Jump in!

As we've gotten several supply priests in and out of St. Paul's recently, I've had a chance to serve all of them as an acolyte. And with each of them, I've had an almost identical experience. I am waiting in the ready room or outside the chapel, robed up, ready to get started. The supply priests walks up to me with a very surprised look on his or her face and says/asks "You're acolyting today?" And because I don't know what else to say I respond "I like to carry stuff."

Listen, I get it. I'm the oldest acolyte other than Randy. One reason for this is that I'm still an adolescent Episcopalian. I didn't experience "high-ish church" as a kid or teenager. My church experience growing up was more of a hipster, rock and roll church. So I'm experiencing the liturgy and growing up in the Episcopal church for the first time. I did manage to convince Jason to join me, so I'm not the only grown up anymore! 

I am an avid podcast listener. Most of the podcasts on my subscribed list are food and weightlifting related, but I do have a couple of podcasts from a couple of mega churches that are mega enough to have podcasts. I was in my lab listening to one of the sermons this morning when I heard something to the effect of "Just jump in and serve God awhile and then figure out what to focus on next." The pastor went on to say that God will sometimes use your "yes" as a way to show you where and how to serve Him next. That has certainly been the case for me. I showed up last fall and Randy Young was one of the first people I met at coffee hour. And in true Randy fashion, he quickly recruited me - rather forcefully if I might add! But it gave me the opportunity for some face-time with the junior high and high school kids. It got my feet wet for later on when Jean would recruit me for being involved with high school formation. Also, I really do like carrying stuff :)

We have so many opportunities coming up at St. Paul's to serve God and people around us. You may initially feel out of place - the only teenager, the only adult, the only woman, the only single person, the only...whatever! But when you jump in and serve God awhile, He'll show you what to focus on next. Come join!

Stephanie Rice