This past week, and during the week to come, we have hosted guest workers from the Community Outreach Program organized and overseen by the Office of Worcester County Sheriff, Lewis E. Evangelidis. After some time in the planning stages, we were scheduled for these two weeks to undertake the project of painting the interior of the Parish Center. This work will address the hall/gymnasium, the stage, and the corridor spaces. As I write today, it is only the second day of work, but the transformation of the largest of these spaces is quite impressive! I envy their ability to both be that high and work so well!
It has been necessary to inconvenience some groups who use these spaces regularly, but the Program schedule is set at the Sheriff’s Office, and we were grateful to say “Yes” when we received notification. Some “jobs” could be tackled by volunteers in the parish, but the work being done right now likely would have required hiring professionals, an expense we cannot tackle right now.
We are grateful to the folks in the Sheriff’s Office who have made this work possible, members of his staff who are here each day, and the workers themselves whose spirit is upbeat and work seems always focused and generous in spirit!
I think it is quite possible that our encounters this week are a modern version of the events celebrated by this weekend’s Feast of the Presentation. God reveals in human encounters what is not obvious to human eyes or hearts.