Posted: February 3, 2023
Day of Healing Prayer #60
Saturday, March 18, 2023
9:00 am - 3:00 pm
St. Michael’s will host its 60th Day of Healing Prayer on March 18 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the sanctuary of the church and is honored to have as its guest speaker the Rt. Rev. Andrew “Drew” Williams. He currently serves as the Anglican Church of North America (ACNA) bishop of New England.
The day’s theme concerns the Lord’s healing from shame and is based on this scripture: “Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.” — Romans 10:11
Following the morning teaching and worship service, a box lunch will be served in the nearby Belser Building; the $30 admission price includes the event, all printed material and lunch. The healing ministry at St. Michael’s Church started in 1986. It has grown under the guidance of clergy and lay leadership who all are actively involved and supported by about 50 trained lay prayer ministers. All the personal prayer time is completely confidential and takes place in a safe and comfortable environment, enhanced by inspired and calming music.
When the program begins at 9, it will start with worship and then turn to a teaching from Drew Williams and assisted by the Rev. Sean Norris. Then, the church will offer prayer ministry followed by lunch at noon. At 12:45 the worship will start the afternoon session and will be followed by the second teaching from Drew and more prayer ministry before the program adjourns at 3 p.m.
Please check out our Day of Healing Prayer page for more information on the speakers or to register.
Posted: February 3, 2023
First Communion Class
Saturday, March 4 10:00 am in the church
- What is Holy Communion?
- Why do we need to receive it?
- Am I ready to receive my First Communion?
At the end of this day each child will be asked if they are ready to receive this Holy Sacrament. The families will then take communion together on Sunday, March 5 at the 9:00 am service.
To register your child, please contact Dee Goehring at dee@stmichaelschurch.net.
Posted: February 3, 2023
ADOSC Student Spring Retreat
March 31 - April 2, 2023
Enter Holy Week with students from all over South Carolina! All middle and high schoolers are invited to the 2023 ADOSC Students Spring Retreat on March 31-April 2 at Garden City Chapel, Murrell's Inlet. Students, come enjoy a weekend away with your friends for incredible activities, engaging Bible teaching, and transformative worship. Bring friends and don’t miss this space away to be known and loved and to grow together in Christ!
Register below for only $125!
Are you looking for a financial scholarship?
Reach out to Hunter Myers at hunter@your-cathedral.org for scholarship opportunities.
Click here to Register
Posted: January 26, 2023
We've had GIC. What now?
You've been inspired by our mission partners this week. So now is the time to commit to helping in our mission to spread the Good News.
Do you want to make a Mission Offering? Please remember that ALL financial support for missions and our mission partners is generated through the GIC Mission Offering. None of this offering is used for operating expenses, and none of the operating budget is used for mission. Download this card to make a mission offering! Please return the card to the church office at 71 Broad Street, Charleston, SC 29401. Mission Offering Card
Ar you interested in volunteering with one of our mission partners? Want to go on a short-term mission? Do you want to help with next year's GIC? Then fill out our Interest in Mission card and return to the church office at 71 Broad Street, Charleston, SC 29401. A member of our Mission Task Force team will contact you to discuss further how you can make a difference. Interest in Mission Card
Posted: January 26, 2023
GIC Sending Sunday
with The Rt. Rev. Thaddeus Barnum
he closing, or sending, Sunday of our mission conference is on Sunday, January 29, 2023. The Rt. Rev. Thaddeus Barnum will be our speaker at all three services, as we prepare to take inspiratioin from what we've experienced this week and go out into the world, sharing the good news.
The Rt. Rev. Thaddeus R. Barnum was consecrated in Denver, Colorado by Archbishop Emmanuel Kolini, June 24, 2001. Thad currently serves both as Bishop in Residence at All Saints, Pawleys Island, SC, and as a Chaplain to Clergy through his ministry Soul Care. He has a passion for discipleship and carries this out through the ministry of “call2disciple” which was founded by his beloved wife Erilynne, who went to be with Jesus in 2020. Thad is committed to strengthening the Church in the Scriptures and discipling Christians to maturity in the faith.
Thad has served churches in Connecticut, Pennsylvania and South Carolina. Thad has 11 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild.
To see the schedule for GIC, please check out our GIC 2023 page.
Posted: January 26, 2023
Morning Prayer with Mere Anglicanism
Friday, January 27 & Saturday, January 28
7:30 am St Michael's Church
A Morning Prayer service for joint worship for GIC and Mere Anglicanism, a Christian conference held the weekend of January 27 -29.
