By the Rev. David M. Faulkner, Associate for Worship and Liturgy
Excitement is in the air as we move towards the opening of the revitalized Saint Michael campus on Sunday, August 2! The most exciting aspect of this amazing project goes beyond the buildings themselves—it goes to the worship and ministry that they will enable. I am delighted to offer a few practical notes on our Sunday worship schedule in the new spaces. Our new campus will position our worship services for growth and the deepening of our discipleship for years to come while maintaining continuity with our history and Saint Michael identity.
7:30 AM and 5:30 PM
Intimate Bookends in Saint Michael Chapel
Both the 7:30 a.m. Rite I and the 5:30 p.m. Rite II services will continue in Saint Michael Chapel. While different rites, both services offer a contemplative start to the week that can feel unhurried and a welcome space. The 7:30 a.m. service will continue to be a quiet Rite I service. The 5:30 p.m. will continue to be a Rite II service that is being celebrated in a contemplative and accessible manner with traditional hymnody and service music supported by acoustic guitar. These are the bookends to our Sunday worship schedule at Saint Michael and are beloved by those who prefer more intimate and meditative services.
9 AM
Flagship Service in the Church
Our 9 a.m. Rite II service in the Church will be unchanged and remain our family-friendly service with music that is uplifting and accessible. Children will still be invited to process out to join Joy! A Children’s Service for singing and a Bible story before returning for Communion. The beloved pageantry and music of the 9 a.m. service will continue as we raise up the next generation to enjoy this service.
Joy! A Children’s Service in the New Parish Hall
Joy! A Children’s Service will be moving upstairs to the new Parish Hall. This beloved service for our youngest Saint Michaelites is busting at the seams in Saint Michael Chapel, which is a wonderful problem to have! Moving to the Parish Hall will allow us to expand the liturgical roles for children and families, utilize multimedia in fresh and accessible ways, and provide space for this service to continue to grow for years to come. As a bonus, when children finish worshipping in the Parish Hall, it will be a short walk on the second floor across the connector to the Education Building for Sunday classes. We cannot wait to explore the possibilities for this service in the new Parish Hall!
11 AM
Elevated Rite I in the Church
As Rite I moves back into the Church when the revitalized campus opens on August 2, we will enjoy an elevated liturgical and musical experience, supported by the staff singers and main organ. We are excited to be able to provide this service space to grow and to dream together about the very best expressions of the Rite I language liturgical tradition. We aspire to offer the very best Rite I musical and liturgical experience in the area for those who find deep meaning in this expression of the Church’s worship.
Contemporary in the New Parish Hall
As the Contemporary service moves into the new Parish Hall, we will enjoy staging and a sound system built to suit this service, in addition to having chairs that can be moved and setup as needed as we grow into the space and learn what works best for this service. Having a distinctive space for contemporary worship will improve the experience of all parishioners by giving this service a place of stability that nurtures a sense of communal identity. This change will also support the corps of volunteers that so generously work to make Sunday mornings wonderful for everyone. We will also learn how the multimedia setup in the Parish Hall can best support this service.
Our new campus will enable us to offer the very best of a variety of worship experiences for newcomers and long-time members, young and old, and traditional and contemporary folks alike. Our Rector, Chris Girata, is fond of saying, “The best is yet to come.” When I survey the possibilities for beautiful and joyful worship in these new spaces, I truly believe the result of these past years of giving and labor will enable us to offer the widest variety and best quality of worship Saint Michael has seen in her storied history. Indeed, by God’s grace and provision in this new chapter, the best is yet to come!
**This article was written by the Rev. David M. Faulkner and was featured in the 2026 Summer Archangel.
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