‘Hope still flows freely here.’ St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church celebrates 70 years in Boca Raton

St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church in downtown Boca Raton will commemorate its 70th anniversary with a gala on Nov. 2.

The Rev. Benjamin A. Thomas, Jr., the church’s associate rector and theologian in residence since 2017, said the theme is the celebration of St. Gregory’s Platinum Anniversary in devotion to God and in service to the community.

“The celebration is to mark the renovation of our worship space, our campus, our service in securing food and housing, and our interfaith engagement,” he said.

Harris Hall was renovated last year and the church is undergoing a major renovation, which should be completed in December.

Historically, Mary Csar, director of the Boca Raton Historical Society, said in the 1950s, Boca Raton was experiencing
post-war population growth; while the population by the church was not large (about 1,000 in 1950), new
residential developments were popping up (Kings Point and Boca Villas), located east and northeast of the current church, as was Boca Raton Square.

However, despite the 1950s population growth, Boca Raton didn’t have any high schools then so teens had to commute to Delray Beach to attend high school.

“At that time, Federal Highway was the main drag through town and in the western areas, we had lots of bean
fields and other agriculture,” Csar said.

Simultaneously, during the ’50s, a growing influx of Episcopalians in Boca Raton needed a sacramental house in which to worship. Their prayers were answered in November 1953 when St. Gregory’s was founded. That December, Father
Earle R. Closson became the church’s first priest, serving there until September 1957.

Today, St. Gregory’s Episcopal stands at 100 NE Mizner Blvd. (its location since 1956). Before ’56, the church congregated in several temporary locations that included The Lions Club Building and a former Army Air Base building (now Florida Atlantic University’s property).

As for how the church and its worshippers kept their house of God open to the community over the past seven decades, The Rev. Andrew Sherman, rector of St. Gregory’s since 2005, said St. Gregory’s is rooted deeply in a relationship with God in Jesus Christ in the Anglican/Episcopal tradition.

“St. Gregory’s is a community where for 70 years worshippers have found and are found by God,” he said.

Regarding the church’s partnership with the Boca Raton community, Sherman also mentioned that the church’s current
community feeding ministry Meals with Meaning is supported by interfaith partnerships, and the church remains deeply committed to serving the needs of the most vulnerable.

The church’s longterm goal is be a spiritual center for the community.

“Our vision for the next 10 to 15 years and beyond is to remain a vibrant, Christ-centered community that continues to
respond to God’s call to love in Jesus Christ,” Sherman said.

St. Gregory’s has 1,000 members, with many over age 60 but also families with children. About half of the congregation comes from Boca Raton with the others coming from as far south as Fort Lauderdale, north to Lake Worth Beach and west to Coral Springs and Parkland.

“Over the years, it is the diversity of St. Gregory’s congregation that has continued to grow,” Sherman said. “We love
that and we often describe ourselves as diverse, traditional and dynamic.”

Boca Raton resident Beth Osborne was only 12 when she became a St. Gregory’s Episcopalian. During the early 1960s, she attended the church with her family when she was about 5. Today, she is a Stephen Minister with the church and previously taught Sunday school for many years.

“St. Gregory’s is truly our church home; we have more outreach programs in our community than we ever had in the past,” she said. “Father Andrew has done an amazing job by bringing many new members in from our area and beyond.”

Jon Baker, 68, of Deerfield Beach, joined St. Gregory’s parish in 1994. Presently, he’s one of the Lay Eucharistic Ministers.

“My family first joined the church because they were looking for an Episcopal Church with an open and welcoming approach toward children,” he said. “St. Gregory’s is special because the church accepts everyone; recent politics have split some churches, but hope still flows freely here.”

St. Gregory’s Platinum Anniversary Gala will take place from 6:30-9:30 p.m. Nov. 2 at Lakeside Terrace, 7880 Glades Road, in Boca Raton. There will be dinner, dancing, silent auctions and a look back at the church’s seven decades in the community. Tickets are $150 per person. Visit stgregorysepiscopal.org/anniversary.