Okeechobee Presbyterian Church
The Okeechobee Presbyterian Church was organized as a church in June of 1980.
This information was confirmed from a charter membership list and a dedication service bulletin dated June 29, 1980. However our church has a much earlier history. According to the 1924 Minutes of the Synod of Florida of the Presbyterian Church, a recommendation to organize
a Presbyterian Church in Okeechobee was approved October 21, 1924, with the Rev. A. J. Coile of Tennessee serving
as pastor. Sadly, the minutes of a 1933 report state that the Okeechobee Presbyterian
Church was dissolved that year. No mention is made of the reason or the problem.
The candle flickered for over 30 years but didn’t completely die out, for a church located in Okeechobee was
to be. In March 1964, the Presbyterian Church in the United States began a small evangelic work in Okeechobee.
This work bore fruit and on February 13, 1966,
the St. Mark’s Presbyterian Church was chartered with 72 charter members. Rev.
Orlow Rusher was the organizing pastor. With slow growth, a mostly seasonal membership,
and the prospects of requiring long term financial aid for the denomination, the church was dissolved as an independent congregation
in July 1969. At that time, with the help of the First Presbyterian Church of
Sebring, the Okeechobee Chapel of the Sebring Church was initiated. Services were held in
the Masonic building, which is now the corner of 5th Street and Highway 70. A number of retired ministers served to supply the
pulpit. Rev. John J. Myers served during the winter months as Supply Pastor;
Rev. Ryan L. Wood, Memorial Presbyterian Church of West Palm Beach, George Beachem, Richard Brandt, Harry Harling, Walter
Ohman, Harold Ogilvie, and others served as supply during the remaining months.
In March 1967, 5 acres of property between the high school and the hospital were purchased from Hamrick & Sons
for $7,500. A memo acknowledges the existence of a manse and three lots. In June 1974, the manse, lots 10, 11, 12, and Block 86 were sold. In September 1974, the 5 acres were sold. In June 1974, lots
4, 5, and Block 122 were purchased--the location of the present fellowship hall. The
congregation remained a chapel for the next 6 years.
Okeechobee Presbyterian Church was organized as an independent church on June 29, 1980. The name was changed from St. Marks because another church
in the Presbytery was using that name. Rev. William Sistar accepted the call
as the organizing pastor, working part-time. Six elders were ordained to serve
as the congregational leaders. Rev. Sistar was called to full-time ministry in1983. He left Okeechobee when he accepted another call in 1985. Before he left, two lots to the east were purchased.
Rev. David Turner was called to Okeechobee Presbyterian Church in January 1987.
The Church was incorporated on July 14, 1987. Two additional adjoining lots to the south were purchased. Rev. Turner remained as pastor until 1992 when he accepted a call to another church.
The church called Dr. Scott A. Leslie in May 1993. Several changes to
the building were made to accommodate program changes. The old friendship hall
was modified to accommodate a pre-school in the fall of 1997. During the summer
of 1998, extensive renovations were made to the kitchen. In January 2000, a new
sanctuary building was dedicated. Included in the new 5040 square foot building
was the sanctuary, nursery, and conference room. Further, the old sanctuary building
was modified to provide a larger fellowship hall, classrooms, larger pre-school classrooms, offices and a food pantry. The old annex building was torn down and the shed was reduced in size. In November 2001, Dr. Leslie accepted a call to a church in Texas.
In March 2003, Rev. Sara Ann Bull was called to the Okeechobee Presbyterian Church.
In June 2004 the food pantry joined the commodities program and greatly expanded its service to the community. In September 2004, Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne blew across Okeechobee and left the
church heavily damaged. The fellowship hall, kitchen facilities, preschool, food
pantry, and offices were damaged but fixable. The church celebrated its 25th
anniversary in June 2005. Rev. Bull retired at the end of 2005 and moved to Fort Myers, Florida.
The repairs and renovations to the fellowship hall, kitchen facilities, classrooms, and offices were completed the
early part of 2007 and the facilities are now better than ever. The Food Pantry
has been included in the annex facilities. This church is little but has weathered
some big stuff. It’s certain God has a purpose for Okeechobee Presbyterian
Church, so it continues. Presently the church is in the process of a pastoral search. During this time, the pulpit is being
filled by an interim pastor, Rev. John Pope of Orlando.
