Demolition begins for Fort Myers Beach church

Reporter: Belinda Post Writer: Rachel Murphy
Published: Updated:
St. Peter Lutheran Church in Fort Myers Beach (CREDIT: WINK)

After sustaining heavy damage from Hurricane Ian, the process of demolishing St. Peter Lutheran Church on Fort Myers Beach has begun.

The main church sits on stilts, still damaged, yet 70 faithful routinely show up on Sundays.

“Ever since the storm, people feel the need to center themselves, and religion is a good way to do that. If you have a strong faith, you need to go to church,” said Trudy Archer, a church administrator.

Inside St. Peter Lutheran Church (CREDIT: WINK)

Demolition started with the breezeway, according to PAW company estimator Brandon Duffy, to safely detach it for whatever they decide to do when they renovate it.

“To see us rise back out of that and scratch and claw our way back to a congregation again, with the hope of becoming not what we were but something new,” said Archer.

The congregation hopes it will be able to hold service in the main part of the building in about a year. Until then, it will continue to have its tent service each Sunday at 9 a.m. in the church’s parking lot.

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