First Baptist restored; holds first service since Hurricane Ian
On Sunday, First Baptist Church of Boca Grande held their first service in their sanctuary since Hurricane Ian. The church was destroyed during Ian, including the toppling of the top of the belfry. So bad was the damage that photos of it appeared in the survey work of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Support from the community, including the Disaster Relief Fund and the Boca Grande Woman’s Club, assisted in the restoration of their historic building.
In July of 2023, the church returned to worship in their Fellowship Hall until season when they returned once again to St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, and since then, they have made steady progress in full restoration of the rest of the campus. Today, not only is the main church’s storm damage been completed, but the parsonage, which dates from 1934, has been restored, as has the Bob and Betty Lindner Victory Garden. Contractors from Harper Little rebuilt the octagonal steeple of the church beginning in December. The Boca Grande Fire Department helped to complete the installation of the belfry.
In March, the carillon in the church’s belfry began playing hymns at noon and 5 p.m., as it had before Ian.
The church dates from 1915, and is the oldest church on the island. It had considerable damage during Hurricane Charley, as well. The church had a major renovation in 2003. In 2009, and led by Pastor Gary Beatty, the church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places after that restoration.
The church had hoped to get back in the sanctuary by Easter, but it was not yet complete.
