Why I am at Incarnation - Anne Bishop

Hello! My name is Anne, and I use she/her pronouns. I call the Church of the Incarnation my family's church home… mainly because of coffee hour. I grew up at the Forestville United Methodist Church during the 1980s and 1990s, and my experience there left a strong impression on me.

As a child, I have so many carefree memories of after church–descending on the food. It was usually a selection of home-baked goods. I had my favorites, like the fudgy oatmeal chocolate cookie and, of course, punch with sherbet. I loved the feeling of getting the food and sitting with my friends. We knew that the parents were close but not hovering. This connection of sharing food after church had a much stronger bond to my psyche than just feeding my belly. It also made me feel safe in mind and spirit. After I met my Catholic husband, dispersing after mass almost felt sacrosanct… I thought, where was the Fellowship? As my tummy grumbled.

In December of 2019, Matt and I began attending this church. We were attending some sort of evening affair and were supposed to decorate the Christmas tree. Of course, I was just trying to ensure Phoebe and Dominic at 4 and 2 ½, respectively were not pulling the tree down. I saw not only food but also sparkling wine. Wow! I thought I had leveled up. Something about this church feels spot on. Of course, we spent a few more months attending in person before the pandemic. At one point, I remember hearing about COVID-19, and I thought, better not to drink from the shared cup.

And then the lockdown happened. We didn’t attend much over Zoom, but we did come regularly, gathering 6 feet apart in the side yard and then later in the courtyard. Of course, at these times, there was still no coffee hour. Now, I volunteer on the 2nd Sunday for Coffee Hour at the 10:15 service. I’ve been diving into sharing punch with sherbet. In the future, I hope to follow in my father's footsteps and be more involved in the church finances.

My husband, current vestry member Matt Bonacorso, is attracted to Incarnation for different reasons. He is like a moth to the flame when receiving holy communion. My spiritual intelligence does not orbit communion as much as it does the fellowship of feeding others. I am teaching my children to love coffee hour, too. I love watching them sometimes, making healthy choices, and having the time and space to run around with a small plate of food and eat together after service. They know we are near, and we are not hovering.

Whether you come for holy communion like Matt, or coffee hour like me, I love Incarnation because there is something for everyone. I encourage you to donate for the future of the church.