History Of Riverside Presbyterian Church

1956

At 8 pm on January 23, 1956, sixteen members and three guests met in the home of Mrs. Helen Trabue, 141 South Atlantic Avenue, Cocoa Beach, to form Circle 8 of the Women's Association of Rockledge Presbyterian Church, Rockledge, Florida. They learned from Rev. C. E. (Charles) Sellers, pastor of the Rockledge Church, that the Presbyterian Church U. S. A. planned to establish a church in Cocoa Beach and he stressed to the women that they could lay the foundation for the work of the future church.

The Circle officers were: Chairman, Mrs. Edward Rosevear; Co-Chairman, Mrs. M. T. (Ann) Azulay; Secretary, Mrs. Carl Farris; and Treasurer, Mrs. Joel (Teddy) Brown. The Circle worked with the Synod of Florida and Dr. Charles T. Martz, Synod Executive, in plans for the proposed church. Among other things, the women canvassed the Cocoa Beach area to determine the number of Presbyterians living there.

1957

At the Congregational Meeting of January 16, 1957, the Building Committee presented plans and sketches for a new church building. This was a three-phase program with June, 1957, the proposed completion date for the first phase. The cost of the first phase including fill, landscaping and street grading was set at $30,000. The building was to be financed by a fifty percent loan from-the Board of National Missions, twenty-five percent loan from Florida Synod and the balance provided by the local congregation. By this time, there were 91 members in the church.

A Building Fund Drive was conducted on January 27, 1957, under the direction of Dr. John Reed of the Board of National Missions. This produced $24,963 in cash and pledges. On March 6, 1957, Session authorized the Building Committee to negotiate a contract, pending the approval of the Board of National Missions, with M. C. Minella to build the first unit of the church building on a cost plus ten percent basis with a guaranteed top price of $25,800. The structure of 38 x 82 feet was to be situated 235 feet from the highway. The Ground Breaking ceremony took place on March 17, 1957, at 11:15 am. The first shovelful of dirt was turned by Rev. Pfeiffer followed by Mr. Glasser for the adults and Bonnie Azulay for the children.

1958-1960

As of February 3, 1960, Mr. Pfeiffer's status at Riverside was still that of Stated Supply. His salary and allowances were paid in full by the Board of National Missions from June, 1956, to May, 1957. One-third of the total amount was assumed by Riverside from June, 1957 to May, 1958; two-thirds, from June, 1958, to May, 1959, and the total paid by Riverside after that. At a special Congregational Meeting on February 21, 1960, the congregation voted unanimously to call Mr. Pfeiffer as Pastor of Riverside. This was approved by Presbytery on April 26,1960, and Mr. Pfeiffer was installed at 8 pm on May 9, 1960, with Rev. Harold Faust, Vero Beach, presiding.

1961

On February 15, 1961, the Session approved a suggestion from the Women's Association that "a newsletter be sent to church members, visitors and prospective members at least once a month” and thus "Down By the Riverside” was created.

The period of about four months at the end of 1961 and the beginning of 1962 was of considerable significance, at least from a publicity standpoint, for Riverside. During the time he was in the area before the first orbital flight of the earth on February 20, 1962, Col. John H. Glenn, Jr. and his wife visited the church occasionally for worship services. Riverside was not casual about this. The astronaut was greeted with screams of delight, requests for autographs and many good wishes. Church was held amid press and TV cameras and crews and church attendance was greatly inflated. In a special ceremony Col. Glenn was presented with a Bible made especially for him by the American Bible Society, and he delivered a short acceptance speech from the pulpit.

1992-2002

Since this writing, that was included in the 1991 Annual Report, there has been lots of history being made here at Riverside.

Millie Strieter retired in November of 1991 after twelve years as church secretary. Debbie Kamataris began as church secretary in November 1991 on a part-time 20-hour per week basis. Debbie is now the Office Administrator and has a full-time job at 40 hours per week.

Jane Nicholas, Pastoral Intern, left in June 1992. Barbara Ann Hedin, who was here for a year beginning September 1992, followed her as Pastoral Intern.

Glenn Arnold celebrated 25 years as Organist/Choir Director and was roasted with a dinner and celebration put on by the Super Chefs in Fellowship Hall on September 18, 1992.

Groundbreaking for the new sanctuary was on May 30, 1993. The new sanctuary will be located behind Knox and Calvin Halls on the site where the playground previously was. The playground has been moved to the west side of the current sanctuary.

The 205th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church was held in Orlando, June 2-9, 1993. Many volunteers from Riverside attended.

The congregation voted to proceed with a search for a new associate pastor under the guidance of the Associate Pastor Nominating Committee (APNC) and nominated Jane S. Nicholas as associate pastor. She came to Riverside on September 1, 1993, along with her two children, Jeff and Jolene, and was ordained to the Ministry of Word & Sacrament at an installation ceremony on September 26, 1993.

Allen Brindisi joined the congregation at Davidson College Presbyterian Church in Davidson, North Carolina on December 1, 2000.

Riverside called Daniel Drew Robinson (wife Karin and adult daughters, Mandy & Erin) to Riverside and Pastor Dan was installed on June 30, 2002.