Why I am at Incarnation

Good morning, I am Allan Bolchazy and along with my husband, Deacon Paul Mallatt, we have been members of the congregation since 2018.

So there are two things about me I would like to share with you.

First, I am who I am, and I am proud of it. I am a gay man with a husband. And here at Incarnation, I have found a community of people who do more than merely tolerate me - they welcome me with open arms. While I felt accepted when I first stepped into Incarnation, I feel we now have a vibrant LGBTQ+ community here at Incarnation. For the last few years, our church has actively participated in the Sonoma County Pride parade and festival, we have developed a rainbow group to support our church members who belong to the LGBTQ+ community, and we have fostered an environment where people feel comfortable to be who they are.

Second, I like to feed people. And that brings me to one of Incarnation’s ministries that I am extremely proud to be a part of, namely, the Sunday Open Table Ministry. Every Sunday morning, while many people are relaxing at home with a cup of coffee, our volunteers are at the church cooking breakfast, welcoming our food insecure neighbors - depending on the day 70 to 90 people - and providing them with coffee, a hot breakfast, and a bagged lunch. We also distribute clothing and hygiene products. This morning, I was flipping pancakes - about 140 of them, cooking side by side with another volunteer scrambling 20 dozen eggs. Other volunteers were serving juice, coffee, and breakfast. We foster an environment where the people who walk in those doors are our guests and greet them with a friendly smile. And here is a little-known fact - we do this all with volunteers, and donations. However, we are also blessed to receive free rent and utilities from the church, for which we are grateful.

So this is why I am here, why Incarnation means so much to me, and why I pledge every year.