Who We Are
Leaders
SENIOR PASTOR- The Rev. Canon Mike Hesse
ASSOCIATE PASTOR- The Rev. Dave Hope
DEACON- The Rev. Hannah Flynn
YOUTH PASTOR- Dominick Farone
(Scroll down for more info)
SENIOR PASTOR- The Rev. Canon Mike Hesse
The son of a career Air Force officer, Mike spent his young life on the move. During his senior year of high school in Jacksonville, Florida, he began attending the Episcopal Church and was befriended by a young clergyman who greatly influenced his walk with the Lord and gave him a glimpse of what serving Jesus as Lord and Savior looked like. As Mike was visiting Jacksonville for Easter services during his first year at the University of Florida, he heard the Lord call him to the ministry - and he has never looked back. Graduating from Virginia Theological Seminary he served for three years as an assistant at the Church of the Holy Comforter in Tallahassee, Florida . In 1976 he answered a call to plant a congregation in Pensacola, Florida . God blessed him with fifteen great years there before he received a call to Destin. Mike married his high school sweetheart, Claudia. They are the proud parents of four grown children: Nathan (Amy and daughter Jonnie), Becca (Chris and sons Carson and Harrison), Courtney (Oliver and sons Jacob and Joshua and one on the way), and Stephen (Shelley). Their grandchildren are their pride and joy. Mike is a charismatic evangelical who enjoys preaching and teaching. His hobbies include reading, scuba diving, fishing and boating. Claudia teaches English at Choctawhatchee High School and enjoys exercise and reading.
ASSOCIATE PASTOR- The Rev. Dave Hope
Dave was born and raised in the great state of Kansas. His early childhood influences included wheat fields, tornados, Leavenworth Prison, and the Wizard of Oz, which may explain why Dave has a unique approach to everything he does. In his late teens, Dave became one of the founding members of the rock group "Kansas" and provided the bass lines on the group's first ten CDs.
In 1980 while touring with "Kansas", Dave received Jesus Christ as his Lord. This union caused him to reassess his life and leave the music world behind. In 1987, Dave, and his wife Diana moved to Destin, FL, with the purpose of raising their 3-year-old daughter Zoie in a small town atmosphere. It was during this time that God called Dave into youth ministry where he served as a youth pastor in two different local churches for many years. Dave has been on staff at Immanuel Anglican for fourteen years, serving as Outreach pastor for the past three years. God has gifted Dave as a pastor/teacher, as a worship leader, and with a longing to see people come to know Jesus as he has known Jesus.
DEACON- The Rev. Hannah Flynn
Hannah grew up on the West Coast in the 70's & 80's, and came to know Jesus as a young adult. She relocated with her family to the Gulf Coast, courtesy of the U.S. Air Force, over 25 years ago. She and her husband (The Rev. Chris Flynn) chose to stay in the area and raise their 2 children here after Chris returned to civilian life.
Hannah was ordained as a deacon in November 2009. Concurrent with pursuing an MDiv. through Regent School of Divinity, she is also studying for a post-graduate certificate in Formational Prayer through Ashland Theological Seminary.
Hannah serves as the executive assistant to the rector.
YOUTH PASTOR- Dominick Farone
Dominick was born in Burbank, CA, and raised on the road by his evangelist parents. Eight years and 36 states later his family settled in Bastrop, LA where they founded an inner-city youth ministry to street kids called New Beginnings Christian Center. As a high schooler, Dominick ran the youth center where he says he "basically just broke up fights”. While in Louisiana, he served at King’s Camp as a room counselor. Four years of summer-camp ministry helped him discover his passion for working with youth and seeing them come to Jesus.
After Dom graduated from high school, he majored in theology and minored in youth ministry at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, OK. During his college years, he youth pastored at a Korean Baptist church which solidified his love for working with teens. After completing his degree, he served as youth director at a United Methodist church in Broken Arrow for a little over three years before God's direction brought him to Immanuel. Jacqueline, Dominick’s wife of 6 years is an accomplished worship leader who trained at Victory Bible Institute in the School of Worship and shares his passion for discipling young people. She focuses on working with young women, and Dom describes her as “a gift and a blessing” and his "right-hand woman".