About St. Michael's

We offer this brief introduction to St. Michael's and its faith in the hope that it will help you become a member of our faith community.

St. Michael's is part of Diocese of Lexington, an administrative body within The Episcopal Church.  The Diocese of Lexington covers roughly the eastern half of the state and was created from the Diocese of Kentucky in 1895.  The Rt. Rev. Stacy F. Sauls was consecrated as the sixth bishop of the Diocese of Lexington on September 30th, 2000.

St. Michael’s began as a mission in the rapidly growing then southern suburbs of Lexington and held its first service in a dance studio on November 6th, 1955. 

Value Statement

Our highest value is unconditional love embodied in the person of Jesus Christ.

Mission Statement

We are empowered by the Holy Spirit to bring God to people and people to God through Jesus Christ:

• to be a people of worship, song and celebration, offering hospitality and healing;
• to learn and grow in our love for God and one another;
• to reach out to the world, sharing freely from our blessings.

Vision Statement

St. Michael’s sustains us in our faith, lifts up the community of Christ, and aspires to build up the city of God on earth.  We are a community where we gather, pray, serve God and one another, and grow in faith and love.  All our ministries grow from the central focus of worship.  We are an inclusive community for all people who desire spiritual formation in Christ. 

(Rev. Kalom wrote this history in 1994.  It presents an account of the development of our congregation.  Knowing our history helps us to understand who we are.  Understanding who we are helps us chart our future.)

St. Michael’s Church was begun and has grown out of a desire to serve God as a family unit working and praying together to build and further the sense of family and also to reach out to the larger community. This sense of family and deep spiritual commitment to outreach have been constants over the 38-year history of the parish: although members have come and gone, the spirit that is uniquely St. Michael’s remains.

Historically, the parish has been long on the time and talent part of stewardship and short on treasure, the willingness to work and weather the financial storms together has added immeasurably to the closeness of the parish family. Since the parish is, a relatively new one by many Episcopal Church Standards, there has been no old money to fund large endowments, so the brunt of financial support has come from its young middle class families struggling to raise families and maintain homes. This fact and good spiritual leadership over the years has brought parishioners together in working for a common goal of spreading God’s Kingdom from this holy hill in southeast Lexington. 

St. Michaels church is situated on high ground at the center of a residential city block.  On two sides our property borders residential gardens and on the other two sides the borders are formed by streets (Bellefonte Road and Libby Lane).  Hedges keep the streets invisible from the building and despite its high location our property feels secluded.

There are over 80 ornamental trees on our property.  Some were planted recently, but most date to the early 1990s when the current sanctuary was built.  These are now entering the stage of their maturity, and we have reason to be grateful for the foresight of those parishioners and church leaders who, during the planning and construction of our sanctuary almost 20 years ago, allocated significant funds to landscaping. 

At its January retreat, Saint Michael’s Vestry approved a policy change that highlights the importance of our church grounds to the congregation.  Traditionally the care of our buildings and grounds has been entrusted to the much over-worked Junior Warden.  The policy change puts two separate vestry representatives in charge of our facilities, one for buildings and one for grounds, and neither of them will be the Junior Warden.  This year’s liaison for the grounds is Markus Cross, the vestry member in charge of our buildings is David Weatherly.  In addition to this change in organizational structure, the Buildings and Grounds committee is being resurrected to help with decision-making and occasionally lend a hand for needed repairs and maintenance.  All parishioners are invited to join the committee. 

The Episcopal Church is part of that Church founded by Jesus Christ when He commissioned His disciples to go into all the world with the Gospel.  Episcopal is a Greek word meaning bishop, or overseer.  The Episcopal Church today is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion whose mother is the Church of England.  The Anglican Communion is the largest Christian body in the English-speaking countries of the world.  It is a multi-national, multi-lingual, multi-racial church.  In this diversity are common essential characteristics.  We promise to follow Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.  We believe in One God:  the Father who creates us and all things, the Son who redeems us from sin and death, and the Holy Spirit who renews us as Children of God.  Episcopalians affirm that salvation is the end of our separation from God and the beginning of a new relationship with God and with one another. 

Who is Michael?
What is Michael?
Why is our church named St. Michael?
What else is named after St. Michael?
What place does Michael hold in Christian life?
Find the answers and other tidbits about our patron. 

Our church building and grounds are located at 2025 Bellefonte Drive, Lexington, Kentucky 40503–2601.

The “Star” symbol on the map shows the exact location of our church building.  Click the map.  Supply your address for detailed driving instructions from your location. 

Our patron Michael is an angel, which means that he is one who delivers a message.  Angels who proclaim messages of supreme importance are called Archangels.  St. Michael the Archangel is one of the principal angels in Judeo-Christian and Islamic tradition.

In art, St Michael is represented as a warrior and protector of the vulnerable, fully armed with helmet, sword, and shield standing over the dragon, whom he sometimes pierces with a lance.  His feast (September 29) in the Middle Ages was celebrated as a holy day of obligation. 

There are a few ways:

• If you were baptized at St. Michael's, you are already a member.
• If you are a member of another Episcopal congregation (even if it has been some time since you attended) and would like to move that membership to St. Michael's, our office will contact the other parish's office and make the transfer.  You need only give us the other parish's name and location.
• If you are a member of a Christian church that is not Episcopal (even if it has been some time since you attended it), we will arrange some form of an inquirer's class so you can learn more about the Episcopal Church.  At the end of that class you may be Confirmed or Received.  Re-baptism is not necessary.
• If you are not and have not been a member of any Christian church, we can arrange for Baptism and Confirmation after an inquirer's class.

At St. Michael's, the inquirer's class is called Catechumenate Training.  Catechumens were those persons in the early church who studied and prepared for baptism into the community of faith.  Our Catechumenate Training ranges in length from 8 to 12 weeks. 

If you are interested in transferring a membership or participating in some form of Catechumenate Training, please complete the form () with the requested information.  When complete, either click Submit or print it and bring it to the church and place it into a collection bag on Sunday or leave it in the church office during the week.