In the fall of 1995 the Rev. Brian Brightly, then pastor at Miramar, invited West Palm Beach District Superintendent Dr. John Simon and me to visit the area and meet new residents interested in starting a church in the area. Both Dr. Simon and I were shocked to see the area’s development. In June 1996 the Rev. M. Edwin "Win" Green III, a graduate of the Asbury Beeson program and a transfer from the Central Pennsylvania Conference, was appointed to launch the new church.

Rev. Green faced many issues, such as how to establish community when there was no community, where to find a place to meet when there was little commercial development, and what strategy to use to reach people during a time of drastic relocation of most of the population.

Four and a half years later on Feb. 18, 2001 Everglades Community United Methodist Church was chartered. Nearly 341 persons attended the service, with 241 of them joining, 74 by profession of faith. The new congregation is multi-cultural — 31 percent are Latin, 9 percent African-American, 2 percent Asian, 7 percent Jewish and 51 percent Anglo. Green reports that many attending have not yet been baptized or completed the basic discipleship course required of all people who want to join the new church.

The new congregation currently meets in a public school and has no property. Property in the area sells for more than $100,000 per acre. The West Palm Beach District Board of Missions and Church Extension has been assisting the new church in finding a suitable site.

This is the fourth of our new churches that have chartered within this conference year. One more, Ray of Hope in Tallahassee, plans to charter April 22. These five new churches account for more than 1,500 new worshippers and 1,000 new members this conference year.