SAINT MICHAEL LIVE!

The Rev. Dr. Christopher D. Girata

The Rev. Dr. Chris Girata was called to be the eighth Rector of Saint Michael and All Angels in June, 2016 and started his ministry at Saint Michael on August 15, 2016.

Previously, Chris served as Rector of Calvary Episcopal Church in downtown Memphis, Tennessee, a position he had held since 2012. Prior to becoming rector at Calvary, he was Associate Rector at St. Luke’s in Birmingham from 2008 – 2012, and as a seminarian served at The National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., and at St. John’s in Chevy Chase, MD.

The Rev. Dr. Girata received his Bachelor of Arts in religious studies, in honorus, from Stetson University, a Master of Theological Studies from Emory University, a Master of Divinity, cum laude, from Virginia Theological Seminary, and received his Doctorate of Ministry from Duke University in May 2017. He is recognized as a leader in the Episcopal Church, presenting regularly at church-wide conferences, seminars and retreats, and the Consortium for Endowed Episcopal Parishes.

Chris is a native of Florida, a classically trained musician, and an amateur cook. He and his wife, Nicole, have three children; Brayden, Layna, and Annemarie.

The Rev. Kenneth H. Brannon

Rev. Ken Brannon became Saint Michael's Vice Rector in July 2019. Ken was born in Fort Collins, Colorado, but moved to Mandeville, Louisiana at the age of one. His life changed radically at the age of twelve when his father took a job at a teaching hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He found himself attending the Kodaikanal International School, an international boarding school South India, where he graduated in 1986.

Following in the footsteps of his older brother, he attended Wheaton College in Illinois. Although his major was psychology, he spent many hours active in the theater. Ken discovered the Episcopal Church while at Wheaton and was grateful for the elegant liturgy, the appreciation for mystery, and the emphasis on ancient spiritual practices. And it was at Wheaton where Ken met Rachel.

Rachel grew up in a suburb of Denver in a family that took their faith very seriously. As a child, she took mission trips regularly, including trips to Africa and Honduras. Like Ken, Rachel’s family’s passion for the church inspired her desire to attend Wheaton College where she not only met Ken, but discovered the Episcopal Church.

As undergrads, Ken and Rachel independently discovered the Episcopal Church and found a wholeness and joy in the theological and liturgical experience. Little did they know how important this shared experience would be. They reconnected in New York City six years later and were married in 1995.

Rachel spent much of her young adult life in Boston and New York working in children’s book publishing before shifting to social work. She did her graduate work at Union Theological Seminary, first earning a master’s degree in psychology and religion. She later earned a Master of Social Work with postgraduate training in Jungian psychology.

Following college, Ken spent two years living in intentional Christian community and working with the homeless in Washington, DC. He coordinated administrative activities at Christ House, a mission of Church of the Saviour, and was active in medical and social outreach to those living in the shadows of our nation’s monuments. In 1993, Ken began drama therapy studies at New York University and graduated cum laude in 1997. His passion for psychology and theater came together in group work with children and adults at sites throughout the city, ranging from therapeutic schools, psychiatric hospitals, homeless shelters, and prisons.

After they were married, Rachel and Ken worked together at Church of the Holy Trinity in New York, co-coordinating children’s programming, and it was at Holy Trinity that Ken answered the call to ordained ministry. He attended Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, graduating in 2003. Ken first served as Associate Rector at The Church of St. Barnabas in Irvington, New York, just outside legendary Sleepy Hollow (so Ken and Rachel are big fans of great Halloween parties!). In 2007, Ken was called to be rector of St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Sun Valley, ID.

Their ministry at St. Thomas was been rich. Ken has influenced sound growth and stability for over a decade, and has been a leader in the community. In the Diocese of Idaho, Ken was active in all aspects of church life, having served as Chair of the Commission on Ministry, President of the Standing Committee, and Chair of the Idaho Deputation to General Convention.

Ken and Rachel have two young adult children, Lucy and Isaac. They are both active in their church communities and are wonderful singers. In May, Lucy graduated from Wake Forest University and in June, Isaac graduated high school in Sun Valley. Through sheer coincidence (or perhaps the work of the Holy Spirit), after Ken and Rachel answered the call to come to Saint Michael, Lucy was offered a consulting position with Ernst and Young here in Dallas! As Lucy moves to Dallas this summer to begin her new position, Isaac is moving to Western Washington University to begin his undergraduate studies.

