Spires in the Sun Author Talk: December 9, Christ Episcopal Church, Monticello

Saturday, December 9, 2023, 5:00 PM

There will be a series of author talks on the Florida Carpenter Gothic Episcopal churches featured in the book. After each event there will be a meet and greet and book signing with Mr. Rich and Mr. Eschbach.

Spires in the Sun is organized in two parts. Part I includes: a description of a typical Florida church of the “Carpenter Gothic” style; a recounting of the advent and growth of the Episcopal Church in Florida; biographies of Bishops Rutledge, Young and Weed, with a particular emphasis on Bishop Young and his working affiliations with architects Richard Upjohn, Frank Wills, Charles Haight, and Robert Schuyler; an explanation of relevant contemporary influences, such as the Oxford Movement, the Gothic Revival, and ecclesiology; and an examination of the prominent roles of women in campaigns to build the churches. Part II is divided into 39 chapters, each of which profiles a specific surviving 19th–century Carpenter Gothic Episcopal church in Florida. These chapters tell the story of how each church was dreamt of, planned, and built by its original mission members.

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Jonathan Rich, a retired attorney who represented publicly held companies, major banks, and Florida’s principal economic development organization, is currently chairman of the board of a national trust company. He has also served in leadership positions for several non-profit organizations devoted to the arts, jobs training and the sport of rowing. A third generation Floridian, he has studied Florida human and natural history for decades. He lives in Winter Park, Florida with his wife Beth.

Phil Eschbach, a commercial photographer specializing in architecture and travel, has maintained a studio in Winter Park for many years. His photographs have appeared in national, regional and local publications. He has served on the board of a non-profit organization dedicated to architectural preservation in Central Florida and is a past president of the Winter Park Historical Association. A ninth generation Floridian, he lives in Winter Park with his wife Elizabeth.