George Merrick, the founder of the city of Coral Gables, built Gables UCC in honor of his father who was a Congregational minister in Massachusetts. Merrick enlisted Richard Kiehnel from the architectural firm Kiehnel and Elliott to design the Mediterranean Revival church, a style that proved popular in many of the new communities in Florida at the time. The church is recognizable from afar with its elaborate Baroque-inspired decorations and clay tile barrel roofs. Gables UCC was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

Since its founding, Gables UCC has focused on promoting education and community. In 2003 it started the Community Arts Program, which provides high-quality music education to over one hundred young musicians ages 5 through 18 through learning from and performing alongside professional musicians at the Summer Concert Series. Gables UCC also shares space with over forty organizations and groups, including the Early Childhood Center, the Miami Fair Trade Marketplace, and The Villagers, a local historical preservation organization.

A National Fund grant of $400,000 with $400,000 in matching funds raised by the congregation will support work related to the building envelope, including roof, windows, and exterior doors.

Photo by Elena Korallis