Personally, Rachel loves to read and write, especially poetry. She has a private practice in Sun Valley and also serves as a social worker at the local hospital. She will look for new opportunities to continue that work in Dallas. Ken loves hiking and keeping up on current events, especially articles that go deeply into issues that connect to personal matters of faith. Together, they love food, travel, and any new life experiences, especially with their family.

The Rev. Robert "Bob" Johnston III

Much of Bob’s ministry has concentrated on evangelism. He studied church planting in seminary, was ordained in 2003 in London, and served in Brompton. Most recently he helped start and lead the contemporary worship ministry, “Uptown,” at Church of the Incarnation, as well as the small group ministry, “Growth Groups,” and an outreach in local pubs known as “Theology Live.”

Bob has graduate degrees in theology, law, and business from Southern Methodist University, and maintains an intellectual property law practice. He is at Saint Michael two days a week; on Sundays, serving primarily in the 11:00 contemporary worship service, and one other day during the week. Bob has twin sons, Hugh and Ian.

The Rev. Dr. Eric J. Liles

The Reverend Dr. Eric Liles joined the Saint Michael clergy team as Associate for Formation in August of 2017. He leads all of the church’s formation programs including Adult, Youth, and Children and Family ministries. Eric is a 1999 graduate of Texas A&M, a 2007 graduate of Virginia Theological Seminary, and received his Doctorate of Ministry from the University of the South – Sewanee in 2016. He has served churches in Austin and Alabama, and spent 5 years as the Rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal in Ivy, Virginia prior to joining Saint Michael. Eric is married to the Rev. Allison Liles. They have two children, Hill and Pailet, and a dog. He enjoys cycling, golf, hiking, other outdoor activities, and plays guitar. He is also an Eagle Scout.

View Eric’s blog

The Rev. Mary Lessmann

The Rev. Mary T. Lessmann serves as Associate for Spiritual Growth at Saint Michael and All Angels. Prior to joining Saint Michael, Mary served as Vicar of Good Samaritan Episcopal Church in Dallas. Previously she served for four years as Associate Rector for St. Andrew’s McKinney and, during her seminary formation, as Director of Educational Programs at Church of the Incarnation in Dallas. Mary, a CPA in her former life, was ordained in 2009. A native Texan, she holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Texas A&M University and a Masters of Divinity from Perkins School of Theology at SMU. Mary and her husband, Russ, have two young adult sons.

Adam Jones

Since entering the workforce, Adam Jones has been implementing technology solutions for religious and educational institutions. His experience includes leading installation teams, programming panel interfaces, and designing AV solutions for classrooms and event spaces.

Justin Brooks

www.justinphilipbrooks.com

For the past decade, Saint Michael Director of Contemporary Music, Justin Brooks, and his wife Tiffany have followed a calling to lead music and write liturgical songs for the Church that reflect the seasons of life, worship, and needs of their local congregations. This often manifests itself as the composition of sacred songs, settings of scripture, and reinterpreting traditional hymns and service music with faithful, yet new arrangements.

Excerpted from the September / October 2018 issue of Archangel. Read the full article here!

Jonathan Ryan

www.jonathan-ryan.org

Jonathan Ryan began serving at Saint Michael and All Angels in September, 2017. At Saint Michael, he directs the Saint Michael Choir, oversees the founding and growth of a new boys and girls chorister program based on the Royal School of Church Music, established the professional Compline Choir, heads the Saint Michael Presents concert series, and oversees music for all traditional worship services.

Jonathan came to Saint Michael from one of the largest music programs in the national Episcopal Church at Christ Church in Greenwich CT. Among Christ Church’s nine choirs, he directed the adult choir in Choral Masses, Evensongs, Requiems, and concerts, regularly worked with the Choir of Men & Boys and Girls Choir, directed the Royal School of Church Music-based ribbon training program for choristers, oversaw the Choir Assistant program for youth to serve in assisting roles in the program, and assisted in choir tours and summer choir camps. He has previously held positions at the Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit in Lake Forest IL, St. John Cantius Church in Chicago IL, St. Anne Church in Rochester NY, and served as Visiting Artist at St. James Cathedral in Chicago. Additionally, Jonathan has commissioned and conducted new choral works by composers such as multi-award winning American composer Zachary Wadsworth and renowned British composers Philip Moore and Colin Mawby.

