Two years after Hurricane Ian destroyed the Chapel By The Sea church building on Estero Boulevard, the congregation will cease to exist. Church members were notified by letter that the church will dissolve September 30, 2024.
The letter stated: “Our prayerful motion to dissolve the congregation of Chapel by the Sea effective September 30, 2024, was affirmed by a majority vote. Those of us on the Commission were saddened by the necessity of this decision, but our year-long analysis supported and confirmed this reality.”
What happens now?
Church leadership will continue to meet over the next four months to determine the future of the property and a number of other issues. “One of our first considerations will be to explore whether or not we can recommend to our Presbytery that Chapel’s land and monetary assets be held in trust for three years in order to determine how Fort Myers Beach will evolve as a residential community compared to a rental/tourist one.”
For those that are wondering: the mahogany cross, dolphin window, bells, and baptismal font were all saved and are in storage. The ship’s bell has been loaned to Cypress Lake Presbyterian Church to open services, and the chimes have been loaned to Faith Presbyterian Church.
Vice Mayor Jim Atterholt, who along with his wife Brenda, were members of the church, would like to find a way for the town to display the glass window at the new town hall with a plaque commemorating the history of the church.
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