You have seen us around and may ask yourself, Who are they and what do they do ?

So let's get right down to it.

 

Most often the Sisters are seen out having a good time, looking fabulous and enjoying ourselves. But... It is not all about the white face, the funny looking hat, dresses, robes, jewelry.. Did we mention jewelry?

 

However, what is not often seen is the great deal of work that each Sister does. Similarly, we are often associated with fundraising. Although we do a lot of fundraising, that is not our mission and our work spans a lot of other areas.

 

The work of a Sister also includes ministry, education and entertainment.

 

We organize, plan and throw events, some of which are very large and complex. The Sisters regularly visit local hospices, bringing joy to the people there. We also have some very intense one-on-one sessions with the people we meet while out. Ours is a "ministry of presence". The Sisters frequently act as educators, lecturing to classrooms of students and informing the cute boy or girl at the bar about the risks of unsafe sex. And if you've ever been to one of our bingo games or any other event that is hosted by the Sisters, you have seen us in our role as MC and hostess. Being a Sister requires a lot of different skills and an investment in time, energy and money.

 

In evaluating a potential new member, we look at a number of things. We look for drive, passion and commitment; a desire to perform community service; the ability to handle many tasks with grace; honesty and a genuine character; good people skills and the ability to interact with others in a meaningful way. However, having the drive and skills is not enough. The Abbey is made up of a few people who all must be able to work together smoothly and efficiently. We are far from perfect and, like any family, often have our misunderstandings. Despite that, we all work towards our common goals and often can make miracles happen. A new member must be able to mesh with the Abbey and should add to the group dynamic, not detract from it.

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We are more than just another community service organization: we are the Lilac City Sisters. As with our more traditional counterparts, nearly all of us felt a genuine calling to do this work. There is room for a lot of fun in the Abbey, but we take our callings and our vows very seriously. The majority of Sisters  here at the Abbey consider this a lifelong vocation; the path may twist and turn, the outer manifestation may change, start and stop and restart again, but the commitment to service never waivers. Being a Sister can be one of the most challenging and demanding things you can ever do but it also offers some rich and enlightening rewards.