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Semester Highlights (thus far) Martin Luther King, Jr., RememberedFollowing the liturgical calendar rather than the civil calendar, Martin Luther King, Jr., was remembered at the Thursday night mass. In addition to a portion of Amos being read, an excerpt from kings Letter from the Birmingham Jail was included as a meditation. The hymn of the day was Lift Every Voice and Sing.Events Mark Octave of Prayer for Christian UnityThe Universal Week of Prayer for Christian Unity began at the chapel with mass for the Feast of the Confession of St. Peter on Sunday evening, January 18. Despite the three day weekend, a major football game, and a winter storm, a record attendance was set for the second Sunday of the spring term. Chaplain Riegel preached upon the Matthean "You are Peter" text, concentrating upon its implications for Papal primacy vis-a-vis the Lutheran Movement. Following the mass, several adjourned to the undercroft for WVU ice cream before praying compline in the sanctuary.Monday night's Theology on Tap at the Blue Moose focussed upon ecumenical issues, with discussion centering upon geographic differences in ecumenical activity and other indicators for ecumenical vitality. Wednesday, Chaplain Riegel was privileged to preach at his Alma Mater, Gettysburg Seminary. His sermon for the midday mass was an appeal for reasoned and deliberate ecumenical engagement as a living out of sanctification. Thursday night's mass also focussed on ecumenical themes. Friday night, Fr. Paul Hudock of St. John Newman University Parish and Chaplain Riegel made their way to Strokerz, their favorite pool hall, were, with some students, they engaged in an evening of ecumenical fellowship. |
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VanVliet ConfirmedThe octave closed on Sunday, January 25, with the celebrate the Conversion of St. Paul. The confirmation of one of our collegians helped to make the evening particularly festive. Daniel VanVliet, a doctoral student in mathematics, received the laying on of hands and anointing with oil in the rite of confirmation at the 7:00 PM mass. VanVliet joins the Lutheran movement from the Brethren tradition. A second confirmation for the evening was postponed because of weather conditions. Still, representatives of St. Paul Lutheran Church were on hand as participants.The evening closed on an ecumenical note when our normally diverse attendees were joined by Fr. Hudock. |
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The Rev. Sarah Lee-Faulkner Preaches at ChapelThe Lutheran Campus Ministry was pleased to have The Rev. Sarah Lee-Faulkner, pastor of The Church of the Covenant, Grafton, WV, preach at the 7:00 PM mass on February 1. Pr. Lee-Faulkner serves the only Lutheran-Presbyterian church in the state and additionally provides pastoral services to the Episcopal congregation there. She also serves on the Bi-Synodical Candidacy Committee which is involved in the preparation of candidates for church vocations. Pr. Lee-Faulkner was a graduate student in chemistry at Stanford before pursuing theological studies at Pacific Lutheran Seminary.If you are a pastor of the West Virginia-Western Maryland Synod and would like to preach or preside at the Chapel of Christ the King, contact us. |
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Daniel VanVliet, Sam Chamberlain, and Kevin Shon jumped in the car before
dawn on Monday, February 2, heading north to observe that prognosticator
of all things meteorological the wily and elusive grundsau known as Punxsutawney
Phil. Returning with T-shirts and fond memories, they vow to make
the pilgrimage next year with banners which announce "WVU-LSM Loves Phil."
Reports claim that Sam was even seen on The Weather Channel's broadcast
of the event. Ground Hog Day is also observed as the Feast of the
Presentation of Our Lord.
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Jarrod Sekoski (pictured right) was received into the Lutheran movement
through the rite of confirmation at the Sunday, 7:00 PM, mass on February
15. Sekoski is the second WVU student confirmed this term.
He joins Daniel VanVliet (pictured left) who was confirmed on the Conversion
of St. Paul. Following the confirmation-mass, a reception was held
at which both Sekoski and VanVliet were congratulated. Each was given
a Book of Concord (Kolb & Wengert edition) as a confirmation
present. Those present at the reception received copies of the Small
Catechism.
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Luther's Death Marked with Psycho-Biographical MovieBefore there was Joseph Fiennes, there was Stacy Keach. Hard to believe, we know, but believe it. Keach actually played the great reformer in John Osborne's Luther (1972). Apparently influenced by Erik Erikson's Young Man Luther, the film explores the psychological demons which tortured the law student turned monk and later reformer. A small gathering of students and one faculty member watched the film and then held an impromptu discussion. The campus ministry owns a copy of this hard to locate film. Let us know if you would like to view it. |
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The normally quiet sanctuary of the Chapel of Christ the King rocked with
the sounds of The Pool Boys, a nationally touring Christian Rock band this
past Saturday night (Feb 21). The free concert was underwritten by
the Lutheran Student Movement, Lutheran Campus Ministry, and Kleeb's
Music. Unfortunately, unpleasant weather and numerous competing
events resulted in a lower attendance than hoped for, but those present
enjoyed and found meaningful both the music and the witness of the band.
Following the concert, several members of the audience and the band hung
out in the undercroft for theological conversation. For more about
The Pool Boys, click here. |
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Eight made the Lenten Pilgrimage to Pitt February 29. Half were repeat
pilgrims, and half were first-times. Leaving shortly after mass,
the company stopped at Sarris' Candies for (a not so lenten repast).
The feature event of the evening was compline at Heinz Chapel. Compline
at Heinz Chapel is sponsored by our sister campus ministry in Pittsburgh.
The liturgy is supported by the Pittsburgh Compline Choir...the music is
fantastic! The general atmosphere is best decribed as Medieval. |
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George Herbert Remembered -- Second Annual Literary Wine & Cheese George
Herbert (1593-1633), one of the great metaphysical poets, was remembered
March 1, 2004, the anniversary of his death, at the Lutheran Campus Ministry
with an evening of poetry and conversation in a wine & cheese setting.
