Service is held in the Church of Christ historical building which has become the home to our new congregation: St. Francis of Assisi, Old Catholic Church. All are welcome to come to the table of Jesus regardless of race, origin, or orientation.
St. Francis of Assisi is a member of The Old Catholic Church, in the Southeast Diocese. We worship as part of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church established by our Lord Jesus Christ.
We welcome everyone to the seven Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, Reconciliation, Marriage, Holy Orders and Anointing of the Sick, and, most especially, The Eucharist. All are welcome to come to the table of Jesus, regardless of race, origin, marital status (divorced included), or economic position.
The church setting is intimate and the parishioners will go out of their way to introduce themselves. The service ends with a simple reminder:
“Go forth in love and perform random acts of kindness.”
St. Francis of Assisi is a church that lives by faith, is known by love, and is a voice of hope for all who yearn to be closer to God. We live the Gospel message with our Random Acts of Kindness helping those in need.
We believe in a triune God – the Creator, Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, and the Holy Spirit.
We believe that Mary, the mother of Jesus, is rightly called Mother of God (Theotokos), and she is worthy of honor and intercessory prayer. She is the model of humility for which we should strive to emulate.
We honor the Saints and Martyrs of the Church and pray for their intercessory help and guidance. We believe that the Holy Scriptures are divinely inspired and are the living Word of God. We believe in the three Ecumenical Creeds: Nicene, Apostles, and Athanasian.
We believe and accept the doctrines of the seven Ecumenical Councils of the early Church. We also respect the teachings of the early Church leaders.
We believe in One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. We recognize the pope as the bishop of Rome, who is rightly considered the first among equal bishops. However, we do not accept the doctrine of papal infallibility. The faithful are free to accept or reject any doctrine issued “ex-cathedra” by the pontiff.
We believe and administer Seven Sacraments – Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation, Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick, Matrimony, and Holy Orders. We believe in and hold valid Apostolic Succession of Holy Orders.
We believe in Transubstantiation; the elements of bread and wine are transformed into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ during the liturgy of the Eucharist.
We believe the sacrament of Marriage is a lifelong commitment between two people who love one another, regardless of gender or gender identity, and are united before God and the Church. However, we also understand that in some marriages, there may be circumstances or conditions that break down the bond of marriage and make life within that relationship unbearable or perhaps even dangerous. Therefore, while unfortunate, divorce may be an appropriate decision after prayerful consideration. The Church welcomes people who have been divorced or remarried to all the Sacraments without the need of an annulment.
We believe that family planning (contraception) is a personal decision that is made between two individuals.
We believe in the sanctity of human life and believe that all life must be respected and protected. As a people, we must do a better job at creating opportunities for women to choose life over abortion. However, a decision to end a life through euthanasia or abortion is painful and difficult and should only be made with prayerful consideration of all other options. In embracing God’s love and mercy, the Church does not exclude or stand in judgment of any individual who, after careful and deliberate evaluation of all other options, elects to have an abortion or to end his or her own life.
We believe that respecting life includes adequate funding for education, nutrition, and healthcare for people at all stages of life, including access to a fair and living wage.
We believe that all people are created in the image and likeness of God. Therefore, every person is worthy of equal treatment, love, and respect. God’s love excludes no one and God’s Church must embrace the dignity of every person by standing on the side of social justice, economic justice, and equality.
We believe in gospel values of faith, hope, and love. The command of Jesus to “Love God with your whole heart, with your whole mind, and with your whole soul, and to love your neighbor as yourself” is the call of every Christian and person of good will. Such a standard of living manifests itself in global concern for all people, especially the marginalized, disenfranchised, persecuted, and those who suffer injustice of any kind.
We believe it is the call of every Christian to maintain responsible stewardship of our planet, including natural resources and habitat.
We believe that all people are welcome at the Table of the Lord. Holy Eucharist is open to any individual who desires to receive the Body and Blood of Jesus. We believe that the call to the priesthood and the diaconate are open to all people of good will – men and women, heterosexual or LGBTQI, married or single.
DUNEDIN — The Rev. Bob Swick challenged his congregation at St. Francis of Assisi, Old Catholic Church to raise $15,000 to pay off people’s medical debt across Pinellas County.
Mission accomplished — and exceeded.
According to church officials, while Swick was leaving a grocery store, a Baptist pastor caught his attention with two words: “medical debt.”
The pastor was raising money to buy back medical debt in Central Florida with a nonprofit led by two former debt collectors.