Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church, Sanibel, Florida
Saint Michael and All Angels Church is an Episcopal Church on Sanibel Island, Florida. It is part of the Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida, and is located at 2304 Periwinkle Way. It was founded on February 6, 1958, by Father Thomas Madden. The first church building was completed on Palm Sunday, 1961. Fr. Madden made Saint Michael's the first church in the diocese and one of the first in Florida to be racially integrated.[1]
St. Michael's has been an active presence in the community for decades, identifying and responding to areas of need within the wider community and hosting numerous ecumenical services and programs. Proceeds from the St. Michael's Noah's Ark Thrift Shop[2] are granted each year to local and national agencies who serve those in need.
The church buildings were badly damaged by hurricane Ian on September 28, 2022. For ten months, services were held in Fort Myers at Peace Lutheran Church, but was back on the island on July 22, 2023[3] in temporary space. The restoration of the church building itself was completed just in time for Christmas 2023 services.[4] The bell tower, which had to be shipped to Ohio for repair, was reinstalled on August 28, 2024.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ "Our History". www.saintmichaels-sanibel.org.
- ^ "Noah's Ark Thrift Shop to Reopen". 17 January 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "St. Michael's church returns to Sanibel 10 months after Ian". FOX 4 News Fort Myers WFTX. July 22, 2023.
- ^ "St. Michael's Church - Sanibel Restoration". www.saintmichaels-sanibel.org.
- ^ Cole, Joshua (August 28, 2024). "Sanibel's St. Michael's Church bell tower rings once again, signaling resilience after Hurricane Ian". WBBH.