Caleb Hudson will give brief remarks at the Friday service. The Rev. Marion Platt of Star Gospel Mission will speak at the Saturday service.
Posted: January 18, 2023
GIC Silent Auction
January 14 - 27, 2023
This year, we are having an online Silent Auction to support Missions at St Michael's.
The online Silent Auction is open to anyone from January 14 to January 27. Bids will not be accepted after 6:00 pm on January 27.
Simply go to this link, GIC Silent Auction, and follow the instructions.
Items offered include:
- a Private Harbor Tour
- Pearl Necklace
- walnut & maple Cutting Board
- Original Watercolor of St Michael's
- Brevard, NC getaway - NOW there are TWO of these available!
- Handgun training
- Chocolate Cake
- Soft Cooler
- Skin Care package
Commission Fine Art Canvas Portrait, is a new and generous donation of a $3,000 gift certificate from Sanders Fine Portraits for a custom work on canvas of an individual or family – an opening bid of $1,500 is requested which, if wins, would be a fabulous value for the winning bidder.
Posted: January 18, 2023
Blessing Bags Packing Party
Saturday, January 28, 2023
9:30 am Kinloch Room
Join us to create Blessing Bags – plastic bags packed with toiletries and snacks for our Charleston neighbors experiencing homelessness.
This family-friendly event is part of St. Michael’s annual Global Impact Celebration, when we focus on "bringing God’s kingdom to earth through mission". All are invited, and even the youngest can help.
Come help fill 100+ bags for guests of the Hot Dog Ministry, and plan to take a bag or two with you to bless someone you encounter needing help. Please consider contributing supplies in advance from our Amazon list. Click the option to ship directly to organizers, or drop off in the Belser Building.
Come enjoy fellowship with coffee and donuts, and pray for those in need.
For any questions, please email afframpton@gmail.com
Posted: January 18, 2023
Mission Team Reports
Sunday, January 22, 2023
6:00 pm. Kinloch Room
Member os the two 2022 mission teams will be giviing their report on their trips to India and the Church of the Resurrection in Washington, DC. Join them for a light supper, good stories, and the good news of the work of the Holy Spirit here and abroad.
Posted: January 18, 2023
Mission Ministry Fair
Sunday, January 22, 2023
9:00 am - 1:00 pm Kinloch Room
Join us in the Kinloch Room before or after the services on Sunday to meet our Mission Partners. Find out more about their ministries and discover how you can help!
Bill Hyer's and Tim Surratt's Sunday School classes will not meet, so the classes can visit the Mission Ministry Fair.
The Parents' class led by Laura Gruber and Hal Frampton will meet as usual, as well as the children and youth Sunday School classes.
Posted: January 18, 2023
GIC Super Wednesday
Wednesday, January 25, 2023
6:00 pm Kinloch Room
It's GIC week, so our Super Wednesday will have everyone gathering in the Kinloch Room for supper, followed by presentations from some of our Holy City Mission Partners, including two of our newest partners: North Charleston Dental Outreach and Charleston Classical School.
The Matthew class, the prayer class, and choir practice will not meet. They will alll resume on the following Wednesday, February 1.
Posted: January 6, 2023
GIC Banquet
featuring Derrick Moore
Friday, January 27, 2023
7:00 pm
Charleston Yacht Club, 27 Lockwood Drive
This year's banquet will be on Friday, January 27 at the Charleston Yacht Club. Our guest speaker is Derrick Moore from the University of South Carolina Gamecocks. Seating is limited to 100 people. Cost is $50 per person. Please call the church office at 843-723-0603 to make your reservation. Don't delay, seats are going fast!
Derrick Moore was named Executive Director of Character and Player Development for the
University of South Carolina Gamecock football team in 2021.
A native of Albany, Ga., Moore is a 1992 graduate of Northeastern State University in
Oklahoma, where he was an All-American running back. He was selected in the eighth round of the 1992 NFL draft by the Atlanta Falcons and would go on to play six years in the NFL. He had stops with the Detroit Lions, and was the starting running back in the Carolina Panthers’ inaugural season, and finished his playing career with the Arizona Cardinals.
Most recently, Moore was with the Georgia Tech football program heading up the Yellow
Jackets spiritual emphasis program, and later became the Director of Character Development for all of the Georgia Tech Athletics. He helped inspire the Georgia Tech squad to reach four ACC title games, and three Orange Bowl appearances while seeing the Yellow Jackets ranked in the top-25 multiple years.
