Our Priests

Father Jeffrey (Simeon) Spencer

Father Jeffrey (former Deacon Simeon) Spencer was elevated to the diaconate by His Grace Bishop Antoun on January 15, 2012, at St. Elias Orthodox Church in Atlanta, Georgia, where he and his family have attended for 30 years.

He was then elevated to the Priesthood by His Grace Bishop Thomas on July 6, 2025, at the Antiochian Village, in Ligonier, Pennsylvania.

He is married to Kh. Leslie, and has four grown children.

He earned a BA and an MA in Philosophy from Georgia State University, and a Masters in Theological Sciences (MTS) from the Antiochian House of Studies (AHOS), where he is currently a PhD student. Father Jeffrey is a coordinator of the Orthodox Academic Society, which holds bi-annual symposia featuring the works of AHOS graduate students. He also works as a teaching assistant at AHOS and has previously taught at colleges in the Atlanta area.

An Air Force brat, he was born in Minot, North Dakota, moved around a bit, then moved “back home” to the South to finish high school in Atlanta.

Father Jeffrey became the full time priest for Saint Michael’s starting on August 3rd 2025.

Father Ernesto Obregon

The V. Rev. Fr. Ernesto M. Obregón was born in Cuba, sent to the USA as a refugee child and grew up in north-central Ohio. He was drafted during the Viet Nam era and served in the Army as a Medical Laboratory Specialist. After discharge, he finished his Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology at Kent State University (KSU), a Master of Arts in New Testament and Theology at Ashland Theological Seminary (ATS), and a Master of Arts in Philosophy at Cleveland State University (CSU). He met his wife of over 40 years, Presvytera Denise, at KSU. They and their children served as missionaries in Bolivia and Perú for 10 years, 1990-2000, where Fr. Ernesto was ordained as an Anglican priest. Upon their return, Fr. Ernesto served as the Hispanic Missioner for the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama.

In 2004, Fr. & Presvy. converted to Orthodoxy. Fr. Ernesto was ordained an Orthodox priest in 2007, and served a mission parish in Melbourne FL from 2007-2010. Fr. Ernesto returned to Birmingham in 2010, and worked at the VA hospitals in Birmingham and Tuscaloosa until his retirement. During this time period he finished a Master of Science in Management from the Florida Institute of Technology (FIT).

Between 2018 and 2025, Father Ernesto has provided the Holy Services diligently for our church, despite being a retired priest. His dedication to our parish and our community has been the foundation for the growth we see today. Father Ernesto served Christ with each person that he helped baptize or chrismate, with every confession and prayer heard, travelling hundreds of miles each month to provide guidance and care for his parishioners.

On the 3rd of August 2025, Father Ernesto passed the baton to the newly ordained Father Jeffrey, who had been our deacon (Simeon) for the previous 3 years.

Father Ernesto’s Orthodox blog can be found here.

Father David Bleam

The V. Rev. Fr. David Bleam is from Southeastern Pennsylvania and is married to Kh. Nora. They have three children. He was ordained to the priesthood on February 13, 2006 by His Grace, Bishop THOMAS at his home parish, St. Philip’s Antiochian Church in Souderton, PA.

He is a graduate of St. Vladimir’s Theological Seminary and is currently studying for his Doctor of Ministry degree through Pittsburg Theological Seminary.

Father David’s homilies can be listened to here.