell me all the time, ‘There’s such a presence inside of that church.’”
When Brewer visited the congregation several years ago, he told the church it stood as a “beacon of light” to the community, Roach explained. After that, the church redid its logo to reflect this concept. With the renovations complete, the church once again stands “in all her glory,” poised as that welcoming beacon and pointing all to the light of Christ.
“I think that Christ Church is on the precipice of branching out more,” Roach said. “We have a lot to offer in this quaint historic setting with a thriving ministry. I’m happy to be here, and I see bright things ahead.”