Our History

1966

The Rt. Rev. Henry I. Louttit, Bishop of South Florida, called the Rev. Knox Brumby to begin a new congregation in the Northwest Ft. Lauderdale area – an area expected to explode with middle- and upper-middle-class white families. From the very sparse population of that time, Fr. Brumby gathered together eight people for the first service on January 15 1967 at the Recreation Center of the Village Mobile Home Park, thus our church began as a Mission. Growth was slow but steady; and when the average attendance at this center reached 27, it became necessary to move.

September 3, 1967 until August 17, 1969

Services were held at the Dolphin Bowling Lanes in Lauderdale Lakes. Growth continued and the search began for property we now have at 4401 W. Oakland Park Boulevard, Lauderdale Lakes. The Rectory was bought in Oriole Estates and the Diocese made plans to move the pre-fab building from St. Nicholas’ Church in Pompano (which was formerly used at St. James-in-the-Hills, Hollywood) to our property.

August 17, 1969

101 people celebrated the Eucharist in our building and Bishop James Duncan of Southeast Florida dedicated our building in September. Due to illness, Fr. Brumby had to resign. Shortly after in July 1970, Fr. Bruce T. Powell arrived. Growth was steady but slow, and soon the need for more space was apparent. The Diocese agreed, because of our “potential” to finance the building of our current church sanctuary without a fund drive, anticipating that a debtreduction drive in five years would reduce and control the nearly $300,000 mortgage.

January 13, 1974

Following the Eucharist and procession, Bishop Duncan laid the cornerstone for the new church under construction. No predictions or county and utility surveys prepared us for the almost overnight transition, during that time of our building, from a predominantly white Jewish community to a predominantly West Indian community.

Over 300 people rejoiced on Easter Sunday, 1974 in our permanent church even though the pews were not yet installed. Then on September 15, 1974 after the pews were in, neighboring clergy, friends, and our own members celebrated with trumpet and guitars as Bishop Duncan formally dedicated and set aside our building to the Glory of God.

 1974-2002

Bishop Duncan formerly dedicated and set aside our building to the Glory of God. The Holy Eucharist is celebrated as it is today. We see ourselves as we are – an active, loving family in Christ, seeking to do and be what He wants us to do and be. We are developing our traditions – the Annual Harvest Festival from the West Indies, the Halloween Party and the Christmas Dinner-Dance, but above all the exciting ways in which we celebrate the Liturgy of the Book of Common Prayer as we ” offer and present unto thee, our selves, our souls and bodies” —“that he may dwell in us and we in him.” Our building lends itself to elaborate decoration. On the outside, the Memorial Gardens provide space for Cremated remains of all who wish to be buried here on what we know to be ‘holy ground’. To any friends reading this book of the Atonement Parish, we invite you to consider becoming a part of us.

From 1974-2002

The congregation has kept pace with the advent of change in the area surrounding the Church. From the inception of change to the new church building, the neighborhood and our membership has become a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural conglomerate. The Church has responded by reflecting the community and transforming our worship services to address the changes in the region she serves. Under the leadership of the Laity that has represented the many segments of our population found in the Greater Ft. Lauderdale area, the Church has met the spiritual and other needs of all who have come to her during the past thirty years.

Fr. Bruce Powell led our congregation with strength and purpose and ushered us from. a Missicin status to a Parish status until his retirement in 1990. Fr. Powell was followed by Fr. Ronald Peak 1992 to 1994; Fr. Samuel Thomas, Interim Priest, 1994 to 1998; and our current Rector, Fr. Earl F. Henry – Fourth Rector of Atonement Episcopal Church who led our Parish Hall building efforts. The Hall was dedicated by Bishop Frade (Third Bishop of Southeast Florida) on May 5, 2001 and named Powell Hall as a tribute to Fr. Bruce T. Powell for his twenty years of service to the parish.

The Church of the Atonement continues to work to be a place that ALL may find a spiritual home; being “Episcopalian” in the ancient sense today – for all persons, for all times, for all places, and open to whatever challenges our Lord sets before her today and tomorrow