Hello, my name is Rodney Wells and this is my fiancé Rachel Norris. We are lifelong members of St. Patrick’s Church. The parish has always been the center of our lives. We were baptized here, attended CCD classes, and celebrated our First Holy Communions and Confirmations. Both of our families are involved in many different ministries, and at a very young age, we were taught to give back to the church. Rachel was an altar server for many years and had the honor of serving at her grandmother’s funeral and at her friends’ weddings. We were both CCD aides all through high school and volunteered at the festival. We were blessed to have the pleasure of attending the Celebrate weekend as juniors and seniors in high school. This ministry has truly changed our lives and has given us the opportunity to grow closer to God and each other. We now have the privilege of serving as adult advisors to the Celebrate team. In addition, we are both Eucharistic Ministers.
The desire to serve others was important to us as we selected a career path. Rachel is a Pharmacist at University Hospitals, while I am a Deputy for the Trumbull County Sheriff’s Office. Our jobs can be intense, but provide us the opportunity to practice stewardship daily. We tend to see people at some of the most difficult moments of their lives. We try to show the love of God to everyone that we come in contact with by treating them with respect and compassion.
In the spring of 2023, we will be celebrating the Sacrament of Marriage. Stewardship will be an important part of our marriage as we will continue to serve God, others, and most importantly each other. God has blessed both of us in so many ways, and we will continue to pray for his guidance as we prepare for this sacrament. Stewardship has definitely taught me to appreciate every day we spend together and with our families. Things that I took for granted, such as hearing the word of God every weekend and thanking God for the food at our table, mean so much more now that I have Rachel to share them with. Through our previous experiences in serving our church community, there have been many parishioners and church leaders that have taught us the importance of sharing our time, talents, and treasures. As we prepare for this beautiful sacrament together, we plan to continue learning about unconditional love through Scripture, share our experiences as young people in faith, and build a home that places God in the center. We are both grateful for the love and support St. Patrick’s Parish has given us since we were born, and we hope that everyone continues to teach us about how we can serve as stewards together.
God Bless,
Rodney Wells and Rachel Norris