Chapel services on Tuesdays and Fridays offer time for quiet reflection during prayers and messages, a place for expression through hymns and special music, and regular gatherings in which all students and their advisors come together for meditation, comfort, and celebration. Our Chapel is a safe space for every community member regardless of their particular beliefs, and it’s also a brave space – where we can be open and honest, and where we never have to hide our true selves.
Chapel services usually include two or three hymns, special prayers, one or more Scripture readings, and a Message of the Day, which might affirm, inspire, comfort, or challenge us (maybe all four at once!). Sometimes our Chaplain, an Episcopal priest, delivers the Message of the Day. But often it’s a student who shares, or another faculty or staff member, or even a guest speaker invited by the Chaplain. In the Saint Mary’s Chapel, many voices and viewpoints are welcome, and we respect each other’s convictions as we seek growth through understanding.
Additionally, our boarding students and residential community gather in the Chapel each Sunday evening for Vespers, an informal worship service that offers an experience of Sabbath rest and restoration. Vespers might include an open discussion on a particular Biblical text, or a calming guided meditation on Scripture, or even an activity that takes us outside to reflect on the beauty of God’s Creation. Whatever we do in Vespers, we seek to slow down and rejuvenate our spirits before heading into a new school week.
