Our Heritage
and
Our History

The Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church is one of the oldest denominations in America. The Associate Presbyterians (the Seceders) and the Reformed Presbyterians (the Covenanters) came to America in the early 1700’s from Scotland and settled along the Atlantic seaboard. In 1782, these two groups united to form the Associate Reformed Church. The church grew rapidly forming numerous synods. All of these synods except for the Synod of the Carolinas and Georgia united in 1858 with other presbyterians to form the United Presbyterian Church. The Synod of the South (as it was then called) is known today as the General Synod of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. The church once again spread into West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri, and Florida (there were already churches in Virginia). In recent years, the ARP’s have continued to spread into New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Oklahoma, Minnesota, and Canada.

The denomination continues to plant new churches in this country while seeking to spread the Gospel around the world. Both through direct sending and cooperative efforts, the church supports missionaries in seven different countries.

To visit the website of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, click here.

 

Faith church had its beginnings in Cocoa Beach in 1968. A small group of families who desired a more biblical based teaching began meeting in one of the member’s home. Some of the members then were the Kalm family, the Dunson family, the Schroder family, the Adams family, and a number of others.

After meeting for several months, the group learned of the ARP Presbyterian church in Winter Haven, Florida. That church began furnishing pastors and assisted with a provisional session for the newly named “Faith Presbyterian Church.” The members decided to name the church Faith because that was the only asset it had.

The new church began meeting at the Seventh Day Adventist Church on Church Lane in Cape Canaveral on Sundays. Assistance was also forthcoming from the ARP church in Bartow, Florida. Shortly, the church employed Jim Stevenson as its first pastor. The church owned a manse in Cape Canaveral and sold it before moving to Merritt Island.

The provisional session for Faith Presbyterian Church met for the first time on June 28, 1970. The church roll was opened at that time and contained the names of 33 members. Two of those members are still worshiping with us at today: Dave and Barbara Kalm.

In the early 70’s, when Jim Stevenson accepted another call in North Carolina, the church employed Charles Wilson as its second pastor. The church lost some members with the discontinuance of the Apollo program at Cape Kennedy.

The church employed Wayne Frazier as its third pastor in 1975.

Denny Welsh found a church for sale on Merritt Island and in February 1976, the ARP church extension committee assisted Faith Presbyterian in purchasing that church building at 85 Richland Avenue in Merritt Island, Florida. The church had several members who were elected to a ‘steering committee’ who met with the provisional session. The first steering committee was Dave Kalm, Peter Mahon, Barney Rogan and Denny Welsh. Each month, the church continued to grow at its new Merritt Island location.

In the mid 70’s Don MacDonald started the first choir at the church. Several years later the choir got its first choir robes. The choir was accompanied by Helene Dykema on the piano.

As had been proposed in 1980, the church became an organized self supporting church by December 1980. At that time the first session for the church was elected. The Faith Presbyterian Church charter began on January 25, 1981. At the service of organization on that date, Dr. Grady Oates, Dr. W. H. Stuart, Mr. Thomas Hallem, Mr. J. Sherman Thomas and Rev. David Rockness participated. These men from Central Florida ARP churches were instrumental in our development and growth. During the previous years some of them had served as members of our provisional session.

At the time of its official organization the church had 91 communicant members and associates.

Faith continued to grow under Pastor Wayne Frazier at the Richland Avenue location.

In 1983, Wayne Frazier accepted a call to Marietta, Georgia. Faith church then called David Schwaubauer as its fourth pastor in 1984.

In 1986, David Schwaubauer left to become a Chaplin in the U.S. Navy, and the church called Billy Fleming as its fifth pastor.

In its turn Faith supplied members to serve on the provisional session of a newly planted church in Orlando, our sister church, Grace Presbyterian Church and also to the newly planted Shephard’s Road Church in Lakeland, Florida.

In 1994, Billy Fleming accepted a call to Rock Hill, South Carolina. Faith then called Billy Barron as its sixth pastor. In that same year, Faith became the host church for Hope Presbyterian Church, a Korean church pastored by John Kim.

In 1996, Faith located another building and property at 1900 South Tropical Trail in Merritt Island, which also had land for future expansion. After selling the building on Richland Avenue, the church moved to the South Tropical Trail location, where it is located today.

In 1999, another building was added to the property located immediately east of the main building. This building housed offices for the pastor, secretary, Sunday school class rooms, nursery and a choir room or small conference room.

In August, 2003, Bobby Adams was called to be the assistant pastor. He had been ordained in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church.

During the middle part of the 2000’s consideration was given to building a new sanctuary on the property further east of the new building. The concept of the new sanctuary was approved by the congregation and a financial drive was undertaken.

In 2007, Billy Barron accepted a call to establish a new mission church in Travelers Rest, South Carolina. Bobby Adams, the assistant pastor, led the church during the interim period that a search was undertaken to find a replacement for Billy Barron.

On January 1, 2008, Bobby Adams was called to be the pastor.

The congregation voted to begin renovation of the sanctuary in August of 2008. The traditionally styled interior featuring white corniced and fluted trim work was designed by member, Jack Poole. Congregational volunteers would provide all the labor. The project was completed in a few months while allowing the congregation to use the sanctuary as work was being done.

Having completed his M. Div degree at Reformed Theological Seminary in 2002, Pastor Bobby Adams continued his pastoral and biblical studies at RTS earning his D. Min degree in 2011.

In August 2012, the congregation voted in favor of constructing a Fellowship Hall with additional classroom space, a large gathering area, kitchen, and screened back porch area overlooking the pond on land to the east of the Ministry Center. Construction was completed in late 2013 and the building dedicated in early 2014. It has been used for numerous church functions and allowed us community outreach in hosting VBS and many civic organizations’ meetings and events.

In July of 2019, Rev. Chad Sadorf joined the staff of Faith Presbyterian in the position of Director of Congregational Care. He launched himself into a ministry of encouragement through the means of visit, phone call, email, or text; his ministry was a wonderful testimony of God’s provision, as we endured the trial of the coronavirus pandemic. In February of 2022, Faith Presbyterian Church voted unanimously to call Chad Sadorf as Associate Pastor.