Most importantly, Moore is a fervent believer in Jesus Christ, and sees the football field and collegiate athletics in general as his mission field. He is one of the most sought-after keynote speakers in the country, speaking to over 100,000 people annually and to over 50 corporate organizations per year such as FedEx, Coca-Cola, The DEA, WellStar Health Systems, and Chick-fil-A.
Moore and his wife, Stephanie Perry Moore, have three adult children, Dustyn, Sydni and
Sheldyn.
To see the schedule for GIC, please check out our GIC 2023 page.
Posted: January 6, 2023
Unexpected: Exploring the Kingdom of God in the Gospel of Matthew
Sermon series: January 8 - March 26, 2023
Super Wednesday Matthew study class: January 11 - March 29, 2023 at 6:30 pm in the Kinloch Room
Charles Wesley wrote this amazing Advent hymn, Come Thou Long Expected Jesus:
Born thy people to deliver,
born a child and yet a King,
born to reign in us forever,
now thy gracious kingdom bring.
The only challenge is that it becomes increasingly clear in the Gospel of Matthew that Jesus is either not what people expected – or worse – not what they wanted in a King.
His mannerisms, expectations, promises and even miracles all seemed just a little different than the people had hoped for. Looking for a battle King to save them from political tyranny they are disappointed when Jesus wants to heal hearts and fight a different enemy. To the point of death they just don’t see him. Well, most people don’t see him. The ones who do are surprising and unexpected themselves. The Unexpected King comes for the least expected people.
As you journey through this Gospel you will have a special guide. The Rt. Rev. J.C. Ryle was the Anglican Bishop of Liverpool in 1880 and was a prolific evangelical writer. But most of all, he was a profound student of the Gospel and loved Jesus. Each week of this guide will end with excerpts from his “Expository Thoughts” which will serve as a commentary and guide for your heart.
Our hope is that by engaging with the text of Matthew’s Gospel and reading J.C. Ryle’s thoughts you will come to see this long-expected Jesus and welcome His gracious Kingdom.
Get a copy of the study guide on Amazon here: Matthew study guide
Posted: January 6, 2023
Lunchtime Alpha
Thursdays, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
January 19 - March 23, 2023
Carolina Yacht Club, 50 East Bay Street, Charleston, SC
Alpha is a ten week casual, fun and fascinating look at the Christian faith. It is designed for those seeking information about Christianity’s basics, but it also provides “veteran Christians” with a wonderful way to meet people and further explore their faith.
Cllick here to sign up! Winter 2023 Alpha
For more information, please email Greg Smith at greg@stmichaelschurch.net
Posted: January 6, 2023
2023 Christian Men’s Conference
Faith in the Home | BEACON OF THE LIGHT
February 24-26, 2023
St Christopher Camp & Conference Center
The Men’s Conference is designed to address the issues facing all men in today’s fast-paced world, and to provide insights and ideas for dealing victoriously with the constant stress we all suffer.
It is our prayer that you will be able to use these teachings to bring you closer to God, through a greater love and understanding of His son, Our Savior, Jesus Christ, and to make the world a better place in which to live.
More info: Christian Men's Conference
Posted: December 22, 2022
Christmas Eve services
Saturday, December 24, 2022
4:00 pm Festival Eucharist Nursery available. Livestream link: 4 pm service
8:00 pm Festival Eucharist
11:00 pm. Festival Eucharist
The 4:00 pm livestream recording can be seen anytime after the 4:00 pm service.
Posted: December 22, 2022
Christmas Day services
Sunday, December 25, 2022
10:00 am Holy Communion
No nursery and no livestream
Posted: December 22, 2022
New Year's Day services
Sunday, January 1, 2023
8:00 am Holy Communion
10:00 am Christmas Lessons & Carols Livestream link
No nursery on January 1.
Posted: December 22, 2022
The office, church, and churchyard will be closed Saturday, December 24, 2022 - Monday, January 2, 2023. The office closes at noon on Friday, December 23, 2022.
Of course, the church will be open for the posted services for December 24, 25, and January 1.
Posted: December 14, 2022
Advent Lessons & Carols
Wednesday, December 14, 2022 at 7:00 pm
Advent Lessons & Carols is tonight! Can't make it to the church? Then watch it on livestream! Here is the link: Advent Lessons & Carols.
Get into the spirit of the season with our Advent Lessons and Carols, on Wednesday, December 14 at 7:00 pm. Prelude music begins at 6:30 pm.
In this service, scripture readings are interspersed with carols, played on the organ with flute and harp accompaniment.
