Being grateful and feeling honored to be included in St Paul’s Cathedral community has been a theme in these recent letters and I’ll continue that thread. Many of us have encountered “other duties as assigned” in our employment history or Letter of Agreement.
When I first joined the cathedral staff as Canon Verger, I inherited the non-ordained responsibilities of the Canon Liturgist and Sub-dean who was retiring, such as liturgical coordinator, maintaining service registers, and monitoring the pastoral care and prayer lists. In addition to those responsibilities, I coordinated the transition from paper filing, mailing handwritten schedules and communications to computerized files and using email for communication. The scope of this additional, unexpected but much needed project improved my technological and pastoral skills. Not surprisingly, many congregants were reluctant to give up paper copies and learn computer skills because switching to email was a leap and adjustment for them.
Ordained in 2013, I began taking on other duties as assigned and they took on new significance. In The Examination during the liturgy of The Ordination of a Deacon, the Bishop says to the ordinand:
“You are to interpret to the Church the needs, concerns, and hopes of the world. You are to assist the bishop and priests in public worship and in the ministration of God’s Word and Sacraments, and you are to carry out other duties assigned to you from time to time.” (BCP, p.543)
This is no small task and the scope of my vocation broadened with new possibilities, responsibilities, and challenges. My ministry shifted slightly more toward pastoral care as I supported others who needed assistance with end-of-life plans for funerals and all that encompasses. Interpreting the “needs, concerns, and hopes of the world” includes other roles such as being present as an advocate for the common good by participating in Light Up the Cathedral, coordinating Holy Eucharist at the Pride Parade, marches for human rights, and the FAITH pastoral accompaniment.
I officially retired in June of this year, and our Bishop has granted permission for me to continue “Working While Pensioned (Work After Retirement)” for two years, for which I am grateful. One of my tasks now is discerning the delegation of “other duties as assigned” to those who feel called to a particular ministry. Truly, it is an honor for me to be a part of our cathedral life and to have experienced so many holy moments. I’m grateful for this abundance and look forward to how “other duties” evolve and continue to bless others.
