SLEW Wednesday: "Here I am Lord. Send my sister."

“Do as I say, not as I did.” Drs. Priscilla Benner and Herman Sagastume spoke in chapel today on something that is vital to high school students: choosing a career. Both have chosen a path that tied in their passion for Christ with their passion for medicine. They both responded to God’s call despite the internal conflicts that tethered them to their own goals.

Dr. Benner spoke about her lifelong journey to the position she has now. From childhood she knew what she wanted to do. She was one of the kids who ran to see what they could do for the injured kid on the playground instead of one who fled the thought of blood. In high school she had a concrete plan, but then her boyfriend caused her to question her goal. After asking God for an obtuse sign for what or who she should choose failed, God slammed the door on her conflict via the closing of the nursing program at her chosen school. God gave her all the signs; she just needed to read them sooner. She advised us students to look for the God-given talents we have and to discern how to serve him best in the world.

Another piece of advice Dr. Benner gave us was about whose passion we follow. She told us we need to make sure our goals are in sync with God. She was reluctant to go to Honduras in a turbulent time and said her response was, “Here I am, Lord, send my sister.” She was comfortable with her circumstances, but was ultimately rewarded by the MAMA project and all it has accomplished since its beginnings.

Dr. Sagastume’s story began in Honduras long before Dr. Benner ever set foot there. He grew up in a poor family, and had some unimaginable experiences as a youth. He had to see his mother on fire and watch her die shortly after. The comparison of cultures between Honduras and the United States was brought up multiple times. Americans want to get out of the house as young as high school, whereas Dr. Sagastume said Hondurans wanted to life with their parents much beyond.

With some financial assistance Dr. Sagastume made it through medical school. He was then approached to do a mission project in Africa. After thinking it over, he had myriad excuses to get out of it. All of his excuses proved useless, and God provided a way for him to serve. Now Dr. Sagastume uses his gift of medicine to serve with the MAMA project.

-- Monica Roth

SLEW Tuesday: No God, No Good

We are continuing the chapel theme for this week: integrating faith in careers. This morning, Tony DaCosta, head coach of the Dock boys basketball team (see below) and senior vice president at Univest National Bank, touched on this topic. He read from Hebrews 11:1. It says, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” He pointed out the faithful obedience of the Old Testament characters referred to later in this passage.

Throughout the chapel, he continually emphasized that God came through when he trusted in Him and lived by faith. Tony began by saying that when God wants you to do something, he’ll adjust the circumstances to make it possible for it to happen. Faith and patience became a necessity throughout his life, and he shared two specific experiences with us. The first was when he wanted to get a position on the basketball team of Portugal. He desired to play on the team as a native, but didn’t have the patience to wait on God to find the right documents. He missed an incredible opportunity.

At this point in Tony’s life, he carried around his Bible but confessed that he didn’t really believe it. Later, he was offered a position on a Puerto Rican team, and fully trusted God to work out the details. He began, not only believing, but putting into practice, the things the Bible had to say about waiting on God. (Like Psalm 27:14. “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”) He found that when he did, he was able to play on the Puerto Rican team! He only needed to trust God to make the circumstances possible.

The second time his patience and faith were tried was when his wife was pregnant with their son. Twenty-seven weeks into her pregnancy, Tony’s wife was experiencing discomfort and an elevated blood pressure. When his wife was at the doctor’s, all Tony could do was pray. The circumstance was so unknown to him; but he trusted God. They were sent immediately to Temple, and she had to deliver early because she was at such high health risks. His son was born at 1½ pounds, creating a variety of complications early in his life. But over the years, his son has been able to play soccer, go horseback riding, and more. Tony said this story should encourage us to have faith in God.

Though he didn’t share much with us on how he integrates his faith in banking, he did mention the importance of how you treat customers and remembering to remain faithful to God in all your relationships.

Overall, his advice to the faculty and students was that we shouldn’t expect things to go well for us if we’re not making our plans around God, and trusting Him to carry them through. “No God. No good.”

-- Esther Frustino

SLEW-Monday: Sharing our faith in the workplace

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” -- Matthew 5:14-16

Renita and Jason Shelly have a lot in common—which you would expect, since they’re married and all. They both went to Penn View Christian School; she went to Dock (’93) and played field hockey, while he went to Pennridge and played football. They both followed their parents into the family business; she into the Bergey network of car dealerships, he into the trucking business. They have three kids (see photo, below)

Both feel strongly that faith needs to be lived out on a daily basis, based on the passage from Matthew 5 (above) that Renita quoted during their chapel presentation on the first day of Spiritual Life Emphasis Week.

“We need to be conscious about sharing our faith in the workplace, because there are a lot of opportunities that can be missed if we’re not looking for them,” Jason said. Both he and Renita gave examples from their work settings.

Jason told a story about a homeless man that came up to him at a truckstop years ago and asked if he could clean Jason’s truck. “Now anyone who knows me realizes my truck doesn’t need to be cleaned too often, but I wanted to help this guy out,” he said. Jason went in for dinner and when he came out he noticed the man had been crying; he asked him what was wrong. The man asked Jason, “Are you a Christian?” and when Jason said he was, the man said, “As soon as I started working on your truck, I felt the presence of the Lord.” Jason read to him from the book of Romans while he finished his work.

