It's hard to imagine that not only has the summer come and gone, but that we are making plans for hallowe'en.  Scary.  However, the memory of work done this past summer continues to warm the heart, even while the bones begin to chill.

It is the reputation of Edmonton Anglicans that it is easier to talk a zebra out of her stripes than to find an Edmonton Anglican volunteering at a church in summer.  Well, this summer, Holy Trinity Edmonton blew that idea right out of the water.  Edmonton is host to North Americas largest, and longest running Fringe Festival, and the festival grounds are only 3 blocks from Holy Trinity's front door.  This year, the people of Holy Trinity decided to go all out in their service of the Fringe community.  The fear was, however, that as the Fringe is 10 days in mid-August, there might be no volunteers to be found.

Oh we of little faith.  Not only did we find volunteers, but we had 50 formal volunteers, and at least another two dozen informal volunteers come together for over 500 person hours of work, serving patrons, artists, guests and friends for the whole ten days.  There were freshly baked scones and brewed tea in the "Green Room Tea House", and there was Father Tom's (now famous) lemonade stand.  Not to mention sanctuary tours and a contemplative prayer installation in the church proper.  In the evening, parish volunteers sold tickets at the box office, and ushered patrons to their seats, as well as selling uncountable numbers of red Twizzlers at the concession stand.  Wherever one turned, there was a Holy Trinity volunteer seeking to be of service and to make one's Fringe Theatre experience a better one.

In the end, Holy Trinity hosted over 4000 members of the community at large attending the three shows for which we were a venue, and even made a little money on the Twizzlers.  It was a wonderful opportunity to get to know members of the community, and to serve the Fringers.  But it was also a wonderful opportunity for the volunteers to get to know one another.  With so many people volunteering, many found themselves partnered with folks they'd never had the chance to get to know and walked away richer in friends, and for having served the community without reservation.

So why were people so eager to get involved?  Well, firstly, it is a part of Holy Trinity's generous spirit that when there is work to be done, there are always hands to do it.  But more than that, it would appear that the opportunity to serve others simply for the sake of serving - not for money, or for "bums in seats", but because we care - was extremely important to those who took part.  Often people are concerned that the outreach projects in which churches often engage appear duplicitous - that we are more interested in what we will get out of the people we reach, than in what we can offer.  However, the way in which Holy Trinity approached their Fringe Project was entirely out of a desire to be of service.  As congregation members learned this was they case, their excitement in the project rose considerably, and more and more came forward to offer what they could.

Secondly, the Fringe Project itself was of immediate interest to the congregation.  It fit their cultural tastes, and personality.  Holy Trinity has long been involved in supporting the performing arts, and there is great love among the members for the arts as a whole.  By matching their passion to the need present in the community, congregation members saw a clear opportunity to share their time and talents in a way that would make a difference which they could see, and appreciate easily.

It would seem, then, that summer itself need not be a barrier to ministry.  However, people do need to feel as though they are being honest in what they are offering, and that what they are offering is consistent both with their passions and culture, as well as with the needs within their community.  So lets hear it for summer, and lets hear it for summer volunteers!

Congratulations, Holy Trinity.  Well done!