OUR HISTORY

NORTHEAST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

The Presbytery of West Florida, in a 1960’s survey of new areas for church development, determined that a Presbyterian church should be built in the northeast section of St. Petersburg . A 3.7-acre parcel of land was given by Mr. William Upham for that purpose, located along Shore Acres Boulevard and 14th Way Northeast .

The congregation first met in a storefront on Chancellor Street . The initial organizing work was done by Dr. Walter Farris, a retired pastor.

These facilities were soon inadequate, and the congregation moved closer to the donated property, meeting at the Recreation Center on the corner of 40th Avenue and Shore Acres Boulevard. The Reverend Mr. Thomas Fairhurst was called to be the organizing pastor to the fledgling congregation. There were about 25 attendees at that time. The congregation grew and, on May 7, 1967 , was chartered with 105 original members.

A decision was made in 1967 to erect the first building on the donated site at 4400 Shore Acres Boulevard Northeast. Construction was begun, and the service of dedication was held in October of 1967.

After ministering to the congregation for 5 years, Thomas Fairhurst left in the summer of 1970. In October of that year, the Reverend Mr. Robert Caldwell was called as pastor of the congregation. There followed a period of program development, visitation, and Sunday School and membership growth.

Two years later, construction was begun in January of 1973 on a new seven-room building that was finally dedicated in November of that year. In 1974, the chancel platform was built by men of the church and, later that year, a new rug was added to the Fireside Room and sanctuary. Pews were put in and, finally, in 1976, the lovely new parking lot and landscaping was complete. The men and women of the church planted the donated trees and plants - 516 in all. The Gobi Desert had become the Garden of Eden II.

In 1983, a new Christian Education building was constructed and was partially completed. The second floor was finished in 1989.

Dr. Robert B. Caldwell's untimely death in March of 1986 was a difficult loss, after 16 years of fruitful ministry. He has been memorialized in a fitting way, with the decision of the congregation to rename the newest facility of the church the Robert B. Caldwell Christian Education Building in 1987.

From 1986 until March of 2007 our church was under the leadership of William J. Martin. During his tenure, the church enlarged and remodeled the main sanctuary, constructed a new building containing office space on the lower level and a 125-seat multi-media facility on the second floor, and renovated the old office space to provide a wonderful youth facility known as “the spot.”

Our church is presently under the leadership of interim pastor, M. Sidney McCollum.