Our Vision

Hodges Boulevard Presbyterian Church is a welcoming inclusive community united by the love Jesus Christ, passionately committed to spiritual growth through Biblical preaching, teaching, fellowship and Christ-centered worship and specifically aimed toward growing and engaging everyone for service that reflects the grace of God to all people.

Our Mission

Hodges Boulevard Presbyterian Church is a welcoming, inclusive community who: 

Worships

God in faithful, creative ways

Learns,

engages with, and lives the Gospel through service

Supports

each as a family

Prays

together and individually

Our Beliefs

“In gratitude to God, empowered by the Spirit, we strive to serve Christ in our daily tasks and to live holy and joyful lives, even as we watch for God’s new heaven and new earth praying, ‘Come, Lord Jesus.’” —From “A Brief Statement of Faith”

Our Core Beliefs Center on:
  • the sovereignty of God
  • the authority of the scripture
  • justification by grace through faith
  • the priesthood of all believers

 

Presbyterian Beliefs: Divine Sovereignty and Salvation

What that means is that God is the supreme authority throughout the universe. Our knowledge of God and God’s purpose for humanity comes from the Bible, particularly what is revealed in the New Testament through the life of Jesus Christ. Our salvation through Jesus is God’s generous gift to us and not the result of our own accomplishments. It is everyone’s job – ministers and lay people alike – to share this Good News with the whole world. That is also why the Presbyterian church is governed at all levels by a combination of clergy and laity, men and women alike.

Our History

 

The first worship service was held on Sunday, November 4, 1990, in the Captains Club on Beach Boulevard.  This beginning was due to the efforts of a Bible study group from First Presbyterian Church in Jacksonville who in 1988 wanted to establish a church in the rapidly developing area of Jacksonville bounded by St. John’s Bluff Road on the west, Beach Boulevard on the north, San Pablo Road on the east and J.T Butler Boulevard on the south. In the spring of 1988, Presbytery of St. Augustine received a grant of land from the families of George H. Hodges, Sr. and George H. Hodges, Jr. The New Church Development Committee approved “the Hodges Area Project” and a pastor, The Rev. Dr. Thomas P. Borland from Tennessee to serve as organizing pastor.

 

The original group continued to grow and on February 17, 1991, 32 people became charter members of the church. The formal chartering ceremony was held on Sunday, September 20, 1992, for Hodges Boulevard Presbyterian Church.

 

In April of 1995, the first building was completed, and the first service was held on Palm Sunday, April 9, 1995. Before the first phase was completed, planning for the second phase of building to add space for church school was underway. By December 31, membership had grown to 166. In 1996 and 1997, phase two construction was completed, providing much needed space.

 

In 1998, a long-range planning committee began preparation for additional space to accommodate the continued growth. What an exciting time it was when the groundbreaking for the new sanctuary was held on February 27, 2000. The first service in the new sanctuary was held on February 25, 2001. A licensed preschool was opened in the church in September 2002. The very successful preschool continues to maintain national accreditation and always has a waiting list for the classes.

 

The Rev. Dr. Tom Borland continued as pastor until 2004. During the transition period, several interim pastors served until Rev. Joe Albright joined the church in January 2005. Rev. Albright served five successful years, growing the membership even more, until he resigned for personal reasons in 2010.

 

Pastor David Pierce and his wife Jenny arrived in April 2011 to carry forward with the same successful momentum until his retirement in July 2017.

 

Pastor Jonathan Swanson arrived in June 2019. Learn more about Pastor Jon here.