Rohan Rajagopalan ’14: The Upper School Vestry, Middle and Lower School Chapel councils, and faculty advisors recently decided on “Be not afraid” as the chapel theme for the 2013-2014 school year. The involved students were able to convene to discuss the possible themes and agreed upon “Be not afraid,” a very common phrase in the Bible.
Chaplain Jim Squire described the process behind the decision, saying, “We have had some wonderful senior wardens and they do their best to ensure that everyone’s voice is heard.” Squire emphasized that the theme was a group effort, noting that “the Lower School leadership was not shy and just as verbally involved as everyone else.”
The selection of next year’s theme began after spring break, when the Vestry began receiving submissions from the school community. Senior Warden Connor Boyle said, “Be not afraid was floating around in the beginning of the year [as a possibility].” However, he said the theme “really began to pick up steam as people began hearing about it and re-submitting it.” The combined Chapel Councils and Vestry discussed multiple options including, “Lift every voice,” “Faith working through love,” “It is more blessed to give than to receive,” and “Forgiveness.” Ultimately all parties were satisfied with the choice of the new chapel theme.
According to Boyle, the Vestry wanted “the theme to be inclusive.” Boyle explained, “We wanted a theme that was not too vague and not too specific. Striking that balance was the most important thing.” Squire added, “What the students are trying to do is read what is most important for the student body to be exploring.”
As the most frequently recurring phrases in the New and Old Testaments, “Be not afraid” is able to blend both religious and secular elements. Boyle noted, “Last year we wanted the theme to come from scripture, but that was not a requirement this year… The theme needs to be concise and memorable – something that sticks with you.” Squire added that “The theme has got to be something universal that the whole school can discuss.” Both are optimistic about next year and next year’s theme.
As for the EA community, the response to the theme has been generally positive. Kayla Coleman ’14 said, “I really like it because it doesn’t exclude anyone and is applicable to anyone from any walk of life or religion and is ambiguous enough for everyone to interpret in their own personal way.” Alec Picariello ’15 agreed, saying, “I think it will create an opportunity for speeches different from previous years.”
Although the chapel theme has long been a part of chapel at Episcopal, there is often confusion over its exact role in the program. Squire said that the theme should “tell folks what we think is important for people to be discussing.” However, its role within the speeches has gradually developed. “We tried to make chapel this year more about the speaker and a unique, beneficial speech,” remarked Boyle. “People are no longer obliged or required to mention the theme in their speeches.” As Squire explained, the chapel theme has become used as a way to guide the speaker to “what is important within the community.” The theme, in essence, should provide, as Boyle described, a “direction” for the school year.