One who sings, prays twice. Many people seeking to communicate with God through song and music find a home at St. Michael's. Our worship service is traditional, and we are playful and flexible.

• 8am worship service, Rite I, spoken word.

• 10am worship service, Rite II, with choir, Sept- June. It is our tradition to sing parts of The Great Thanksgiving. Although we would like to continue this tradition, it is not required of the new Priest in Charge.

• We use the 1982 Hymnal, supplemented by selections from Lift Every Voice and Sing; Wonder, Love and Praise; and Voices Found.

St. Michael’s strengths:

• Faithful and kind parish members
• We recognize that we are the body of Christ, each of us with different strengths and weakness.
• We forgive ourselves and others.
• We are financially and emotionally healthy
• Our presence in the community:
  • The Food Pantry at St. Michael’s
  • Buildings being used by other organizations:
    • AA and other addiction support groups
    • Greenwoods Counseling and referrals, inc.
    • School on the Green, preschool
  • A willingness to experiment
  • Acknowledging and celebrating small successes
  • Our parish administrator
  • New members regularly join us for worship.
  • A newcomer’s greeter that welcomes and follows up with those wanting to make themselves known.
  • Our properties draw the community to us, and us to God. Our well cared for memorial garden and labyrinth, the beautiful architecture and stained-glass windows are highlighted in both a written tour booklet and by our knowledgeable tour guides.
  • The doors to our church sanctuary are open from 7am - Our building is a place for quite reflection and prayer for members of and visitor to our community.

St. Michael’s challenges:

• Operating in a secular society
• Making ourselves relevant and relatable to the unchurched.
• Finding ways to connect with a younger generation
• Offering Christian education for all ages
• Not everyone is equipped to share an invitation to church and a faith-based life to those not seeking a church home.
• An aging congregation

The following is the result of a recently conducted parish wide survey. Much of the language is taken directly from the survey responses.

 What is the future of St. Michael’s?   What is God calling us to do?

The answer is Luke 12:48; For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required 

• God is calling us to repeat success

St. Michael’s has realized real success. The congregation, The Liturgy, music program, the physical building, and Food Pantry are recognized by parishioners as pillars of strength.

• God is calling us to be welcoming

Parishioners of St. Michael’s understand that God is calling us to open hearts and doors to welcome all, including those who are cautious, traveling a difficult path or seeking an enriching personal experience with The Holy Spirit.

• God is calling us to be community partners

St. Michael’s parishioners understand the value of partnering with the broader community and area Episcopal churches, sharing resources with organizations from local to global. They know God is calling them to feed the body, mind, and soul.

Possible partnerships come from a spirit of cooperation, and growing and feeding the body of Christ.  The ECCT Joining Jesus meetings set the ground work for collaboration between parishes, for partnering with non-church members hungry to serve, and for going out in the community to see the need.

• God is calling us to think deeply

The secular world is full of strife. Parishioners hear God calling them to consider the changes and challenges in our transitory world impacting our parish, community, country, and world. Parishioners believe that through thought provoking, meaningful sermons, prayer, and presentations that we can explore and address the challenges that keep us from basking in a beacon of grace.

• God is calling us to organize

The parishioners of St. Michael’s understand that to accomplish the tasks above, they must organize in ways to engage others; from welcoming those visiting for the first time to nurturing small group cohorts that share a common interest. 

• God is calling us to be creative

To accomplish all that is above, parishioners are called to be creative in the programs, to use imagination and compassion to encourage others to join in and seek opportunities to serve Christ.

• God is calling us to new leadership

To achieve that which God is asking of St. Michael’s, parishioners must seek engaged laity and clergy leadership.

Lay Leadership: The lack of clergy is being viewed as a time for parishioners to embrace the excitement of early church gatherings, considering that the circumstance is not one of decline, but a time when we can return to first century ethos of lay-led small gatherings.

Clergy Leadership: God is calling parishioners to seek clergy who lead them to achieve all that God is calling them to be and do.

Parishioners want to continue in the positive direction St. Michael’s traveled this past decade, so they seek a leader who is a person of prayer and who encourages current and future parishioners to be welcoming and active in the community. Parishioners seek a capable clergy who will deliver thoughtful, historical Bible-based sermons that are relevant to the lives of parishioners, values Christian education for all ages, and is willing to listen.

Visit St. Michael's website here.

Diocesan Transition Minister:

Amber Page Gehr

203-639-3501 EXT. 131

apagegehr@episcopalct.org