In East Naples, East Naples United Methodist Church is known for a Sunday worship gathering shaped by English, Spanish, and Creole, a history that began with 20 church school students, and ministries that reach beyond Sunday morning. At 2701 Airport Road South, beside the Collier County Government Complex and courthouse, the congregation welcomes people through worship, Christian education, a preschool, youth gatherings, food support, and the Bargain Nook thrift store. Its mission, “Connecting Christ to People Through Love,” is expressed through a shared worship life and practical service.
From Twenty Students on the Courthouse Grounds
The church's story starts with the vision of Rev. Walter Jessup for an East Naples congregation. In 1961, the Sarasota District purchased the Airport Road property. On September 8, 1963, Jessup and a class of 20 members held church school classes in the Public Health Building on the Collier County courthouse grounds. Mary Griffin, known as Mrs. Sidney Griffin, organized the classes and served as superintendent.
That small beginning became a church. The first worship service was conducted in January 1965 by Rev. Robert Foxworthy, a lay pastor from Fort Myers. The congregation was officially chartered with 44 members that June, and the property was purchased for $6,100 while services continued at the Public Health Center. On October 23, 1966, Dr. Lewis N. Head, District Superintendent of the Sarasota District, consecrated the first sanctuary, which included a chapel and fellowship hall now known as Elsey Hall.
- 1972: The Education Building was constructed to house Sunday School classes.
- 1974: The Bargain Nook opened as the first thrift store in Naples.
- 1976: A day care center opened and later became The Learning Center.
- 1980: The Hispanic Ministry began, with its establishment approved by the Florida United Methodist Conference in 1987.
- 1986: The Bargain Nook moved into a special room added to Elsey Hall.
- 1987: A chapel, offices, and choir room were added to the existing sanctuary.
- 1998: A gazebo was built for fellowship between services and became part of the Memorial Garden.
- 1999: The church dedicated a playground.
- Between 2000 and 2001: A new Fellowship Hall was built and dedicated, while Elsey Hall was renovated with three classrooms, an office, and the Bargain Nook.
- 2002: A dedication concert introduced the Allen Renaissance Organ.
- 2003: The David and Margaret Woerner Memorial Garden was dedicated.
- Between 2007 and 2010: Exterior and interior renovations were completed with new carpet and pews.
Those years created the church's present pattern of worship and service. The sanctuary, Education Building, Fellowship Hall, and Elsey Hall make space for worship, study, music, children, families, and thrift-store ministry, while the playground and Memorial Garden extend the church's life beyond its rooms.
One Sunday Service in English, Spanish, and Creole
Sunday begins with the 10:00 a.m. joint worship service in the main sanctuary. English, Spanish, and Creole are all part of the gathering, and the service is also carried on YouTube through the Sunday worship livestream. The Sunday schedule also includes Adult Seekers Sunday School at 10:30 a.m. in Elsey Hall and Spanish Sunday School at 11:30 a.m. after worship.
The musical worship of East Naples United Methodist Church draws on choirs, handbells, organ, youth ensembles, soloists, and guest performers. Its repertoire ranges across familiar hymns and gospel songs, including “Amazing Grace,” “How Great Thou Art,” “Just As I Am,” “This Little Light of Mine,” “He Keeps Me Singing,” and “How Firm a Foundation.”
Hispanic Ministry and the Power of Welcome
Hispanic Ministry grew from an act of pastoral care in the early 1970s. Pastor Gary Connor served East Naples United Methodist Church from 1973 to 1975. During that period, the Torres family came from Cuba to Miami and then Naples. Udene Torres spoke fluent English and Spanish, while her husband and children did not share the same fluency. When Connor recognized the language barrier, he committed himself to the family, used a dictionary, and delivered a sermon in Spanish every Sunday at 4:00 p.m. until his transfer. Udene Torres had already made her own declaration of faith when she saw the church: “This will be my church.”
Her persistence led to contacts within the Florida United Methodist Conference and approval for the Hispanic Ministry in 1987. Before the church had a permanent local pastor for this ministry, pastors from across Florida officiated on Sundays. The ministry's continuing purpose is to bring people with diverse backgrounds together through Christ. That welcome is reflected in the shared Sunday gathering, where English, Spanish, and Creole belong to the same worship service. The Hispanic Ministry extends an invitation to families to become part of the church's life.
A Full Morning of Children's Learning
Children have several ways to participate in the Sunday morning. Nursery care for children four years old and younger runs from 9:00 a.m. to noon in Elsey Hall. Children's Church, for preschool children through fifth grade, meets from 9:45 to 10:30 during worship. Children begin with their parents in the sanctuary and come forward for a special children's sermon. They are then escorted to the second floor of the Education Building for Bible stories, songs, and crafts, where parents pick them up after worship.
Kingdom Quest Sunday School follows from 10:35 to 11:35 a.m. Large-group time begins with worship and an introduction to the day's Bible lesson. Children then divide into groups for PreK through second grade and grades three through five, where they explore the lesson more deeply, memorize Scripture, and consider how to apply its principles. Middle school and high school students are also welcome in a Sunday School class on the second floor of the Education Building.
Children's ministry continues on Wednesdays with Kingdom Quest from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Squires, for PreK through second grade, and Knights, for grades three through five, meet for worship, a Bible story, games, and crafts. The ENCOUNTER youth ministry gathers on the first and third Sundays of each month at 5:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall for fellowship, worship, and study, with Pastor Edwin guiding the group's conversations about faith and life.
