The island’s first church is honoring its roots to draw new crowds
The island’s first church is going back to its roots as it looks forward.
Rev. Bob O’Keef, lead pastor at Roser Memorial Community Church, 512 Pine Drive, said the church is trying to restore itself as a religious vacation destination.
O’Keef said the plan is similar to how the church operated shortly after it was built in 1913. The chapel was the dream of John Roser, who wanted to commemorate the life of his late wife, Caroline. His son, Charles, provided funds for the structure to be built thanks to his fortune as a successful businessman. Charles Roser is credited with the creation of what is now known as the Fig Newton, which was purchased by the National Biscut Company (NABISCO), though NABISCO tells a different origin story for the pastry, according to the church’s website. It was the first church on the island, according to the Anna Maria Island website.
The Rosers stipulated that the church be nondenominational; meant to be a place where the community, residents and visitors alike, could come together in faith.
“The congregation is unique in that it’s diverse,” O’Keef said. “That’s been fascinating and wonderful.”
As long as Roser was alive, he would bring in pastors from across the country to preach at the church, offering them a vacation in exchange for a Sunday sermon, O’Keef said. It was a system that O’Keef said worked well then, and sees potential in bringing something similar back.
To get a feeling for how the program could work, the church is holding a Summer Speaker Series. Each speaker leads lessons, including a sermon on Sunday.
The next speaker will be Mike Slaughter, who was lead pastor of Ginghamsburg Church in Tipp City, Ohio. His church was named one of the top 50 churches in the United States by the Church Report magazine in 2005 and 2006, according to the church’s website.
Slaughter’s final weekend as lead pastor of Ginghamsburg Church was June 25 after 38 years in the position, according to the church’s website. He will host several sessions at Roser Memorial Community Church between July 30 and Aug. 2.
The series is all in an effort to stay current as the population of the island changes.
O’Keef said during season, the added-on sanctuary could see up to 1,000 people, but the rest of the year, the two Sunday services combined could see just 200.
Since O’Keef’s arrival in August 2014, church attendance has increased by 30 percent.
But there are more plans to allow the church to continue to grow. O’Keef noted they are in the early planning stages of a contemporary service that could expand to the mainland, since the majority of their congregation commutes to the island for worship.
Sara Nealeigh: 941-745-7081, @saranealeigh
More information
To register for sessions of Rev. Dr. Mike Slaughter’s Summer Speaker Series at Roser Memorial Community Church, register online at RoserChurch.com/next or send a check for $75 along with attendee name(s), email(s) and phone number(s) to Roser Church, P.O. Box 247, Anna Maria Island, FL 34216.
For more information, contact Rev. Neil Crowell at 980-521-7129 or neil@roserchurch.com.
This story was originally published June 30, 2017 at 2:59 PM with the headline "The island’s first church is honoring its roots to draw new crowds."