About Us
St. Michael's is a small Episcopal Church in Ozark, Alabama. The church has been organized since September 15, 1957, so 2007 Marked the 50th Anniversary. There was a big celebration the last weekend of September in 2007 to commemorate this event with a cook out on Saturday and a grand service on Sunday.
Since the church was organized 50 years ago the congregation has remained small (less than 100 members) but very close and dedicated in this Bible Belt area of the country.
In spite of being small, the congregation has always put the number one priority to have regular communion services with a full or part time priest at the church. Holy Communion Service is held each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. with a small dedicated choir, acolytes, and Eucharistic minister. There are two very talented members of the choir that are very good chanters, so much of the service is sung which makes it a very beautiful worship service. Fr. Tom Nixon is the priest, and he gives a scripture-based, inspiring sermon.
Being a small church the congregation all knows each other, and it is more a Christian family than just people coming to church. For over twenty years St. Michael's has elected members to it's Vestry without regard for race, gender or sexual orientation. Newcomers are always welcome, and the motto that has been adopted by the congregation is "Absolutely everyone is welcome!"
Christian education is recognized as being very important too. Four years ago the Sunday School room was cleaned out, and redone for the program of Godly Play. This is an all age Montessori style program founded by Jerome W. Berryman. A story teller must be trained to do Godly Play, and both Lael Walding & Linda Clifford have become trained. Not only do the children hear Bible stories, they are done in such a way that they can relate at their age level to the spirituality of the story.
Fr. Tom Nixon leads the Adult class each Sunday from 9 to 10 a.m. Fr. Tom has a Doctor of Ministry, specializing in Ethics. He is an outstanding Sunday School teacher. Topics have been "Ethics Driven by Buible Study" & "World Religions."
There are youth (teenagers), but they usually like to sleep in on Sunday morning. They are welcome to sit in with the adult class, but usually they show up for church service and then join the whole congregation following the service for Fellowship Coffee in the parish hall. This is just a wonderful time when all can share their week's activities with each other.
For early risers the parish hall is open by 8 a.m. on Sunday with Joe Marek, Scott Frier & John Wolfe and their home-cooked breakfast.
St. Michael's supports several charities. Ozark/Dale County Rescue Mission feeds three meals a day to the hungry in Ozark, so members collect non-perishable food in a basket each month. On the last Sunday of the month during the service, Fr. Tom blesses this food and then it is taken to the Rescue Mission on Monday.
Also, St. Michael's gives monetary support to Ozark/Dale County Rescue Mission, Montgomery Aids Outreach, Episcopal Relief and Development and the Salvation Army.
St. Michael's has several community groups meet in the Parish Hall each week: AA meets twice a week, Girl Scouts, and the Cancer Society Support Group. The Rescue Mission uses the Parish Hall to pack food in boxes to distribute to the needy at Christmas.
For the past four years St. Michael's has held a week of Vacation Bible School in June. This is an all age Bible School, and usually there are from 18 to 30 children attending. On the last day there is a swimming party at one of the member's homes which is a real hit with the children. Bible School themes have been: Saints of God, World Wide Communion, the Apostles of Jesus, and Exodus.
Each year St. Michael's holds a Pancake Supper on Shrove Tuesday (the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday - first day of Lent). Members sell tickets for the Pancake Supper, and for about three hours the Parish Hall is full of people enjoying pancakes, bacon, sausage, and crepes. This is a major fund raiser each year.
St. Michael's has a very small room that is between the parish hall and the church. Several years ago Lael Walding saw that an Episcopal Gift Shop would fit just perfect in this little room, so she began St. Michael's Gift Shop with prayer books, Bibles, crosses, and other Episcopal items that are hard to find in the area. This Gift Shop is open each Sunday morning, and by appointment. All profit from the Gift Shop is donated to the church operating fund.
For Christmas, St. Michael's has a Children's Liturgy for Christmas Eve service which the children join in telling the story of the Holy Family and birth of Jesus. This service is held between 6 and 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve for all children and adults. Then at 10:30 p.m. begins Christmas music and at 11 p.m. begins the traditional Christmas Eve Mass that lasts until midnight.
For Easter St. Michael's has had many grand services, but in 2007 was one of the most outstanding ones. At daybreak members gathered outside with a bonfire and then into the church accompanied with chanting. There was a baptism service with Holy Communion. Following this service members ate breakfast in the Parish Hall, and then there was Adult and Godly Play Sunday School. After this was the traditional Easter Mass followed by an exciting Easter Egg Hunt and then all enjoyed a covered dish luncheon in the Parish Hall.
If anyone is looking for a warm loving congregation that enjoys coming together to worship and learn about the Lord, and takes seriously their duty in caring about each other and the community, then St. Michael's is a church and congregation that does this.
Absolutely everyone is welcome at St. Michael's Episcopal Church in Ozark, AL.