Christ Episcopal Church- Miami

A group of West Indian churchmen started Christ Episcopal Church, a congregation rich in Bahamian culture which lends itself to Coconut Grove’s unique historical background. The early years of Christ Church were ministered by the clergy of Trinity Church. On March 24, 1901, the first meeting of the founding families was held at the home of David and Rebecca Clark on Charles Avenue. Records show that the following people were present: Mr. & Mrs. E.W. F. Stirrup, Mr. & Mrs. Samuel Roberts, Mrs. Lula Reddick, Mrs. Catherine Anderson and Mr. Azariah Sawyer. Four children were baptized at that first service.
Bishop William C. Gray visited Miami on December 20, 1901 and officially organized the mission congregation known as CHRIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. Mr. David Clark was appointed lay reader. The Reverend G. I. Smith was the first official vicar, also serving St. Agnes. The Christ Church congregation purchased one lot on the corner of Hibiscus Street and William Avenue for the sum of $25. A church was built of Florida pine wood for the sum of $600. In September 1904 when he visited Miami, Bishop Gray celebrated the first service in the new edifice. During the next two years, Father Fuller and Father Dwight Cameron supplied as priests.
The Reverend H. A. Parris came to Christ Church in March 1906 as Vicar. During the first service conducted by him, four candidates were presented to Bishop Gray for Confirmation. In October 1910, Dr. Charles Percival Jackson, who had been doing missionary work in Jupiter, Florida, moved to Coconut Grove and assumed the work as Vicar of Christ Church and St. Stephens.
Under Dr. Jackson’s leadership, another lot was purchased where the church now stands. The old wooden church became the Sunday School Building. In 1912, the new edifice was built, becoming the first permanent church structure made of stone.
Dr. Jackson’s tenure at Christ Church was also noted for the relocation of St. Alban’s Industrial School from Key West, Florida to Coconut Grove in 1911. Miss Agnes Scott, a white missionary and nurse from Key West, who had been directing the school, also worked with Dr. Jackson to establish St. Alban’s in the wooden building that housed the Sunday School. St. Alban’s held classes for nine months out of the year for "colored" children, unlike public schools which were only open four months a year for “coloreds.” Open to children of all denominations, the school provided academic education, music and Bible study, as well as training in the trades, such as home economics, needlework, and furniture repair.
When Dr. Jackson left Christ Church, he moved to Homestead, Florida where he lived for a short time before his death. Father Benjamin Soper became part-time priest of Christ Church in 1916. He, too, continued the work of Miss Agnes Scott at St. Alban’s, developing the parochial curriculum in 1917. Before his resignation, Father Soper was instrumental in moving the school to the Douglas Road property owned by Miss Scott. Father Irving served the church after Father Soper resigned.
In spite of frequent turnover in the laity and other problems, Christ Church progressed. The Reverend John Samuel Simmons was appointed the first resident (and first African-American) Priest of Christ Church. He served for 18 years, focusing his administration on Sunday School attendance and Bible Study classes. This period of time was marked by a continuous flow of Caribbean immigrants to the South Florida area. The membership grew from 100 communicants to 502; Father Simmons presented 253 persons for Confirmation, and 472 for baptism.
In 1926, a tropical hurricane completely destroyed both the church and the parish house. Led by Father Simmons, this growing church family worked to restore the parish house while still subsidizing St. Alban’s School (where all services were held during the fund-raising period). The National Council appropriated $10,000 to Christ Church. These funds came from “undesignated legacies.” By 1930, the restoration project was completed, and the church’s edifice, as we know it today, was finished. The church was consecrated on May 25, 1930. Bishop Wing was the Celebrant, and Father Simmons presented a class of fifty candidates for confirmation. Father Simmons, a devout teacher and priest, resigned his position in the spring of 1937.
