Life lines: When coffee hour gets complicated

Notes: The author describes her decision to get involved with her parish as part of a rotation of coffee hour volunteers. "As a woman with a fairly intense personality, I thought maybe this was something I could do without offending anyone. Having grown weary of church fundraising committees -- and how easy it is to upset people in the ministry of money -- the thought of a non-threatening ministry was very appealing". "But it was too much fun for an Anglican to have -- I should have known it was too good to last". "I hosted my last coffee hour, which is now called 'coffee time', in March 2015. I suppose the rebrand was to signal the dawning of a new day and that Sunday treats would be simpler, more standardized and much, much humbler". "I wish I were a spoon, because if I were, I'd know exactly where to go. But I'm not a spoon .. which leaves me back at the beginning: way-finding, navigating, trying to find a place where I fit in".; Author is "a former fundraiser turned newspaper columnist and freelance writer. She lives with her family in Napanee, Ont."

Subjects: Community (Religion) - Anglican Church of Canada; Belonging (Social psychology); Conflict management - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada; Coffee - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada; Hospitality - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada