The Reverend Michael E. Ellis

The Reverend Michael E. Ellis assumed the responsibility of Rector of St. Francis In-the Field Episcopal Church, Ponte Vedra Beach, July 11, 2005. Reverend Ellis comes to St. Francis In-the-Field after having served as Interim Rector of St. Elizabeth's Episcopal Church, Jacksonville.

Reverend Ellis is a graduate of Florida State University where he received a BS in Communications. He received his Masters of Divinity from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois in 1981, where he was a recipient of the Middler Preaching Award.

Reverend Ellis began his ordained ministry as Priest-in-Charge, and then Rector, of Epiphany Episcopal Church, Jacksonville, Florida. In the years that followed, he served churches in Tallahassee, Florida and Nashville, Tennessee.

While Reverend Ellis' 35-year career in Christian leadership includes many noteworthy achievements, those that center on renewal and growth are most representative of his spiritual gifts. His ministry at The Church of the Holy Spirit in Tallahassee, took this newly "planted" church from 40 original parishioners to 425 before he was called to St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church in Nashville. St. Bartholomew's also benefited from Reverend Ellis' leadership gifts, growing substantially while he was there.

During the years of his ministry in the Diocese of Florida, Reverend Ellis has shared his gifts for spiritual renewal, initiating and leading multi-generational programs. These include Spiritual Director of Cursillo, Rector of the first Happening and a Spiritual Director for those that followed. He also established Vocare, and has subsequently served as a Spirtiual Director for this college-age renewal experience.