A Parish on the Intracoastal Waterway
St. Simon's on the Sound Episcopal Church sits just west of downtown Fort Walton Beach, on the banks of the Intracoastal Waterway. Founded in 1946, the parish describes itself as "a sacramental church, striving to know Christ and make Christ known." More than eight decades on, the congregation remains an energetic presence in Okaloosa County, drawing worshipers to its weekly Holy Eucharist and running outreach programs that extend into local schools, food pantries, and foster care networks across the panhandle.
As a member of the Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast, St. Simon's shares the wider tradition of The Episcopal Church and the global Anglican Communion. The parish's leadership currently sits with the Rev. Christie Hord, who serves as Interim Rector, working alongside a vestry elected from the congregation and a small lay staff.
Sunday Morning on the Waterway
Worship at St. Simon's gathers in the Nave, the main sanctuary, every Sunday at 10:00 a.m. for the Holy Eucharist. A nursery is available for infants and toddlers, and a Children's Chapel is offered for children from age three through fifth grade; ushers direct families to both before the service begins. Following the Eucharist, the parish transitions to adult Christian education in the Fellowship Room, where a weekly discussion on the day's Gospel is led by Jennifer Lee.
The service is livestreamed at 10:00 a.m. each Sunday on the church's YouTube channel and Facebook page, allowing members who are traveling, homebound, or otherwise away to follow along. The Book of Common Prayer serves as the foundation for the liturgy, giving the worship a familiar rhythm week after week.
What to Expect in the Pew
The church publishes a detailed "Guide to Worship" that walks newcomers through the service from the moment they arrive. Ushers greet visitors at the door and hand out a service bulletin that gives the page numbers for the day. In each pew, two books are typically placed: the red-covered Book of Common Prayer (often called the BCP) and the blue Hymnal 1982. The bulletin indicates when to find each piece of music or prayer.
As the 10:00 hour approaches, the organist plays a Prelude meant to help the assembly settle. The service itself opens with a Procession: the crucifer, acolytes, choir members, and clergy move down the aisle, and the congregation stands as the opening hymn begins. Many worshipers bow as the cross passes their pew, an acknowledgment that Christ is present in the assembly.
The service then unfolds in two halves. The Liturgy of the Word includes readings from the Old Testament, a Psalm, a New Testament epistle, and a Gospel. Lay members of the congregation typically read the first two lessons and the Psalm, while a priest or deacon reads the Gospel, which is treated with special reverence: a hymn welcomes it, the Gospel book is carried into the middle of the assembly, and the people stand and turn toward it. The preacher then offers a sermon, the assembly recites the Nicene Creed, and prayers of the people follow for the Church, the world, the nation, the sick, and the departed. After a corporate Confession and Absolution, the presider shares "the Peace," inviting worshipers to greet those nearby with a handshake and the words "Peace be with you."
The Liturgy of the Table that follows includes the Offertory, where ushers bring forward the bread and wine and pass a plate for financial gifts. Members may give in the plate, give nothing at all, or support the church online or through automatic bank transfers. The Eucharistic Prayer includes the Sursum Corda ("Lift up your hearts"), the Sanctus ("Holy, holy, holy"), and a retelling of the Last Supper. Communion is received at the altar rail; visitors who prefer not to receive may remain in their seats or come forward with arms crossed over the chest for a blessing. The service closes with a Post-Communion Prayer, a blessing, a final hymn, and a dismissal as the procession returns down the aisle.
Forming the Next Generation
St. Simon's holds that "children and youth are the church and our future," and the parish's Christian education programs reflect that conviction. The nursery is open during the 10:00 service for infants and toddlers, with drop-off before the service begins. Children from age three through fifth grade are invited to the Children's Chapel, which meets in the Parish Hall during the liturgy. A dedicated Children's Church leader coordinates that ministry.
For adults, the parish offers the Sunday-morning Christian education series following the Eucharist, with discussion centered on the Gospel reading. Topics are announced through the parish newsletter, the e-Pistle, which arrives in subscribers' inboxes each week. The parish also connects members to broader formation resources, including the Daily Office (Morning and Evening Prayer) and online courses through ChurchNext.