Posted: December 8, 2022
Christmas Pageant
Sunday, December 18, 2022 at 9:00 am
The Christmas Pageant is back! This year the pageant will be given on the Sunday before Christmas, during the 9:00 am service hour. We will have the 8:00 am and 11:00 am Holy Communion services as usual. Nursery is available for children aged 6 weeks to 4 years.
Posted: December 8, 2022
Advent Lessons & Carols
Wednesday, December 14, 2022 7:00 pm
Join us for our Advent Lessons & Carols service! Scripture readings are interspersed with seasonal music on the organ, with flute and harp accompaniment. Come early and enjoy the prelude which begins at 6:30 pm. Coffee and nibbles will be available in the narthex after the service.
Posted: December 7, 2022
Christmas Flower Offerings - last week to get these in!!!
Deadline: Thursday, December 15
It's time to get your Christmas Flower Offerings into the church!
Your donations support the Flower Guild's magnificent contribution of decorating the church for Advent and Christmas.
You may make your donation in memory of, or in thanksgiving for, your loved ones.
Please send a typed or printed list of your names, along with your donation, to the church office by Thursday, December 15. Donations will be accepted at any time, however the names will not be included in the Christmas bulletins if received after the deadline.
Click here for the Christmas Flower Offering form.
Posted: December 7, 2022
Rectory Open House
Sunday, December 11, after the 11:00 am service
YOU are invited to the Rectory Open House after the 11:00 am service on Sunday, December 11.
Would you like to help? We need volunteers to help plate, serve, and/or clean up. We also need volunteers to provide plated pick up food items on the day of the event. Please contact Elizabeth Zadig: elizabethzadig@gmail.com
Posted: December 1, 2022
Advent Devotional
Written by members of the India Mission Team, this devotional explores Advent readings through the lens of the India Team's experiences.
Posted: November 18, 2022
A wonderful time was had by 80 parishioners and clergy at the Seder on November 16. It was a great way to wrap up our study of the book of Exodus. Check out the photos below!
Posted: November 18, 2022
Christmas Pageant Sign-Ups!
Deadline to sign is on Thursday, December 1. Click here for more information and for the sign up form.
Posted: November 18, 2022
Parents Night Out!
Friday, December 2, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Drop you kids off for crafts, games, snacks, and some fun while you and your spouse head out for dinner or Christmas shopping!
Nursery care for 6 weeks to 4 years. Movie and games for K - 5th grades.
RSVP to Dee Goehring, dee@stmichaelschurch.net
Posted: November 18, 2022
Christmas Flower Offerings
Deadline: Thursday, December 15
It's time to get your Christmas Flower Offerings into the church!
You donations support the Flower Guild's magnificent contribution of decorating the church for Advent and Christmas.
You may make your donation in memory of, or in thanksgiving for, your loved ones.
Please send a typed or printed list of your names, along with your donation, to the church office by Thursday, December 15. Donations will be accepted at any time, however the names will not be included in the Christmas bulletins if received after the deadline.
Click here for the Christmas Flower Offering form.
Posted: November 18, 2022
Rectory Open House
Sunday, December 11, after the 11:00 am service
YOU are invited to the Rectory Open House after the 11:00 am service on Sunday, December 11.
Would you like to help? We need volunteers to help plate, serve, and/or clean up. We also need volunteers to provide plated pick up food items on the day of the event. Please contact Elizabeth Zadig: elizabethzadig@gmail.com
Posted: November 18, 2022
Advent Music Offerings
We will have four Advent musical events this year! Grab and friend and come to one or all of them!
Wednesday, November 30 6:30 pm Caroling at Canterbury House, 175 Market Street
Wednesday, December 7 6:30 pm Caroling in the Neighborhood. Meet in the Kinloch Room before we go caroling in the area around St Michael's.
Wednesday, December 14 7:00 pm Advent Lessons & Carols
Wednesday, December 21 7:30 pm Organ Rectial and Carol Sing
Posted: November 11, 2022
Thanksgiving Service
Thursday, November 24 10:00 am
Join your church family as we give thanks to the Lord for all of our blessings.
Posted: November 11, 2022
Closed for Thanksgiving
Thursday - Friday, November 24 - 25
The Office, Churchyard, and Church will be closed on Thursday and Friday for the Thanksgiving holiday. The Church WILL be open for the Thanksgiving service at 10:00 am on Thursday, November 24.
Posted: November 11, 2022
Advent Wreath Workshop
Sunday, November 27 10:00 am Kinloch Room
The Advent Wreath Workshop will be held during the Sunday School hour on Sunday, November 27, the first Sunday of Advent. Families are invited to come and make an Advent Wreath for their home!
