“The song ‘This Little Light of Mine’ states not to ‘hide your light under a bushel but let it shine’…can you tell I love music?” So says Marianne Norris, one of St. Francis’ very active volunteers. She has consistently ‘let her light shine’ in our parish’s ministries and is active in, to name a few, several of the choirs, the Allies for Justice and Peace, the Immigration Core Team, and the Educational Core Team with Justice and Peace.
“To follow the life of Christ, one must reach out and do for others, especially in caring for those on the margins,” says Marianne. St Francis Parish Justice and Peace ministry provides many opportunities, and Marianne is available to help in many of them and encourages others to help where they can. When asked how people can get involved, Marianne shares her experience: “This is a huge parish, and when Roy and I moved here five years ago, we knew we needed to become active in the parish to feel a part of this community.”
She encourages people to try something that interests them because each ministry has terrific leaders, and many hands make the work easier. I find that there are small things that I can do when I have the time; it’s not always a huge commitment. “Of course,” she says, “So much depends on your situation in life.” You can try one ministry, and if it doesn’t bring you joy or isn’t for you, change to a different one; we all have our gifts and individual ‘fits.’ “Realize that the Holy Spirit is nudging you to attempt something new,” she says, “and will be with you during the entire journey, even if it takes you in a different direction.” The community of St Francis Parish is very active, and the essential thing is to engage; as she says of her experience, “The rewards have far exceeded what was expected!”