Recently, a local colleague stopped by church to pick up something from me and say a quick hello. Theo and I were chatting in my office when she got here with her toddler son in tow and we were happy to welcome them in and show them around. As a preacher’s kid, the three year old is no stranger to sanctuaries, but ours had a few things going for it that afternoon: 1. A facade that looks like, “a big castle,” 2. A fun RE director with no other kids around competing for her attention, and most importantly, 3. Stray, candy-filled Easter Eggs that remained leftover from our rained-out indoor egg hunt. Needless to say, First Church quickly became a favorite Salem landmark.
I know that the storied history of this beloved congregation played no part in the toddler’s delight at being able to run around an empty sanctuary looking for candy. But I still left that day feeling full of warmth, joy, and pride after getting to show the place off a bit. It was special to welcome in people that I care about, share a little history with my friend and colleague, and get to experience the building as a central gathering place for our Salem community in a different way than I do on Sunday mornings.
I don’t think I’ll ever tire of welcoming in new people, watching their faces as they take in the beauty of the stained glass, and inviting them to feel the powerful stories that live in the bones of this place. It always feels like a great gift to share our space with others.
That’s one reason why I’ve signed up for some First Church tour volunteer shifts this summer and fall. Of course I’m happy to support this important fundraising effort for the church, but I wouldn’t do it if money was the only motivating factor. It is truly great FUN and spiritually meaningful to meet new people, share our history with visitors, and learn from and laugh with the other First Church volunteers. Volunteering a few times last summer helped me feel a real sense of community and grounding in my new home here in Salem. If you’re looking for a way to feel a deeper sense of connection to this place, I can’t recommend it enough.
All you really need to be qualified to volunteer is time and willingness (although an open-heart and sense of humor doesn’t hurt), but I know so many of you have even more gifts to offer; a welcoming presence, a love of history, a knack for hospitality, a deep well of knowledge about Salem and First Church, good conversational skills, curiosity about people you meet, fabulous costumes you don’t get to wear often enough, or undiscovered carnival barker skills. The tours are already wonderful, but think of how much more wonderful they could be if you brought all of those gifts to the table!
So are you convinced? Good! Then go sign up here! Tours are weekends in August, September, and October. No experience or training is necessary. Contact Alicia Diozzi with questions. Thanks to everyone who has already signed up and the dedicated volunteers working hard to ensure we have another successful tour year.
In faith,
Rev. Danielle
First Church Tours - Webpage (public-facing)
First Church Tours - Volunteer Sign-up Genius