Fort King Presbyterian Church: 60 years of service to the community
Donna Lavery, left, and Margaret Spontak, right, hang a photo of the Eureka Dam in the Hope House during a work day at Fort King Presbyterian Church in Ocala, Fla. on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2025.
Sixty years ago, on Aug. 1, 1965, in the cafeteria of the old Ocala High School on Fort King Street, a new church was formed in Ocala. The service was conducted by Rev. Malcolm B. Koehler and Rev. Edwin W. Albright Sr. I was just 8 years old, totally unaware of the significance of this organizational service, while I was helping my father, John Hankinson, move chairs around the cafeteria. The only thing big I remember was the scary, giant metal fans that clanked away as people were trying to cool the room down before the important service began.
As an adult, I discovered the idea behind that life-changing event that shaped our church. It all began at the Crossroads Class for Young Adults at First Presbyterian Church. The class was made up mostly of veterans who had served in racially integrated armed forces. They had a vision of a better church—a church that welcomed people of all colors.
Creation of an intentionally racially integrated church was no easy effort in the early 1960s. Ocala was totally segregated, including its schools and protestant churches. This brave group of women and men, led by the late Gov. Kenneth “Buddy” MacKay, was the catalyst for what is now, 60 years later, Fort King Presbyterian Church, located at 13 NE 36th Ave., Ocala.
Sheena Schlegel, left, and JoAnn Parramore, right, work in the garden at Fort King Presbyterian. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]
On the first Sunday, the Fort King Chapel met for worship, my dad brought one of his Black colleagues from the faculty of Ocala High School, and we have been racially integrated ever since. Caribbean, African American and Hispanic members have greatly enriched our lives and the life of Fort King Presbyterian Church. My dad once shared that he wished we could attract more people of color to be church members, but he explained that we were building bridges by doing partnership programs and projects together.
Then and today, the church welcomes all people with the goal that no person should be a stranger once they walk through our doors. Our signs proudly say, “All Are Welcome.”
A designated Matthew 25 church
Buddy MacKay always told me we were an “activist” church. From its earliest days, Fort King Presbyterian has been mission-oriented, not only supporting mission efforts but helping create them. Many ideas for mission projects have been inspired by Crossroads II, our adult Sunday program.
Over the years, the church has played an instrumental role in establishing organizations such as Interfaith Emergency Services and the Marion County Children’s Alliance, both of which continue to thrive and serve the people of Marion County. One reason I returned to the church after living and working outside of the area was a sermon Rev. Jim Bullock gave about the need to protect our children.
We believe that mission is a calling shared by the entire congregation.
According to charter member Chris Berryhill, “The spirit and mission of this church has always been focused on service, not only here in this community but through outreach programs beyond its doors.”
The church is now designated as a Matthew 25 Church by the Presbyterian Church (USA). Matthew 25: 35-36 describes it best: “I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.”
Support for children and families
Many past and current projects focus on supporting children and families. In 1993, a grant from the Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation helped fund the Fort King Family Resource Center, a model childcare facility for children “at risk of abuse and neglect.”
Chris Berryhill, left, and JoAnn Parramore, right, clean a pew in the sanctuary. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]
Our most recent project is The Pearl Project. Since 2024, Fort King Presbyterian has been providing space in our education building for their work. The Pearl Project is a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening foster and adoptive families through support, training and resources. We are helping make a lasting difference in the lives of vulnerable children and those who care for them.
The story of a church’s birth tends to shape that.
Each year, we organize school supply drives to benefit both students and teachers. We have given books—on more than one occasion—to every child at the two elementary schools closest to the church. Most recently, we helped establish a library in a local apartment complex, creating a shared reading space for children, teens and adults. And, in one of my favorite projects, a group of dedicated church members dress dozens of teddy bears used by first responders when they come upon a call that involves children. In an age when other churches have given up sponsorship of scouting units, we welcomed them. Since the mid-2010s, we have assumed sponsorship of numerous troops.
A project that brings together children and adults is Art 4 All, a free, vibrant and inclusive monthly gathering bringing together people of all ages, faiths and abilities to experience creativity through art, crafts, music and dance. Fifty to 80 participants collaborate, from children with disabilities to seniors to professional artists to families, building bonds, all sharing their work with pride.
