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I call myself the
"Accidental Parish Councilor".
It was a clear October
morning, the sky blue, sun brighter
and warmer than usual especially for
that time of year. I was feeling relatively
upbeat despite the
recent world event that left great
uncertainty in our otherwise normal
lives.
My family and I arrived at the narthex
of St. Spyridon a little before 10:30am,
later than some, earlier than most.
After plumbing the candle in the marble
dust I began an intentional yet slow
trot toward the nearest pew. I slid
next
to my family quickly drifting into
my standard liturgic mode, only to
be
occasionally interrupted by a whispered
"shush" sound the would
slither from
between my teeth directed at one of
my lovable but mostly restless offspring.
I found it amusing because I recall
in my younger days my little brother
and I
would get more than an occasional
"shush" from mom. Of course
in our case it
would escalate to the two fingered
pinch, then the twisted over the thumb
nub,
migrating to the grand daddy, the
Vulcan Death Grip.with that we knew
we had
gone too far. Although I remembered
thinking, "When I have kids I
am going to
let them do whatever they want and
never be embarrassed by their antics"!
I
know just call me a silly, silly man!
I recall the sermon
impressed me, although the specific
topic eludes my
sieve-like memory. The general theme
however, was about "giving back"
especially given the fact that at
that time we were continually reminded
about
the souls that still lay under the
rubble of the Trade Towers. After
receiving
the anditharo, we began the long but
narrow gauntlet down the center isle,
past
the glances and glares of those waiting
for their turn! We entered through
the
back of the church nodding warmly
yet timidly to those I recognized,
but really
had no idea who they were. Nervous
embarrassment would begin to take
control,then the quick head down position
takes over and the subtle fast pace
push toward safer more open ground
would ensue. It was at this point
that my
somewhat obscure community life would
come to a drastic halt.
I felt a hand grab my shoulder. I
turned halfway trying to keep my wife
in
nearby view just in case I needed
that safe answer to the illusive question.who
am I talking too? Although this time
the man was very familiar to me. After
the standard pleasantries he asked
if I would be interested in joining
the
Parish Council? My first thought was,
what is the parish council.you mean
the
guys who do the ushering? (I hope
by now you are beginning to realize
how
notably clueless I was regarding the
workings of our cathedral) As he began
to
tell me about the need for younger
people in the community to get more
involved and the need for our cathedral
to be brought into the next millennium.it
then hit me what he was talking about,
he means those group of people everyone
talks about and criticizes claiming
that they don't do anything, they
argue all the time, and spend money
hand over fist!!! At this point I'm
really not sure if I can express clearly
what my next thought was....needless
to say, given my propensity to dispel
rumors, I still felt it safer to give
a non-committal
response although after his compelling
comments, I politely kept the door
slightly, slimly, scarcely open.
At this point most
who knew me would have said, "Well
that's it, in a couple of
days Bill will find some politically
correct way of dodging the bullet.either
that or he will avoid at all cost
anybody who had any resemblance of
official
capacity at the church for at least
one year. After all who would volunteer
to
go into a lions den for no real reason,
unless of course if your child was
in
there? Furthermore the old adage in
the military of "Never Volunteering"
seemed to be a sound policy to follow.
At any other time
in my life prior to that day, I would
have somehow opted out.
Even to this day I am not sure what
specifically caused the idea of
"volunteering for community service"
to fester in my thoughts, but it did.
Prior to that day, the most I would
contribute aside from my lame weekly
basket
/candle offering and my less than
adequate annual stewardship pledge,
was the occasional cafenio duty during
a festival or two. Not much to write
home
about.or be proud of for that matter.
While thinking about
the possibility I guess I thought.it
just came down to the
fact that time goes by very fast and
I just realized at that point in my
life I
had taken more than I had given. So
I agreed to serve my time albeit,
I had
absolutely no idea what was in store
for me. November 18th came and went
and I was successfully elected to
one of eight slots available. I would
like to have claimed that the campaigning
was vigorous and tense, but there
were only two other names on the ballot
other than my own! Of course my cynical
thoughts
began to take over and I started realizing
that I am getting involved at a time
that with nearly three thousand Hellenes
in our community only three would
be
willing to join this group of volunteers.
That thought began to scare me!
Nevertheless, whether the others liked
me or not they were stuck with my
presence for three years.
The other positions were appointed
and filled, the officers elected and
the year
began with meetings discussing things
that needed to be done at the cathedral.
