Election prayers are held at the Palm Beach church where Trump got married

(This story has been updated to add new information.)

The historic Palm Beach Church where former President Donald Trump married Melania Trump offered parishioners some respite from the hustle and bustle of election day, with three prayer services.

The Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea, 141 S. County Road, held election prayers at 8:30 a.m., 12:05 p.m. and 5 p.m., the church said.

“The church and gardens have always been open for prayer and meditation on Election Day,” said the Rev. Tim Schenck, rector of the church. “And that will be the case this year as well. Anyone looking for a spiritual oasis in the midst of an anxious moment is welcome to sit in church and pray, stroll through the gardens or gaze into our koi pond.”

This is Schenck’s first turn at the helm of Bethesda-by-the-Sea during a presidential election since taking over as rector in 2022. He said that while he isn’t sure if prayer services were offered in recent days of the presidential election, he couldn’t imagine not offering them this year.

Each service lasted about 15 minutes and offered informal prayer, without a sermon from Schenck.

The prayers are rooted in scripture readings, prayers and silence, and attendees will pray for the country, guidance and elected representatives, Schenck said.

“As the Bible says, we rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep,” he told the Daily News after the afternoon service.

As a church that serves a politically diverse congregation, Bethesda-by-the-Sea is “nonpartisan, but gospel-centered,” Schenck said.

“In other words, while we do not endorse candidates, we preach a gospel of love, grace and inclusivity,” he said. “It means that we love our neighbors as ourselves. It means that we respect the dignity of every person. It means not dehumanizing or demonizing the other side. It means recognizing that everyone we encounter – no, it doesn’t matter who they are or what they look like or what they believe or who they love or where they come from – is first and foremost a child of God. “

“It means we follow Jesus’ command to ‘love one another as I have loved you,’” Schenck added. “That will be evident at every service in Bethesda-by-the-Sea.”

Gathering together to pray is what the church does, in times of hope and despair, he said.

“And I think it’s especially important to give people the space to unplug from the cable news box, remember that we are all Americans, open our campus to the community, and be reminded that what unites us will always be stronger are what divides us. ‘, said Schenck. “Bethesda-by-the-Sea has long been a beacon of hope in this community and beyond. And right now, we’re trying to embody that in a tangible, inviting way.”

Oldest church in Palm Beach

Bethesda-by-the-Sea’s first church was built in 1889 on the shore of Lake Worth, now the Intracoastal Waterway. A second building was constructed just north of the first. It was dedicated in 1896 and was home to the Bethesda congregation until 1925.

That year, construction began on the current Gothic Revival-style church, and the first services there were held on Christmas Day in 1926.

This year marks Bethesda-by-the-Sea’s 135th anniversary, making it the oldest religious community in Palm Beach and the oldest Protestant church in the region.

The Trump family’s history with Bethesda-by-the-Sea

The church has long been a magnet for the wealthy, affluent and famous people. The beauty of the church has also made it a destination for photographers, weddings and tourists.

Since then it has been a favorite church of Donald and Melania Trump their wedding there in 2005. Their son, Barron, was baptized the following year in Bethesda-by-the-Sea. The couple, occasionally joined by other family members, have attended Christmas Eve and Easter services there, including during Trump’s tenure in the White House from 2017 to 2021.

When Japan’s former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his wife, Akie Abe, visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago in April 2017, Melania Trump took Mrs. Abe to Bethesda-by-the-Sea. “Proud to share a part of my family history with Mrs. Abe at Bethesda-by-the-Sea Church where @POTUS and I were married, where we celebrate and pray,” the then-first lady said in a message on her @FLOTUS Instagram account accompanied by a photo of the church’s garden.

More recently, the funeral of Amalija KnavsMelania Trump’s mother, was detained there in January.

Another celebrity couple got married in Bethesda-by-the-Sea in 2013, when basketball star Michael Jordan married Yvette Prieto in a ceremony with guests including Tiger Woods, Spike Lee and Patrick Ewing.

The church hosts a number of popular events and fundraisers each year, including the annual one Boar’s Head and Yule Log Festival, held every year in January.

Information from the Palm Beach Daily News archives contributed to this report.

Kristina Webb is a reporter for the Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach her at [email protected]. Subscribe today to support our journalism.