Seaside Chapel Changes

There is definitely a difference between an organized church versus a nondenominational chapel such as you would see on a college campus. Most all colleges have a chapel which is used for various purposes such as weddings, memorial services etc. Very few if any house an organized church with a dedicated congregation, minister, mission statement etc.

I have no idea why Seaside decided to change from allowing the current congregation to house at the chapel but I do understand the differences.

Obviously based on the Seaside chapel website religious services will still continue to be held there, open to all but without an organized full time congregation.

And if anyone thinks that congregations are not asked to leave a building, it happens all the time, unless the congregation owns the building.

If Seaside did ask the current congregation to leave on such short notice then that is definitely bad form on someone's part, but asking them to locate elsewhere is not that unheard of in the way of congregations who do not own the facility. I also agree that it would have been good PR to make a public statement as to the reason for the change instead of just asking the congregation to leave.

I agree with the others about not blaming everyone associated with Seaside for the actions of a few. There are some very good people who live; work, and live in Seaside. My daughter interned there for 5 months and I was very impressed with most everyone we encountered. It would be very wrong to boycott the business there, based on a few opinions on a Net forum.

If this matter truly is upsetting to anyone I would suggest you contact Seaside and voice your complaint there, instead of hurting those that had no hand in the decision.

Why do I not find this surprising. Amy@Avalon were you surprised to hear about this in Seaside? If you can't go with Seasides flow you might as well flow on out of there. When change has needed to be made there has never been much time given before it's done!

I'm not saying it's right or wrong. I'm just not surprised after 20 years of change.
Good luck to all involved.

Good points Minnie. It helps to get a fresh perspective!!!!

A documentary sounds wonderful.

Sorry, but I don't consider "we made a change in management" a particularly valid explanation when you are talking about a minister and his/her congregation.

I did reread Mr. Renfroe's letter. It does not explain the questions about why the congregation, that was worshiping at Seaside Chapel, left. I would like to see the official minutes of the board to see what prompted Jeff Miller and the congregation to leave. Does Mr. Renfroe live in Seaside? I'm just curious as to why something this major happened. Thanks.

Well, here's the thing. Mr. Renfroe is responding to the posts made on Sowal.com, addressing ?unfounded rumors.? If anyone wants to know details, I am sure they are welcome to address their questions and concerns to the Board of Directors at Seaside Chapel. The minutes would be available to Seaside owners and active church members. They are probably posted somewhere in the church in full view.

Churches rotate pastors regularly, usually every 6 ? 7 years. A change in management is usually a good thing and not forced by only 2 or 3 people.

[FONT=&quot]I find Mr. Renfroe?s letter clear and forthcoming. However, it doesn?t mean everyone has to be happy about the change as most resist change within their church. I imagine the board of directors (church members) are fairly balancing this process. [/FONT]

It's a shame you couldn't experience a magic night a couple of weeks ago on the real bricks underneath the real oaks, with real people, real music, a real moon, and a real sweetness in the air.

Love this picture Kurt...you captured the night!!! What beautiful lighting!

Well, here's the thing. Mr. Renfroe is responding to the posts made on Sowal.com, addressing ?unfounded rumors.? If anyone wants to know details, I am sure they are welcome to address their questions and concerns to the Board of Directors at Seaside Chapel. The minutes would be available to Seaside owners and active church members. They are probably posted somewhere in the church in full view.

Churches rotate pastors regularly, usually every 6 ? 7 years. A change in management is usually a good thing and not forced by only 2 or 3 people.

[FONT=&quot]I find Mr. Renfroe?s letter clear and forthcoming. However, it doesn?t mean everyone has to be happy about the change as most resist change within their church. I imagine the board of directors (church members) are fairly balancing this process. [/FONT]

JR, they did not change pastors, they also asked the congregants to move on.

They may have taken the building from us, but they can,t take our Spirit and our mission to spread the Word that Jesus is our Lord and Savior.
Please join us at Cross Point Church this Sunday at 11:00 A:M as we as a church body will continue our ministry through Jeff's message our worship music and the love of Christ.

Approximately 100 people attended the service at the new location and it was great. Jeff Miller is still a great preacher and David Seering provides amazing music. And the congregation are wonderful people.

Although everyone was dissappointed at having to leave the chapel at Seaside, now that the initial shock has worn off everyone is excited to start something new. I personally agree that the congregation had outgrown the facility but feel that the process was not handled well by the interfaith board (the short notice).