The Reverend Theophilus Boyden Pollard, a West Palm Beach resident, became the second African-American Vicar at Christ Church in 1937. He was an eloquent preacher and an excellent educator. Under his leadership, the church’s sanctuary was enlarged and redecorated. The Diocese of South Florida released funds to Christ Church so that St. Alban’s Industrial School might be reconditioned to house the Works Progress Administration’s (W.P.A.) homemaking project. This would benefit the Negro people of the community. Christ Church provided the building, equipment, and materials needed, while the W.P.A. appointed, supervised and paid the teaching staff. The training that was afforded by this project met an urgent local need and placed a number of persons in employment in the Miami area. Father Pollard was an important instrument in setting up the school. After more than seven years of faithful service, Father Pollard passed away in 1945.
Father Theodore Roosevelt Gibson came to Christ Church on the first Sunday in October, 1945. The Gibson ministry left a legacy, not only for the leadership of Christ Church, but also, for the quality of life in Dade County. Father Gibson’s influence in getting the City of Miami to pass an ordinance requiring all property owners in the City to install inside water and sanitary facilities, was just one of a string of civic accomplishments he achieved for the people of Miami. His political struggle to have equal rights for all people effectively changed the way Dade citizens educated, enjoy their leisure time, purchase and maintain real estate, follow zoning restrictions and ride public transportation. Father Gibson became one of the most outstanding leaders in South Florida, extending his ministry to the people of the entire community, as well as the members of his own congregation.
Christ Episcopal Church became a parish, and the Articles of Incorporation were filed under his administration. In the nearly thirty-six years he pastured Christ Church, Father Gibson did much to improve the church in every respect. He instituted the Vestry as a governing body of the parish. He persuaded the Bishop to designate a parcel of land for the express purpose of building a nursery school and kindergarten (also named St. Alban’s) for the children of the community. He purchased as much property surrounding the Church as possible, eventually building a rectory, new parish hall, multi-purpose room, and an office for the Rector. (In fact, the “coffee hour” was begun as a fund-raiser to help defray indebtedness created from modernizing the church property.) Always intent on beautifying the facilities and grounds, Father Gibson encouraged his members to purchase memorial windows and doors, pews, hymnals, and other church furnishings.
A devoted clergyman, Father Gibson also challenged the Episcopal Church by leading the way for Blacks in leadership positions. Appointed Canon in 1968, he was instrumental in getting Blacks appointed to the Diocesan’s powerful Standing Committee. He was the first to appoint women as lay readers and chalice bearers (the late Verneka S. Silva and Iva M. Hopkins) in Southeast Florida; and he inspired two young men from the congregation to enter the ministry, The Reverend Austin R. Cooper, Sr. and the Reverend Percival George Brown. In September 1982, after thirty-five and a half years of service to Christ Church, Father Gibson passed away.
Not only was Christ Church “Bethel” – a hallowed spot that sought to minister to and address the spiritual needs of “pilgrims” and “travelers,” but it will always be remembered for the continuous community involvement. Many of the George Washington Carver High School’s proms, baccalaureates and graduations were held in the Parish Hall. For many years, the G. W. Carver High School’s Chorus and Christ Episcopal Church’s Choir combined their talents to provide cultural events during the year. Such events were devoted to the uplifting of “spirits” of the citizens of the Coconut Grove Community.
In April, 1982, after months of negotiations, the Reverend Ronald N. Fox was selected as the second rector to continue a leadership role steeped in tradition. He came to Miami from Raleigh, North Carolina where he served as chaplain of St. Augustine’s College.
Within months of his arrival, he worked with members of the congregation to raise enough funds to air condition the sanctuary. Father Fox further improved the church’s facilities by modernizing the light fixtures in the sanctuary, adding a marble wall to the altar, converting the rectory into a second location for St. Alban’s Nursery, and installing a fence around the entire church grounds.
Father Fox established and directed an area “food bank” and was instrumental in helping to secure the land and building for more than a dozen homes for low-income Coconut Grove residents. During Father Fox’s era, Ruby Taylor Cruz was ordained a deacon in Christ Episcopal Church. On November 23, 1996 Barbara Baptiste-Williams was ordained a deacon in Christ Episcopal Church.
