\u201cGrandpa John.\u201d \u201cTime with cousins.\u201d \u201cHugging my friends.\u201d \u201cSinging in church.\u201d \u201cA junior tennis season.\u201d<\/p>\n
These were among words and notes written on small tea lights by students as part of a chapel of lament for grades 6-12 today.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe biblical invitation to lament lets us know that our prayers that come out of pain are not too big for God,\u201d said Justin King<\/a>, high school principal, in an introduction to the activity. \u201cThis chapel allows time for naming losses in this season of Lent and during COVID.\u201d<\/p>\n Teachers distributed battery-operated lights and Sharpie pens before students viewed the pre-recorded chapel<\/a> video in their second block class period, the way chapel has taken place all year. The video included four questions for reflection as students wrote on their lights:<\/p>\n Students were dismissed by classes to take their candles to a cross in the front foyer. \u201cEven though we\u2019ve been blessed by having most students at school in person this year, there\u2019s still a lot of loss,\u201d said King.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s moving to read some of the wisdom and pain in these words,\u201d he noted as teachers and administrators looked at the display.<\/p>\n The lament chapel was planned by the school counselors, middle and high school principals, chapel coordinator, Andrea Wenger<\/a>, and Carmen Schrock-Hurst, EMHS class of \u201976 and Eastern Mennonite University youth ministry instructor.<\/p>\n Last week, a chapel reflection<\/a> by Sherill King (class of \u201970) Hostetter and her granddaughter, Karla, class of \u201921, laid a foundation for the Lenten season. They reflected on the challenge of prayer in this time and invited people to turn toward God in whatever way feels comfortable.<\/p>\n An Ash Wednesday chapel service featured input by eight area pastors \u2014 all from churches that have EMS students \u2014 sharing about their Ash Wednesday observance. Participants were from Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, Community Mennonite Church, Divine Unity Community Church, Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Harrisonburg Mennonite Church, Massanutten Presbyterian Church, Park View Mennonite Church, and RISE United Methodist Faith Community. Watch the video.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe miss gathering corporately,\u201d explained King. \u201cBut we have at least tried to offer a shared viewing experience for middle and high school to nurture our sense of community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n