| Over 50 Years of Worship - By The Sea! |
Our History....by the Sea
| Glory B. Turtle A sea turtle has a tough beginning: it must break out of its shell, dig to the surface, find its way across a beach to the water and swim miles to a patch of sea grass before it can rest. And a newly hatched sea turtle must do this without any parental help and before any birds or sea creatures make it into a meal. With the above challenges in mind, the parishioners of Clearwater Beach’s Chapel-By-The-Sea decided that sea turtles really must have a guardian angel to watch over them. Thus, Glory B. Turtle was conceived. And, in the classic earthly portrayal of an angel, Glory B. would be depicted as a marble statue with wings and a harp. We all hope that Glory B. Turtle will watch over every new generation of sea turtles. And Glory B. can stand as a reminder that we all must help as well. We can respect the nesting locations; extinguish lights along the beaches during nesting season, and support the activities of the Clearwater Marine Aquarium Turtle Patrol. |
Glory be to all God’s creatures.
Brought to you by the members of:
Chapel-By-The-Sea
Brought to you by the members of:
Chapel-By-The-Sea
Chapel By The Sea
Clearwater Beach, Florida
54 Bay Esplanade Clearwater, FL 33767 Tel: 727.446.0430 |
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Norah Atkins, a winter resident of Clearwater Beach from Canada,
helped found the Chapel-By-The-Sea. She had long thought that
the children who lived on the beach should be offered religious
education. So in 1949 she decided that she would work with other
residents to start a church. With the help of neighbors and friends,
as well as the Clearwater Beach Association, the Jaycees, and
several local businesses and congregations, she organized the
Clearwater Beach Community Church, soon to be known as
Chapel-By-The-Sea. At the inaugural worship service, 120 people
attended. A committee was formed, plans were developed, and,
through the generosity of the Skinner family, land was donated on
which a building could be constructed. The Chapel was designed to
be, and became, an interfaith community church in every sense of
the term – a church of the community and for the community.
The Chapel-By-The-Sea is non-denominational, but belongs to the
International Council of Community Churches and the Florida
Fellowship of Community Churches. It was instrumental in
founding Religious Community Services, an agency consisting of
over 80 Christian and Jewish congregations, which provides food,
clothing and shelter for those in need through its Food Bank, spouse
abuse shelter, and two transitional housing programs. At the Chapel
there has always been a heavy emphasis on outreach, and it is one
of the major supporters of RCS. It also belongs to the Clearwater
Beach Chamber of Commerce and its members are active in many
local charities and civic organizations.
As a community church, the Chapel provides services for all beach
residents and visitors. It is progressive in its theology and places a
heavy emphasis on freedom of thought and belief as it encourages
its members and friends to search and question. Its congregants
come from many different religious backgrounds, or no religious
background, and the strengths of the various traditions come
together as personal growth is sought for and by all who participate
in its programming. The Chapel-By-The-Sea believes in enriched
living, inspired learning, and expanded loving…and invites all who
are interested to join it on its journey.
helped found the Chapel-By-The-Sea. She had long thought that
the children who lived on the beach should be offered religious
education. So in 1949 she decided that she would work with other
residents to start a church. With the help of neighbors and friends,
as well as the Clearwater Beach Association, the Jaycees, and
several local businesses and congregations, she organized the
Clearwater Beach Community Church, soon to be known as
Chapel-By-The-Sea. At the inaugural worship service, 120 people
attended. A committee was formed, plans were developed, and,
through the generosity of the Skinner family, land was donated on
which a building could be constructed. The Chapel was designed to
be, and became, an interfaith community church in every sense of
the term – a church of the community and for the community.
The Chapel-By-The-Sea is non-denominational, but belongs to the
International Council of Community Churches and the Florida
Fellowship of Community Churches. It was instrumental in
founding Religious Community Services, an agency consisting of
over 80 Christian and Jewish congregations, which provides food,
clothing and shelter for those in need through its Food Bank, spouse
abuse shelter, and two transitional housing programs. At the Chapel
there has always been a heavy emphasis on outreach, and it is one
of the major supporters of RCS. It also belongs to the Clearwater
Beach Chamber of Commerce and its members are active in many
local charities and civic organizations.
As a community church, the Chapel provides services for all beach
residents and visitors. It is progressive in its theology and places a
heavy emphasis on freedom of thought and belief as it encourages
its members and friends to search and question. Its congregants
come from many different religious backgrounds, or no religious
background, and the strengths of the various traditions come
together as personal growth is sought for and by all who participate
in its programming. The Chapel-By-The-Sea believes in enriched
living, inspired learning, and expanded loving…and invites all who
are interested to join it on its journey.
