Villages Episcopal Chapel holds final service

The Episcopal Chapel at The Villages held its final service on Sunday, February 23 at Montgomery Center. After 51 years the Episcopal community celebrated with a full house! Many guests from other parishes, the Villages community, retired priests, and friends from our home church, Trinity Cathedral, showed up to sing praises to God for the faithful servants of this Villages congregation. A special thanks to those from The Guadalupe Spanish congregation of Trinity Cathedral who came and celebrated with us and provided food for a fabulous brunch following the service.

 Music was led by the beautiful Soprano voice of Natalie Lias, Senior Warden at Trinity Cathedral. The service was led by Rev. Mary Blessing with joy and enthusiasm. Retired Dean of Trinity Cathedral, The Very Rev. David Bird attended as well as our former Rector, Joel Miller. Another former Priest, now living in Florida, said it best in a note to the congregation: “Remember 2 Timothy: ‘I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.’ You have done these things and more. This is a bittersweet moment; you have been a real blessing to the community around you.”

As we bid farewell to this beloved chapel home, we will always remain a part of our cathedral’s family. While the physical space may close, the love, faith and memories we have shared will continue to bind us together. This chapel has been a place of prayer, comfort and unity, and those blessings will live on in each of us. May the Praise go on!