Christ Church of Longboat Key celebrates 10 years

Joyce and Bill Wartinbee knew they were going to come back to Christ Church of Longboat Key when an usher offered to make them permanent nametags after their first Sunday at worship. More than 15 years later, they’re still wearing those nametags and coming to every event they can, including the church’s 10th anniversary of its permanent building, which the congregation celebrated on Jan. 19. 

More than 100 church members attended, including about a dozen founding members. After a buffet dinner from Harry’s Continental Kitchens and homemade carrot cake from founding member Patty Buck, members settled in to hear from five speakers. Pastor Rev. Norman Pritchard, who has been the church’s leader for about seven years, kicked things off, followed by founding members Sally and George Rauch, retired pastor Bruce Porter, and founding members Burt Borgelt and Bill Buckley. 

Though the celebration was for the 10th anniversary, CCLBK actually began more than 15 years ago. The church began when about a third of the congregation of Longboat Island Chapel decided to leave because of ideological differences. Rather than scatter to different congregations as was the original plan, one member suggested they all stick together. They began meeting in homes to plan the organization of the church in late 2004 and by early 2005, were meeting at Bayfront Park. 

“We had a lot of meetings at our house when we were trying to decide the denomination,” founding member Sally Rauch said. “We didn’t want to be non-denominational, and the Episcopalians and Lutherans were already close by. We all came from different backgrounds and joining PCUSA (Peace River Presbytery) worked really well. Everybody was so enthusiastic and pitched in and did whatever was needed. It was an exciting time.” 

Pastor Ray Woody, whom some members had coaxed out of retirement, was in place by the second service and by the church’s fourth meeting, there were already 104 people attending, said George Rauch. After a few months, the church moved into Mediterranean Plaza, which needed some renovations to go from office building to church. A nondescript wooden cross from those days is still in the entrance of the church at 6400 Gulf of Mexico Drive. 

“That was a gift from (longtime member) John Paul,” Sally Rauch said. “He searched the lumber yard for special wood, put it together and got it to our church on top of his car.” 

Soon, members began looking for land for a permanent place to build their church. By 2008 they bought the land, though construction didn’t finish until nearly 2012. 

Janet Walter, who has been a member for about three years, remembers watching the church get built as she took her young daughters on walks through their neighborhood. Now that her girls are older and out of Sunday school, the family joined CCLBK. Steve, Walter’s husband, joined the choir and sings every Sunday. The music program, along with the people they’ve met through it, is the family’s favorite part of membership. 

“There are a lot of great people who live on Longboat Key,” Walter said. “There’s no really central way to meet people and this is really our neighborhood. Most people live on the north end and we walk right over here.” 

The church’s members count each other as family, Wartinbee said, and the dedication to its many ministries is a big part of what keeps them coming back. Social lives revolve around church events and friends made in the pews get together on other days besides Sunday. More than 10 years later, the church is still growing and changing with its congregation.

“When the church was formally taken into PCUSA, someone took me aside and said, ‘I see you’ve got a lot of enthusiasm here, but the question is if you can keep it going,’” Sally Rauch said. “I said, ‘Oh, of course,’ and here we are. I’d say we kept going.” 

Click through the timeline below to see the history of Christ Church.