November 5, 2025
Church That Helped Build Tavares Joins City’s 145th Birthday Celebration
By Frank Stanfield
Church That Helped Build Tavares Joins City’s 145th Birthday Celebration
The city of Tavares celebrates its 145th birthday this weekend with food, flowers and the faith of Union Congregational Church, which has served the city for 140 years.
It’s only fitting, says the Rev. James T. Mory.
Rev. James T. Mory. Photo by Frank Stanfield.
“The church has served during some difficult times,” he says, including a fire in 1888, freezes that destroyed orange groves, wars and the Great Depression.
City founder Maj. Alexander St. Clair Abrams had dreams of making it the county seat of Lake County and the capital of the state. It was logical, he figured, saying it was “the gut” or the middle part of Florida.
Tavares Founders Weekend is the kind of history that City Council member and historian Bob Grenier likes to celebrate. There will be events at the church Saturday and Sunday, a walking tour of the town, a 250th birthday celebration of the U.S. Marine Corps, quilt show, museum tour, art show and more.
The mission of the church on busy St. Clair Abrams Avenue has not changed, Rev. Mory says. “Our mission is expressing God’s love in our community.”
“The church does not pay property taxes. We don’t pay for the fire department, or police, so we’d better be going out to lift up people and make a difference,” he tells his 85 church members.
“Life is a gift, love is the point,” he adds.
The sanctuary, with its tall, dark wood ceilings and stained-glass windows, is beautiful.
Even more important, perhaps, is the church’s food pantry, thrift store to clothe the needy, twice-a-week meals for seniors, and space for 12-Step programs to fight addiction.
Festivities will begin Friday with organ music at the church from 10 a.m. to noon. Festival events extend to Tuesday, Veterans Day. There is a beauty queen pageant, photo contest, Sky Flower celebration, and dancing.
On Saturday, there will be a free pancake breakfast at the church, building tour and other events.
There will be a special church service Sunday at 10 a.m. There will also be an art contest at Wooon Park.
The Marine Corps birthday party will be held Monday. On Tuesday there will be a Veterans Day ceremony at the Tavares Cemetery, and open house at the Tavares History Resource Center, Lake County Historical center and other activities.
Frank Stanfield has been a journalist for more than 40 years, including as an editor and reporter for the Daily Commercial, Orlando Sentinel and Ocala Star-Banner. He has written three books, “Unbroken: The Dorothy Lewis Story,” “Vampires, Gators and Wackos, A Florida Newspaperman’s Story,” and “Cold Blooded, A True Crime Story of a Murderous Teenage Cult.” He has appeared on numerous national and international broadcasts, including Discovery ID, Oxygen and Court TV. He maintains a blog at frankestanfield.com. Stanfield graduated with a political science degree from the University of North Florida and a master’s in journalism at the University of Georgia.
