Building Our Future: The Vision Behind The Horizon Outreach Fund

As a young 36-year-old, the Rev. Dr. Christopher D. Girata arrived in 2016 as the eighth rector of Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church. He stepped into a world of dreams—dreams for our campus, our community, and the very heart of who we could become as a parish. Among the many visions that had been nurtured over the years, one stood out—the question of what to do with the undeveloped land to the north of our campus.

This land, acquired back in the 1990s, had long served as a parking lot. While functional, it was clear that we weren’t using this valuable space to its full potential. A group of dedicated parishioners had already begun exploring options, even launching an Request For Proposal to see what possibilities lay ahead. They strived to uncover the best answer to: “How could we make the most of this land—not just for ourselves, but for something greater?”

One of the first questions Chris asked that fall in 2016 was, “Could we grow our church community within our current church footprint?” Of course he wanted more people to come, but Chris also understood that Saint Michael had a unique character, and expanding too much could risk losing the very essence of what made it special. In his mind, the right balance was somewhere between 2,000 and 2,500 people worshiping together regularly on Sundays.

To test this, Chris and parish leaders conducted a massing study of our existing buildings on the south side of campus. The results were clear. If we designed our spaces smarter—with larger gathering areas, better traffic flow, and more efficient use of space—our church could comfortably accommodate 2,000 to 2,500 people without losing the warmth and closeness that defines Saint Michael.

Equipped with this knowledge, Chris and parish leaders were ready to move forward with leasing the northern portion of our property. Our church sits in a prime location in the Dallas Region, and they knew that this land held immense potential. But they weren’t just looking to profit—they wanted this endeavor to align with our mission. The goal was to take what Saint Michael had and turn it into something that would serve both our church and the greater community.

After months of brainstorming and planning, they landed on what would become the Horizon Fund—a name that perfectly captured our forward-looking vision. This was never just about the present; it was about creating something that would shape the future, not just for us now, but for generations to come. With a 99-year ground lease in place, a future was envisioned where this land would do more than just generate income—it would transform lives.

Today, that land has been developed, and the impact is already taking shape. A significant 85% of the revenue from the lease is set aside with two purposes: the majority will pour funding into our community in perpetuity, and a smaller amount is able to support long-term capital needs at the church. Over the next 99 years, those funds will grow exponentially, fueling initiatives and outreach in ways we can only begin to imagine.

For our parish, this means something powerful: our discipleship is taking action. Yes, a church should be a place of worship, a place where we grow as followers of Jesus. But more than that, a church should be useful—it should make a tangible difference in the world. In the years ahead, this will be a defining factor between churches that thrive and those that struggle.

By transforming this land, we have not only capitalized an asset, but we have also laid the foundation for something far greater. The Horizon Fund is poised to become one of the largest faith-based foundations in North Texas, ensuring that the people of Saint Michael are empowered to do the kind of work that our predecessors could have only dreamed of.

This is our legacy. This is our future. And together, we are building something extraordinary.