Welcome to St. Raphael's Church

St. Raphael’s Church has been operating on Fort Myers Beach for over 60 years. In 1951, Rev. Richard Brown from St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Fort Myers held services in the Community Hall. By 1952, Rev. Hull was hired as the vicar of the newly formed mission known as St. Raphael’s Episcopal Church. The church services moved from the Community Hall to an office in the Estero Manufacturing building.

The small but determined congregation borrowed $5,000 from the Diocese to construct a church on the island. About 200 parishioners donated the rest of the money for the purchase of the property on Williams Drive and to construct the church.

The church was designed and the building supervised by Cyril Shawcross. Built of local coquina shells and limestone, Shawcross and Rhett Smith laid the bricks and completed the building by 1953.

Later, in the 1960s, a rectory and parish hall were added to the campus.

Healing, Hope & Hospitality

on Fort Myers Beach