Beaches & Bridgeport: A Talk with Kate Schmidt
This month's Community Spotlight
is on Kate Schmidt.
Kate has been part of the Bridgeport family for many years and decided to join us by way of her sister, SarahAnne. She was encouraged to come and participate in choir, and for a time on the worship team to put her creativity to use. She felt, and still feels that Bridgeport is a really cool place to just BE. She didn't require special clothing, a certain headspace, or to be any particular way. She would simply show up and be a part of the family.
Some of her favorite things outside of the choir include getting to forge a stronger bond with her sister, and to watch Gwyne grow up in the church, attending the holidays and enjoying it all. While she is not currently on any ministry team, she helps out as a bookkeeper and often is a bit of a guinea pig for trying out new craft ideas for her sister.
Kate grew up in a Presbyterian church and attend Whitworth Presbyterian College in Spokane, WA. She has a head for administrative duties and has done HR in the past. She retired recently and finds that she likes to keep her decks clear, to keep a gentle tension to the spiritual and physical world to see what comes to fill her proverbial container. She is enjoying her journey in retirement, and tries to keep herself free of expectations of what it should be and just tries to enjoy what it is.
To this end, she purchased a beach house that she keeps in a very minimalistic style so things are simple, calm, and quiet. She has created a haven for herself to recharge and to allow herself to be receptive to the changes that come along. She recently even sang aloud on the beach, choosing to sing her long-time favorite song, "Blue Boat Home". She is finding that as she goes through her journey as a retiree, she has started to care less about what people think, and just creates these safe moments for herself.
She keeps busy with various projects, and when asked which were the favorites she did for Bridgeport, 2 came to mind. The first was the Angel Project, which was a communal time of studying ancestors, figuring out pasts, and just learning about herself and others. Another favorite thing was when she helped with an Easter installation piece that involved concentric circles that looked like cobblestones. She got tasked with painting some of those, but soon relaxed and was able to contribute to the amazing piece.
These days, Kate just prefers to live a simplified life, free of hard commitments, and give back as she is able. She creates a great space anywhere she goes, and shares smiles, songs, and sunshine with those she meets.
We love having her as part of our family and look forward to spending her peaceful years with her.
Join us in listening to Kate's favorite song:
