Visit our livestream and join us for worship by clicking here.

GATHER FOR WORSHIP

JOIN IN COMMUNITY

SERVE THE WORLD

Beliefs

St. Michael is a member of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS). As such we live out our calling as Christians in the understanding of what we believe, teach and confess as Lutheran Christians. If you are coming to us from a faith tradition outside of the LCMS, we invite you to watch the following brief videos which offer an explanation of our beliefs.

See Frequently Asked Questions and read more about our beliefs.

Meet Our Administrators

Pastor Dave Bass


Senior Pastor

Pastor Roy Peterson


Associate Pastor and Chief Financial Officer

Ben Ball


Director of Worship and Music

Lori Schwan


Director of Assimilation and
Senior Adult Ministry

Sam Morganstern


Director of Youth Ministry
Intern

Katy Bass


Director of Children and
Family Ministry

Dan Maser


Principal

Jennifer Pohlman


Assistant Principal

Nikki Howley


Director of Little Saints

Membership

New to LCMS – Watch the following brief videos which offer an explanation of our beliefs.

Whether new, transferring or becoming a winter associate, please attend Illuminate: Lighting the Path of Faith and Belonging. Check with the church office 239-939-1218 or shea.flynn@gsmlcs.org for upcoming dates and times.

History of St. Michael Lutheran Church

1939
1939

Worship services begin meeting in the town club after young adults from Lutheran churches in Delray Beach, Tampa, Lakeland, Miami and Fort Lauderdale make 800 canvassing calls to start a new mission in Fort Myers.

1940
1940

Rev. Luther Poellot is assigned as full-time missionary. Worship moves to the tourist recreation building.

1941
1941

Rev. Art Weber becomes the second full-time missionary. In celebration of Saint Michael and All Angels on September 29, the church formally organizes as “Saint Michael Evangelical Lutheran Church of Fort Myers.”

1942
1942

Three lots on the northwest corner of Lafayette Street and Grand Avenue are purchased, and a small sanctuary seating 100 is built at a cost of $5,500.

1943
1943

Rev. Fred Zuker is installed as pastor, and a small parsonage is built.

1946
1946

Rev. Luther Willer of Sarasota begins serving as pastor, a charter is adopted and the congregation is accepted into membership of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.

1950
1950

Rev. Eugene Helms begins serving as pastor during a period of growth.

1952
1952

Pastor Helms begins serving at Saint Michael’s new mission in Naples until Grace Lutheran receives its full-time pastor in 1956.

1953
1953

Six lots are purchased on the corner of Coconut and McGregor Boulevard for $7,500. A first unit, designed to be both a chapel and a fellowship hall, is built at the cost of $31,000.

1956
1956

The congregation becomes self-supporting with 173 confirmed and 235 baptized members.

1956

Teachers Charlotte Helms and Mabel Quigg establish Saint Michael Lutheran School as kindergarten classes are offered.

1958
1958

An educational building is constructed for $14,000.

1961
1961

A second educational building is added for $23,000.

1963
1963

Mission work begins in North Fort Myers to form Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in 1965.

1964
1964

Saint Michael Lutheran School expands to four-year-old pre-kindergarten through third grade, and a parsonage is purchased at 1804 Moreno Ave.

1965
1965

Saint Michael purchases five acres for $25,000 on the corner of Broadway and Carrell Road. Congregation members purchase and hold seven lots on the south side of Spanish Court for future ministry.

1968
1968

A new sanctuary with a seating capacity of 550 (still in use) is dedicated with the stained glass window from the first sanctuary installed in the chapel.

1969
1969

Rev. Dwayne Hoyer is installed as pastor, and Saint Michael Lutheran School installs its first principal, Mr. Robert Koopman.

1970
1970

Mr. Leonard Fiedler is installed as Saint Michael’s second principal.

1971
1971

Saint Michael adds seven new classrooms on the school’s McGregor campus. Mission work begins anew in the southern part of Fort Myers with a daughter congregation, Zion Lutheran, forming in 1972.

1973
1973

Saint Michael’s first eighth grade class graduates with 20 students.

1975
1975

A fellowship hall (now Saint Michael’s office center) is built on the Broadway campus. Wayne Ablers is installed as principal.

1977
1977

Construction on a new school building on the Broadway campus begins.

1978
1978

Saint Michael dedicates the new school building.

1981
1981

Saint Michael helps form a new mission, Grace Lutheran Church (now named Bethlehem Lutheran), in the east part of Fort Myers.

1984
1984

Walt Kittel begins serving as interim principal.

1985
1985

Saint Michael founds Trinity Lutheran Church in Cape Coral. David Haak becomes principal of Saint Michael Lutheran School.

1987
1987

Rev. Gerald LeFeber is installed as pastor.

1988
1988

Mr. James Dhyne is installed as principal.

1991
1991

Rev. Jon Zehnder is installed as pastor.

1992
1992

Saint Michael founds another congregation, Beautiful Savior in Lehigh Acres.

1993
1993

A campaign for a multiphase expansion raises $1.2 million in gifts and pledges.

1994
1994

Phase one of the expansion includes purchasing the five lots on the south side of Spanish Court, creating a soccer field, constructing a new building (to be used for fine arts education, dining and school athletics) and renovating the landscape and parking on campus.

1998
1998

Saint Michael’s mission work in the Dominican Republic begins.

1999
1999

Mr. Robert Ziegler is installed as principal.

2005
2005

Full-time missionaries are sent to the Dominican Republic: Rev. Walter Ries and Deaconess Danelle Putnam.

2006
2006

Phase two of the expansion plan comprises purchasing and renovating the Spanish Court building as an early learning center, buying two remaining lots on Spanish Court for parking and expanding and renovating the office center.

2007
2007

Expansion phase three encompasses expanding the narthex, replacing the church’s stained glass windows and constructing a maintenance building.

2012
2012

Little Saints Early Learning Center opens for infants to two-year-olds under the direction of Kati Miser.

2015
2015

Kati Miser becomes principal of Saint Michael Lutheran School.

2016
2016

Stacie Thompson becomes director of Little Saints.

2023
2023

Rev. David Bass is installed as senior pastor.

2024
2024

Nikki Howley becomes director of Little Saints.

2025
2025

Shelly McGovern begins serving as Saint Michael Lutheran School principal for the interim.

2025

Dan Maser is installed as principal.

A Snapshot of Our History