OUR SANCTUARY

As we finally begin our long-anticipated renovation of our magnificent sanctuary, I want to take us on a little journey into the past to remind us of all that has transpired to bring us to where we are today. 

Through the ages, buildings have served as a means of inspiration and monuments to mankind’s achievements.  How often have we entered a great gothic cathedral or the smallest of country churches only to be brought closer to the Divine through its sheer size and beauty or its simplicity in nature.  Sometimes we’re told that the church isn’t a building, rather it’s the people.  That’s true.  However, I would like to argue that the building defines its people.  The building enables us to be who we are more fully, to carry out our mission to the best of our ability, and to be inspired in thought, mind, and spirit.  Our church buildings embody our very soul and speak to the community around us as to our purpose and our witness. Where would St. Gregory’s be today without all those who’ve gone before and who had the vision and the wisdom to invest in the creation of this beautiful and inspiring edifice which we call home? One of our very own members, Mr. Howard McCall, served as its architect, leaving a legacy of beauty and inspiration for generations to follow. 

Over time, aesthetic tastes change, needs change, things wear out, and much like with our own homes, there comes a time when we must invest once again in the future of our church building.  When the building was originally constructed in 1966, many items were left unfinished or uninstalled, for instance: our beautiful organ which was installed in 1993, the stained glass windows of the lower gallery (which were later installed in 1978), the front Narthex window which was installed in 2006 as a gift from Alan and Carol McGee, our educational wing and Harris Hall, named in memory of Robert Vroman Harris by his wife Ruth Harris, which was completed in 1998 and the upper Clerestory windows which have yet to be installed.  (These are still on the wish list!)

It all came about because people just like you had the vision, wisdom, and the will to make it happen.  They knew their gifts were an investment not only in the present, but in the future. 

We are now those visionaries who have the wisdom and foresight to invest in the future of St. Gregory’s, to see it into the next 50-100 years and to make sure that the building is secure so that it may continue to provide inspiration and be a place of ministry bringing all those who step through its portals closer to God and to the realization of the saving help and gospel of Jesus Christ. 

We give thanks to God that we have risen to the occasion with the completion of Phase I of our Capital Campaign and, as a result, we will now have a beautifully renovated Harris Hall in which to gather for worship when our sanctuary is temporarily closed down May 1.  We are certainly not unfamiliar with worshiping in Harris Hall as Rise and Shine worshipers will attest.  Once a month, it is already being transformed into a holy and sacred space of prayer, meditation, and contemplation—worship.  We will now be transforming this beautifully renovated hall into a more semi-permanent place for worship as we reimagine, re-envision, recreate, and reallocate, rejuvenating our hearts and souls as we repair and prepare our beautiful sanctuary for the next generations who follow us.

As we begin Phase II construction of our Capital Campaign Called to Love, we can rejoice in our efforts to secure the future.  We can anticipate with great joy, just as those who came before us, the day of completion when we will re-enter our sanctuary bringing with us a renewed hope and a renewed faith in our commitment to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ, not only to the people of Boca Raton, but to the world.

As I say often say during Morning Prayer, “May Saint Gregory’s continue to be a beacon of light and hope in South Florida and throughout the world.”

Tim Brumfield

Director of Music Ministry, Organist, and Choirmaster