Ministry Leaders
Our Ministry Leaders are passionate believers committed to sharing the message of Christ and guiding others towards faith in him.
If you have questions for any of our leaders, feel free to contact them directly.
Rev Dr. Sid Nelson
Interim Pastor
"Hello,
I'm Pastor Sid Nelson, interim pastor at St. Michael. Although I was born in Western New York, close to Buffalo, I claim Virginia as my home state. I moved to Norfolk, Virginia in my teenage years. After college, I went to the University of Virginia School of Law to become a lawyer. God had other ideas. Although I didn't complete my law degree, while in law school I was blessed to meet Sarah Anna Valenti, who became my girlfriend, my wife, and the best part of my life.
After completing my first year of law school, Sarah and I were married and I went to seminary. Upon graduation I was ordained and called to serve a church in West VIrginia for three years. I then returned to Norfolk, Virginia where I served a congregation for 30 years. Sarah and I then moved to South Florida and I have served several congregations as an interim pastor.
Sarah and I have three grown children. Our favorite activity together is internation travel. I hope that you will join me in praising God at St. Michael. We are an open and faithful fellowship. All are welcome."
Anneliese Depenthal
Director of Music and Youth Ministry
"My name is Anneliese, and I am a born and raised Floridian, Valpo grad (Valparaiso University, IN, so yes, I can handle the snow), and music lover! A fallible and grace reliant follower of Christ, it’s my joy to serve as the Director of Music Ministry and Children’s Ministry Coordinator at St. Michael. Homeschooled through high school, I spent the majority of my childhood running wild outside. Having always loved working with kids, I later became an avid babysitter, nursery employee, and piano teacher.
A gap year before college led me to spend several months traveling Europe and interning in Haiti before returning to study church music (piano primary, voice secondary) at Valpo. After college I completed a music internship at the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany (where Martin Luther allegedly nailed the 95 thesis, thus sparking the Reformation), before beginning my time here at St. Michael.
A bit of an old soul, I love reading, writing letters, cooking, and studying history, but don’t be fooled! I also love sailing, aerial silks, and traveling, and if you ever see a woman in her Sunday best frantically chasing a turtle off the side of the road...it’s probably me.
Here at St. Michael, I enjoy creating worship where the cherished hymns of old are sung alongside new songs of praise. We worship a God who continues to do new and great things, and therefore we will continue to “sing to the Lord a new song” (Ps. 96:1)! We LOVE having families worship with us, and we encourage you to stick around afterwards to chat and learn about God’s amazing love at our outdoor Sunday Funday (Faith Formation) gatherings."
Sarah Mathews
Teen Ministry Coordinator
Sarah Mathews grew up attending St. Michael in the 1990s. Following her confirmation at St. Michael, she served as a Sunday School teacher and has been an active member of the Music Ministry. She joined the St. Michael staff as Youth Director in 2016.
Sarah is a social studies and science teacher. Before becoming a teacher, she worked as a tutor, aftercare counselor, and substitute teacher. These jobs have helped her to see the value and importance of creating strong relationships with children and youth. She finds this kind of interaction to be very fulfilling.
Sarah studied education at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, specializing
in social science education. She is an avid history lover. Her hobbies include
reading, writing, and making music.
Dona Aliot
Administrative assistant
Stop in and say "Hello" to Dona, our new administrative assistant. She grew up in Billerica, MA and moved to Florida in 2008. Her mother, Janet, was one of the first to attend the Alzheimer's Care program when it opened here on the StM campus. She still attends everyday. Dona is also a property manager, loves the beach, and was an avid horseback rider.
"I am looking forward to being a blessing in whatever way I can to serve God."