St Michael and All Angels Church, Elie
A brief history by Stuart G. Hall

When Elie and Earlsferry developed as a major holiday resort in the later years of the 19th century, the need for Episcopalian services was felt: holidaymakers were disinclined to go as far as Pittenweem. Summer Mission services were held from time to time, and in 1904 a series began in Earlsferry Town Hall, and did not stop at the end of September. Mr and Mrs Outhwaite, who owned Craigforth at the south end of Earlsferry, gave the site to put up a prefabricated church near the sixth tee on the Golf Course. It was built and services began early in the year; the formal dedication by the Bishop of St Andrews took place on 4 July 1905. Mrs Mary Outhwaite was very active in fund-raising and other ways, and is commemorated in a monument in the church, together with Canon Bowstead, the constant helper in the early years and giver of the present site and what was for many years the Parsonage (now sold). The church lost several young men in the First World War, including Mrs Outhwaite's nephew, James Hassard Short.
The Outhwaite property at Craigforth was sold, and the new owner would not renew the lease of the land for the Church. At the end of 1923 it was moved to its present site. Being a prefabricated building, demolition and reconstruction took only a month. Canon Bowstead gave the site and the house (now 'The Old Parsonage', formerly 'St Gabriel's Bield') bequeathed on his death to the Church, became the parsonage in 1924. St Michael's continued independent until 28 November 1953, when the long-serving incumbent, Mr Lloyd-Jones, announced he was leaving. The same day most of the church was destroyed by fire. The people worshipped in the recently disused Wood Memorial Church (now demolished) for a year, until the Church was rebuilt. The Rev. Alexander Cumming came in 1955, and stayed till 1966; he was the first priest to serve jointly St Michael's and St John's, Pittenweem. His two successors served both churches from the Elie Parsonage. From 1978 to 1983 Elie became part of a team ministry run from St Andrews. The last incumbent to live in the Parsonage was Dr Gianfranco Tellini, who did liturgical work for the wider Church. His successor from 1985 lived in Pittenweem, and the Parsonage was sold in 1986. Recent incumbents have either been housed privately or in the Great House at Pittenweem. In 1991 a toilet was added. Over the years St Michael's has developed close ties with the Church of Scotland in Elie, Kilconquhar and Colinsburgh; the earliest joint Communion service was on 20 December 1979.