History

Springfield-Parkway Presbyterian Church
"A Bit of History"

On January 26, 1938, a Sunday School was organized in a
vacant store building at the corner of the Wewa and Coastal
Highways. On January 9, 1939, ground was marked for a new
church building. It was completed on January 25, 1939, with the
first service being held on January 26, 1939. On November 12,
1939, a petition was drawn and signed to go to The Presbytery
of Florida asking that a Presbyterian Church be organized at
Springfield, Florida. The petition was presented to the
Presbytery of Florida on November 22, 1939. A Commission of
Florida Presbytery was appointed and met on January 14, 1940
to organize the Springfield Presbyterian Church. The Reverend
Thomas Watson was the organizing minister of that church. The
Rev. James W. Marshall served as minister of this church -- the
longest of any other. In the fall on 1959, the Springfield
Presbyterian Church relocated to the present location and
changed its name to the Parkway Presbyterian Church. The
Rev. David G. Davis was the first minister of the new Parkway
Presbyterian Church. On church became self-sustaining in the
spring of 1978. In 1980, the church purchased the Skipper's
property and remodeled the house for church use. Through the
years, it has been used by various community groups and youth
activities. Following the purchase of the Skipper's property, a
contest was held to name the newly acquired space. Roy
Whitehurst won with the name "Skipper's Nest." During the
same year, the Covenant Classroom and the Fellowship Hall
were remodeled and enlarged. The project cost approximately
$50,000. The Presbytery provided $10,000; the rest was raised
by pledges and gifts. In 1984, a Building Fund Campaign was
launched, and $120,000 was pledged over a three-year period.
On March 3, 1985, groundbreaking services were held to build a
sanctuary, choir room and administrative wing. Rev. James H.
Huffaker served as Pastor. Mr. Jack Duke served faithfully as the
Building Chairman. Mr. A.R. Tillery of Overland Associates was
the builder. The congregation held Easter worship services on
the concrete foundation, and dedication services were held on
October 20, 1985. Rev. Huffaker completed his doctoral
dissertation. Much of the information in his dissertation, entitled
Worship as it Relates to Architectural Space, is based on
experience while leading Parkway in the building program. In
1986, the first softball team was formed with George Barker as
coach. Parkway was noted in the June issue of Presbyterian
Survey, as being the first of three churches to use the new
church seal in its stained glass window design. On January 14,
1990, Parkway celebrated its 50th Anniversary with Rev. J. Reid
Cameron serving as minister. Rev. William Cowfer delivered the
sermon entitled, "Stop Look and Listen." The year 1995 proved
to be an eventful one at Parkway. On February 11, 1995,
Parkway hosted the Winter Stated Presbytery Meeting. The
Men of the Church renovated the Fellowship Hall. New carpet,
paneling, kitchen tile and counter tops were added. Forty new
choir robes were purchase and an organ fund established.
Disaster struck Parkway with four major storms. In October,
Hurricane Opal damaged the church steeple and blew it to the
ground. In 1997, the new Allen organ was purchased. May 3,
1998 brought us Interim Pastor Roger Green and his wife
Marguerite. Parkway's Family Quilt was hung and dedicated on
June 28, 1998. It was a warm, special event that reminded us
that though we are individual families, we are a strong, united
family in Christ.