Renita said she has many opportunities in the course of her work as a car salesperson to speak into people’s lives about her faith. A customer wanted to take a test drive one time and Renita put a Christian music CD into the car’s player. When the woman returned with the car she told Renita how one of the songs she listened to had really spoken to her situation. The woman bought the car, and Renita threw the CD into the deal!

“We need to take Jesus to work,” she said, “and we need to be ready for him to use us.”

2-17-2010 Bread of Life

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."

- John 6:51


In today’s chapel, Pastor Sandy Drescher-Lehman and students from Souderton Mennonite Church spoke about different kinds of bread and their meanings. This provided a way for us to think about our relationship with God as we enter the season of Lent. Students and faculty were challenged to think about which bread represents where they are on their spiritual journey, or where they would like to be.


Sourdough Bread is the bread of pain and loss.

Pita Bread is the bread of being open and willing for God to fill us.

Wheat Bread is the bread of letting go of what others might think of us or who we’ve worked hard to be.

Sweet Bread is the bread of joy.

Unleavened Bread is the bread of being willing to trust.


Which kind of bread would you choose?

Which bread represents where you are on your spiritual journey?

2-8-2010: Taking a (Text) Break

Did you know that 8-18 year olds spend, on average, 7.5 hours daily engaged in media? That’s roughly 52 hours a week of “screen time”--more than the average work week!

While all forms of media have an impact on our daily lives, today’s chapel focused specifically on cell phones and texting. Cell phones can be a great asset in case of an emergency and provide the ability to access information almost instantaneously. But texting is a form of communication that should be used wisely and not excessively.

Texting gives us the ability to avoid uncomfortable situations caused by face to face confrontation. But at the same time it can be a source of great confusion since texts are only words and lack the “non-verbal” signals that are present in a face-to-face conversation or even in a phone conversation. If a text is misunderstood, it cannot be corrected in “real time” as in a verbal conversation; it might take 10 texts in order to clear up the misunderstanding.

Texting also affects our listening ability. For example, if you try to carry on a face to face conversation with someone while texting to someone else, it can become confusing (and maybe even hurtful) to all parties. Communicating only by texts can also affect how many true friendships we have in which we can share deep conversations and feelings.

Challenge yourself to set aside some “text-free” time during your week, especially as we enter the season of Lent.

1-29-10: How Would You Be Named Today?

“What would your family, friends, teachers, and peers name you today based on your behavior?” This question, posed by today’s chapel speaker, Mary Keller, is based on the Native American (Native Peoples) concept of naming a person. In Native Peoples’ traditions, a person has multiple names: a secret name given by the mother at birth and known only by the mother and the Creator; and common names that change throughout life based on that person’s temperament, behavior, talents, or actions. Sometimes these names are not always flattering.

Imagine the impact in the world if people were referred to by their actions – “He Who Steals” or “She Who Lies.” Or in a more positive light, “He Who is a Peacemaker” or “She Who Embodies Goodness.”

In a Native Peoples story, a grandfather tells his grandson that there are two wolves within him that are in constant conflict; one who is angry and hateful, and one that is full of joy and goodness. The grandson asks, “Which one of the wolves wins?” Replies the grandfather: “The one that I feed.”

This story illustrates the potential each person has to fuel hate and anger or to create beauty and peace. Today think about your actions and how they reflect upon you. How would you feel to be named by what you have done today?

1-11-10: "Think about your God moments"

Most high school students don't spend much time thinking about what it's like to retire and grow old. In this morning's chapel, two Dock Woods residents, both in their 80s, gave students a window into the experience—and assured them there's nothing to be afraid of.

“Living doesn’t stop when we age. Life is just different,” said Joyce Shultz, who has lived at Dock Woods with her husband Harlan for nearly four years now. “We take more time to do things, but we have more time. Our faith is often stronger because we have had so many blessings and answers to our prayers. We no longer feel like we have to impress anyone—and we realize that we never did. And we realize that life has more joy when you are helping and serving others.”

The Shultz's give evidence to the idea that life begins—or at least begins again—at retirement. Harlan spent three years in the Navy and then enjoyed a 35-year career at Standard Pressed Steel. When he retired at at age 62, he fulfilled a lifelong dream by getting his pilot's license, and spent over a year building his own plane.

"My life has been full," he told students. "You have a lot to look forward to. Don't dread it."

Joyce was a teacher in the North Penn School District for 24 years. When she retired at age 60 she began a second career as a psychotherapist, and also took up writing. She now is the author or co-author of three books, including Models in Our Midst, an autobiography which also tells stories about the people who influenced her life, and It Takes a Church: God Moments of a Church Family, a collection of stories from people ages 13-90 at her church, Sanctuary United Methodist in North Wales. They are the kind of books she encourages everyone to write.

"Each evening we share our God moments from the day, and I keep them in a gratitude journal," Joyce said. "That’s our challenge—to think each day about the God moments in our lives and what we are grateful for.”