On October 16, about 40 congregants and Youth Programs participants from St. Stephen’s all traveled to the Franklin Park Zoo for the monthly family outing!  The weather was beautiful, we packed lunches, saw lots of animals (the gorillas and lions were some favorites) and made some new friends on the playground.

However, after this day the Franklin Park Zoo will always be so much more than lions and tigers and bears for me.

As a newcomer here at St. Stephen’s, I’ve been thinking at length about where my place is in this wonderful community.  When I first got here I felt like an observer more than a participant.  It sounds foolish, but to be honest I was really nervous about the family outing to the zoo.  The night before I was lying in bed working myself into a frenzy.  All of these questions were running through my mind as I lay awake in bed:  What if I try to speak Spanish and offended someone? Should I stay with the kids I know from B-READY or talk to adults?  My family isn’t here, am I even allowed to go?  By midnight I had convinced myself that I should call in sick because by the time I arrived at church I would obviously forget every social and relational skill I possessed.  Ridiculous, I know.

Sunday morning my fears subsided as my excitement to see all of the kids and families grew.  As I turned the corner onto Shawmut Ave and saw the Blackstone in front of me, and I saw families I knew out walking, I knew everything was going to be OK.  As I walked into Children’s Chapel later that morning and was greeted by everyone in the room, I realized that I didn’t need to find a place in the community—they were making one for me.

I am happy to say (and I’m sure to no one’s surprise) that I was welcomed on the family outing with open arms, literally.  Right after church school Genesis O. ran up, hugged me and said, “You’re coming to the zoo right? I told my mom you were, so you have to.  I’ll save you a seat on the bus.”

Posted by Meg McDermott, Blackstone Community Partnership Organizer

Advertisement