It takes many people to run a busy organization like Saint George’s Episcopal Church.

The generous pledges and gifts of our members to the annual operating budget enable us to employ a core staff of full time professionals to perform the basic functions of our church – two clergy, a minister of music, a parish administrator, and a building manager. We are blessed in our current team, all gifted, energetic and caring individuals. We also enjoy the talents of summer seminarians and longer term seminarians during the school year, and a roster of experienced associate clergy who make Saint George’s their church home. In addition, we pay a part-time bookkeeper, contributions manager, space use manager, space and event hosts, and choir section leaders. We also have service contracts for non-religious functions like our computer and office machine maintenance, internet provider, landscaping and snow removal. Today we pay for some services that were at times performed by volunteers in the past.

We are all aware of the many volunteers who are regularly scheduled to serve in the worship ministries (acolytes, lay Eucharistic ministers, ushers, altar guild, greeters, intercessors, Kids Gospel Time, counters), youth ministries (Sunday School teachers, EYC leaders), in outreach ministries (Food Pantry, HOST, and winter shelter), pastoral care (E.G. meatloaf ministry, Urban Abbey), fellowship (coffee hours and receptions, Twenties and Thirties, etc.), not to mention committee members and leaders, and the Vestry. The list goes on – and thanks to Ministry Fairs and Sign Up Genius and personal invitations and telephone reminders, volunteers are recruited, scheduled and show up where they are needed

But there are countless other quiet volunteers behind the scenes, meeting needs they may have identified themselves, seeking no recognition, selflessly serving.   How many of the following Saint Georgians can you identify?

• Who sets out all the candles for the monthly contemplative service (and picks them up afterwards?
• Who has coffee ready for the 8 AM congregation and adult forum?
• Who emails the list of men who attend the Saturday morning men’s group to remind them of the meeting?
• Who takes home the soiled altar linens each week to soak, and remove stains, launder, starch and iron?
• Who rolls out the labyrinth for the monthly contemplative service (and puts it away after)?
• Who always has coffee ready for the Time Out group at 7:30 on Saturday morning?
• Who buys Starbucks coffee and Dunkin Donuts bagels and muffins for the men’s group, without fail?
• Who collates, folds and staples the service leaflets for Sunday worship?
• Who keeps the website at www.saintgeorgeschurch.org up to date?
• Who puts the hymn numbers in the slots on the wall boards before the service?
• Who goes through; the nave early each week tidying up the pews, making sure the pews have visitor cards and pencils?
• Who serves as scribe/emailer for at least three different small groups?
• Who regularly visits older members at Goodwin House or The Jefferson?
• Who keeps an eye out for “strangers” or individuals who are alone at coffee hour and introduces them to others?
• Who is our Mr Fixit for minor repairs?
• Who maintains the Cynthia Clark Memorial Library?
• Who launders the dish towels in the kitchen?
• Who checks the supplies to make sure we always have teabags and sugar, etc. on hand in the kitchen?
• Who knows how to run the dishwasher?
• Who brings out chairs from the storage closet when needed in the parish hall?
• Who knows how to lock the main entry doors?
• Who sorted through all the youth acolyte robes and put permanent numbers in matched robe and cotta sets by size?
• Who can always be counted on to offer their house for large social gatherings?
• Who orders and maintains the supply of devotional materials in the tract rack in the Narthex?
• Who organized the acquisition of new vestments for the adult choir?
• Who polishes the bells when they get tarnished?
• Who picks and arranges garden flowers for the altar vases on ordinary Sundays when we don’t use a florist?
• Who tips off the clergy when they become aware of a fellow parishioner in time of special need that might not be widely known?
• Who rings the bell in the tower before the 10:30 service?
• Who regularly offers a ride to church to neighbors and other fellow parishioners?
• Who makes sure visitors can navigate their way through the hymnal, prayer book, and service leaflet?

These are just a few of the saints in the background at Saint Georges. And oh, if you kept coming up with the same names repeatedly in answer to many of these questions, you’re not mistaken. There are a few people who can be counted on to step up regularly. But every helping hand counts and makes a difference.

You can use the comments function below to add other helping hands you are aware of, or to offer thanks to those you have named.