I was extremely worried about finding a Catholic church when I moved here. I knew that Catholics were pretty scarce in this part of the country and I also knew that everything was far away from everything, so I was pretty sure I was going to end up with at least an hour drive at 7 in the morning to get to church every Sunday. Luckily, it turns out the only Catholic church in the county is about 15 minutes away (practically next door by Jackson County standards).

I was unsure of what to expect from the church. I knew that it would be small, but I didn’t expect it to be about the size of the chapel in my church at home. I was also unprepared for how casual it is. Kids and their parents wander in and out. Everyone hangs out throughout the church building until it’s time for Mass to start and then someone gathers everyone together. One little boy races around the church with a different toy every week. Most of all, I wasn’t prepared for the music, or the lack thereof. The music situation here couldn’t be more different than what I’m used to. I’m generally a little irritated with how much of a production is made of the music back home. We have to practice the songs before church and have a cantor up in front raising his arms so we know when to sing, and of course there’s the bell choir. But here at St. Paul’s there are none of those things. In fact, until I started playing the piano about a month ago, there was no musical accompaniment at all.

Providing the music for St. Paul’s has certainly been an adventure. I know very little about what goes into choosing songs for Mass, so I found a website that lists appropriate songs for each week and then pick ones that I like and are fairly easy to play. Unfortunately, I also have to be the lead cantor because I occasionally pick songs that the parishioners don’t recognize. If someone had told me a few months ago that I’d be singing for a church, I would have thought they were crazy, but I’m there every Sunday, attempting to lead the church in song. I haven’t quite mastered the art of singing and playing at the same time. It’s harder than you might think – so many things to think about at once – what note to play, what words to sing, do I need to keep playing or is the priest ready to move on? I’ve also started giving piano lessons to one of the parish girls. My hope is that by the time I leave she’ll be able to take over the music.

St. Paul’s definitely has its little quirks, but I’ve come to love it. I love the enthusiasm of the little boy who does laps around the church and who always wants to be right at the altar to see what’s going on. I love that everyone hugs everyone else or shakes their hand during the sign of peace. I love that they serve lunch after Mass every Sunday. And I love how appreciative everyone is of my piano playing. I know that the man who played before me did a much better job, but they’re grateful that I’m doing anything at all. It makes me feel so welcome and so much a part of the community.

Erin Cusick is a long-term volunteer in Educational and Recreational Programming. She lives in the Jackson Volunteer Community.