A Warm Welcome To
Saint Michael And All Angels Anglican Church
A Traditional and Orthodox Episcopal Parish
If this is your first visit to St. Michael's, we welcome you in the name of Jesus Christ! We hope that you will be blessed in your worship here and pray that you may experience the presence of our risen and reigning Lord. Please worship with us again!
You may have questions about our church. St. Michael's is simply a traditional Episcopal parish, still worshipping Almighty God in the historic Anglican way, proclaiming the old authentic Faith revealed in the Holy Scriptures and expressed in the Apostles and Nicene Creeds. We have nothing new to offer!
What does St. Michael's offer?
St Michael's offers, first of all, the Gospel of JESUS CHRIST, the Lord of our lives, our only Saviour from sin, death, and hell. We strive to proclaim HIM and Him alone, as the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
St Michael's offers the fellowship of a small, growing, close-knit congregation of Christians, where each member is valued as a Member of Christ.
St. Michael's provides regular opportunities for growth in the grace of God. We offer teaching and preaching firmly grounded in the Scriptures. Here you can be fed weekly with the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, really present in the Holy Communion.
Jesus said: "Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day" (St. John 6:53-54).
And here you will find worship which is truly God-centered and not man-oriented. Our worship is only for the glory of God, not for entertainment, excitement, or even inspiration. This is the tradition of the Anglican family of Churches (those Churches derived from the Church of England). The Book of Common Prayer in its 1928 edition is the Prayer Book used here.
What does St. Michael's believe?
You probably noticed in your first visit that sound doctrine is important in this parish. St. Michael's came into existence in 1980 because of the movement within the Episcopal Church to compromise the Faith taught by Jesus and passed down through the ages. But since the Gospel is our only hope of salvation, we cannot afford the luxury of changing it.
Our faith in this church is the Catholic faith, revealed by God in the Bible, proclaimed by the Apostles whom Jesus Himself appointed and instructed, guarded by the Fathers and Councils of the early centuries, summarized in the Creeds, handed faithfully on and prized above all things by martyrs and saints in all times and places. We have no faith of our own, just the universal Faith of the whole Church, unchanging and unchang-eable, in every century, in every land.
What does St Michael's stand for?
Quite simply, St Michael's stands for a positive presentation of Jesus Christ. We proclaim Him alone as King and Saviour, to a lost world which desperately needs Him. In His death He paid the penalty of our sins. In His resurrection, he gave us new life. In His ascension, He opened for us the gates of heaven.
For His sake, and bearing His cross, we stand for the Apostolic Ministry He established in the holy orders of Bishop, Priest, and Deacon. Down through the years the Church followed His Divine example in admitting only men to these special forms of ministry (even though women were truly outstanding among His original disciples and in other forms of ministry since New Testament times).
The overwhelming majority of Christians still obey His will and example in this matter. Therefore we are in the mainstream of Christianity today. Our cornerstone is inscribed: "And they continued steadfastly in the Apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers" (Acts 2:42).
St. Michael's also stands for the clear moral teaching of the Holy Scriptures. God gave the moral law (summarized in the Ten Commandments) to provide His people a roadmap for life in fellowship with Him. Since this Law came from God, it is unchangeable. Society (made up largely of men who do not know God or respect His will) frequently changes its "rules" concerning acceptable habits and lifestyles. But God does not change. His Word commands: "Be ye not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Romans 12:2).
We believe that God forgives every kind of sin and welcomes sinners into the Church, as His family of redeemed prodigal sons and daughters. Sinners are welcome here! But forgiveness is possible only at the great price of Christ's death in our place. That's why a wooden crucifix hangs over our altar. Pardoned sinners are transformed and enabled to live as mirrors of the glory of God.
It is therefore unthinkable for any "church" to ignore God's law or to condone behavior offensive to Him or harmful to His people. At St Michael's, we affirm clearly the Biblical principles:
that sexual behavior is morally unacceptable outside the relationship of marriage,
that marriage can exist only between persons of the opposite sex,
that marriage is truly dissolved only by the death of one party,
that human life is absolutely sacred from the moment of conception.
To teach otherwise, or to compromise these principles, is to inflict grave damage on the souls for which our dear Lord laid down His life.
What is St Michael's background and affiliation?
This church is a local unit of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, a "cell" of the Mystical Body of Christ. Our congregation came into existence in 1980, as a part of the "Continuing Church Movement" of faithful orthodox Episcopalians. We are absolutely independent of the Diocese of Florida and the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. Our parish is a legally chartered corporation in the State of Florida. It owns its property independently.
How can I learn more?
Speak to the Rector, Fr Wells, or to any member of the parish. We love to tell you about our Faith! If you treasure the traditional faith, order, worship, and spirituality of the Anglican tradition, and wish to hand it on to others, St. Michael's may well be the church you seek. Christ is in our midst. Please be at home with us.