The Rev. Dr. Christopher Girata is rector of St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church in Dallas, TX.
The Rev. Dr. Chris Girata began his ministry as the eighth Rector of Saint Michael and All Angels on August 15, 2016.
Previously Dr. Girata served as Rector of Calvary Episcopal Church in downtown Memphis, Tennessee, a position he had held since 2012. Prior to becoming Calvary's Rector he was Associate Rector of St. Luke's in Birmingham, Alabama, and a seminarian at The National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., and St. John's in Chevy Chase, Maryland.
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 his Doctorate of Ministry from Duke University. He is recognized as a rising leader in the Episcopal Church, presenting regularly at church-wide conferences, seminars and retreats, and the Consortium for Endowed Episcopal Parishes.
Dr. Girata 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.
Whenever I prepare an Easter sermon, I always think way too hard about what it is I'm going to say. And today was no different. As my mind went in many different directions, I began to wonder just how our minds work anyway. Our minds are so complex and mysterious. For many of us, Christianity, our faith, even the person of Jesus himself, is really a heady exercise. We think very hard about faith, and perhaps sometimes, our minds can get in the way. What we think we see in the world is only really what our brains allow us to perceive. Our brains are trained from an early age to make assumptions about the world, to perceive the world in particular ways, like shorthand that allows us to function at efficient and productive levels. When we encounter something new, something we don't understand, we often find ourselves a bit confused. And when an entirely new way of being is presented to us, it's difficult to understand that new world at all.
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For many churches, today is not only Palm Sunday but Passion Sunday as well. Although I am certainly no expert on liturgical history, I do know that if people attend church, most people only attend church on Sundays. Even on weeks such as the one we enter, the holiest of weeks, most people will only attend worship services today and next Sunday. So, I agree that the experience of those who only worship on Sundays is enhanced and deepened by hearing the passion story today, before we hear the resurrection story next week.
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