connection stuck with me through college and will continue with me forever. I loved taking an hour a week to relax in a calm space around people you love; listening to beautiful music and poems, and your colleague's most genuine and deep experiences and feelings. Some ser- mons allowed me to see a completely different side to some fellow stu- dents and teachers that I would have never otherwise known about. I especially remember Mr. Evans' sermons (of course!). I also loved the presence of ritual and yet the allowance for innovation and change of pace. I really miss Cha- pel and wish I could find a service that was comparable. Every spiri- tual gathering I have sought out has either been too religious or too new agey. I think STAB's Chapel is a per- fect balance of tradition and secular spirituality.”
Anna Duensing, Class of 2009. “In both subtle and obvious ways, I think Chapel was meant to give us time and allow us to think in a dif- ferent, quieter way. It provided a window of escape from the goal and grade-oriented thinking typical of a high school. Trough Chapel, we had the chance to learn the importance of not necessarily applying words, thoughts, ideas to immediate goals, but rather to long-term growth and reflection. Chapel encouraged a completely different kind of thinking. As much as Chapel was about self-reflection though, it was also about recognizing figures in the community, hearing from a
pel talk – I sat in front of the TV mesmerized by the rescue of these miners. One by one, aſter 77 hours, all nine miners were brought to the surface in a 22-inch wide capsule.
So, why did I share these two stories with you? Years ago, I asked a wise person whom I love and respect how she dealt with having two daughters who have very serious health issues. She responded, “I do all I can to help them and treat them as normal as possible, but, ulti- mately, I turn it over to God.”
When I faced what felt like an insurmountable task, I worked tire- lessly and called upon all that I had learned over the years working side-by-side with my father. When those nine miners were trapped in that mine, they pulled together and their resolute desire to survive sustained them during an unthinkable ordeal. However, in both cases, I believe it was God’s presence and the power of prayer that led to positive outcomes.
I can say honestly and without exaggeration
that Chapel changed my life. – Tom Rathe '10
student or professor one would never otherwise hear from. I’ve been studying oral history lately, and one of the basic creeds of the oral his- torian is that everyone has a story and everyone will tell it well, given the right opportunity. Tis dual act of storytelling and listening ex- ists and has always existed in the world, profound and wholly human. Chapel, on the best days, achieved that level of connection, a feeling of unity, of humanity. Trough my school, I can find any number of moving and informative lectures and talks from students, professors, guests, etc. I’ve heard from peers and advisers, deans and presidents, visiting folks as big as Elie Wiesel, Wesley Clark, Gordon Brown, and nothing really com- pares to Chapel. Fur- ther, you’ve no idea the number of times I’ve felt
compelled to deliver a Chapel, felt a certain interest or journal entry could really only carry in that form.”
Tom Rathe, Class of 2010. “My Chapel experience culminated in the sermon I gave at Moving Up Chapel last spring. I will never forget the feeling of complete trust and understanding between everyone in the room. Chapel had created a space in which I felt completely com- fortable sharing the most difficult experience of my life. I never could have imagined doing that as a freshman. I miss just about everything having to do with Chapel. It was a weekly occurrence for thirteen years of my life, and served as my main spiritual outlet. Now it seems
I believe we speak to God through our prayers, and, although I be- lieve He listens to us, our prayers may not always come true. Some- times, God’s Will can be hard to fathom. Why does He allow people to struggle with substance abuse, to lose their jobs, to be hungry, and to be inflicted with incurable diseases? Why does He allow events like 9-11, Hurricane Katrina, the earthquake in Haiti, the ordeal faced by 33 Chilean miners, and the recent shootings in Arizona to occur? If God is compassionate, why does He allow these things to happen? Unfortunately, I don’t know the answers to these questions; perhaps, no one really knows for sure. What I do believe, however, is that God’s Will is always what He feels is in our best interest. It’s the freedom that God affords us in life that I believe causes bad things to happen, not that He causes bad things to happen to us.
For those blessed with good health, adequate food and shelter, and people in their lives who love them, I believe God expects and empowers us to help ourselves and those less fortunate.
16 – PERSPECTIVES/SUMMER 2011
Please don’t misinterpret my message today. Praying to receive a good grade on a math test or an English paper, to win the big game, or to perform flawlessly on stage, probably won’t make it happen without the requisite hard work that makes these things more achievable. We don’t get everything we want when we pray. We don’t dictate to God what He needs to do for us. Trough our prayers, we speak to God; we move closer to him; He listens to us; He empowers us. Ultimately, howev- er, I believe we must be in harmony with God’s will.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76