Tomorrow, Wednesday, August 26 will be my first chapel for this school year. Hmmmmmm, what will be my topic? Normally the first round of chapel speakers stick to the school year's theme. This year's theme centers around Psalm 71:14 "But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more. "Rather than use that verse as my central message, I'll incorporate the hope we have in Christ with the purpose for our daily worship. Chapel is so important that at Lutheran North we have it five days per week. If I do the math, please remember that I teach English for a living, chapels last approximately twelve minutes and we have approximately 180 during the school year. That equals 2,160 minutes or thirty-six hours of time spent in worship. With all that time, what should happen? What is my responsibility as the speaker and what is the responsibility of the audience? That may seem like an odd topic for a chapel but let's look at it from another angle. We spend a lot of time planning, discussing and debating what we should teach in our curriculum and why we should teach it. Currently we are in the midst of an association-wide curriculum project. We want to be certain that learning occurs and students are academically prepared for their future. The same approach needs to occur with chapel. What is supposed to happen during those twelve minutes and why does it matter?
That's the topic.
Christ is the subject.
I'll post my chapel script tomorrow.
6 comments:
"Christ is the subject."
The school year theme at River Forest this year is "Thine the Amen." Just like North, every chapel preacher tackles his interpretation of the theme every day from August through April. Your quote above "Christ is the subject" and RF's theme "Thine the Amen" move the focus less off the individual and more on the Savior. That is the entire basis of our faith, as the hymn says "The Church's one Foundation is Jesus Christ..." There alone do we find our salvation and source of life, and there alone is our life's peace and comfort, knowing that 70 or 80 years on earth is not the end, but that our life with Him will continue on for eternity in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Josh, I wish all chapel speakers would present their message with the clarity and power of your post. God's blessings on your year.
Wish that more LHN chapels were available online!
Julianne, If you miss a chapel you could just stop by school and interrupt 1st hour, five minutes after it begins. That way you wouldn't miss anything. :)
Mr. Brandt, when are you going to post the chapel!?
Julianne, I went with Plan B. After two hours of crafting, revising and struggling I was struggling to fit the Law and make my point: Christ has redeemed us all. I still have the notes and files so I may use it some time in the future. Plan B was a message on being lost. I thought it fairly appropriate since it was the third day of school and many freshmen could relate. I discussed the woman who lost her gold coin and did not stop until she found it. The coin had no part of being saved, it was all Christ. We are lost and because of Christ's death and resurrection we are saved.
I'll be at Saturday's game against Miami Ohio. Hopefully, it will be better than their effor against Utah. Ugh!
Post a Comment