75 Years of Spiritual Transformation Through Service
Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church celebrates anniversary
For 75 years, Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church has actively served the Dallas community through various outreach programs.
“Part of our mission as a church is to serve our neighbor,” said Christi Morrow, Saint Michael’s mission and outreach coordinator. “So, I think from its inception, Saint Michael’s has had an outreach element.”
Programs include Austin Street Shelter, Bachman Lake Together, Jubilee Park and Community Center, Aunt Betty’s Food Pantry at Saint Philip’s School, North Dallas Shared Ministries, and Project Moses.
“We partner with a variety of nonprofit organizations that cover issue areas that touch different people’s hearts,” Morrow said. “There’s always something for everyone.”
Many of the programs the church serves can trace their roots back to the Episcopal Church. Morrow said two Episcopal priests founded Austin Street Shelter, and Jubilee Park and Community Center was founded by Saint Michael’s 25 years ago.
Parishioners remain involved with Jubilee through events such as the Back to School Bash and Thanksgiving and Christmas Senior Luncheons and support Jubilee’s summer camp and after-school programs.
Morrow said that during COVID-19, Saint Michael’s transformed an old church into a food pantry for the Jubilee community.
The church also staffs the food pantry at Aunt Betty’s Food Pantry at Saint Philip’s School. Parishioners can help with the school’s youth groups and participate in drives.
“We collected this past year, and in previous years, over 400 coats for [the] Saint Philip’s Christmas store,” Morrow said.
While Saint Michael’s serves many long-established organizations, members also serve newer organizations like Project Moses and Bachman Lake Together.
Project Moses was founded by two parishioners, Mary and Terry Demler, in 2016 to battle the issue of sex trafficking. Morrow said Project Moses partners with organizations like New Friends New Life, hosts symposiums to build awareness and collects donations for victims of sex trafficking.
Another new organization Saint Michael’s has partnered with is Bachman Lake Together, a kindergarten readiness program.
“We are going to partner with pre-elementary school children and their parents to help get those children ready for kindergarten so that they can be successful students,” Morrow said.
Pre-elementary school children are among Saint Michael’s volunteering force, making Valentine’s Day and Christmas cards for the Jubilee Center. Morrow said the ages of volunteers range from 3 to 90 years old, but they all share a desire to serve.
“I think our church members are very cognizant of the fact that they are transformed spiritually [and] personally by serving others,” Morrow said. “Their faith is deepened.”
