Since we have a rather brief newsletter this month, I thought I'd take the time to write about my own recent experiences serving with our Worship Committee. This committee is tasked with making sure our worship services flow smoothly from start to finish. They do everything from greeting us at the door; ushering us to our seats; reading the lessons; setting up the altar and cleaning up after we've all retired for coffee. This past Autumn I expressed my interest to Jack Reiffer in being "One of those people who gets up and reads." Shortly thereafter I was placed on the Fall schedule to read one of the lessons and, to my intense anxiety and excitement; I saw my name on the schedule to be a Eucharistic minister a few weeks after!

Now I'm certain Jack asked me which roles I was comfortable with and I was probably feeling especially daring the day I signed up. At the very least I knew they'd have vestments long enough for me because I'd seen Matt Cloninger up there before (when you're 6'5" this is often one of the first things that goes through your mind). This first reading was going to be the first reading I had ever done at St. Thomas' or in any church for that matter. Probably, like most people, I'm not immediately comfortable with the idea of standing in front of a large group of people. I prayed that I would keep my calm and wouldn't do anything embarrassing or disruptive to the service.

Filled with anticipation, the week came where I received an email announcing the lesson I would be reading on my very first time standing before a church full of people. It was the "Ten Commandments"... I remember I kinda looked up from my computer screen, cracked a smirk, and said, "That's a good one God... yep, no pressure at all." Well, after much apprehension, the reading went as smoothly as it could. My second reading was a little rough, filled with the names of ancient locations -- I learned that John has a book that gives you the phonetic pronunciation of many of these places, so it's worth checking out if you're faced with a similarly challenging passage. I was proud of myself for having done it and for confronting and conquering a phobia (another one is heights, but the lectern apparently doesn't exceed my comfort level).

Now I'll save my story about my first and subsequent times as a Eucharistic minister for the coffee hour. There have been quite a few moments that have made me crack a smile or, as those of you who attended the 11pm Christmas Eve service know, there are times when I feel so moved by the words and surroundings that I can't keep my eyes dry. Whatever mishaps I've had while serving at the altar, I've never been made to feel as if it detracted from anyone else's enjoyment of the service. Nancy Lee and John are incredibly patient teachers, and the members of St. Thomas' Parish have been extremely thoughtful and encouraging. I would likewise encourage everyone to participate for at least one season in the Worship Committee and see how these services, that are meant to stimulate our spirits, are executed. I have personally felt a closer relationship to God and to my fellow parishioners since I sought involvement in this new relationship to worship.