What moves us?
Good morning,
Many of you know me, or at least have seen me, but allow me to introduce myself, my name is Aaron Panchal and I currently serve on the Vestry. In my ten or so years at Trinity you may have seen me in a variety of places: I've had the privilege of being a youth mentor for a few years, and, in addition, served on the vestry once prior. Perhaps even at a dinnertime event, you may have seen me running the Hobart dishwasher in the kitchen (a favorite of mine!) Trust me, it's pretty fun!
Anyway, today I wanted to share a little bit of my Trinity journey in hopes to inspire and prompt a bit of reflection about "what moves us." In preparing for this, I was reminded of my 9th grade physics class and a concept I learned: Newton's first law of motion, Inertia. It states, an object in motion stays in motion, and an object at rest stays at rest. If I were to paraphrase that a bit, applying it to myself, I'd say: when I get going I go, and. . .sometimes it's hard for me to get going again.
Despite what may seem to be a chatty demeanor, when I first started coming to Trinity it was easy and safe for me to slink in and out of church. But then my life got. . .a little tougher. Friends and family moved out of town. I felt alone. I found it hard to make friends at the deeper level I longed for. It was at that time I fully realized I had a church family all along—all these people around me who love and support me. And the first encouragement I received was to become a youth mentor.
From there, I was set in motion (think inertia). I was called to serve on the Vestry, which was more than just "church business," rather it was a place where I made some lasting friendships and learned something about myself and others. I also found myself washing those dishes in the kitchen (something I never thought I'd do!) Looking back, I see that it all started with a little encouragement. I learned that a gentle nudge from a friend can go a long way. I learned that a simple invitation has the power to move.
So fast forward a few years, and we're all affected with this ongoing pandemic. Life got a little harder. I found myself falling back into the inertia of "staying at rest." Some days the draw of a warm cup of coffee, the Sunday New York Times, and my couch sound pretty appealing. But in those moments, I remind myself of how I feel after going to church: like my cup has been filled. I think about seeing the people that make this place feel like home. The conversations and connections I make begin to set me back in motion. I look forward to our previously paused in-person Vestry gatherings. It's an opportunity to hear the stories of fellow members over a shared meal, along with doing some business. Before this summer break, I had the very important job of placing and lighting the pew candles for Compline. It wasn't a huge job but made a difference in setting the scene. All it took were small invitations to get going again. Over the next few weeks and months, I'm trying to listen for those moments of gentle encouragement and perhaps you can too.
Aaron Panchal
Trinity Episcopal Church
