A big congratulations to St. Aidan’s, Cypress, as the parish recently received the prestigious “Non-Profit of the Year Award,” presented by the Cy-Fair Houston Chamber of Commerce.
The Rev. Les Carpenter, rector of the parish, recalls the first time he walked into a Chamber of Commerce meeting over nine years ago.
“I had just moved to Texas to lead St. Aidan’s. I knew my predecessor was a giant in that organization. There were not many churches there. I was never taught in seminary to go to Chamber meetings, but I was told to go out to where people were. So, each time I thought about it, I decided I would just keep showing up.”
Eventually, he noticed people started coming to him for prayer or with grief. Their impact in the community grew, and he found himself getting to know the city and understanding it in a unique way.
“This is the way true evangelism works. It isn’t in a polished speech or an elevator pitch. It is the miracles we find when we keep showing up knowing that God already has,” said Carpenter.
