A MESSAGE FROM THE RECTOR

WE BELONG TOGETHER

A Message from the Rector, Chris Girata

A new year is an opportunity for a new beginning. We are quickly approaching two years since we went into quarantine. Although much of life resembles our pre-pandemic reality, much of how we live has changed forever. Countless pages could be written about the impact of the pandemic, but I want to focus on one in particular: being together.

When we “shut down” in March 2020, I hoped our separation would be a temporary blip. That hopeful blip stretched on for months. Shutting down happened in a moment but opening back up has been gradual. Step by step, people have grown more and more comfortable being around people in public, such as shops, classrooms, and especially church. However, we have not gotten back to where we were, and it’s about time to pull ourselves back into good habits.

From the very beginning, churches were meant to be gatherings of people who shared a common identity and mission. Although buildings became important over time, the heart of a church is not a building, but rather the people who gather in community. During the pandemic, we were forced to separate ourselves from one another. Now, as we face the future, it’s time we acknowledge that we belong together.

Faith is more than a feeling: faith is an action.

Consider the nativity story we just celebrated. What if the shepherds stayed in their fields and simply talked amongst themselves about the angels’ message? What if the wise men hadn’t made the physical trip, but instead sent Mary and Joseph a letter? The story of God coming into the world is surrounded by those who physically experience Jesus’s presence. For us, Jesus’s presence is a powerful reminder of God’s love, and an experience made even deeper when physically shared in our community.

All this leads me to my great hope for 2022: We come back together, better than we were before. I’m certain I’m not alone when I say that the pandemic has helped me reprioritize my life, and spending quality time with people is my greatest takeaway. It’s far too easy for us to be busy and to miss opportunities for deeper relationships, but we have all been reminded that life is short. Now is our opportunity to renew our commitment to God and to one another and commit the time and effort to be together—our discipleship depends on it!

This year, we are focusing on the deep experience of our discipleship. The themes of Lent and Easter will be guiding lights for us as we seek to deepen our faith life. Called To More will guide our Lenten season. The call to discipleship is often tested, as we have seen these past two years. Yet, even when the world seems dark, God calls us to be part of His redeeming work in the world. When we face struggles and temptations that can lead us astray, we can find guidance and hope in the example of Christ as we are led toward the ultimate hope of the resurrection.

In Easter, we will hear Jesus once again say, Come, Follow Me. In this holy season, Jesus’s call to follow will resonate with us in new ways. Faith is more than a feeling; faith is an action. The Good News of Christ compels us to commit our lives and all that we do to spreading God’s love everywhere we go. Jesus calls us to follow, and together, we turn that call into acts of love.

These two holy seasons are opportunities for us to make a positive shift away from the physical separation we have endured and commit ourselves to the gift of presence. We are called to be present with one another, to attend to one another, to love another, and to serve alongside one another. The call of being the church in this world is so much easier to answer when we answer it together.

Lent and Easter will be another chance for us to remember our past and celebrate our future. Our 75th Anniversary celebration continues through Pentecost Sunday on June 5th. We will be welcoming many clergy who have served Saint Michael in both seasons, and I encourage you to check out the anniversary calendar in this issue and on our website. With each visit, we will celebrate a piece of our past while pointing our hopefulness toward the future. I also encourage you to pick up a copy of our 75th Anniversary coffee table book, Bridging the Past, Building the Future, available in the Book Shop (see ad page 34). It’s a gorgeous book, fit for any table in your home, and celebrates who we are becoming together.

This year, we are looking ahead. This year, we are moving forward confidently and faithfully toward a future in which the work of our church makes an even more significant impact. We belong together, and together, we will impact our world in the most meaningful ways, spreading God’s kingdom as we go.