About Us
History
The church began on Anna Maria Island in 1952.
The current building was built in 1953.
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Chalice
The Annunciation Chalice was hand made by Marietta Loudon of sterling silver with cloisonné enamel. This work of art was displayed in the Ringling Art Museum and was donated to our parish in memory and thanksgiving. The bowl of the chalice was hand hammered from a flat piece of silver, and the cloisonné enamel stem displays the Annunciation. The chalice was dedicated by Bishop Dabney Smith on March 25th, 2010, which is the Feast of the Annunciation.
Memorial Garden
We honor our history, our founders, and our members with our Memorial Garden. This courtyard has lovely plantings, granite benches, and an outdoor altar. Members may choose to have their ashes buried in the garden after their death. Names are memorialized on plaques on one interior and one exterior wall. The garden is a lovely, quiet place that honors our past.
Leadership
Fr. Matthew with Presiding Bishop Michael Curry
Father Matthew Grunfeld began his service here on December 1, 2015.
He is from Columbus, Georgia. His mother is Episcopalian and his father is Jewish. He was baptized in the Episcopal Church and grew up attending church with his maternal grandparents. Fr Matthew is single. He has a dog, Bruno.
Fr Matthew attended Emory University where he majored in Political Science and Sociology. Through college, he was part of the Discerning Young Vocations Experience (DYVE) and was recommended for postulancy at the conclusion of the process. He enrolled at the General Theological Seminary where he earned his Master of Divinity degree in 2008.
He has served on the Diocesan Council, the Diocesan Department of Liturgy and Music, and has also been an alternate clergy deputy to the national church convention. He has also served as the coordinator of the Diocesan Acolyte Festival.
Fr Matthew believes, “It is my ministry as Priest to encourage the people I serve in their own ministries begun in the waters of baptism.”
Church Office Hours
The church office is located at the south end of the building.
The church office is generally staffed Monday – Thursday, 9am-1pm
Please contact us at info@amiannunciation.org
Episcopal Church of the Annunciation
4408 Gulf Drive
Holmes Beach, FL 34217
Ministries and Outreach
We invite you to join our community where we nurture one another and reach out to all.
Learn MoreChristian Education
We invite you to our adult forum at 9:30 AM on Sunday mornings in Lowe Hall.
We invite you to join our book group at 1 PM on Monday afternoons, during season, in Lowe Hall.
Links for More Information
Information About Our Faith
Episcopal Church: https://episcopalchurch.org
Our Diocese: https://episcopalswfl.org
Diocesan Retreat Center: https://dayspringfla.org
Glossary of Terms
Annunciation – The feast commemorating the announcement by the angel Gabriel to Mary that she would be the mother of God’s Son, and Mary’s faith to obey God’s invitation (Luke 1:26-38).
Book of Common Prayer (BCP) – The BCP provides liturgical forms, prayers, and instructions so that all members may share in common worship.
Catholic – Derived from the Greek word meaning “general” or “universal,” we use the phrase “the catholic church” to refer to the universal Christian church proclaiming the whole faith to all people.
Eucharist – The term is from the Greek “thanksgiving.” We use the term “eucharist” or “eucharistic” to refer to the sacrament of Christ’s body and blood, and the principal act of Christian worship.
Hymnal – We sing songs from a collection of hymns, tunes, and service music authorized for use in the Episcopal Church by the General Convention.
Liturgical – In our sometimes unpredictable world, we take comfort from the repeating patterns and traditions of the rites, forms, texts, symbols, and theology of corporate worship.
Rite I / Rite II – Forms for religious ceremony. Our church’s common worship is celebrated using Rite I (traditional language) or Rite II (modern language).
For more, please see “An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church”: https://episcopalchurch.org/library/glossary/all