All are truely welcome here!

since the seaside chapel was originally built for the purpose of nondenominational services for seaside residents and visitors, the board should have put that in writing somewhere, which would have prevented this whole mess from happening. the board violated the original purpose by permitting a specific denomination to worship there and seemed to have no problem taking their money to pay off the building's mortgage. i certainly understand limiting the number of worshipers, particularly from a fire regulation point of view as well as parking issues. this was just handled badly all the way around.

What a great idea for a documentary. The natural tensions between the New Town and the Old Ways are just facinating. And Seaside certainly has had its share of characters. Fact is more interesting than fiction anytime! Maybe it could be a senior project for an FSU film student.

If there are serious possibilities of someone wanting to back the shooting of a documentary in Seaside, Please know I have all the equipment Video/Audio/lighting, Editing and crew to do so. Just need a writer, some local talent (Plenty there) and someone with a good knowledge of the Community and surrounding area. Oh and the easy part, Investors to cover the cost. Please feel free to contact me, as I am serious. I think the idea will work!

Approximately 100 people attended the service at the new location and it was great. Jeff Miller is still a great preacher and David Seering provides amazing music. And the congregation are wonderful people.

Although everyone was dissappointed at having to leave the chapel at Seaside, now that the initial shock has worn off everyone is excited to start something new. I personally agree that the congregation had outgrown the facility but feel that the process was not handled well by the interfaith board (the short notice).

All are truely welcome here!

That is great news and I wish you much success at your new location.

A strong church is not defined by the structure that houses it but the strength of the people within. Sounds like you have the strength needed to be successful.

When one door closes a new one opens and sometimes that truly can be a blessing.

when one door closes a new one opens and sometimes that truly can be a blessing.

amen

YES! Please do this! Someone needs to out the Seaside greed and elitist mentality.

If there are serious possibilities of someone wanting to back the shooting of a documentary in Seaside, Please know I have all the equipment Video/Audio/lighting, Editing and crew to do so. Just need a writer, some local talent (Plenty there) and someone with a good knowledge of the Community and surrounding area. Oh and the easy part, Investors to cover the cost. Please feel free to contact me, as I am serious. I think the idea will work!

I certainly don't know anything film making! I do think the TRUE story of Seaside, the humble beginning and everything that came after would be a very interesting tale. The tough part is that "Seaside" is not a single entity, but rather a cottage rental agency, a homeowners association and a group of merchants. Even within the merchants, some are Seaside Associated Stores, some shops rent from Seaside and others are tenants of private owners or are owners themselves. Oh, I forgot the Seaside Institute and the Seaside Neighborhood School. Easy to see how issues (and stories) become so complicated. I am thinking it might be a mini-series!

Lets me see if I have this right. The Walton Sun article says Seaside Chapel Board invites people to worship in the church for about four years and build a great ministry, do lots of great works and pay off their One Million Dollar building for Charles Renfroe the owner at the same time.

I think I'll not trade the farm for some beach property. I'm going into the Chapel building business.

"Anything other than that is a fabrication of the truth and the source should be considered."

It is a shame the way this was handled, but the above statement shows a complete lack of grace offered to the group who saved your building from the steps of the Defuniak courthouse, Mr. Renfroe. Seaside's coterie pride themselves on their subdued class, but you can often spot the sow's ear if you look at the lining.

Doesn't this nit picking over who qualifies to be on the board of the church remove it's exemption as a religious and tax exempt property? Seems like a "private" church doesn't welcome or benefit the community and therefore would be fully taxable by the local government?

is this the new congregation

is this the new congregation

I have never been able to figure out how they get their hair to do that without hairspray or implements......

when we were in seaside recently we were underwhelmed by the towering merchant structures it just smothers the other quaint architechture.

there dresses do match the gulf

I think it would be grayt if the actor from The Trumman Show showed what is really like to live there everyday. Instead of the disney like version more of a reality Truman

WaltonSun.com link

Seaside Chapel ministry asked to move out of Seaside | seaside, asked, chapel - Community - WaltonSun.com


Seaside Chapel ministry asked to move out of Seaside
Debbie Wheeler
May 11, 2009 - 11:11AM


When Rev. Jeff Miller began preparing the sermon for his May 3 message he didn't know it would be his last at Seaside Chapel.

