H20 Church will hold their first live church service since the Covid-19 shutdown. This Sunday, Sept. 20 starting at 10:15 a.m. service will be held outside on the grounds of the former First United Methodist Church ‒ ( or inside if weather doesn’t hold up) ‒ at 2113 E. South St. The property was a gift to the congregation earlier this year from church members. Pastor Jim Poorman says, “This will be a very low key, relaxing time outside with all proper CDC guidelines in place and everyone has been asked to arrive at least 30 minutes early to be screened and have their temperature taken. Our building still has renovation to do but we’re excited to just see each other in person again at our new location…even if it’s without hugs.”
NEWS RELEASE - With Photo
ORLANDO – After nearly two decades of leasing worship space in downtown Orlando, the H2O Church finally has a home of its own. Built in the mid-1950s, the former First United Methodist Church at 2113 E. South St. sat empty the past three years. But it has been undergoing a $250,000 transformation to be the new home of the non-denominational church, as well as a community gathering place for residents and others in the neighborhood known as Orlando’s Milk District. “We love downtown and we’re very excited to be able to stay here,” said Rev. Jim Poorman, one of the Pastors of H2O Church.
The congregation’s good fortune came earlier this year in the form of a “gift” from a group of church members -- Marisol Santiago Soderstrom, John Kurtz and Roger Soderstrom, Jr., after their firm coordinated the purchase of nearly five acres that included the property the former Methodist church was built upon. H2O Church has held services the last two decades at The Abbey in the Sanctuary condominium at 100 S. Eola. Improvements to the church – which may all be completed in early 2021 – include a new roof, painting, exterior stucco repairs, new floors, lighting, sound system and building a lobby with coffee bar that can double as a meeting and work space for the neighborhood, Poorman said. “We want the lobby to be a place to serve the residents of our downtown community.”
