The Naples Daily News from Naples, Florida • 61

A'i 3 Marco Island Everglades City Immokalee Bonita Springs Golden Gate Vanderbilt Beach NAPIE nip- NAPLES DAILY NEWS Sun May 26 1674 3 SECTION AM1NW Mr (KrJhMf I Vj VrfiJ-Win From Humble Beginnings Bonita Church Is Built On Faith njtr iji'uvnr By THELMA BRUCE Special to the News BONITA SPRINGS On the corner of Felts Avenue and Childers Street in Bonita Springs stands a church built on the hope and faith of God In 1950 a young couple Norman and Vergie Mae Warriner decided there was a need for a Church of God in Bonita Springs and they began holding services in a tent During the early years the tent was at times torn and stripped to the ground by vandals but Rev Warriner and his wife continued their dream of laying a foundation for a small chapel next to the tent This Sunday the chapel will be dedicated to the late Rev Warriner and a new church built where the lent once stood will also be dedicated The Warrlners established several churches throughout south Florida but came back to Bonita Springs to minister at the original church and live their retirement years In 1971 another young minister was appointed to pastor the church Rev Phillip Hammond a steadfast young man 29 years of age was dedicated to a dream of wanting to expand and build a lovely new sanctuary Even though the congregation at times said it couldn't be done Rev Hammond stood firm He drew up the plans for the church and designed it The church was able to get $50000 in financing Rev Hammond recalls that many people volunteered their services labor and materials from all over southwest Florida From areas like Tice Fort Myers Bonita Springs and Naples they businessmen Just ordinary people and non-members of the church Rev Hammond a son-in-law of Rep Lorenzo Walker said love of building this church was overwhelming We had a businessman from Naples bring 15 block layers with him all volunteer labor to lay up the walls of the The building committee was Rev Hammond as chairman Jesse Wilson of Estero Dean Cannon of Naples and Durward Salter of Naples The church was started last November and finished recently with the best of materials throughout The inside designed by Rev Hammond is large enough to seat 300 people with pews and carpeting done in blues the entire church done in paneling with a spacious choir loft a handcarved communion table and a generally beautiful interior matching a truly beautiful exterior The ladies of the church headed by Mrs Helen Sutton of Bonita Springs and Mrs Lanier of Naples prepared meals for the volunteers Rev wife Carolyn said: am happy the church is finished because Phillip would pound nails until 4 am most "We spent some $50000 and have a sanctuary valued at $90000 With the chapel and parsonage the Church of God has an investment valued pt $150000 but without the grace of God and help of everyone it couldn't have been The Church of God in Bonita Springs had its humble beginnings in this tent juniors adults and the smaller children have identical I services The juniors and smaller children's services are held in the chapel while the adults have their worship service in -the new sanctuary This dedication services will begin with the regular service from 11 am until noon Immediately -after the service there will be a luncheon served by the' ladies of the church in the chapel I The dedication is scheduled for 2:30 pm with the guest speaker Dr Ray Hughes General Overseer of -the Church of God An open house will be held The chapel will be dedicated as Warriner Hall Rev Hammond said He added (gily regret is that Rev Warriner did not see the new church What makes the church unique and a growing denomination is the bus ministry which was begun with Rev Hammond as pastor Sunday school enrollment from adults to the smallest is about 150 Mary Ann Greenlaw of Fort Myers is superintendent of the juniors and William Standford of Naples is in charge of the smaller children with Penny Bibbee in charge of the bus ministry There are three full church services taking place at the same time between 11 am and noon each Sunday The The Rev Phillip Hainmond pastor of the Church of God Phato by TIpplM This chapel will be dedicated in the memory of Rev Norman Warriner Mr A Differences In Budget Being Ironed Out Askew Gives Shields Time To Prove Self TALLAHASSEE Fla (AP -With scheduled adjournment only a week away the 16 mem- bers of the House-Senate con- ferenee committee appointed to iron out differences in the state's $45 billion spending bill huve set to work Sxn after memlx'rs of the committee were named Thurs-! day held an organ-izallonal meeting and quickly approved a working proposal for $63 1 milliim in stale cm- plqyc benfils Rep Marshall Harris D-Miami und chairman of the panel emphasized that the uiy proposal compromises were only tentative with final fig- urea depending on Imw much nxNiey was cut from other areas Hoping to have1 a final budget by Tucstlay night Harris scheduled a Sunday meeting for list panel He said six suIh-oiii-inilcfH slKiuld lx ready to Harris predicted that the final spending hill would be "substantially lower" than either the $4525 billion appropriated by the Senate or the $4461 billion in (he House measure economic oullixik is such that we would prefer budgeting well Mow anticipated revenue" Harris said The House and Senate bills differ substantially In tlie ureas of education finance endangered land purchases highways und funding for state employe Niy raises Thu tentative compromise readied Thursday on the my rulses would provide un across-llie lxiurd $504 annual pay Increase for slate employes ul a cost of $445 million 4 per cent merit Increust stale takeover of employe payments to the retirement funds and $6 million for pay raises in communilleM with high living costs TALLAHASSEE Fla (AP) Gov Reubin Askew has met with Natural Resources Director Harmon Shields to assure him he try to oust him in July says Askew's press secretary wanted to assure him that he would not outright replace him when he gets the next Cabinet Don Pride said Thursday The meeting this week was the first between the two since Shields was appointed on a 4-3 Cabinet vole despite strong opposition from Askew had a real good meeting met for more than an hour one evening starting ulxiul 5 o'clock" Shields said Shields said last week that since the upixiintinent he hud met with every Cabinet member except Askew Secretary of Slate Richard Stone (Hie of Shields' strongest supixirters has said he will re sign on July to run for the Democratic Senate nomination -Askew will name the successor Askew told Shields he will have a to prove him- self at the job throughout the Pride said but added that all top jobs would be "subject to review" at the start of a new administration next 1 January Senate president-designate Dempsey Barron charged there wus a split in (he Democratic party and criticized Askew's attitude toward Shields Former Education Commissioner Floyd Christian who virted against Shields has said that (wo weeks after the appointment Askew asked for his support to replace Shields In July Christian said he refused was mure of a remark than a request and was said within the feelings of the moment" Pride said Photo by TIppttM GOING UP Work is continuing on the addition to Everglades City School The addition to be completed before school starts In August measures 4700 square feet and will huuse vocational offlre education classes and new lockers and showers for the gymnasium The Rkhard-Burns Construction Company Is contractor for the $204500 project.