Rector's Report

From any angle, 2018 was a great year at Saint Michael and All Angels. We completed the Refresh project, hosted wildly popular panels, increased our attendance, and invested more in discipleship and formation across the church. We can be proud of what we did together, but what is most exciting is how our momentum is growing!

Everywhere I look, I see more energy and excitement. At least once a week, someone sends me a note telling me how much they appreciate our church, and I’m stopped in the hallway every Sunday by someone who is excited about how great it feels to just be in the building. I’ve even had people tell me that when they’re away, they make sure to watch our sermons and services online because they miss being physically present. What a great way to feel about our church.

As I reflect on the year gone by, I give thanks for the countless ways people in this parish have invested themselves in the Gospel work of our community. Our reason for being is first and foremost our discipleship of Jesus Christ. Every time I participate in a service of baptism, a wedding, or even a burial, I witness just how powerfully God is at work here.

The sacred work of life and love is being done in big and small ways all around us. Near the end of the year, one of our beloved members, Gloria Hocking, died after a very short illness. The celebration of her life was beautiful, and afterward, her husband, Sam, wrote a note to me and granted me permission to share one section in which he said, “I feel sorry for those who have elected not to associate with a church, especially Saint Michael… I think about the love and support a church congregation can give and realize that the church is a top priority institution that must survive.” I’m pleased to see that Saint Michael is moving beyond just surviving — we are beginning to thrive.

In addition to the primary work of our community, we have taken great steps toward a bright future. In 2018, most of the physical work of the Refresh, Renew, Revive project was completed. As you know, the response from our congregation was overwhelming. By giving more than double what was requested, we were able to complete projects we hadn’t even imagined, including all the wonderful work done in the Saint Michael Chapel.

The investment in our community did not stop with the Refresh project. In 2018 we invested in significant ways in our discipleship formation for all ages. We kicked off the school year with an unprecedented, live reading of the entire Bible, streamed online for thousands to experience. Our focus on scripture continued with God’s Story lessons each Sunday for all ages. Sunday school attendance is up across the board, not least for the adults. We also began engaging our late elementary and middle school students through our new Chorister program that has continued to grow into 2019. In all those ways and more, our young people and young families are engaging more regularly than they have in years.

Looking beyond ourselves, three major public events brought the community through our doors. Our first interfaith panel occured in January, and although the church was at physical capacity, the attention it received online was stunning, drawing nearly 1.5 million views to date. Later in the year, we hosted a symposium on human trafficking in Dallas. The symposium engaged dozens of partner organizations from the city and state and brought together thought leaders from around the country. Then in September, we hosted Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Presiding Bishop Michael Curry for a first-ever conversation between the two leaders. That conversation drew international attention and became a resource for churches around the world.

Our attention at both small, private formation experiences, paired with international public offerings, underscores Saint Michael’s unique calling in our church. We are regularly described as a “resource parish” within the Episcopal Church, yet the idea of what a resource can be is often too small. We are beginning to move into a new reality where we take our resources seriously. Whether that means that one young child gets the highest quality Christian formation we can offer, or that the nation knows we open our doors to every person seeking God’s truth, Saint Michael can be a bright light in a dark world. We can remind everyone around us just how much God’s love can transform the world for the good.

Which brings me back to our community. What I have outlined above, the amazing kingdom work we have done, would not be possible without those of us in our community who commit to the work of our church, and do so fully. We are all called to do three things in our community: worship, serve, and give. I want everyone in this parish to make that sacred commitment, and we are far short of that goal. Each of us is called by God to do sacred, Spirit work in the world, but at present, less than half of our membership is fully engaged. As we look toward the future, I believe we can do better, and when we do better, we will be better — and that’s the kind of church our world needs most!

The Rev. Dr. Christopher D. Girata, Rector