How We Learn by the Rev. Dr. Christopher D. Girata

A Message from the Rector, the Rev. Dr. Christopher D. Girata

In our last issue, I introduced the idea of how our discipleship formation efforts will be evolving over the next few years. Developing strong disciples is the highest calling of a church community, and I’m very proud that Saint Michael is taking that mission seriously. As I’ve noted in the past, the clergy of Saint Michael helped me answer a big question: What does a well-formed disciple at Saint Michael look like? How we respond to the call to discipleship has a direct impact on how we are transformed. We don’t want to leave our discipleship identity to chance, and so our investment in the habits of discipleship will begin to change in some wonderful ways. The good work done up to this point has reduced the many valid ways of shaping disciples into four clear pillars: Pray, Learn, Serve, and Give.

The last two pillars—Serve and Give—are ones we experience within the rhythm of our communal life. We’ve emphasized the investment of service and giving throughout the fall, and I hope you’ve made your commitment. If you haven’t yet committed to what you plan to give (page 54) and how you plan to serve (page 24) in 2026, please do so today. The commitments we make are good for our souls, and we care about how you will be transformed by healthy discipleship habits here.

The first pillar—Pray—is one we experience most on a typical Sunday. Each Sunday, more than a thousand people pray together in our regular services. Through prayer, we deepen our relationship with God as we engage with Him in our daily lives. God reveals to us His great work in our lives and in the world, and we are invited to commit to joining that work! As Episcopalians, we anchor ourselves in a life of prayer. Through prayer, we are trained to hear God speak and to sense the movement of the Spirit as we grow in the knowledge and love of God, day by day.

For this issue of The Archangel, I will be focusing on the second pillar of discipleship—Learn. As Episcopalians, learning is as fundamental to who we are as praying. Being part of The Episcopal Church means a commitment to lifelong learning as we seek after a deeper understanding of how the Gospel resonates in our lives and in the life of the world.

It’s through the commitment to learning that we discover how Jesus invites us to know the truth that sets us free.

I was received into The Episcopal Church in my mid-twenties. One of the most surprising features of my new church was how active adults were in Sunday classes. Being raised Roman Catholic, Sunday School was important throughout my childhood, but classes were only offered for children and teens. Episcopal churches most often encourage all their members to attend regular classes, inclusive of all ages. That way of being was very new to me.

As someone who loves to learn, I embraced the idea of Sunday School for all ages. We might be tempted to take adult Christian education for granted, but the truth is that a commitment to growth through learning is more the exception and not the rule. Most adults have a need for certainty. Somewhere along the line, most adults feel as though they need to land on opinions and beliefs that become etched in stone, never to change again. I find it sad that we feel the need to lock in what and how we think. Learning is a great gift, and confidently acknowledging that we always have more to learn is one of the most faithful expressions we can make.

As Episcopalians, we root ourselves in the deeply Anglican idea that God continues to reveal truth in the world. The God we see fully revealed in the person of Jesus Christ is not a God that is locked away in some historic understanding, limited to a certain time and place. The God we see fully revealed in the person of Jesus Christ is dynamically present and active in our world. The relationship we have with God through Christ is one that transforms us and the world.

Lifelong learning is a major commitment, and it is key to our discipleship transformation. Saint Michael’s love of learning is apparent in the response we’ve seen to the expansion of our regular classes. In particular, our Sunday morning classes have seen rapid growth. In the first nine months of this year, our Sunday class attendance more than doubled as compared to the same nine months last year. That growth is absolutely amazing, and a testament to our desire to discover more about how God is working through us and in us to build the kingdom of heaven on earth.

Each Sunday, we offer classes for our children and youth, aged 3–18, as well as four classes for adults. Our adult classes follow four clear tracks: (1) the Faith and Practice Series focuses on practical applications of spiritual truths, (2) the Bible Series focuses on how our sacred scriptures continue to shape us today, (3) the Parent Series offers support for parents actively raising children of all ages, and (4) Saint Michael 101 is an introduction to our church and to the way we live out our faith as Episcopalians. All our Sunday classes complement those offered throughout the week to build us up and to help us connect our hearts and minds in powerfully formative ways.

In addition to what we offer on Sundays, I hope you are taking advantage of the extra learning experiences we offer between Sundays. There are dozens of ways to engage in thoughtful learning in both small and large formats. We have book groups and Bible studies throughout the week, including my Rector’s Bible Study (RBS). My Bible study happens in person most Wednesdays, but more than 90% of those who participate in RBS do so online through our videos and podcasts. It’s an amazing gift that our church can engage and share the Gospel with so many, including those who may never visit us in person.

We are moving confidently toward a very bright future. As we near the completion of our current construction project, I know the interest in our community will continue to grow. We have the opportunity and the responsibility to invest ourselves now so that we experience the transformative impact of God in Christ and can lead others into the Way of Love, too. I hope you will join me in deepening your faith—body, mind, and spirit—so that God’s will be done through us!