Like its namesake, St. Simon’s responds to adversity with the kind of resilience and resolution that are born of faith and nurtured by fellowship. The traveler commanded by Roman soldiers to carry Christ’s cross through the streets of Jerusalem was chosen by chance to help Jesus bear his burden. Pulled from the crowd at random, Simon probably had no idea where he was going or what was going on. He only knew that he had been assigned a task, and he would have to carry it out…
Located in a disadvantaged neighborhood in Fort Pierce, St. Simon’s has been serving its community since 1927, when it was organized as a mission church and officially named Church of St. Simon the Cyrenian. Its first service was held on Palm Sunday at the old “Lincoln Park School.”
Since then, St. Simon’s has faced natural disaster, economic upheaval and societal problems, but has persisted through all of it to continue its mission of service to God and others.
The original church building on Avenue D was a damaged in one hurricane in 1928 and destroyed by another in 1948. But a parcel of land on Avenue E was acquired shortly thereafter for $200.00, and the present church was completed in 1950. In 1960, the parish hall was added, and then expanded in 1974.
By 1984, the church had become a sustainable congregation, with regular attendees making regular gifts, and enabling the burning of the mortgage. In 1991, with Father Joe Rider serving as part-time interim priest-in charge, parish status was granted.
In 1992, that status took on new meaning with the installation of Father Simeon Eugene Newbold as St. Simon’s first Rector. He would be followed over the years by a succession of clergy, each of whom contributed to the history and legacy of the parish in his own way.
Over time, adjacent property was acquired to provide much-needed parking, as well as a building containing several rental apartments. Renovations and improvements were made to both the church and the parish house. But more important than the physical assets, as property was added and programs were expanded, St. Simon’s became progressively more involved in its community and better established as a center of activity and fellowship for people from all walks of life.
Clergy serving St. Simon’s
1928-1929 The Reverend J. R. Lewis, D.D.
1929-1930 The Reverend J. M. Taylor
1930-1932 The Reverend Roger E. Bunn
1932-1936 The Reverend Theophilus T. Pollard
1936-1943 The Reverend Quintin E. Primo
1943-1945 The Reverend James DeCosta Hargraves
1945-1946 The Reverend Quintin E. Primo
1946-1947 The Reverend Spence A. Dunbar
1947-1949 The Reverend Samuel C.W. Fleming
1949-1951 The Reverend J. Saxton Wolfe
1951-1954 The Reverend Edwin S. Shirley
1954-1955 The Reverend J. Saxton Wolfe
1955-1955 The Reverend Albert C. Morris
1955-1968
(mid) Bishop Wallace E. Conklin (Retired Bishop of Chicago)
1968-1968 The Reverend John w. Johnson
1968-1977 The Reverend Richard L. Barry
1977-1978 The Reverend William P. Henson
1978-1982 The Reverend Marlon S. Poitier
1982-1983 The Reverend William P. Henson (interim vicar)
1983-1991 The Reverend Jarrette C. Atkins, Sr.
1991-1991 The Reverend Joseph F. Rider (Priest-in-Charge)
1991-1992 The Reverend George C. Nensteal
1992-1994 The Reverend Simeon Eugene Newbold, Sr.
1994-1995 The Reverend David C. Lord
1995-2013 The Reverend Jonathan E. Weekes
2013-2015 The Reverend Joseph F. Rider (Priest-in-Charge)
With the return of Father Joe Rider in 2013, another new chapter in the life of St. Simon’s began.
With the support of a committed vestry and a generous congregation, the church and parish hall were renovated once again. New outreach programs were launched. Relationships with other community organizations were formed, creating still more outreach.
As Father Joe retires, and a new priest arrives, more transitions lie ahead, and the story of the church continues to unfold. But as always, St. Simon’s will move forward — in faith.