Charles Renfroe, a Seaside homeowner, chairman of the board of trustees of Seaside Chapel and owner of the building, called Miller Friday morning to deliver the news that Sunday would be last for Miller and his congregation at Seaside.

Vickie Miller, wife of the pastor, said the trustees felt the congregation had outgrown the building and they should move on and find another building to accommodate them.

Miller said at issue was parking for those coming to services, and the chapel's original intent for Seaside homeowners and guests.

However, Miller said she believes the decision ultimately came down to money.

"They can charge a lot of money for use of the chapel for weddings, which is sad," said Miller. "The concept of us needing to move was not a surprise, but timing was."

Miller took over as volunteer pastor of Seaside Chapel in 2004. He is also a Seaside homeowner, full-time resident, and business owner there. When he took over the ministry, an unpaid position, around $1 million was owed on the building and it was close to foreclosure. Thanks to donations of the congregation, which grew from around 30 to an overflow crowd, all but $18,000 has been paid off. Six hundred people reportedly attended services there on Easter Sunday.

"All money taken in went to the chapel," said Vickie Miller.

"While the concerns were discussed last year, it wasn't our decision," she said. "He didn't get a thank you, which is sad, but that's OK. God is providing for us. It's time to soar."

"It's just a building," said music leader David Seering. "A church consists of the congregation. We will go on. When God closes a door he opens another big one. We've been asked to go some place else and we will."

"This is a very tender time," said Wayne Carlisle, vice chairman of Chapel Ministries. "We didn't choose this route."

"I know this is beginning a new chapter for a growing, giving, thriving Christian congregation," said Catherine Dickson, who is on the board of Seaside Chapel Ministries. "To me personally, this was God's doing. He acted through other people.

"Our congregation includes a number of Seaside homeowners. We've grown from under 30 regulars in early 2000, struggling right to the point of foreclosure on the beautiful building within a couple of years after its dedication, to maybe 300 regulars (no oaths required), not counting several hundred more people who regularly attend when at the beach and contribute to the causes our congregation supports.

"We funded the Habitat Katrina cottages in New Orleans with people going a number of times as teams to do physical labor in Mississippi; helping fund the CHVN for indigent children, and the Lighthouse Childrens' Project. All this is in addition to helping individuals and families on an as-needed basis.

"Generous people gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to pay off the physical Seaside Interfaith Chapel building. Our pastor, Jeff Miller, is as courageous as he is passionately dedicated to serving God."

"Jeff was crushed," said Linda Miller, a member of the congregation who was present on Sunday. "It was a very emotional service. We were all crying. They won't let us take Bibles or folding chairs, all which donations bought. All we get to take are the communion trays."

While Charles Renfroe calls the situation a personal one for the community of Seaside, he did site miscommunications and personal issues with Seaside folks necessitating a change being made. Renfroe said problems arose in management and operation of the facility. He admits there were unresolved fiscal issues, but denies only wanting the building to be used by Seaside homeowners.

"All are welcome," he said. "We have been talking about it for a couple of years and the trustees made a decision to go in another direction.

"We are going to have a visiting pastor series beginning this Sunday, where the pastor of homeowners can come, stay, and preach for their food. Two ministries have been spawned from Seaside Chapel and everybody's happy. We're rocking and rolling."

The new Chapel Ministries, led by Rev. Jeff Miller, will meet at Crosspoint Church on County Road 393N Sunday at 11 a.m.

Christ will bless a church that allows the Holy Spirit to lead. When a church is lead man man, it will surely fall. It appears that this church's pastor has been allowing the Holy Spirit to lead him. From the post of the forlks who attend this church it appears to be filled with LOVE. Three things last forever: Faith Hope and Love, and the greatest is Love. Thank God for the work that Jeff is doing. I hope to attend a worship service there soon.

God will have the FINAL word!

It appears that once again GOD has proven to be BIGGER than Man! Congradulations to the Church and the Pastor!
My Prayers are with you all at the new location. I will be attending services this Sunday with my family. When I first read this thread I almost wanted to avoid the community at all cost. I have seen way too much posted about the "PRIVITE" community that seems to forget that its people like my family and I that keep it alive. We spend 2 weeks a year in SOWAL, (Wish it was forever) and drop plenty of cash into the community of which this happened. Let me say, after careful consideration, We will continue to enjoy the friendly businesses in this community since it would be insane for them to even be a part of what seems to be an internal fight for power in that community. We will support the employees and businesses during or vacation. ***The reason I have left out the name of this community is simple, The thread already has the potential to harm the innocent ones that work hard to keep this place of wonderment alive, No need to continue to have the internet spiders key in on the name only to have a GOOGLE search bring this as a negative over all. The people in the community need a wakeup call in my opinion, you can loose everything you have worked so hard for in this community if your not careful, never tread on GOD. Just my opinion. See you all this weekend!

