Life in a Parish

As I was pulling out today to go pray the service of commendation of the dying with Marvin, I noticed that Marvin's sister and her husband Ray were at work. The bushes along the front of the church had grown and the last one simply blocked the view of the church sign to anyone approaching from the south. So they pulled up the bush and made it go bye-bye. They were already gone by the time I got back.

What's cool about this? They're not trustees. They had no authorization to do it and needed none. St. Paul's is their parish, their home. And people do things like this all the time around here.

Over the weekend Scott installed a needed outlet in the organ chamber. I've seen Marilyn tending to the flowers along the south wall. Millie decides its time to dejunk the meeting room in the basement. Louis repairs the stairs. Marvin trims the trees. I could go on and on. People are simply comfortable tending to what needs to be tended to. They do it because they love St. Paul's parish and are at home here. It is just one of the endearing aspects of life in this congregation.