Something rewarding about my placement site: Love and Acceptance

Mtipe Koggani, DAH 8.0, Fall Retreat 2020

​This song by Hezekiah Walker, “I need you to Survive,” explains everything about what I find rewarding about my placement site. I serve at Christ Church Cathedral as well as the Office of the Bishop. From the day I started serving with them, I have had the feeling of acceptance and love.

There might have been some differences between us, but they accepted me for how I am. I’m learning and make mistakes, they nicely correct me. I missed a meeting or two, they understood me. I have been allowed to attend some meetings and meet people that I never thought I would.

Dean Kathie is one of the priests in the diocese who has incredible experience in ministry and in church work. As a dean of a Cathedral, Dean Kathie has a very tight schedule, especially with what is going on right now with the pandemic, yet she and Janis, in the diocesan offices, have opened doors for me and they have always been available for me. To me this is nothing other than love, the love that Jesus taught us.

Among other things, I have led Adult forums, Morning Prayer and participate in the Sunday service at my placement site. In doing all this I have felt love from the members of the Cathedral as well.

I would like to end this reflection by quoting the 27th Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, the Most Rev. Michael Curry, “If it’s not about love, it’s not about God.”

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