James Arrington Catholic Scripture Study Group, Christ Renews His Parish Team 1, Extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, Knights of Columbus, Lector Parishioner since 2004 Customer Service, University Co-Operative Society
In what ministries have you been involved with in the past?
So far this has been it, but in my past life as an Evangelical, I was doing a lot of the same sort of thing. I'm a cradle Catholic who wandered away from the Church for many years and was confirmed at the last Easter Vigil.
What is your favorite thing about volunteering at the Cathedral? What do you get out of it?
Knowing that I am being of some small service to the Church and the people of God as the Body of Christ is the very best part. One of the best "perks" is getting to know the people of the parish, the staff and clergy. It's a great way to make friends and find your niche in the community.
What has been one of your most rewarding experiences as a Cathedral volunteer?
It is very humbling, especially to be able to help in the distribution of the Holy Eucharist. I was never able to be an altar server as a child, and this enables me to be a more active participant in the liturgy, with a very small part. It is an awesome responsibility and privilege.
Why does volunteering matter?
As members of the Body of Christ, we are all called to serve in whatever capacity we are able, according to our various gifts. "The Church" is many things, but it is, most of all, us, as the Community of Faith. We aren't called so much to "do" church as to be the Church, and that necessarily means service to each other and the world.
What are your other interests?
I love to read, talk about religion and politics and listen to classical and sacred music and jazz. I also like old classic movies.
What advice would you give to a parishioner new to volunteering?
I will echo what I heard from my old Evangelical friends: God has given us gifts to use in His service, but we may not necessarily know what they are until we try them out. The best way for me was to pick something I had an initial interest in and give it a try. If it turned out that I could do it and enjoyed it, it is a good bet that God may want me to keep doing it! If not, try something else. We all have gifts...we just have to be open to the Holy Spirit's guiding us to find them. I'll end with a favorite quote from St. Augustine that I think sums up how God gives us abilities and how important it is for us to use them for Him: "Without God, I cannot. Without me, He will not."