Medical assistance and mission trips
Beyond Ocala, Fort King members, both youth and adults, have participated in mission trips across the region and internationally to Appalachia, North Georgia, Jamaica, Haiti and Sudan. Locally, the Christian Medical Clinic, Inc., was established in 1981 by members of Fort King Presbyterian Church, in collaboration with First Presbyterian and Silver Springs Shores Presbyterian churches, to address the lack of medical care for uninsured seniors. Funded by community donations, the clinic operated from Fort King’s Youth House, serving around 1,000 clients between 1981 and 1985. Today, the church continues to support other medical missions, including the Estella Byrd Whitman Clinic in West Ocala.
Houses and an apartment for those in need
In 1992, Fort King Presbyterian Church became a Covenant Church with Habitat for Humanity, pledging financial support, volunteer labor, advocacy and prayer. Over the next 25 years, the church provided volunteers for the work parties and completed approximately three to four houses each year. Recently, we collaborated with Interfaith Emergency Services to clean, paint and decorate an apartment for two men without homes.
Collaborating with diverse communities
Through the years, FKPC has led or participated in many projects to improve social justice. From walking in the MLK Annual Walk and Souls to Polls, to supporting R.A.M.A.L., NAACP, and other nonprofits. That All May Be One (TAMBO) was a cooperative project of Mt. Moriah, Greater Hopewell, New Zion, St. Mark’s Lutheran Church and Fort King Presbyterian Church, which all met for worship, fellowship and service projects from 2000–2002. In the spring of 2021, our church and St. Paul AME Church in west Ocala decided to join forces to provide a free weekly breakfast to hungry and homeless neighbors in the communities surrounding St. Paul AME. Together, we provided dozens of hot breakfasts, warm companionship, art activities and even a job fair.
Cash Pealer trims palm fronds during a workday at the church. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]
In 2011, FKPC was certified by the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. as an Earth Care Congregation, which requires an annual evaluation of our “earth friendly” practices. Fort King is one of 16 churches with this certification in Florida.
The church’s facility team has installed all LED lighting, implemented energy and water conservation measures, removed skylights and transitioned to using more sustainable event and cleaning supplies. The church’s gardens, directed by Master Gardener Sheena Schlegel, supported by a team of dedicated volunteers, contain a pollinator garden, Florida-friendly and native plants, educational spaces for scouts and vacation Bible school, a memorial garden and a peaceful retreat for churchgoers.
A different looking church today
Since the groundbreaking in December 1965, the church has undergone many changes. The HOPE House at Fort King Presbyterian Church stood dormant for years—until nearly 100 volunteers from the church and the surrounding community came together to restore it in 2022. It now serves as an inclusive hub with indoor and outdoor spaces for community outreach, education and the arts. HOPE House has hosted a variety of events, including poetry readings, book signings, school field trips, art exhibits and classes, speaker series, support groups, interfaith gatherings and church committee meetings.
Across the front of the property is a beautiful Ocklawaha River wildlife mural donated by artist Drake Arnold and members of the church. The project was a joint project with the city of Ocala and underscores the church’s commitment to conserving our natural resources. An expanded playground, built in part by scouts, gardens and two additional buildings, the main sanctuary and education building, were added over the years.
The next 60 years
Our 60th anniversary booklet says, “To be relevant, we may need to embrace a new definition of what it means to be Christ’s church, a new understanding of what our task is to be for the working of God’s purpose. Perhaps we may even be charged with a new identity in accord with the Spirit’s direction. The future is not yet written. What it means for us to be God’s servant people may not be anything like what we envision, but we pray to be true to our call as it unfolds.”
The Rev. Bob Scott, transitional minister added, “Our 60th anniversary is not only a time to look back with gratitude, but also a time for us to look forward with purpose. Let’s celebrate the enduring spirit that continues to move among us—a spirit that calls us to grow, to serve and to carry the light into new chapters.”
A 60th anniversary celebration will begin at Fort King Presbyterian Church at 10:30 a.m. Sept. 14. All are welcome to attend.
Some material for this article was taken from the FKPC 60th anniversary booklet. To learn more about the church, go to ftkingchurch.org
Members of the congregation of Fort King Presbyterian Church. [Submitted photo]
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