The Learning Center: Preschool as Community Outreach
The Learning Center has served families in the Naples area for more than 40 years and provides full-day Christian education for children ages one through five. It operates year round from 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and serves more than 60 children. The program combines spiritual and academic learning in a warm, caring, safe, and fun environment intended to help children grow physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually.
Five classrooms provide learning centers for science, math, writing, manipulatives, computers, and creative arts. Children learn letters, numbers, colors, and shapes through the Creative Curriculum and Handwriting Without Tears. ABEKA Bible curriculum introduces Bible stories, character development, prayer, praise, and weekly verses. The daily rhythm includes circle time, hands-on activities, and rest time, with themed activities and learning suitable for each age.
Christian education continues beyond the basics through chapel, music class, Wonderful Wednesdays, story time, family fun nights, graduation programs, gymnastics, and seasonal family events. Florida's free Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten program is offered year round, and children who turn four by September 1 may participate at no cost. Director Gladimar de Jesús Marín holds a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood and Primary Education, a Child Development Associate credential, and director credentials. The teaching team includes experienced teachers and assistants, child-to-teacher ratios lower than state requirements, and CPR and AED certification. More information about The Learning Center is available for families.
Bible Study from Monday Through Sunday
Adult and intergenerational study give the church's teaching ministry a regular rhythm throughout the week. Joy Bible Study meets on Mondays at 10:00 a.m. in Elsey Hall. Wednesday Fellowship and Bible Study is offered at two times, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m., with the classes intended for learners of all ages. Adult Seekers gathers for Sunday School study at 10:30 a.m. in Elsey Hall.
The church's Follow Me discipleship path connects these classes with the wider life of the congregation. Its four steps are to Connect with God and the church, Discover spiritual gifts and one's place in God's plan, Engage the church and community through service, and Flourish through Bible studies, small groups, and ministry inside and outside the church.
Marketplace Ministry at the Bargain Nook
The Bargain Nook began in 1974 as the first thrift store in Naples, and a dedicated team of volunteers continues that work. The store opens Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Clothing for women, men, and children, glasses, shoes, kitchenware, jewelry, books, games, electronic goods, and items for infants are among the reasonably priced goods available. New and gently used donations keep the shelves supplied.
Donations can be brought to the back door on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Items are cleaned before entering the shop, and the weekly rhythm of shopping, donating, and volunteering has become a form of marketplace ministry. The Bargain Nook combines affordability with a practical way for people to contribute clothing and household goods to the community.
Food Cart, Pantries, and Partnerships
A food cart in the narthex holds an ongoing collection of nonperishable food for local pantries and food banks. The church directs donations to Helps Outreach, Grace Place for Children and Families, and St. Matthew's House. Financial contributions support the Harry Chapin Food Bank, which supplies St. Matthew's House and Grace Place with fresh and canned food. The church also offers volunteer opportunities with Harry Chapin, Grace Place, and St. Matthew's House through its mission work.
The Good Samaritan Fund provides money for direct assistance to people facing hardship. Another recurring ministry is the collection for the Florida United Methodist Children's Home on every fifth Sunday. That ministry includes residential and therapeutic care, foster care, emergency shelter care, independent living assistance, and community child care.
Other partnerships extend the church's mission beyond the immediate congregation. Sunlight Home provides a residential maternity setting for pregnant women and teens, offering physical, emotional, and spiritual support. ECHO works to reduce hunger through sustainable food solutions, including training in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean. The church also maintains a connection with Methodist sister churches in Cuba, where the Methodist movement grew after Florida missionaries began preaching there in 1883.
A Sanctuary Made for Music
Music is described as an integral part of worship at East Naples United Methodist Church, with opportunities created for people of all ages. The named ensembles include the Chancel Choir, the Jubilate handbell group, the Kings Kids children's choir, the youth choir, and #4HisGlory. Soloists, special performances, and guest vocalists and instrumentalists add to the schedule. Organist LaVon Mattson leads the church's organ ministry, including the Allen Renaissance Organ that was introduced with a dedication concert in 2002.
The worship approach also connects older hymns with newer and more varied expressions. Senior pastor Guillermo Javier Barroso's background in graphic design, visual arts, and music has shaped his emphasis on worship teams, creative communication, and the arts, bridging traditional and contemporary forms of faith.
Connecting Christ to People Through Love
East Naples United Methodist Church defines its mission as “Connecting Christ to People Through Love.” Its vision emphasizes active children and youth programs, parent and family involvement, diversity and inclusiveness, continued community outreach, and an engaged congregation that extends beyond Sunday worship. These priorities are reflected in the shared worship service, the age-based education programs, the Learning Center, the thrift store, and the food partnerships that connect the church with families in East Naples.
The congregation also follows the United Methodist mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Its beliefs place faith in Christ at the center of Christian living, emphasize the Wesleyan tradition of putting faith and love into action through practical divinity, and understand God's saving grace as foundational to the church's theological heritage.
Senior pastor Guillermo Javier Barroso is an ordained Elder in The United Methodist Church with nearly 15 years of pastoral experience. He has served congregations in Puerto Rico and New Jersey, with multicultural ministry experience in Hispanic and English speaking congregations. His leadership emphasizes congregational renewal, discipleship, community engagement, collaborative service, and creative ways of communicating the Gospel.
Stewardship is another part of church life. Contributions can be made online as single gifts or recurring donations, through a mobile device, by mail, through donor-advised funds, charitable grants, or endowments. Online giving helps keep the church operational and its ministries available to people in need.
At the center of East Naples United Methodist Church is a clear pattern: worship in shared languages, education across generations, and service that reaches the community from its Airport Road location.