Saint Nicholas is a biblically based church which follows the Anglican tradition.
We have a dynamic worship with traditional and contemporary Christian music.
We offer strong Christian education programs for children, youth, and adults.
To learn more about us click on the quick links below.
Who was Saint Nicholas and why was our church named after him?
Who Was St. Nicholas?
St. Nicholas was born in 245 AD in Asia Minor (an area now known as Turkey), the only child
of wealthy parents. When his parents died of the Plague, he became an orphan at a very early
age, and is said to have spent his youth in the monastery over which his uncle, the Bishop
of Patara, presided.
By all accounts young Nicholas was extremely devout and, as a holy man, felt he had no
need for the fortune left to him by his father. Instead, he gave it away to the poor and
impoverished, keeping none of it for himself. He is said to have given many anonymous
gifts to those less fortunate than he during his lifetime. One legend, in particular,
credits him with saving a poor man's daughters from being sold into prostitution, when
he tossed bags of gold through an open window at night.
When Nicholas was 30 years old, the Archbishop of Myra died, and Nicholas was selected
as his replacement. By that time, he had become well-known, not only for his generosity,
but also for his unwavering support of Christianity, no easy task during a period when
invading Muslims - and the ever-present lure of paganism - threatened Christianity's
very foundations.
The reputation of Nicholas grew further, following his participation in the Iznik
Council as the Archbishop of Myra. At the Council, Nicholas argued with supporters
of Arias and took a strong stance against them. It is widely accepted that the first
of the debates concerning the Father-Son-Holy Spirit trilogy, a topic of great
discussion for centuries in the world of Christianity, was grappled in the Iznik
Council. During this first council, Nicholas, in opposition to the supporters of
Arias, argued that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit can, and do, exist at once,
together. It is said that Nicholas illustrated his argument by presenting the
Council an ordinary brick. Nicholas made the point that, just like fire, earth
and water can come together in one brick, God can be one and the three in one.
The debate concerning Father, Son and Holy Spirit has continued in the centuries
following his death, believed by historians to have occurred on Friday,
December 6, AD 345 or 351, in Demre. Thereafter, Nicholas' reputation grew
and he was credited with performing many miracles, which led to his elevation to
sainthood.
After his death, Nicholas' fame continued to spread throughout Europe, and
the number of his followers increased over time. During the Middle Ages, thousands
of European churches were built in his honor. December 6th (the anniversary of his
death), designated as the Feast of St. Nicholas, became a day to "give gifts,"
particularly to children. Clad in red and white bishop's robes and riding on the
back of a donkey, St. Nicholas is credited with traveling to children's homes on
December 6th and placing gifts of fruit, nuts, hard candies and small wooden and
clay figurines on their hearths.
However, during the Protestant Reformation of the 16th Century, St. Nicholas was
banished from most European countries, as Martin Luther sought to eradicate the
worship of saints. Additionally, the new Protestants would not tolerate St. Nicholas
as their gift-giver, since he was too closely associated with the Roman Catholic
Church. Thus, the gift-giving tradition was forced underground. There, it merged
with local pagan customs and St. Nicholas came to be known by many other names
throughout Europe, as each country or region developed its own version of this
gift-giver. The Dutch, nevertheless, managed to keep the original St. Nicholas "alive"
and, when they established New Amsterdam (New York), in the 1600s, brought the St.
Nicholas tradition with them.
Why this church named for Saint Nicholas?
When the Bishop of Dallas, James Stanton, announced that he was giving our church
the name of St. Nicholas, he stressed three qualities of Nicholas which he prayed
will also be the hallmarks of our church family: Courage, Orthodoxy, and Generosity.
Courage: During the reign of the emperor Diocletian (284-305), Nicholas suffered
imprisonment and torture because he refused to deny Christ.
Orthodoxy: At the time of the Arian controversy, when Arius and those who
supported him denied the divinity of Christ, Nicholas was steadfast in his
support of Athanasius and the doctrine that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man.
Generosity: Because Nicholas used his wealth to support the poor, especially
young people, he is known as the patron saint of children and students. He is
also famed as the patron saint of seafarers and sailors because he is reputed
to have saved the lives of a group of men who were shipwrecked.
Bishop Stanton pointed out that in the life of Nicholas, we see a Christian
who translated his faith in Christ into action for Christ. Nicholas did not
just say, "I believe." with his lips, he said it with his life.
As we work to serve God by building a church based upon the Great Commission
and the Great Commandment, St. Nicholas' example of connecting his beliefs with
his actions will be an excellent model for us to follow.
Nicholas can teach us that talk is cheap. We cannot just talk about evangelism
and ministry, each of us must become evangelists and ministers. We cannot only
give thanks to God on Sundays; each of us must live thankful lives. We cannot
simply praise the virtue of fellowship; each of us must always be ready to make
a place in our church family for those who wish to join us. We cannot merely
study Christ and consider ourselves disciples, we must become Christ-like by
taking that knowledge and applying it in our own lives.
