STREAMING SUNDAYS 9a · 11a · COVID-19 UPDATES

  8011 Douglas Ave, Dallas  ·   (214) 363-5471  ·   Contact Us  ·         Give

Saint Michael and All Angels
  • Visit
    • Welcome!
    • Children & Families
    • Service Times
    • Getting Here & Campus Map
    • Membership
    • Upcoming Events
  • About
    • Clergy & Staff
    • Parish Events!
    • Calendar
    • Blog / Newsroom
    • Rector's Blog
    • Our Vestry
    • What We Believe
    • Book Shop
    • Annual Report
    • Architecture & Art
    • Our History
    • Staff News
    • Membership
  • Give
    • Give Now
    • The Foundation
    • Legacy Planning
    • Flower Memorials
    • Building the Kingdom: Stewardship 2021
  • Worship
    • SUNDAY 9 & 11 AM LIVESTREAMS
    • Service Descriptions & Schedules
    • Music
    • Watch Our Sunday Services
    • In-Person Worship and Communion
    • Liturgical Support Groups
    • Baptism
    • Weddings
    • Funerals
    • Saint Michael Presents
    • Understanding Episcopal Worship
    • Preaching Schedule
  • Serve
    • Local Outreach
    • Missions
  • Learn
    • Sunday Classes
    • Children & Family Ministry (CFM)
    • Youth
    • Parent Ministry
    • Adult Classes
    • Men of Saint Michael
    • Baptism
    • Confirmation
    • Saint Michael 101
    • Episcopal Christians
    • Class Recordings
  • Care
    • Chapel Details for Prayer During Pandemic
    • Prayer Requests
    • Pastoral Care
    • Support Groups
    • Obituaries
  • Connect
    • Parish Events!
    • Fellowship Groups
    • Study Groups
    • Support Groups
    • Immersion Experiences
    • The SMAA Foundation
    • Women of Saint Michael
    • Saint Michael's Farmers Market
    • St. Michael's Woman's Exchange
  • Media
    • COVID-19 UPDATES
    • Live Events
    • Blog / Newsroom
    • Archangel Magazine
    • Resource Guide
    • Sermons
    • Class Recordings
    • Rector's Bible Study
    • Sunday News
    • Annual Report
    • Vestry & Finance Minutes

NOT GOING BACK TO NORMAL by Rector Chris Girata

NOT GOING BACK TO NORMAL was published in the Katy Trail Weekly, "The Good Word" Column, May 8, 2020
Chris Girata is the Rector of Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church in Dallas, TX.


I can hardly believe it’s already May. I imagine many of you are like me: the last few weeks, even couple months, have seemed to float by in a haze. The weirdness of this phase of our common life has changed too much about the way we behave that some of our neighbors are getting impatient. I’ve heard many people say they want life to go back to normal, but I’m pretty sure we’re not going back to normal.

The desire to go back to the past is often an expression of fear. We naturally fear what we do not know, and a different way of living in the future is, by definition, an unknown. If I were to consider the future simply as a void where any and all possibilities are equally probable, I’d be scared, too. However, I don’t think anything is possible. Instead, I think, or perhaps hope, that we can improve upon the past for the good of everyone.

I’ve heard many people say they want life to go back to normal, but I’m pretty sure we’re not going back to normal.

Our previous normal was not good enough for me. If you like the way things were before our world was shaken by this virus, then I submit to you, with as much gentleness and grace as I can muster, that your desire to return to the old normal is born out of very real privilege. And I recognize that it is sometimes dangerous to use the word privilege. However, if you were deeply satisfied with the status quo of just a few short months ago, comfortable with almost everyone in your life, then I believe you were, and perhaps still are, extremely privileged.

Unfortunately, privilege has been politicized, even weaponized, by some, leaving it bearing so much more weight than it should. For me, I’m using this word in its strictest sense: having or enjoying one or more benefits or advantages. Perhaps you took many of those privileges for granted. Did you like your job? Could you pay your bills? Did you live in a stable home? Were you treated well while shopping? Did people value your opinion? If you answered "yes" to those questions, I would say that you were, in the technical sense, privileged. Most Americans could not say yes to even those basic ideas.

Before you react defensively to my suggestion of privilege, let me ask a simple, human question: Should everyone have the opportunity to answer “yes” to the majority of the questions I ask? If you think they should, then perhaps we can agree that the normal many people seek is not the normal with which we should be satisfied.

... perhaps we can agree that the normal many people seek is not the normal with which we should be satisfied.

Moving forward, we will all be asked to make changes to the way we used to live. Perhaps those asks will be simple and episodic, like wearing a face mask while shopping for groceries. Perhaps those asks will be most significant, such as supporting measures to improve public schools. I’m pretty certain those asks will come regularly, and we may find ourselves feeling frustrated with being asked to change. However, I have one simple ask of you: Would you be willing to take a moment and consider whether you can change in order to help someone else?

The bottom line about the next few weeks, months and years is that we will all be asked to shift out of our comfort zones. We will all be asked to support new behaviors that might feel like an inconvenience. Yet if we are willing, we might find that with each ask, we have the opportunity to change a small aspect of our privileged lives in order to make a significant, positive impact in the lives of our neighbors. Small acts can make big ripples. If those big ripples help a lot of people, accepting those small changes might just be worthwhile.