Correction

Mr. Renfroe is not the owner of the building as stated in Debbie Wheelers article.

WaltonSun.com link

Seaside Chapel ministry asked to move out of Seaside | seaside, asked, chapel - Community - WaltonSun.com


Seaside Chapel ministry asked to move out of Seaside
Debbie Wheeler
May 11, 2009 - 11:11AM


When Rev. Jeff Miller began preparing the sermon for his May 3 message he didn't know it would be his last at Seaside Chapel.

Charles Renfroe, a Seaside homeowner, chairman of the board of trustees of Seaside Chapel and owner of the building, called Miller Friday morning to deliver the news that Sunday would be last for Miller and his congregation at Seaside.

Vickie Miller, wife of the pastor, said the trustees felt the congregation had outgrown the building and they should move on and find another building to accommodate them.

Miller said at issue was parking for those coming to services, and the chapel's original intent for Seaside homeowners and guests.

However, Miller said she believes the decision ultimately came down to money.

"They can charge a lot of money for use of the chapel for weddings, which is sad," said Miller. "The concept of us needing to move was not a surprise, but timing was."

Miller took over as volunteer pastor of Seaside Chapel in 2004. He is also a Seaside homeowner, full-time resident, and business owner there. When he took over the ministry, an unpaid position, around $1 million was owed on the building and it was close to foreclosure. Thanks to donations of the congregation, which grew from around 30 to an overflow crowd, all but $18,000 has been paid off. Six hundred people reportedly attended services there on Easter Sunday.

"All money taken in went to the chapel," said Vickie Miller.

"While the concerns were discussed last year, it wasn't our decision," she said. "He didn't get a thank you, which is sad, but that's OK. God is providing for us. It's time to soar."

"It's just a building," said music leader David Seering. "A church consists of the congregation. We will go on. When God closes a door he opens another big one. We've been asked to go some place else and we will."

"This is a very tender time," said Wayne Carlisle, vice chairman of Chapel Ministries. "We didn't choose this route."

"I know this is beginning a new chapter for a growing, giving, thriving Christian congregation," said Catherine Dickson, who is on the board of Seaside Chapel Ministries. "To me personally, this was God's doing. He acted through other people.

"Our congregation includes a number of Seaside homeowners. We've grown from under 30 regulars in early 2000, struggling right to the point of foreclosure on the beautiful building within a couple of years after its dedication, to maybe 300 regulars (no oaths required), not counting several hundred more people who regularly attend when at the beach and contribute to the causes our congregation supports.

"We funded the Habitat Katrina cottages in New Orleans with people going a number of times as teams to do physical labor in Mississippi; helping fund the CHVN for indigent children, and the Lighthouse Childrens' Project. All this is in addition to helping individuals and families on an as-needed basis.

"Generous people gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to pay off the physical Seaside Interfaith Chapel building. Our pastor, Jeff Miller, is as courageous as he is passionately dedicated to serving God."

"Jeff was crushed," said Linda Miller, a member of the congregation who was present on Sunday. "It was a very emotional service. We were all crying. They won't let us take Bibles or folding chairs, all which donations bought. All we get to take are the communion trays."

While Charles Renfroe calls the situation a personal one for the community of Seaside, he did site miscommunications and personal issues with Seaside folks necessitating a change being made. Renfroe said problems arose in management and operation of the facility. He admits there were unresolved fiscal issues, but denies only wanting the building to be used by Seaside homeowners.

"All are welcome," he said. "We have been talking about it for a couple of years and the trustees made a decision to go in another direction.

"We are going to have a visiting pastor series beginning this Sunday, where the pastor of homeowners can come, stay, and preach for their food. Two ministries have been spawned from Seaside Chapel and everybody's happy. We're rocking and rolling."

The new Chapel Ministries, led by Rev. Jeff Miller, will meet at Crosspoint Church on County Road 393N Sunday at 11 a.m.

Who does own the building/ land that is the Seaside Chapel? I didn't think it was an individual! Did the present owner build it? Hard to believe it was in such dire financial straights at one time.