February 13, 2026: Good Morning Friends! I am going to go back in time and update this post for a second time, because I have some wonderful news to add to this story! Last night as I was reading on Facebook, I discovered a post about this church building that was really exciting to me! I know many of you have already read the original post that was written first in 2011, and then updated in 2021, but rather than write a whole new post I wanted to add the newest information here so that I will have it for my own personal historical content and memories. So please look for the new additions throughout this post, as they will fulfill some of the "desires of my heart" regarding this old church building...
(6/11/2021) I originally wrote this post back in 2011, when asked by an old school friend if I would write something for the new website at the church where I grew up. So I will include that original post here, with a few additions or edits to bring it back to now. However, please note that I wrote it originally with that dear old church family in my mind..."The Way I Remember It".
"I was glad when they said to me, 'Let us go into the house of the Lord.'" Psalm 122:1
Original Post, 7/23/2011
The picture of Jesus and the Lambs I have included above represents to me one of my fondest memories of the old First Methodist Church building that I remember best. Although this picture of a stained glass window is not one of the windows from that original building, it is the closest depiction of that window I have ever seen. When I found this little postcard it brought back such sweet memories of Sunday morning services as a child, gazing up into the serene face of Jesus as He cradled the lamb in His arms and carried it to a place of safety. I can honestly say that this was the first impression of Jesus that I can remember...and it has often given me comfort. As a matter of fact, it was this vision of Christ that came to my heart this past week as I wrote in a previous blog entitled, "My Father's Cane", which was written about my father, Bill Mursch, whom many of you will know and remember from his days as a former member of Tavares FUMC. As a matter of fact, we held his memorial service in your current beautiful sanctuary just a very short time ago. http://pamelasopenwindow.blogspot.com/2011/07/my-fathers-cane.html. (in May of 2011)
If anyone has any good color photographs of those beautiful stained glass windows from the old original church, I would love to have a copy. I know we all mourned the loss of those magnificent windows when the former "new church" was so tragically lost to fire several years ago. As I recall, the other window was of the "Ascension of Christ" up into the clouds... (see Acts 1: 9-11) and I often pondered over that vision so many times in my childhood and youth...wondering just what it would be like to be "caught up into the clouds" with Jesus someday...a day which could be closer than we think.
Latest UPDATE 2/13/2026:
Here's the good news regarding this old church building and those magnificent stained glass windows that I remember from my childhood...this is a copy of the article I read on Facebook:
Exciting News from Tavares!
At 96 years young, our father Gene Smith has renovated a historic 1923 church – where he and some of us kids attended back in the 50’s and 60’s. Now his children have turned it into The Legacy at Church Hill Center, a beautiful new event venue! After two years of hands-on family renovation (with help from his five kids and grandkids), we’re blending timeless charm with modern vibes for weddings, gatherings, and more.
Highlights from the renovation: We transformed the Sunday school rooms into offices (the easy part!), fixed collapsed ceilings, shored up floors, rewired everything, upgraded plumbing/AC/roof, and restored those stunning stained-glass windows and heart-pine floors. It was a bigger project than expected, but Tavares city support made it happen!
“It’s more than a venue- It’s a family legacy,” says Dad. We’re thrilled to share it with the community!"
And here's the pictures of what they have done:
This is the outside of the old church building, with a fresh new look. When the original Methodist Church decided to build a brand new church building on a different property,(1968), they sold this building to another church, who used it for many years, but they were a small congregation and really couldn't afford to maintain the old building as needed. So apparently they sold the building to the Smith family, who were members of the orginal congregation back in the 50's and 60's, when my family also attended there.
This is what I was so excited to see...they actually replaced the old original stained glass windows that had sadly been destroyed by fire in the other "new church building", and restored them to their original location here in this building.
This one is "The Ascension of Jesus Christ"...Jesus being taken away in the clouds after His resurrection...
And here they are installing the one of Jesus, "The Good Shepherd", holding the lamb in His arms.
I can't tell you how thrilled I am to see that they were able to replace those windows, and that they will still be a part of that lovely building.
