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Cherished Moments: The Morning Chapel and Personalized Pastoral Care

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Rev. Brian Lam

(Chaplain)

　　In recent years, the Seminary community has been striving to become a disciple community. The most essential part is worshipping together and the Morning Chapel is our time of communal worship.

　　It has been a mandatory requirement that all full-time students join the Morning Chapel. However, eight years ago when I began serving in the Seminary, I found that some students, for various reasons, did not come. Beginning in the fall term of 2009, we began keeping a record of students’ attendance. Changes gradually took place. Teachers, students, and staff alike look forward to the Morning Chapel service as they become fully engaged. In the Seminary Chapel, we altogether sing praise to God, pray together, and minister to one another through the word of God (teachers take turns preaching and graduating students deliver their sermons as well). The atmosphere of the Morning Chapel and the engagement of those present are vastly different from the ones I attended eight years ago. This is especially evident at our annual Christmas Worship Service, which is conducted during the morning chapel hour in December. In addition to all seminary teachers, students, and staff, we have a large crowd of alumni who make an annual home-coming trip along with their fellow graduates to their alma mater for a reunion. Joyful reunions of such size are unforgettable.

　　We also have to learn to follow Jesus our Lord as a disciple community. Another important change within the Seminary is the requirement that all full-time students must make a monthly appointment to meet with a teacher. Through this faculty-student mentoring, both the teacher and the student learn to follow Jesus Christ our Lord. All disciples of Jesus have to exercise what it means to abandon, leave behind, and follow Jesus. Teachers at the Seminary are no exception. By meeting individually with students, we shepherd our students and together we learn to walk with them and follow Jesus Christ our Lord.

　　It is not always easy though. Students need to first open up their lives to be touched. They need to have this experience first before they can learn to shepherd brothers and sisters in the church. Ms. Grace Chan, the Associate Chaplain, and I meet with approximately 20 first year students once monthly. Often times, I can feel the working of the Holy Spirit as I talk with each student. Through this personalized pastoral care, we can experience the marvelous in the midst of the ordinary and see the work of God in our lives. These are the moments I cherish most.

wordpress_publish Jul 23, 2024 Comments Disabled

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