The Strength of Unity by the Rev. Dr. Christopher D. Girata
A Message from the Rector, the Rev. Dr. Christopher D. Girata
This year, we kick off the summer season with a fantastic Pentecost celebration! On Sunday, May 19, we will celebrate the Feast of Pentecost in an even more exciting way than usual, because this year, we will hold a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the beginning of the big capital project that will remake our campus.
I hope you’re already keenly aware of the project that has been in the works for many years. Even before I arrived, there was a desire to unify our campus with an even greater missional purpose. You’ve likely heard me say many times that the church is not the building, the church is the people. The word “church” derives from the Greek word “ekklesia,” meaning “that which is called out,” specifically an assembly of people. From the very beginning and throughout the Bible, assemblies of people were called out by God to be unique and to impact the world in unique ways. Just as our ancestors were called out to be church in the past, we are called out to be church in new ways today.
This is profoundly true at Saint Michael. Here, we are called out of our individualism to work together, and we know our greatest strength is our people. We live in a very active community with lots of gifted people, so it can be easy for us to take our people—the people that make up Saint Michael—for granted. Just take a moment and think of all the incredibly gifted people who make up our church family. We have people of all ages, with amazing gifts, who are willing to share those gifts with us, right here. In countless ways, we couldn’t do most of what we do as a church without people like you giving your time, talent, and treasure again and again.
Yes, the church is the people, but the people must gather somewhere, and that’s where our campus comes into play. Although a church campus is never as important as the people who make up the church community, a good church campus can buoy and bolster the work of the people in radically important and significant ways. When I arrived eight years ago, our campus was disjointed, cut up in multiple legal parcels, and hard to use. The mission and ministry we shared and hoped to grow was being hindered by a campus that did not function to support us as it could. We set to work on a plan to make the campus so much better, and the time has finally come.
“We are called out of our individualism to work together, and we know our greatest strength is our people.”
On Pentecost Sunday, we will celebrate the commitment of our Saint Michael family to make our physical campus reflect the vitality of our people. Beginning this summer, we will experience a lot of change for two straight school years. As we have done for more than a year, we will continue to inform you of big construction phases along the way.
The next big shift is already underway with the closing of our education wing. Over the summer, the education wing will receive a full renovation, preparing new classroom space for our church members, as well as new classroom space for our Saint Michael Episcopal School. From top to bottom, the space will be ready to engage and support our community of learners at all ages and phases, and that’s just the beginning.
In August, the bigger phase of construction will begin in the heart of our campus. From August of 2024 through the first half of 2026, the core of our campus will be transformed. We will transform the long, skinny hallways filled with lots of small rooms into a more open, airy space in which many more people can gather and share life together. We are ekklesia after all, called out to assemble in order to work for God’s glory in the world, and soon we will have space in which our assembly can be supported to be even more impactful.
What’s coming is certainly going to throw some of our old habits up in the air, but what we do now is going to fuel our ministries for generations to come. Creating a more thoughtful, intentional, and useful space will be good for large groups who wish to experience the energy of our spiritual life. New space will also allow us to provide better hospitality for individuals seeking smaller, sacred moments.
Just a few weeks ago, a parishioner sent me a note saying, “Once a week, I head over to Saint Michael before the workday, grab some free coffee (yay!), and spend time in the chapel, praying and lighting a few candles. Typically, Saint Michael is a beehive of activity and it’s wonderful to be there. I find the chapel to be very peaceful and allows a respite before the hectic day. Thank you for providing such a sacred, welcoming space.”
Who we are and who we are becoming is and will remain the priority of our church family. What our space represents is the faith in Christ we share. Know that the space we share does and will continue to support who we are and who we are becoming in powerful ways.
The vision of this church community will continue to inspire and impact the world in powerful ways, and I can’t wait to see the future we are helping to build!
**This article was written by the Rev. Dr. Christopher D. Girata and was featured in the 2024 Summer Archangel.