An Episcopal Identity: The Via Media and the Jesus Movement
St. Simon's frames its identity in distinctly Anglican terms. As Episcopalians, members belong to a church in the United States and fourteen other countries, governed by bishops rather than a Pope, and rooted historically in both the Church of England and the Roman Catholic tradition. The parish belongs to the worldwide Anglican Communion, a connection symbolized by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The parish's own teaching describes the Episcopal Church as following the "Via Media," the middle way between Protestant and Catholic traditions. That balance is often pictured as a three-legged stool: faith rests on reason, tradition, and scripture, with no single leg dominating the others. Members are encouraged to question and explore, and to remain in respectful conversation with one another across disagreement. "We believe that God loves everyone," the parish's statement reads. "No one is excluded from that love, and everyone is welcome."
The local bishop is the Rt. Rev'd Russell Kendrick of the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast, and the presiding bishop of the wider church is the Most Rev'd Sean Rowe.
Outreach: The Hands of Christ in Okaloosa County
An active Ministry Committee coordinates St. Simon's outreach, which the parish describes as a way to be "the hands of Christ in our communities." The Blessing Bag Ministry, founded at St. Simon's, partners with the Okaloosa County School District's Title I program to provide more than eight hundred personal hygiene kits each year to students and families struggling with basic needs. The parish also partners with Elliott Point Elementary, supporting teachers and students through a back-to-school blessing, teacher appreciation events, hoodie and sock drives, and school-supply collections.
On a quarterly basis, the parish runs food drives to support Sharing and Caring of Okaloosa's food pantry. During the Christmas season, St. Simon's joins the Children in Crisis Angel Tree gift program and contributes to the Northwest Florida Guardian Ad Litem Foundation's Christmas drive for children in foster care. The parish also connects members to Cursillo, a movement within the Episcopal Church that supports lay spiritual formation.
Leadership and Governance
The Rev. Christie Hord serves as Interim Rector. The parish office is managed by Cyndi Gillispie, the Office and Finance Manager, and the buildings are cared for by James Wyatt, the Sexton.
Governance rests with the Vestry, the parish's elected board. Its presiding officer is the Rector, supported by a Senior Warden (currently Ashleigh Pristas), who leads the vestry and serves as a liaison to the rector, and a Junior Warden (Rick Smith), who oversees property and buildings. Van Fuller serves as Treasurer, and Michelle Anchors as Chancellor. The vestry is organized into three classes, elected at the annual parish meeting, and is responsible for defining and articulating the congregation's mission, supporting it in word and deed, selecting the rector, and managing the parish's resources.
Volunteer lay leaders keep the rhythm of parish life moving: Chris Westphal and Kelley Fuller coordinate the Altar Guild; Paige King leads Greeters; Carla Hunt hosts Coffee Hour; JoAnne Connell directs Children's Church; Chris Westphal also coordinates Lay Eucharist Ministers and Lectors; Darren King leads the Men's Group; Chris Westphal and Jacque Hale care for the Flower Guild; and Netta Holley organizes the Ushers.
Resources, Giving, and Getting Connected
Members and visitors can support St. Simon's financially through an online pledge form and through Realm, the church's online giving platform. Newcomers interested in formally joining the parish can fill out a membership form, and those wishing to schedule a baptism are invited to contact the church office; baptisms are typically scheduled outside of Lent so that the sacrament can take place within the public worship of the assembly.
The Parish Hall, kitchen, and classroom space are available for rental, with inquiries handled through the church office. The weekly e-Pistle newsletter, an online monthly calendar, and the parish's Facebook and Instagram feeds keep members informed about formation opportunities, outreach events, and the rhythms of the church year.
Office hours run Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and the parish office can be reached at (850) 244-8621 or at Office@Stsimons-FWB.Org. Whether gathering in the Nave on Sunday morning or sending blessing bags out to a Title I school during the week, St. Simon's on the Sound continues to live out its founding mission: to know Christ and to make Christ known, on the waterway and beyond.