Jonathan enjoys an international reputation as one of the premiere young American organists. Acclaimed by audiences and critics alike for his strong communicative skills in numerous styles, he holds exceptional distinction of six First Prize awards in major international and national organ competitions, most notably the 2009 Jordan II International Organ Competition. His solo concertizing has taken him to celebrated festivals, venues, and conventions throughout the United States and Europe, including St. Paul’s Cathedral in London (UK), the Nicolaikirche in Leipzig (Germany), the Cathédrale St-André in Bordeaux (France), international organ festivals in Zürich (Switzerland) and Hamburg (Germany), and national conventions of the American Guild of Organists and Organ Historical Society. His recent performance projects include recitals of J.S. Bach’s monumental Clavier-Übung III in a tour on historically-based organs throughout the United States.

His released recordings include two solo organ recordings, the most recent of which, entitled Influences on the independent boutique label Acis, received the rare honor of nomination consideration for the 2017 GRAMMY awards. Jonathan’s solo recordings include commissions and recording premieres. He is also featured on multiple choral recordings from St. John Cantius Church in Chicago, IL.

Born into a musical family in Charlotte, NC, Jonathan first began playing the organ at age eight, and grew up singing as a treble boy chorister. He discovered a love for Anglican liturgy and music in high school, and previously lived in Texas while an undergraduate student at Baylor University. Jonathan then went on to earn degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music and the Eastman School of Music. His primary teachers include Joyce Jones, Todd Wilson, David Higgs, William Porter, and William Weinert. He also holds the Fellow (FAGO) and Choirmaster (ChM) professional certifications from the American Guild of Organists, for which he earned the 2006 Choirmaster Prize for the highest score nationally in the Choirmaster exam. He currently serves on the National Committee for Professional Certification for the American Guild of Organists.

Dr. Margaret (Meg) Harper

Organist Margaret "Meg" Harper has performed across the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Croatian newspaper Glas Slavonije writes, “The freezing cold of a January evening dominated the cathedral in Djakovo, but it could not diminish the richness and warmth of sound brought out of the cathedral organ by Margaret Harper.” Margaret has performed solo recitals at such prestigious venues as Harvard University, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine (NYC), and St. Paul Cathedral (Pittsburgh).

Before coming to Saint Michael and All Angels, Margaret served as the Director of Music and Liturgy at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Portsmouth, NH, the largest Episcopal church in that state. In her time at St. John’s, Margaret oversaw a dramatic expansion of all aspects of the church’s music program. Under her direction, the church developed The Choir School at St. John’s, an after-school RSCM-based music program aimed at low-income youth. In its first three years, the Choir School has received several significant accolades, including the opportunity to premiere a newly commissioned work at the prestigious Newburyport Chamber Music Festival and an invitation to serve in residency at Bristol Cathedral in England.

In addition, Margaret has also served as Artist Faculty in Organ at the University of Southern Maine, on the faculty and board of the Young Organist Collaborative, and as a secondary instructor of organ at the Eastman School of Music. She has presented papers at national and regional conferences of organizations including the American Bach Society and the American Guild of Organists.

Margaret holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree and a Performer’s Certificate from the Eastman School of Music. Her primary teachers include William Porter, David Higgs, Michel Bouvard, Edoardo Bellotti, and Edward Zimmerman. She is active in the Association of Anglican Musicians and served on the planning committee for that organization's 2019 conference in Boston. She has served in many leadership roles for the American Guild of Organists, most recently as District Convener for NH, ME, and VT.

Philip Fillion

Philip Fillion joined the Saint Michael Music staff as the Assistant Director of Music and Organist in August of 2020.

Philip comes to Saint Michael from St. Mary’s Church in Auburn, NY where he has served as Director of Music and Organist for 3 years. During his time at St. Mary’s, the adult choir’s size doubled, and served as choir director to youth in the Schola Cantorum of the church’s associated school, the Tyburn Academy. Previously, during his student days, he has served as Organist at the Cathedral Basilica of Ss. Peter and Paul in Philadelphia, as interim organist/choirmaster at Grace Church in Newark, NJ, and as Organist at St. John Lutheran Church in Wheaton, IL.

A native of Rochester, NY, Philip grew up singing as a boy chorister, and first developed his love for church music from that singing experience. Having studied music at the Eastman Community Music School, he then earned a BM in organ performance from the Wheaton College Conservatory of Music, and a MM in organ and sacred music from Westminster Choir College.

Philip is married to Melody and they have a daughter, Mirabel.