The Mission of the Church

The mission of the Church, the community of the New Covenant, is to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Jesus Christ. The Church pursues its mission as it prays and worships, proclaims the Gospel, and promotes justice, peace, and love. The Church carries out its mission through the ministry of all its members: lay persons, bishops, priests, and deacons. - From the Catechism in The Book of Common Prayer, page 855. 

The Duty of All Christians

The duty of all Christians is to follow Christ; to come together week by week for corporate worship; and to work, pray, and give for the spread of the kingdom of God. - From the Catechism in The Book of Common Prayer, page 856. 

Our Parish

St. Michael's, Fayette, is a parish in the Diocese of Alabama of The Episcopal Church, one of 38 autonomous but interconnected churches in 164 counties comprising The Anglican Communion, a fellowship of about 78 million souls.  The third largest body of Christians in the world, in communion with the The See of Canterbury, upholding and propagating the historic faith and order as set forth in The Book of Common Prayer, we welcome visitors and inquirers and invite all baptized Christians to participate fully in our services. 

Our parish is unusual in drawing communicants from eight counties: Fayette, Lamar, Pickens, Walker, Marion, Winston, and Tuscaloosa counties in Alabama, and Lowndes County in Mississippi.  Why do so many drive so far to attend St. Michael's?  For some, it is because there are no other Episcopal churches nearby.  For others, the appeal of St. Michael's lies in its special sense of community, its diverse membership, and in its commitment to serving Christ in the larger community. 

Our Parish Mission Statement

St. Michael's Parish's mission statement is Loving God, Loving People, Loving Life. This statement was reaffirmed by the Parish Vestry at its retreat on January 9, 2010.  As a worshiping community we wholeheartedly welcome all who come, with whom we share God's love and grace, his Word and Sacraments. We are actively committed to the good stewardship of God's creation, and reach out to share ourselves and our resources in the name of Jesus Christ.  If you do not already have a church home, we invite you to come and grow with us. We welcome all your questions, because we know that we all can learn from one another – more about ourselves, our world, and our God.  Come and learn more about two thousand years of church history. Come and learn about God’s daily presence in our lives.

The Daughters of the King

One of the most important ministries at St. Michael's is the Genesis Chapter of the Daughters of the King (DOK).  The Order of the Daughters of the King was founded in 1885 in New York.  Wearing their emblem, a silver Greek Cross, the Daughters seek to implement the vows they took at their confirmation: "to work, pray and give for the spread of Christ's Kingdom."  Their Rule of Life is simple: they dedicate themselves to daily prayer and service, especially as regards their diocese, parish, and clergy.  Their ministry is a vital component of the spirit, health, and mission of our parish. The Genesis chapter of the Daughters of the King meets weekly on Thursday mornings at 11 am in Gunner's House, our office building and library. Meetings last an hour, and are devoted to the study of Scripture, the discussion of their ministry, and, most importantly, to prayer.  As a special ministry in our parish, the Genesis chapter maintains and keeps current the Prayers of the People used every Sunday at St. Michael's. 

Church Periodical Club

The Church Periodical Club is committed to spreading the Gospel through the written word, by supplying Bibles, Prayer Books, and other theological and educational materials in support of mission efforts around the world.  The Church Periodical Club is funded by voluntary contributions from all levels of the Church by people in the pews.  CPC is supported by the prayerful concern, time, talents, labor and money of those who believe in the Ministry of the Printed Word.  St. Michael's encourages support of CPC by a special collection on Church Periodical Sunday, the first Sunday in May. 

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© 2010 St. Michael's Episcopal Church, Fayette, Alabama