This is the 96 year old man who is responsible for having this restoration completed...Mr. Gene Smith. I remember him from my childhood. Amazing man! Sure doesn't look like he's 96, does he? I am thankful for his vision and generosity and commitment to restoring this beautiful old church building. And even though it's not going to be used as a church any longer, it will stand as a testimony to the faith of those who once belonged to this congregation and worshiped the Lord there for many many years, nurturing the souls of so many, including me, as a little child, who looked up into the face of Jesus in those magnificent stained glass windows and wanted to know more about who He was.
Now here's the rest of the original post, with pictures from my memories at that church building...
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| Rev. Ed Montfort - 1960 |
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| Steve Sperry in front of Chapel at MYF Camp -1965 |
I wonder if we truly realize the impression and impact such things as stained glass windows, peaceful sanctuaries, sacred hymns, an open Bible, a welcoming hug from a Sunday School teacher on an early Sunday morning, and a word spoken in truth and love from a dedicated Pastor may have on a young impressionable child.
I still remember the pastors of my childhood and youth from the Tavares church...Pastor Ed Montfort, Rev. Dick Knight, and Pastor Randall Parsons. They each played a significant part in my life...Pastor Montfort took me through confirmation and pronounced me a member of the church at the tender age of ten. Rev. Knight encouraged our youth group and inspired us to reach out to our friends and invite them to MYF and to go to the MYF Camp in Leesburg. (of which I later became a summer youth counselor...my first "job"!)
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Rev. Dick Knight - 1965 and
then below....at my sister Doris'
wedding on February 11, 1966----- |
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Our wedding, Aug. 16, 1969 (in the "new church building")- Rev. Randall Parsons on far right with
Organist Louise Caldwell on far left, and soloist, Carolyn Parsons (Campbell) next to her! |
And then of course, Rev. Randall Parsons...came along in time to encourage me in my walk with Christ as a young woman preparing for marriage...and actually performed our wedding ceremony in the "new church building" in 1969.
Thank you to Mrs. Bunny Rapalje for her faithful picture taking of almost every event of my life!!! Perhaps you will find yourself or one of your friends in some of these classic vintage pictures!
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| VBS 1957 |
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VBS - 1958
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I have so many other memories...memories of Vacation Bible Schools... and Sunday School classes and my efforts to earn my "perfect attendance" pins each year... My Sunday School teachers that I can remember were: Miss Marion Duncan, Mrs. Virginia Duncan, Mrs. Peggy Matthias...and I am sure there were a lot more.
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| Sunday School 1957 |
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Easter 1957
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Easter Sundays with our funny little flowered hats, stiff petticoat dresses and new white patent leather shoes...
Easter Sunday 1958?
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| Children's Choir - 1958 |
And then there was the wonderful Children's Choir directed by Mrs. Venona Jones, a retired preacher's wife.
Church Christmas Party 1962, with Miss Tripp as our music teacher
Yes, these are just a few of my precious childhood memories from being a part of the First Methodist Church of Tavares. There are so many other thoughts, images, and convictions that became a part of my spiritual make-up as a result of these early positive influences.
You see, one cannot simply sum up early Christian teaching in just one blog. My life was so impacted by the people, the music, the preaching, the teaching, the youth groups, the Sunday School classes, the Vacation Bible Schools...that I went on to become a preacher's wife myself! So much of what I learned at Tavares Methodist Church became an integral part of my spiritual growth and development...and God took those seeds, planted and caused them to grow and blossom into mature Christianity...a way of life and a Christ-centered relationship that I have shared with so many others throughout the years...only God knows for certain what impact and how far reaching those early impressions have made on the lives of those with whom I have been privileged to know.
Thank you, Members of Tavares First Methodist Church, both old and new, for your part in the transformation of my life!
May God continue to richly bless your church as it continues to follow in the footsteps of Jesus...the "Church at the Crossroads where the Cross Lights the Way..." (or something to that effect I recall was the theme when the church moved to its present location)
P.S.: I just found this little Sunday School pin in my very old jewelry box. I am sure I must have had some others, and maybe even some for Perfect Attendance, but they are long gone. But this one is a little treasure from my early days in Sunday School. So thankful for those memories:
I hope you enjoyed reading this again, with the current updates. My prayer is that the newly transformed "Legacy" building will be used to bring a lot of joy into many people's lives, and that the same Spirit of God's abiding presence will still be present, bringing peace and joy into the hearts of those who come and participate in the joyous occasions that will be held in that place. And who knows? Perhaps a new church family may actually develop and grow in that space once again...anything is possible with God.
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