Wanting to improve the church’s internal communication and involve more members in the active life of the church, Father Fox encouraged the establishment of more church organizations and created a Parish Council. He left Christ Church after ten years of service to work with the Bishop of Southeast Florida as the Canon for Youth and Social Concerns. Father Fox spent ten years as rector of Christ Church.
On November 1, 1994, The Reverend Father Bernard M. Griffith, a native of Barbados became the third Rector of Christ Episcopal Church. Prior to arriving at Christ Episcopal Church, he was rector at St. Simon the Cyrenian Episcopal Church in New Rochelle, New York. He came with nearly twenty years of service as an ordained priest. During his tenure, he enhanced the worship service by providing a choral Eucharist each Sunday morning and conducted celebratory masses for all church holidays. He tripled the size of the choir, revised the Parish Council and professionalized Vestry operations as well as oversaw the purchase of real estate property adjacent to the church. Although negotiations had begun before his arrival, the purchase was completed soon after his arrival. That was his first official signature for and on behalf of Christ Episcopal Church.
During Father Griffith’s tenure, he sponsored two persons to the Sacred Ministry-Reverend Vivian Hopkins (Deacon) and Father Terrence Taylor (Priest). As a part of his pastoral duties, he twice visited Cuba as a member of a special multi-denominational Christian group and successfully re-established a link between Christ Episcopal Church and St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church.
He beautified Christ Episcopal Church with the addition of impact resistant stained glass windows and marble tiles. The Founders’ Window was installed on November 6, 2004 and 14 stained glass windows were installed in December 2007 and 2008. Father Griffith modernized the air conditioning system; upholstered church pews, replaced old sanctuary furniture and re-established a Rector’s Stall. The placing of national flags of various countries on the wall of the Narthex, demonstrated the diversity of the nations from which our worshippers had come. He also coordinated the purchase of numerous banners in the church’s Chancel, celebrating the variety of ministries in which worshippers are involved. He purchased a Memorial Book and a special stand in which that book is placed, honoring our dearly departed pioneers. A different page is displayed every Sunday, especially on anniversaries of their deaths.
Father Griffith was appointed Dean of South Dade Deanery, Chair of World Mission Commission and was appointed Secretary of the Diocesan Convention of Southeast Florida in 2003 and served in that capacity until 2006. He always sought ways to make his congregants feel special and loved. In 2001, he appointed the oldest member of Christ Episcopal Church-Syble Minus Rolle Hawes as “Madam President” of the year. Syble wore the special sash every Sunday. She died on April 1, 2010-her birthday. His legacy will always be remembered because of his establishment of the church’s endowment fund. As of 4/30/12, the endowment had a balance of $110,041.29.
The history of Christ Episcopal Church is quite rich. We can also proudly boast of other clergymen who were affiliated with this Coconut Grove Church: The Venerable John E. Culmer, priest and archdeacon who was confirmed at Christ Episcopal Church. He also served as organist, choir director, Sunday School teacher and Superintendent. He taught music and worked at St. Alban’s Parochial School. He was ordained to the diaconate in September 1919 and to the priesthood in March 1926. His first assignment as a clergyman was at St. James Episcopal Church in Tampa, Florida. He was later transferred to St. Agnes Episcopal Church, Miami in September 1929. He remained there until his death in June, 1963.
Other priests and deacons who received their religious start at Christ Episcopal Church were: Reverend Lambert Sands, Reverend Cyril White, Reverend Ida Louise Johnson, and Deacon Fred Sands.
The 111 years of Christ Episcopal Church’s history can best be described as “spiritual”, “intellectual” and “admirable”. On April 5, 2011, Christ Episcopal Church received its “Historical Designation” from the City of Miami. Christ Episcopal Chur is happy to welcome its new rector, Father Johnathan Archer from the Bahamas.