About
Restore - Refresh - Respond
Sunday 9:30am Services at the
Palm Island Resort Clubhouse
Island Fellowship Church traces its beginnings back to the mid to late 1970's when a group of Islanders initiated a beach-side Easter service. This was before existence of any of the planned developments (Palm Island Resort, Colony Don Pedro, etc.) and there were very few private residences so only about 30 to 50 attended (not including the numerous dogs present). To the best of long-time islander's knowledge, the service has never been interrupted over the 40+ years since it began.
Beginning in the late 1990's, Jack Boyer, a local island entrepreneur and his wife Diane, started men's and women's
Bible Study groups on the island. Initially, the men gathered at a Grove City restaurant but now both groups meet in homes on the island in member's homes on a rotating basis. Over the years, attendance in each group has grown from 4 to 6 to over 25 men and 30 women. Both groups are actively involved in the island community and in the planning and production of the Easter service.
In 2005, a small group of Islanders established Island Fellowship Center Inc. (IFC) a 501(c)3 corporation dedicated to bringing a church to Palm Island. The IFC vision was focused on acquiring island property suitable for the construction of what would be called “The Island Chapel”. From 2005 to 2010, many attempts to acquire the property failed, and IFC for all practical purposes became dormant until early 2017.
Polly Woodworth, a Director at IFC and member of the Women's Bible Study group met Chuck and Mary Smith, residents of Palm Island Resort who have experience in planting churches. This led to renewed momentum, but our focus this time is on the body, not on a building. Island Fellowship is a church plant of parent churches First Baptist Church of Port Charlotte and Legacy Church Estero. Both parent churches have contributed time, resource and counsel and serve as our ecclesiastical cover. We report our progress to our parent churches on a regular basis.
We believe it is indeed God's plan to plant His church on this amazing island. To Him be all glory and honor for He is worthy!
Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? Isaiah 43:10
We meet at the
Palm Island Resort Clubhouse
Phone
Hours of Operation
Sun 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Island Fellowship Church