Although, I along with some of the
other freshman councilors needed a
remedial
course in the "Introduction to
Church Business 101", all of
the veteran members
took much time and care to give us
a good understanding of what was involved.
Although it was somewhat embarrassing
that after all the Cathedral Bulletins
I
received, I can't recall one that
would compel me to turn to the back
where the
minutes and budget resided for all
to see.shame on me! After, sometime
of
realizing what was really involved
in running a cathedral of the size,
breath
and age of St. Spyridon, I began to
get more comfortable in understanding
what
was needed.
I would bore you with all the details
with a chronicle of the "Years
in Review"
summarizing the first two years of
my duty, but I fear that it would
cause you
to fall into a deeper more permanent
sleep beyond where you are right
now.besides, I want to take you somewhere
that brings me to the point of this
lengthy message. It is something remarkable
that had happened to me while
sitting in the council meetings, committee
meetings, general assemblies,
pangari duty, festival meetings, etc,
etc, etc. I began to recognize that
there were several dedicated, motivated,
and tireless faces that I would
continually see over and over and
over again.they were the ones that
would
populate the committees, would support
every event, not just by helping in
advance but by attending with bells
on. They were the ones who would work
every hour of each day throughout
the festival weekend, and then without
batting an eye.okay maybe batting
an eye, would then pick up a mop and
rag and
begin the cleanup. They are the ones
that would walk down the corridor
and
notice a piece of paper on the floor,
pick it up and throw it away. They
are
the ones that leave the cathedral
always taking one last look, before
exiting
the parking lot, only to find a small
but proud grin grow from within.
I started to ask myself, what was
it that was in these faces, which
would
motivate them to continually, time
and time again, do more than their
fair
share for their church. Was it that
they had nothing better to do.I can
tell
you this that is absolutely not it.
Because most have businesses,
responsibilities, countless activities,
that are all outside the cathedral
community. Yet they are there. Is
it because they are following in their
parents' footsteps.I guess to some
extent that may be true, but that
only takes
them halfway.there is something else
that carries them through. Was it
for
their children, only partly, because
for many their children, have grown,
and
now are starting the next generation?
I really could not put my finger on
it
until this year at the first parish
council meeting that I presided as
president.
It was interesting
I was a bit nervous preparing for
the meeting. I got to the
room an hour early, I had all my notes
prepared, my agenda was set, yet I
was
tentative about the tasks ahead. After
all, I was sitting in a chair that
had
been filled by so many wonderful people
before me. I felt inadequate all of
a
sudden. The meeting was about to start,
the other members skipped (okay maybe
skipped is not the correct word.how
about strolled) into the room. We
sat around the table and that's when
it hit me.I looked up and I saw the
answer in the faces of those who were
before me. Although it just wasn't
their faces I
was looking at, because I was also
seeing the faces of the community
past,
present and future, as they were all
in that room that night. The mystery
that eluded me about the question
of what motivated those who do so
much for
our beautiful Cathedral, is found
in one word.Love!
I could not believe
it. All my concerns, and nervousness
melted away.the
meeting went on, I could hear myself
drone on and on, then others would
speak, and items were discussed and
yes things were accomplished. But
through the entire night a feeling
was growing inside me that was one
of peace and promise.
Because, I realized
that this thing that drives those
who do so much for this
community would not have to be grown
in a petri dish, in a biomedical lab,
to
be sold over the counter at 200% mark
up and handed out to all as a magic
pill
that would activate some chemical
in us to contribute more of our time,
talent
and treasury. It is much easier than
that.it is love.the love for your
neighbor, the love of laughter that
is found at dances and festivals,
the love
of an outstretched hand as it assist
a friend up the stairs.the love of
a child
screaming in the play ground.the love
of your family that sometimes drives
you
nuts, but always brings you home..love.
We all have this love inside us.some
let it show through all they do, others
need it to grow, but with love, we
will
bridge new memories and along with
those faithful stewards, bring new
faces to build our community in the
years to come.
Special Thanks
I would like to express my sincere
thanks to the GOYAN's for their continual,
wonderful and dedicated service at
each of the many functions we have
had in
the last months.please join me in
letting them know how much we appreciate
them. Also Congratulations go out
to the GOYAN basketball team. This
was a
rebuilding year for the team and they
show great promise.
Last but not least,
we have a new web site. We are continually
building the
site and will be adding new pages
every day. Please visit the and send
us your
comments..www.spyridoncathedral.org.
I want to
wish you all a Happy Easter. KALO
PASCHA
With Love,
Your Accidental Parish Council President
William P. Kiritsy
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