Ocala church celebrates 50-year milestone

Pastor Jeremy Knight poses for a photo in the sanctuary at St Paul’s United Methodist Church on Southeast 41st Avenue in Ocala, Fla. on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024. The church is celebrating its 50th anniversary. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2024.

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Posted November 4, 2024 | By Marian Rizzo, Correspondent

Two years ago, the Rev. Jeremy Knight was appointed pastor of a church that was only a few years older than he was. Now 44, Knight and the congregation of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church are celebrating the church’s 50^th anniversary with a special service at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 10. The Rev. Dr. David Allen, district superintendent of the Northeast District Office, will share a sermon. A celebration will follow in the fellowship hall.

St. Paul’s, located at 800 SE 41^st Ave., Ocala, is part of 67 churches in the Northeast District of United Methodist Churches. In a text message, Allen praised St. Paul’s for reaching the milestone of 50 years.

“This remarkable anniversary is a testament to the enduring faith, dedication, and love that has shaped a vibrant United Methodist faith community over the decades. St. Paul’s has not only been a place of worship but also a sanctuary of hope, support, and connection for countless individuals and families in the community. Here’s to many more years of service, growth, and inspiring generations to come,” Allen wrote.

To Knight, it’s not just a milestone but more like a new beginning. A former youth minister, Knight moved here from South Mississippi with his wife, Nan, and their children, Leyton, 15, and Elise, 12.

“This has been a great fit for our family,” said Knight. “It’s an honor to be able to witness God’s faithfulness even in my two years and to understand it through the lens of others who have been here so much longer. The church has done a great job of creating programs for children and youth by helping them truly belong to the community. I would love to stay and be a part of this beautiful growing community and continue to do the good work at St. Paul’s.”

St. Paul’s of Ocala started in 1974 on 11 donated acres in southeast Ocala. Members first met for worship at Ward-Highlands Elementary School and the church was chartered on Dec. 15, 1974, with about 65 members. On May 18, 1975, the congregation broke ground for their first sanctuary, which now serves as a fellowship hall. The current sanctuary was built in 1986, said longtime member, Beth McCall, noting that her husband, Wayne, served on the stewardship committee for the construction. Beth founded St. Paul’s Christian School in 1985. She also started the children’s music ministry and currently serves as director of the church choir.

McCall said she first came to St. Paul’s when the church was still in its infancy.

“I was a newly married young bride,” said McCall. “I have lots of memories. My oldest daughter was married in that church. All of my children were baptized and confirmed there and both my parents’ funerals were held at that church. When St. Paul’s started in 1973, they recruited younger people to help start the church, so it was a young church with young families. As the church aged the congregation aged, and now with the school, we’re bringing young children back. Like most churches, you go through growing pains and reach a point where there are many children in the church and when they grow up you see them go off. Now the focus is on a young minister who is dynamic and bringing more young people into the church.”

Charter members Cathy and Larry Huennekens watched the leadership transition through nine pastors over the years, with Knight being the tenth. The first was Terry Markins, who started the church meetings at Ward-Highlands, Cathy said.

“He would go door to door and hang a little calling card on the doorknob with his name and future church meeting,” Cathy said. “After we saw that for several weeks, we said we’re going to check this out, and we’ve been there ever since. Our daughter was 4 years old and our son was 7 years old when we started. Shortly after, I taught Sunday school.”

Cathy recalled that because their first Christmas Eve service was held at the school there was a concern there would be no lights at night, but the city sent in workmen who turned the lights on temporarily.

“It was just regular lighting,” Cathy said. “But we did have decorations. Not many, just a small tree somebody donated. It wasn’t even a real one. Once we got established, a member of the church who lived east of town donated a tree every year. We would go out and cut our own Christmas tree down. We did that for many years. We got to the point where there were not many trees left.”

Similar sentiments were shared by longtime member Frank Rasbury, who once served on the staff parish committee and was a liturgist. These days, Frank, retired Lt. Col., wears his U.S. Army uniform to services on Memorial Day and Veterans Day. His wife, Naida, used to sing with the church choir. On Christmas Eve she still opens the program with “Sweet Little Jesus Boy.”

Reflecting on the early days of St. Paul’s, Rasbury said the population was mostly older folks.

“We watched some kids grow up in the church,” he said. “We watched them go to high school, college, and some of them got married or went off and joined the military. There were times when we had more kids involved than other times.”

Rasbury expects good things will happen under Knight’s leadership.

“We like Jeremy a lot,” he said. “I listen to him, and I watch how he carries himself, his interactions with people and his family. When he does his sermons, rather than hide behind a lectern and read a prepared script, he’s out in front of it and talks to us in a language we can relate to very easily. I used to come to church because I liked to listen to the choir and see my church family, people I only see on Sunday. Shaking hands and asking how they are has always been pretty important to me. Now I’m eager for the pastor’s sermon as well.”

To learn more, go to spocala.org or call (352) 694-2161.