Our History | Reslargo

Fun fact!!

Resurrection Episcopal Church was originally founded by the name St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church in 1957!

The History of Resurrection

A new $25,000 Parish Hall was built in 1960 and dedicated by Bishop Henry J. Louttit. In 1961, Fr. Terhune went to the Church of the Resurrection in Miami Shores and was replaced by the Rev. Donald R. Salman, for whom a rectory had been purchased.

In January 1962 a $10,000 education building, with three classrooms and a study for the vicar, was dedicated. In 1964 a second education building, with a stone from Glastonbury Abbey, where St. Dunstan was the abbot in the year 940 A.D., imbedded in its wall, was added.

On May 19, 1966, St. Dunstan’s went from “mission” status to a parish in the Diocese of South Florida, with Fr. Salman as rector. In 1967, the Rev. Harold L. Andress was appointed associate priest and Fr. Herbert S. Craig became an additional associate priest for the winter “snowbird” season.

In 1969, the rectory was sold and a new $94,779 church was dedicated. The Rev. H. Vaughan Norton became “winter” associate priest in 1970, and Fr. Andress died in 1971.

Subsequent rectors, after Fr. Salman left in 1974, were the Rev. Donald O. Wiseman from 1974 to 1980, the Rev. George G. Gentry from 1980 to 1996, the Rev. Julian Cave as interim rector from 1996 to 1998.

In September of 2009, some existing members voted to leave the Episcopal Church for an alternative start-up denomination. At that time, many of the members left to attend other Episcopal Churches in the area. However, a small group of six loyal Episcopalians led by Fr. Norman Howard continued meeting in the St. Dunstan's Sanctuary on Sundays at 9am, prior to the other group's service. On April 24, the disenfranchised rector led his group to another location for worship.

The parishioners that chose to remain loyal to the Episcopal Church has grown in the last two years from six to 60, and as a Mission Church; we are currently led by Fr. Stuart Swann, Priest in Charge and The Rev. Jim Carter, Deacon.

In August of 2010, Plato Academy, a very successful Charter Elementary School, leased the school buildings and halls.I

From 2009-2023, the church was led by multiple part-time vicars and supply priests who faithfully served this congregation and, through the faithfulness of the lay leadership, the church was able to survive this tumultuous time and in 2023, they were able to call their first full-time vicar in close to fourteen years.

2024 is a year of preparation, transformation, and restoration and we can't wait to see what God is planning for our future!

The congregation was a church plant extension from the Church of the Ascension in Clearwater. In July 1957, the Rev. James Duncan, rector of the Church of the Ascension, and 10 communicants petitioned the bishop and the Standing Committee to let them start a new church. The first service was in the Bouchard Funeral Home, and the name St. Dunstan’s, the patron saint of blacksmiths, was later chosen from more than 200 suggestions submitted. At first, the new congregation was served by priests from the Church of the Ascension.

But in 1958, the Rev. N. LaScelles Ward, and later the Rev. Robert D. Terhune, were placed in charge of the St. Dunstan’s mission, although they still reported to the rector of the Church of the Ascension. In mid-1958, the congregation paid $20,500 for the five-acre property at 126th Ave. N. where it is still located. The property, with its Parish Hall, had housed St. Justin Martyr Catholic Church until that church outgrew it and moved to larger quarters. It became the home of a Jewish congregation until they got their own synagogue. The building was also used for Boy Scout and Neighborly Senior Services meetings.