Parishioner Spotlight: Marilee Oldstone - Moore

Hometown: Born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; moved to Springfield, Ohio at age 4

Episcopal affiliation: From cradle; mother is an Episcopal Priest in Xenia, Ohio

Profession: Professional Wanderer 

Elaborate on calling yourself a professional wanderer.

Traveling abroad is one of my main goals. I’ve done a lot already at 24. I feel like identifying a profession is one of the greatest unknowns at this stage of my life. I don’t really know what I want to do, but I know I want to feel as if I’m making a difference. At the current moment, I work in childcare and children’s ministry.

Tell me more about your travels so far.

Traveling abroad for me is almost always about living there. So far, I’ve lived in Siena, Italy and northern Italy; Johannesburg, South Africa; Cambridge, England and Hangzhou, China.

What took you such far-flung places?

My parents are both college professors and were doing sabbaticals in England and China when I was a child. I  did a 4 month study abroad program in Italy in college and taught English there after college. Last year, I went to Johannesburg as part of the Young Adults Service Corps of the Episcopal international mission. I was supposed to be there a year.

Last year, as in 2020? When COVID hit?

Yes. I was sent to help develop and run a sustainable youth and adult program for a church in the Alexandra neighborhood of Johannesburg. I arrived January 9. I had started settling in and was working through mid-March before the country went into lockdown. I finally was able to get home around June 2.

What did you do between lockdown and getting home?

I wasn’t allowed to leave the property [an apartment in a church] except to get medical care and necessary supplies. For about 60 days, I spoke with no other person in person except the checkout clerk at the supermarket once a week. I didn’t have a TV but had a computer and internet connection. I lived the whole day in silence until 4 pm when people in America were starting to wake up and hopefully willing to chat with me.

How did you end up at All Saints?

I had known Jane and Rob through all my years as a camper and counselor at Procter Camp where Rob was the director for eight years and Jane was often the chaplain and ran young adult programs. I had been living with my parents since returning from South Africa and had been looking into options for work. At one point, I called Jane and Rob to see if there were any jobs here. I got the job at All Saints as coordinator for children and outreach ministries and also work with Rob at Mt. Healthy Alliance in their after-school and summer programs.

What about free time?

I’ve really gotten into rock climbing thanks to Michelle and Robert Sikorski from church. It’s become my passion.

Why is All Saints such a good fit?

In addition to working with Jane and the great kids we have, there are a lot of young adults in the church community I’ve made friends with.

Something that most people don’t know about you?

Although I love to travel, I don’t like being a tourist. Taking a photo of myself at a famous site I’ve seen online is very underwhelming. Traveling abroad for me is feeling that I can carve out a little space and feel this is my home, even if it is only for three days.

How would you describe your fashion sense?

 Loud. I feel happiest when I am wearing everything and the kitchen sink. I remember the day I became aware of the concept of clashing colors in grade school and realized I would have to think about what clothes I wore together. Later, a friend told me clashing colors was a contrived concept, and I didn’t have to choose clothes based on someone else’s artistic eye.

Where would you go if you could go anywhere in the world?

A life goal of mine is to hit all seven continents. I’ve hit four.

What drives you crazy?

It’s very topical: The attitude that people you don’t know don’t matter infuriates me. That speaks to not wearing masks and not getting vaccinated. Oh, and people who steal your packages from the porch and add their clothes to the dryer when you’re drying yours, then take some of yours when they pull theirs out.

What is the most embarrassing thing that ever happened in church? 

I always wanted to play the Angel Gabriel in the Christmas Pageant. Finally I got the chance in fifth grade. I wore a microphone and came out and said my lines, then went downstairs as the service continued. I didn’t really understand how a microphone worked and thought once I came down into the basement, no one upstairs could hear me if I turned it on. So, I turned it on and began saying, “Hello, hello, hello!” I did it several times until the organist came down to tell me everyone upstairs could hear me. I was so embarrassed, but I learned how a microphone works.

What’s the best part of being an Episcopalian?

 Being part of an organized religion requires something of you. It sometimes has required me to be in community with people whose beliefs I fundamentally disagree with and parts of a doctrine I don’t agree with. Still, the way that I conceive of my baptismal vows is by seriously seeking justice for all people; serving Christ in all people; loving all people as myself and seeing all of that as a calling to be the person I want to be.

Parishioner spotlight written by Kathy Doane.