Roberts is trying something new this year. We are having community chapels on Mondays. The goal is for faculty, staff and students to worship together, to get to know more people, to share our faith and to grow in spirit wrapped around the same themes. September's theme is "Renewing Your Life in God." Initially, I believe this began as a comment from students that they would like to see more faculty at chapel.
Today is the first day for our experiment. I enter Hale auditorium. The place is abuzz with excitement and awash with conversations. Seats are already filling with a good mixture of students and faculty and staff. Our speaker is Jack Connell, my professor of preaching. He is always thought provoking and engaging. We find our way down front to empty seats (there is always room down front!) and sit next to the Provost. Ads are running for campus events on the jumbo screen on stage. Students are climbing over the back of seats to get where they want to sit - usually next to someone they know.
And then we begin. It feels a bit odd to be part of the congregation singing, rather than on the platform leading, but that's OK. Helps me remember what it is like for congregation members. The Scripture is read dramatically, and Rev. Dr. Connell steps up. I am not disappointed. He tells stories, uses humor, admits his own humanity, and along the way opens our minds to ask ourselves questions about what is hiding deep inside that really ought not to be there. Don't look too close yet. Just get the idea. You are not as perfect as you think you might be. No matter who you are.
People drink it in from the balcony to the platform. What better way to build community than to take a journey together and along the way, to help each other and share our stories. I am hopeful that this initiative will become entrenched, become part of the Roberts culture, the expected thing to do. Not because you are required to attend a certain number of chapel services every semester, but because wild horses could not keep you away. Because the value of being there far outweighs the call of the mattress. For a change, let's just be in God's presence because it is a wonderful place to be.
Today is the first day for our experiment. I enter Hale auditorium. The place is abuzz with excitement and awash with conversations. Seats are already filling with a good mixture of students and faculty and staff. Our speaker is Jack Connell, my professor of preaching. He is always thought provoking and engaging. We find our way down front to empty seats (there is always room down front!) and sit next to the Provost. Ads are running for campus events on the jumbo screen on stage. Students are climbing over the back of seats to get where they want to sit - usually next to someone they know.
And then we begin. It feels a bit odd to be part of the congregation singing, rather than on the platform leading, but that's OK. Helps me remember what it is like for congregation members. The Scripture is read dramatically, and Rev. Dr. Connell steps up. I am not disappointed. He tells stories, uses humor, admits his own humanity, and along the way opens our minds to ask ourselves questions about what is hiding deep inside that really ought not to be there. Don't look too close yet. Just get the idea. You are not as perfect as you think you might be. No matter who you are.
People drink it in from the balcony to the platform. What better way to build community than to take a journey together and along the way, to help each other and share our stories. I am hopeful that this initiative will become entrenched, become part of the Roberts culture, the expected thing to do. Not because you are required to attend a certain number of chapel services every semester, but because wild horses could not keep you away. Because the value of being there far outweighs the call of the mattress. For a change, let's just be in God's presence because it is a wonderful place to be.
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