Most of those who gathered in the undercroft of the chapel were unfamiliar
with Herbert's work, but the group was blessed to have Dr. Cheryl Torsney,
Associate Provost for Academic Programs, participate. Torsney, an
English Lit professor, has a special fondness for Herbert, which she ably
communicated to those present. "I enjoy these events," says Chaplain
Riegel. "The church has great figures in arts and humanities. Literary
giants, like Herbert, bridge the unfortunate gap between the church and
the academy. We all stand to benefit from the shared exploration
and conversation such occasions provide." Two excellent on-line sites
for Herbert information and literature (his writings and articles about
them) are http://www.luminarium.org/sevenlit/herbert/
and http://www.ccel.org/h/herbert/.
The Wise Library also has a very good collection for Herbert studies.
Throughout Lent 2004, Chaplain Riegel will be expositing Herbert's poetry at the midweek masses. Want to read more about English Literature and the Lutheran Campus Ministry? Click here. |
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Theology on Tap Featured in DATheology on Tap made the front page of the Daily Athenaeum. Feature writer, Rachel Gensler, wrote about this educational program of the Lutheran Campus Ministry for the March 23, 2004, issue. Under the title, "Ministry Group Offers Beer and Bible Study," Ms. Gensler's article provided the best press the campus ministry has received in at least the past four years. Click for the article.Holy Week: Sext, Compline, and TenebraeThe Chapel of Christ the King was the site of the early Holy Week observances this year. A new level of cooperation between St. Paul Lutheran Church and the campus ministry was realized in the coordinating schedules. The two entities were able to offer a minimum of two daily worship opportunities throughout the Great and Holy Week. Holy Monday and Holy Tuesday, days often ignored, featured sext and compline at the Chapel of Christ the King. Sext was also prayed on Holy Wednesday, but the evening offered something different. For the second year, Tenebrae was prayed at the Chapel of Christ the King. This year, instead of a schola, the entire congregation was invited to join in the antiphons and canticles. Prs. Bennett and Riegel and Mr. John Bocan served as cantors. Most Triduum observances have been scheduled for St. Paul. |
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Slated for decommissioning, All Faiths Chapel
in the Health Sciences Center was closed March 1, 2004. In a surprise
move, Dr. Butcher graciously ordered the chapel reopened during Holy Week.
By Holy Tuesday, the space had been reopened, and, on Maundy Thursday,
the Lutheran Campus Ministry at WVU celebrated the noon mass in it.
Closing with the "stripping of the altar," a Maundy Thursday tradition,
the gathered worshipers bid farewell to the space, giving thanks for the
service it has rendered and commending it to other use. Current plans
include converting the space into administrative offices. Dr. Butcher
stated in a phone conversation that a "quiet place for meditation" would
be identified in 12-18 months. Click for
more about All Faiths Chapel. |
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The Lutheran Campus Ministry at WVU received an OK from the Board of Zoning
Appeals of the City of Morgantown, the final step in securing the conditional
use permit which will allow up to seven unrelated people to live in the
house as one residential unit. Appearing before the board at its
April 21 meeting, Chaplain Riegel explained that the permit was necessary
to create the intentional Lutheran residential community envisioned by
the ministry. Without the conditional use permit, no more than three
unrelated people could live in the building which once served as the St.
Paul Lutheran Church parsonage. The hope is to establish a residential
program much like the "Luther houses" found at some other schools.
Regular corporate worship, communal meals, and service to the campus ministry
are part of the covenantal arrangement. Click
to learn more about this project. |
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Operatic Concert Held in ChapelDMA candidate Rob Strauss and three of his students are on their way to Italy, having been accepted into an Italian opera program which means a summer on the boot, studying and singing. To raise funds for the trip, Strauss and his students performed a fund-raising concert in the Chapel of Christ the King on Saturday, April 24. |
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Ken Grant: If I say "Holy Grail," what is the first thing that comes to
your mind?
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Work on Physical Plant ContinuesFailing light fixtures produced a grotto like atmosphere in the chapel undercroft, but, lacking the relics of martyred saints--Chaplain Riegel does have a 3rd class of St. Benedict, but that hardly qualifies--it seemed like a good idea to fix the problem. With the help of student volunteers, the aged fixtures--we believe they date back to the chapel's construction in 1968--were brought down, and new, energy conserving units were installed. Let there be light! Now, not only is there adequate lighting to study, we also salvaged enough older light tubes to pay for nearly 20% of the fixtures.After the lights were installed, two of the students went to work on the landscaping. A large pile of shrubbery, which had been removed from the chapel's frontage, found its way into a chipper. After that pile had been reduced to mulch, the men headed to St. Paul Lutheran Church to attack fallen tree branches. |
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LSM Farewell CookoutThe Lutheran Student Movement held its second annual farewell cookout on Friday evening, April 30. Jokingly referred to as the "low carb cookout," there was a wide variety of proteins grilled and served on the Hough Street lawn of the Lutheran Campus Center. Compline was prayed at 9:00 PM. After the prayer office, everyone adjourned to the undercroft for a showing of Monty Python's In Search of the Holy Grail. |
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Pr. Bennett Saves the DayPr. Brian Bennett of St. Paul Lutheran Church saved the day May 9. Chaplain Riegel, just diagnosed with strep throat, called Bennett only a three hours before the evening mass, and Bennett graciously agreed to fill in. Three cheers for local colleagues and a good town-gown relationship! |
LSMers
Celebrate Grundsau Tag in Punxsutawney
The
Pool Boys in Concert
HSC
Chapel Reopened for Holy Week
