Meet Parishioners Tim and Kelly Gunnels: Living Life to the Fullest, in Faith and Service

For Tim and Kelly Gunnels, serving the community by being involved in the parish is part of their commitment to live their lives to the fullest.

“Part of living life to the fullest is helping other people to the best of your ability,” Tim says. “To me, it’s one of the reasons we’re here on earth.”

Tim and Kelly strive to live out the commandments of Jesus to love the Lord and love their neighbor by bringing their gifts to St. Philip Neri Parish. Parishioners since 2002, their life experience has taught them to value the time that they have and to use it well. By serving the parish, they have found new purpose.

Kelly grew up Catholic in the Bible Belt of Mississippi.

“It’s always been a very comfortable thing for me,” Kelly says. “But thank God for converts.”

Tim was raised in a Bible church outside of New Orleans. Tim and Kelly married in 1989. When they started to raise their kids, Tim realized how important it would be for his whole family to attend church together.

“It took some effort to convert,” Tim says. “But I thought it was most important to have my family going to the same church.”

As their twins, Nathan and Aubrey, grew up and attended school, Tim and Kelly found more and more reasons to get involved. Nathan and Aubrey served on the altar, and the family helped with various events. For a while, their kids were Tim and Kelly’s primary reason to be involved in the parish. That changed for Tim in 2005, when he was diagnosed with a tumor on his pancreas. After fighting through that, Tim began to reprioritize his life.

“It was kind of a wake-up call,” he says. “I got heavily involved in a lot of things.”

Tim joined a men’s club, became a Eucharistic Minister, and started a Toastmasters club in 2006. He sees Toastmasters as both a hobby and a ministry through which he can help others find their voice.

“I have not regretted a minute of it,” Tim says.

As for Kelly, she joined the Women’s Group and was a member on and off for about six years. She met role models that deeply influenced her.

“They probably don’t know to this day that they really impacted my life,” Kelly says. “They were good people to be around.”

Both Tim and Kelly have been involved with the Italian Festival for at least 12 years — Kelly helps run the silent auction. A strong sense of community and fundraising for a good cause always motivate Tim and Kelly to get involved.

“We love the spirit of the parish and the energy that Fr. Fabio brings,” the couple says.

As for most of us, Tim and Kelly’s involvement in the parish has changed throughout their lives and has been shaped by their life experiences.

“Get involved with the right spirit,” Tim says. “Get involved with an attitude of service and community, and you won’t be sorry.”

As their twins, Nathan and Aubrey, grew up and attended school, Tim and Kelly Gunnels found more and more reasons to get involved.

For the Gunnels family, serving the community by being involved in the parish is part of their commitment to live their lives to the fullest.