Eastminster

Dr. Marion Melvin was asked by the St. John Presbytery to organize a Presbyterian Church in the Melbourne area in the late 1940’s. The first services were held weekly in the recreation center on Front Street in Melbourne. During that time there was lots of open space in the Melbourne area especially on the barrier island. The area was beautiful and the river clean and fresh. Dr Melvin suggested the barrier island as a place for the church. Four lots were selected in what is now Indialantic and were purchased. In 1950 the church was officially organized and fifty-four members were received into the church. Eastminster’s first sanctuary was built on the corner of 5th Avenue and Riverside Place overlooking the Indian River. This building, now called Melvin Hall is still used by the church. As the hustle and bustle of the Space Coast grew and many scientist and space workers moved to the area church membership increased. Two services were held each week as the attendance became too large for the building. The present sanctuary was completed in the fall of 1968. The building was designed by Nils Schweizer, a protégé of Frank Lloyd Wright whose influence can be seen in the style of the church. The wood from the beautiful cross which hangs in the chancel area was a gift from a member. It is free standing and is embedded seven feet into the floor with variegated metallic panels. The stained glass windows on the east and west sides of the sanctuary are very special because the congregation assembled them under the supervision of the Schweizer studio. The window above the Narthex is a mural-type window of representational art designed and built by the architect and his staff as a gift to the church. A Christian Ministry Center was completed in late 1999 and the 50th Anniversary Reception was the first event held in the new Fellowship Hall. Eastminster Presbyterian Church has been fortunate to have had strong leadership and devoted membership over the past 50 years and to have provided a strong Christian program in the Melbourne/beachside area.