When Pam and I were initially asked to chair the Church Fair 2014 my gut reaction was to decline as I did not feel qualified nor did I see myself as truly belonging. I saw myself as an outsider. Pam clearly stated that this was my decision and that she would support my decision either way.
Out of a sense of obligation I decided to bite the bullet and accept the job. The church had been good to us as a family and I wanted to pay off my debt. Once I got involved, I began to realize that my dealings with a variety of people inside and outside the church brought a lot of joy and that was totally unexpected to me.  

Outside a few administrative matters I did very little until June came around. Then I started to talk to donors, department heads at the church, service providers, etc.  Instead of being a chore that could not be avoided, I was looking forward to these interactions. I met so many interesting people, learned a lot from them and made friends for life.

This experience was totally different from what I expected. Seeing literally hundreds of volunteers pitch together making this a success provides such a great "high". Having had this experience made me a much more tolerant person. Today I feel that I belong to this church.  I am grateful for having had this experience.  

- Harry