On Feeling Needed and Being Yourself at Church

A recent issue of Episcopal Journal, a privately published monthly newspaper that tries to replace the defunct Episcopal Life, carried two essays by Lisa Fox. The essays first appeared on Fox’s blog, My Manner of Life, where they carried the titles “No one needed me there” and “Ministry of denim/ministry of pearls.” In Episcopal Journal, they appeared under the title "On feeling needed and being yourself at church.”

These thoughtful essays make interesting reading for St. Paul’s parishioners. “No one needed me there” argues that we should not only welcome newcomers but should also give them something to do, so that they can get to know others and feel a part of the parish community. “Ministry of denim/ministry of pearls” tells the story of ushering in jeans with a companion usher dressed to the nines. Fox’s message: “If we want to claim to welcome everyone, we need to make that visible.”