If you have some greenery in your yard that you are willing to share, we would love to have it! Please bring greenery to the Kinloch Room on November 27.
There will be no Children's Sunday School on November 27. However, we will have all three Adult Sunday School classes. Bill Hyer's class will meet in the Buyck Chapel on November 27.
Cost: $15 per wreath, including frame, candles, and greenery
Click here, or use the QR code below to sign up and pay online.
More info: Dee Goehring, dee@stmichaelschurch.net
Posted: November 11, 2022
Churchyard cleanup
Saturday, November 19 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Attention Gardeners! Grab your gloves and yard tools and come by and help us spruce up the churchyard for the holidays!
Posted: October 27, 2022
ARDF Annual Oyster Roast
December 1 5:30 pm Firefly Distillery
You are invited to the 2nd Annual Oyster Roast for the Anglican Relief & Development Fund (ARDF). Join them for an evening of oysters and gumbo at the Firefly Distillery in North Charleston on Thursday, December 1, from 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm.
Set among tall oak trees and the gorgeous Noisette Creek near beautiful downtown, Firefly Distillery is the oldest working distillery in Charleston. Come celebrate the work of ARDF and their partners at this one-of-a-kind event.
Tickets are $20 and cover the price of all food and beverages throughout the evening.
For more info, or to register, please go to ARDF Oyster Roast 2022.
Posted: October 20, 2022
A Call to Finish Well in 2022
And to Continue the Mission in 2023
We, the Clergy of Saint Michael’s Church, thank you for your answered call to generosity this year. Because of your continued support, our shared ministries to witness Jesus, our Lord and Savior, is strong! The fruit being nourished through your giving is consistently changing lives – we praise God for all of you to finish well in 2022!
As we lean into the coming year, your Christian Stewardship is needed. We believe that stewardship is essential to the faithful practice of Christianity. It includes nurturing and using the talents and resources God gives us in a faithful, wise, and responsible manner. We stand with the Church's belief throughout the ages that the tithe (giving back 10% of one's income) is the normal, Biblical standard of Christian giving.
To this end, your St. Michael’s Church clergy, vestry and staff are pledging to strive toward this standard of giving and beyond, in order to lead by example and demonstrate trust in God to provide. We ask that you join us in faith and prayerfully consider your financial commitment to our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the future of His family at Saint Michael’s Church.
Please print and complete the Giving Card in the link below and place it in the offering plate on Sunday, or simply return to our front office. We are praying for you as we continue our journey together on mission at St. Michael’s Church in 2023!
The Rev. Alfred T. K. Zadig, Jr., Rector
The Rev. Randall R. Shirley, Assistant to the Rector & Chief of Staff
The Rev. Tim Surratt, Associate for Pastoral Care & Healing Prayer Ministry
The Rev. Greg Smith, Associate for Evangelism and Connection
The Rev. Taylor Daniel, Associate for Student Ministry
2023 Giving Card
Posted: October 13, 2022
Bible Studies by the Rev. Greg Smith
Have you enjoyed the studies by Greg on Jonah and Exodus? Well, guess what! He wrote several more before he even got to St. Michael's! And all of them are available on Amazon. You can always find the link to the webpage about his books near the bottom of the Member's page, under Bible Study Resources. Or just click this link: Greg Smith books
Posted: October 13, 2022
The Ministry Madness Game Show was a blast! There was standing room only in the Kinloch Room as we were led through the game by our emcee, Tim Surratt. Check out the photos!
Posted: September 8, 2022
Super Wednesday Kick-Off!
We had a wonderful time at our Kickoff for Super Wednesday! Great weather, fabulous food, and an intro to this fall's Super Wednesday classes. For more information on our Wednesday lineup, please check out our Super Wednesday webpage.
Check out more photos below!
Posted: August 28, 2022
Fall 2022 Ministry Calendar
Our Fall Ministry Calendar is here! You can pick yours up in the narthex or in the church office. This booklet has monthly calendars to help you keep track of all that is happening at St. Michael's.
Click here for a digital copy: Fall Ministry Calendar
Here is a copy of the letter from Rector:
The Power of “WITH” The Rev. Al Zadig, Jr.
