I was born into a churched family. Weekly church attendance was the norm. My grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins attended the same church. My great-grandmother (who lived to the age of 103) was a pillar of the church, and when she became too frail to attend services, we were expected to stop by after church to visit her. As a child, I thought we were proving to her we attended church that morning.
I carried that practice into adulthood, and, as such, have always been part of a church community. And since my college years, I have chosen to be part of the Episcopal Church community. Because, you see, I realized that a big part of my faith, of my commitment to seeking God, of finding God’s presence around me, was being part of a community of like-minded people. A community that is progressive, diverse, inclusive, welcoming, forgiving, and celebrating the love of God. And when, after 30 years, I moved back home, that community was Trinity.
Through the years, as I regularly attended services, I began volunteering – being a greeter at the door; volunteering at our thrift store, Next-To-New; ushering; and even did some gardening when we had a clean-up day! A little at a time, no great time commitment. That, of course, led to bigger commitments, culminating in vestry service and senior warden.
I found that the more I did, the more I gave, the more I felt part of a community. A family. Trinity. And for me, that was a return to the foundation my parents laid for me – participating and valuing and respecting a community, a family, grounded in its faith in God and a commitment to love. To love God, to love our neighbor and thereby, change the world. As a single guy whose immediate family have all gone on to heaven, and has relocated here after decades living and being in community elsewhere, this has been a rock for me in rough times.
Let me assure you, as in any family, being part of a community is not always easy. It can be fraught with challenges, difficulties, disagreements and change (when you don’t want it). But, for me, I’ve found that actively being in community has brought good times, relationships, and support when I needed it most.
I invite you, encourage you, even challenge you to become an even more committed, active member of our community that is Trinity. Even, as in life, when things change, adapt, evolve often unexpectedly, the unity of the community as a whole will help us navigate rough seas to calm horizons. If you’re new to us, take it one step at a time. If you’ve been with us a while, roll up your sleeves. We’ve got work to do.
– Gary Franklin