"The Good Word" Column is published bi-weekly, and can be picked up at the Saint Michael South Entrance.


Tags: Blog & Newsroom

Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church
8011 Douglas Ave
Dallas, TX 75225
(214) 363-5471

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Job Openings

Facebook
facebook.com/SMAADallas
Instagram
instagram.com/SMAADallas
Twitter
twitter.com/SMAADallas
YouTube
youtube.com/SMAADallas

Sunday Services:

9 a.m. Traditional Service (Rite II)
9 a.m. Joy: A Children’s Service
11 a.m. Contemporary Rite II Service in the Parish Hall
8 p.m. Compline in the Church

Watch Live and On-Demand

Under normal circumstances, Saint Michael offers more services every day of the week. Learn more about our full worship schedule here.

Affiliates:

Saint Michael Episcopal School
St. Michael's Woman's Exchange
Saint Michael Book Shop
Saint Michael's Farmers Market
Jubilee Park Community Center
The Saint Michael Foundation

Download Our App:

avaialble-on-app-store_229get-it-on-google-play_921


Saint Michael and All Angels is a member parish in the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas. We practice The Way of Love as members of The Episcopal Church.

  View Entire Post

Service Times

WATCH LIVE


Sunday Services:
9 a.m. Traditional Service (Rite II)
11 a.m. Contemporary Rite II Service
8 p.m. Compline

More about services at Saint Michael and All Angels here.

Location

Saint Michael and All Angels
8011 Douglas Ave
Dallas, TX 75225

Contact Us
(214) 363-5471

Newsletter Signup

To sign up to receive any of our e-mailed publications, please enter your information and click on your interests below:

Newsletter Signup

*
*
*

Thank you!

Welcome Children Service Times Getting Here & Campus Map Membership

Welcome! | Saint Michael and All Angels is a community of passionate people seeking to follow Jesus in a meaningful way that impacts both our own lives and that of the community around us. We are blessed with our parish home and so glad to share it with you. If you find yourself in Dallas, we would love to have you join us for worship!

- The Reverend Dr. Chris Girata, Rector

Welcome to Children and Family Ministry!

Our team in Children and Family Ministry provides children, ages 0 – 5th grade, and their parents with the tools they need to become faithful disciples of Christ. We achieve this through fun and interactive programming that allows children and families to explore their faith together.

Learn More
Sunday Services:
7:30 a.m. Traditional Service (Rite I) in Saint Michael Chapel
9 a.m. Traditional Service (Rite II) in the Church
9 a.m. Joy: A Children’s Service in Saint Michael Chapel
11 a.m. Traditional Service (Rite I) in the Church
11 a.m. Contemporary Rite II Service in the Parish Hall
5:30 p.m. Evening Prayer and Eucharist Rite I in Saint Michael Chapel
8 p.m. Compline in the Church
Saturday Services:
8:30 a.m. Eucharist in Bishop Moore Chapel
5:30 p.m. Candlelight Mass in Saint Michael Chapel
Weekday Services:
7 a.m. M/W/F: Morning Prayer in Bishop Moore Chapel
7 a.m. T/Th: Holy Eucharist (Rite I or II) in Bishop Moore Chapel
10 a.m. Wed.: Healing Service in Bishop Moore Chapel
Click here for service descriptions and more info

We are located just south of Northwest Highway off of Douglas Ave. at Colgate Ave. Via Northbound Tollroad: Exit Lovers Ln, continue straight on Lomo Alto a few blocks to Colgate. Church is on your right. Via Southbound Tollroad: Exit Northwest Hwy, turn left to Douglas Ave. Turn R on Douglas and church is a few blocks down on your right. Via US 75: Exit Northwest Hwy and go west to Douglas Ave. Turn R on Douglas and church is a few blocks down on your right.

Maps & Directions

If you are new to Saint Michael, curious about the path to membership, or simply want to learn more about life at our parish community, we invite you to join us for two different class events we have throughout the year: "Saint Michael 101" is an introduction to life here at SMAA, and "Episcopal Christians", where we explore what it means to walk as a Christian in the Episcopal tradition, discussing topics like our Anglican heritage, worship, the Bible and formation etc.

Saint Michael 101 Episcopal Christians
Give Now Flower Memorials The Foundation Legacy Planning Stewardship 2021

Thank you for supporting the mission and ministry of Saint Michael and All Angels!

Select from the buttons below to make your gift.

Give Now Recurring Giving Make Your Pledge

Flowers in our holy worship spaces are a beautiful gift to God and those who attend services at Saint Michael as well as those being honored or remembered. A contribution to the Flower Fund is a meaningful way to honor or remember a loved one for special life events such as birthdays, anniversaries, baptisms, confirmations, thanksgivings, or in memory of a loved one.

Flower Memorials

The Foundation of Saint Michael and All Angels is essential to the vitality, growth, stability and success of our parish. Its grants support the mission of the Parish, consistent with priorities established by the Vestry and the Rector.

Learn More

As God’s stewards, we build on the foundation left by those who came before us. We, in turn, have the opportunity, with a bequest to Saint Michael, to sustain and enhance our parish ministries and programs for the benefit of future generations.

Learn More

Building the Kingdom

Saint Michael and All Angels Annual Giving

Join us as we commit ourselves to the 2021 Stewardship Campaign.

Building the Kingdom