I’m writing this on the heels of my summer vacation. One of the highlights was being in Vancouver, Washington with a best friend from seminary, the Rev. Dr. Tom Warne and his wife Saran. Tom is Rector of the Church of the Good Shepherd in this suburb of Portland, Oregon. My family and I arrived on the very same day their third and final son Eli was leaving to attend West Point in New York as a freshman. We had a wonderful and collective dinner together. We then prayer and anointed Eli with oil, and they headed to the airport. Later that evening, Tom and Saran (through the trail of tears) arrived home and we sat in front of their firepit and talked through the joy and pain of sending children off to school, especially the last child! However, somewhere in that conversation it dawned on me that Elizabeth and I were with Tom and Saran in seminary the night before they had their first child. Here we were, 25 years later witnessing the moment of the empty nest...again! It was a powerful revelation and brought tears to my eyes!
Its been said that while we pick a church often for the music, preaching, and worship, we stay at a church when we begin walking with people in community from that church. To be honest, this is one of our biggest challenges at St. Michael’s. Some of you walk to church from the immediate community of the city, but many of you drive in from the surrounding areas and may not know people beyond Sunday mornings. Therefore if we are Sunday-only people, it will become so much more difficult to make the meaningful relationships and community within St. Michael’s. It’s my conviction that we are called to the “With You” life, which is modeled after Matthew 28, where Jesus said: “And Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.” Jesus is with us, we are therefore to be with one another.
Are you walking with other St. Michaelites in your life? As we continue to come out of covid, are you still in isolation? My dear friends, it’s time to come out of our isolated places and walk with Jesus and church family. This is why we have put together this fall booklet, to allow you to see that we truly believe in the “With You” life! Pray through this fall booklet of amazing ministry, and ask God to lead you again into the heart of his church, WITH His people.
Posted: August 25, 2022
Diocesan Men's Summit
Saturday, October 15, 2022 St. Paul's Anglican Church, Summerville, SC
The Diocesan Men’s Summit will be held on Saturday, October 15 at St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Summerville. The Rt Revd Chip Edgar will be our speaker. Additional information will be released as it becomes available. You can also check the diocesan website: Men's Summit
Posted: August 12, 2022
Big Q Barbeque
Sunday, August 21 6-8 pm James Island County Park Stono Shelter
Middle and high schoolers, your questions matter. Bring your big questions to the Big Q BBQ! Join students from all around Charleston for a night of barbecue, games, raffle prizes, and a chance to ask your big questions about life, faith, identity, and God. The Big Q BBQ is FREE amd open to all middle and high school sutdents, so bring your whole squad!
The parishes planning the event are the Cathedral of St Luke & St Paul, Charleston; Good Samaritan, Summerville; Holy Cross, Sullivan's and Daniel Islands; St. Thomas's, Mt. Pleasant; St. Michael's, Charleston; and St. Philip's, Charleston.
Posted: August 6, 2022
The Rev. Rick Belser named Rector Emeritus of St. Michael's
It is with great joy that today I announce that I am naming the Rev. Richard I.H. Belser, Jr., as Rector Emeritus of St. Michael’s Church. It goes without saying that Rick served faithfully as Rector of St. Michael’s Church as my immediate predecessor for more than two decades. Rick and his wife Annie brought in a renewed sense of mission, evangelism and renewal to the corner of Meeting and Broad streets.
I know you probably have two questions: first, what does Rector Emeritus mean and second, why now? The title, Rector Emeritus acknowledges an ongoing two-way relationship of love, affection, respect and honor as we pledge to hold Rick up in prayer. It also means Rick and Annie may choose more freely the ministry they would like to participate in as they feel called. As for the second question, here is a little secret. When Rick retired from St. Michaels, he and Annie actually didn’t! They moved to Egypt where Rick taught for several years at an Anglican Seminary. Upon their return, Rick stepped in to offer leadership to churches that were between Rectors, including Christ Church, Mt. Pleasant and wrote his first book called: Son and Heir.
For the last several years, Rick has been dealing with the effects of Parkinson’s, and is not as mobile. He and Annie have felt called back to their beloved St. Michael’s and so it is only right, true and good to thank God for their transformational and faithful ministry by bestowing this honor upon them.
More personally, Elizabeth and I are overjoyed the Belsers are back at St. Michael’s Church. I served for five years as Rick’s assistant before moving to Washington, and in those five “mentoring” years, I believe I learned more about ministry than I did in seminary. This Yankee also received tremendous training in the art of shrimping and hunting!!!
So, please join me in praying daily for Rick and Annie as they begin a new season at St. Michael’s Church!
Many Summer Blessings in Christ,
The Rev. Alfred T.K. Zadig, Jr.
21st Rector of St. Michael’s Church