One of the best things that Pastor Ross Larsen has done as interim chaplain at Carthage is that he has invited faculty and students to play an interesting role in Wednesday morning chapel services. In each service, someone will read a scripture lesson and then offer a few words of reflection on it- after which Pastor Larsen follows up with his own thoughts. It works great- and I think one of the reasons I like it so much is that it reminds me of what chapel was like back at Luther, with a different faculty person at the mic each time. It was a way for us as students to find a deeper sense of connection with our professors- including those professors with whom we might never ever have a class or otherwise know at all except for that opportunity afforded in chapel. So I really applaud this idea of Pastor Larsen’s and only wish that more people would take the time to be there. By the way, one of the first such chapel services this school year featured a former voice student of mine, Austin Krueger, who suffered a severe brain injury several years ago that has left lasting effects, but who has courageously returned to school and is on track to graduate. Austin shared about his life since the brain injury and I am certain that nobody in those pews will ever forget it- nor be quite as likely to take for granted their ability to do something like tying their shoes.
Yesterday’s chapel service featured someone who could be very accurately described as one of the Big Men on campus – head football coach Tim Rucks, whose religious faith is very important to him. He read a passage from the book of Isaiah and offered some reflections on what he had read to us – and he did so in a way that sounded so right for him. His thoughts were plenty profound, and yet the words could not have been plainer. And of everything he said, the theme that was most central was “There is Someone out there who is bigger than we are.” And he shared about how that is an incredibly comforting rather than frightening thought- and implored all of us to remember that especially in those times when life threatens to completely overwhelm us. There was something so humble and open-hearted about how he shared all that- and the fact that those words were coming from Carthage’s towering football coach made them even more compelling, somehow.
It also made me so hungry to hear from all kinds of other colleagues and students at Carthage – if for no other reason than because it helps reinforce the undeniable truth that we are all in this together . . . all struggling to make sense of it all . . . all trying to embrace joy and shed our fears . . . and all of us seeing this world around us from our own unique vantage point and walking our own path of faith. And the beauty of what Pastor Larsen is doing makes me anxious that whoever follows him as the next chaplain will do the same thing or at least something like that, so this rich array of vivid voices and compelling stories can continue to be heard and savored.
pictured above: Football coach Tim Rucks shares in chapel. In the background are members of the Carthage Choir and their director, Eduardo Garcia-Novelli. They sang a gorgeous anthem as part of the service.