Different Church - St. Petersburg, Florida

Bradley Marshall

Had a wonderful time at service etoday - first in person service. The sermons are so good and hit deep, you can tell the pastor is truly passionate. The music is wonderful, thoughtful, touching, and uniquely wonderful. Really enjoyed the kindness I felt while I was there.

Taylor Horan

Growing up religious, church often felt like checking an obligation. In the past few years (especially with the recent "Christian Political" climate), it has been hard to find a church that I felt fully at home in. However, after attending Different Church the past few months, I actually am excited for Sunday mornings!

The music is amazing. The people are beyond incredible. The messages that Pastor Hannah teaches are timely, modern, and backed with scripture. I have never felt so welcomed and engaged at a church. Attending this church has helped me grow in my spiritual journey. If you are looking for a progressive Christian church that welcomes ever single person that walks through the door with no judgement, this is a church you absolutely need to visit!

Kathryn Perry

My wife and I have searched for a truly affirming and welcoming church for years, and we finally found this in Different Church. It is amazing to attend the services and see the diversity amongst the people who come together each Sunday. Our experiences in previous churches have been difficult and there were times when we nearly gave up, believing there was no church that existed where we could be our true selves and not feel ashamed. Not only is the music incredible, but each Sunday, we are moved by the message (or messages) of Pastor Hannah’s sermons. She breaths life back into us as the human beings we are by helping us to understand a perspective of the Bible and of worship that is not wrapped in alienation or condemnation but instead love, peace, acceptance and comfort. The only thing I wish for this church is for more members to join and experience all it has to offer. I look forward to each Sunday and am excited to continue to become a part of the Different Church family.

Victoria Johns-Paradise

What I love about Different Church is how they've created a space that is safe for exploration, worship, and community. It's not going to be perfect, because no place is, but they truly do the work to be trauma-informed, gracious, and loving of people no matter where they come from. If you're looking for a LGBTQ+ affirming church, a church that is aware of religious trauma, a church that is a safe place to ask questions and allows space to deconstruct and reconstruct, a church that gives back (they do a reverse tithe to give to the community), a church where it's okay to not have it all figured out...Different Church does a good job striving to meet these.
Pastor Hannah is an amazing preacher as well. Great theology and homiletics, and also very relatable.
A personal experience that makes me happy: when I first came back to this church with my 6 month old baby, Pastor Hannah made sure I knew that it was okay for my baby to be with me - I didn't have to leave the sanctuary to breastfeed, I didn't have to leave if she was hyper or if she cried. I was welcome to step out if I was more comfortable, but my baby was also welcome in all her baby-ness to be present with me. As a new mom with Postpartum Anxiety, this was very comforting.

Rick Scolaro

First off, I haven't been to church in 30 years. I came to Different Church because my sister invited me and I needed a fresh community of people to help and be helped by. I was welcomed by PASTOR HANNAH with a smile and right away I was surprised not just by her, but by all the diversity I saw around me. I have found most Christians believe in this "you're going to hell" ideology and that I have to believe one specific way to avoid that and not ask any questions about what we're being told. I finally got to see a logical and modern interpretation of a 2000 year old text that people take literally. HANNAH expertly shows you where historical record and metaphor are in play in the Bible and allows for questions about any of it. I've believed for a long time that a relationship with God is personal and nobody can tell me what that is supposed to look like. I also believe in a God that accepts and affirms everyone, another special difference at Different Church. While not a member of LGBT, I've been a friend and ally to that community as I see being done all the time at Different Church. In Star Trek, the Vulcans believe in Infinite Diversity In Infinite Combinations and I believe Different Church embraces those concepts amazingly! Parking is a little weird, but it's just a short walk from wherever you find a spot in Downtown St. Pete. The provided facilities are more than adequate, having yummy coffee, clean restrooms, and even providing child care for the congregation. I would recommend Different Church to anyone that has experienced trauma from an evangelical church or has felt like an outcast in other churches because of your lifestyle or specific beliefs in God. Remember, God loves everybody. Check out Different Church and see for yourself. ❤

Nicole Brooks

After Covid, Trump, and everything that happened in 2020, I no longer felt safe in my church. I still loved Jesus and I still wanted to read the Bible, but I didn’t think I could ever fully feel at home in a church again. I’m so glad I found Different because they were exactly what I needed! I didn’t even fully realize how stifled I felt at my previous church (even before 2020) until I came here. I can express any doubt, ask any question, and open up completely without any judgment. I could say that I believe in evolution without a debate about why I’m wrong. I could also say that I believe in the literal 7-day creation with the same result. Most of us here are in different stages of deconstruction, and the pastor is very mindful about that. Many of us have been through some kind of church trauma, church abandonment, or church disagreement, so we all understand when someone is adamant about a belief they’ve always held, open to something new, or even leaving the faith altogether. Through nonjudgmental questioning, doubting, and exploring, I’ve found that my faith in God has strengthened significantly since coming to this church.

They accept anyone and everyone. They have a female pastor and LGBT people in leadership positions. If you don’t feel like church is for you, or like you don’t belong there anymore, they will welcome you with open arms, no matter who you are or where you’ve come from. This is the only church I’ve ever been to where I feel like I can be 100% myself.

Elizabeth Perry

Different Church is truly different! Our family was raised almost fearful of scripture and thanks to this church we have a whole new meaning and thought process. We can truly appreciate and respect scripture today. Also, we have struggled with being accepted in a church for over 20 years. We have attended churches where LGBTQ people are “accepted” but honestly, I would consider it more of being tolerated. Not only are LGBTQ people actually accepted, we are celebrated at Different Church. Plus, everyone attending this church is exposed to resources to be true allies for our community. Don’t believe me? Then, take a moment to listen to the June 6th service podcast on Diversity and Inclusion training. We were nervous attending in person at first and watched online for a few weeks. Then, we went in person the first time and now, we do everything we can to attend in person each week with two little ones. You will not regret making this place your home church! We are truly blessed to have found such an amazing church for our family!

Shannon Welch

Different church is an incredible community of loving and accepting humans! LGBTQ affirming and proud of it. I have never felt more welcome as a queer person in a church. Pastor Hanna is incredible and the worship band is beautiful and raw. So grateful I found this place!