Seniors Andrew Gordon and Natalia Derstine led off the first chapel of the 2010-11 school year by explaining what chapel is all about, and why it's important for all Dock students to consider their attitude toward what happens in this space. "Let us treat this place with the respect that it deserves," they said.
Natalia: Good morning, this is Andrew Gordon.
Andrew: And she’s Natalia Derstine, and we’re both seniors.
Natalia: For some of us, this is about our 270th chapel. For others, this is your first chapel.
Andrew: For those of us at both ends, and everywhere in between, welcome.
Natalia: Chapel is held this time on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday every week. They “will nurture a personal faith that fosters a daily walk with Christ. Chapels will provide opportunities for a variety of worship experiences in the context of Christian community.” It is a time when we gather to worship not only through song, but prayer, scripture, meditation, and a whole bunch of other things.
Andrew: There are occasionally times when the chapel, as a space, will be used for more non-traditional modes such as talent chapels or other things of the like, but they can explain themselves another time.
Natalia: In about 3 minutes, we’re going to open our hymnals up to #1. What Is This Place is a hymn that some of us may feel has taken on a sense of cliché, while others may not know it at all. It is just a tune, mere musical notes, and overlooked lyrics that we sing just to keep up “tradition.”
Andrew: We’re here to dispel this notion. Take the time to actually read the words of the verses and what they have to say. When we say “welcome to chapel,” we mean more than just this time, this space, and this 3rd period. The song is saying that we’re welcoming you to more than just a place with four walls and a roof or just a 33-minute break from the wear and tear of “school.” This is a place of gathering. Chapel is not about the place, but rather about the people. People coming together to meet their Creator and grow in Him.
Natalia: James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” This verse infers a relationship that works both ways, much like a phone. Sure, we can talk all we want; throw guest speakers up on stage, sing until our lungs burst, or do any number of things, but if we don’t listen, how are we to hear what God is saying to us? All we would be doing is making noise.
Andrew: And if all we do is listen, then how is God supposed to know who we are? How is He to know that we are even here?
Natalia: The balance between “talking” and “listening” is only achieved through effort on our part. We need to show a spirit of reverence to God in this place. Reverence is honor or respect that is felt and shown.
Andrew: So when it is said that “chapel requires a spirit of reverence,” this does not necessarily mean the quiet, hands-folded picture that comes to many of our minds, although in some cases that may be appropriate. Rather, reverence is the showing of respect to God. Know your environment, if a certain chapel calls for a silent and reflective nature, follow suit. If a performance, whether it be musical or otherwise, is meant to be clapped for, then clap. If not, then refrain. If the chapel is worship-oriented, show respect by participating in whatever it is that is going on. Whether the music is contemporary or traditional, it doesn’t matter, try them both, you’ll find that the two in harmony create a more full experience than with just one alone. And the more people who sing, the more beautiful the sound, and the less obvious it is to hear how bad both she and I are.
Natalia: It is understood that not every student is going to be interested in every chapel. Whether it is the subject topic is boring you, or the fact that you can’t read music, or whatever, the point is to give each individual chapel respect and full attention. People work countless hours behind the scenes to make these chapels happen, and to have an inattentive audience is like getting jabbed in the side.
Andrew: It is as if you worked on a homework project that took you several hours to complete, and you felt as if you had done a good job. You go into school the next day and present your project to the class only to find that the teacher had marked your paper with an “F,” had then fallen asleep, and only woke up when they heard the other students clapping at the conclusion of your presentation. Gut check.
Natalia: Being reverent has nothing to do with the back of your eyelids, just because you are quiet and keeping to yourself doesn’t necessarily mean you’re being respectful. Sleep is to be a cherished time in your comfortable bed at home, enjoy it there by all means, please, but not here.
Andrew: If we’re sitting here, thinking that we’re making a big sacrifice in our day to take the time to come and sit in chapel, then we have a skewed point of view. It is not us making the big sacrifice, it’s those people that take time out of their day-to-day schedule to share with us what God has placed on their hearts.
Natalia: That being said, with most of today and another 89 chapels in front of us, let us treat this place with the respect that it deserves.
"This is a place of gathering.
Chapel is not about the place, but rather about the people. People coming together to meet their Creator
and grow in Him."
