Mennonite Weekly Review

LANCASTER, Pa. — For years, Lancaster Mennonite High School students have begun most school days with chapel. Now they also are part of planning it.

The chapel planning committee at Lancaster Mennonite High School is composed of, seated from left: Sam Stoner, Marcy Hostetler, Ye Jin Kwon, Jon Heinly, Solomon Rudy, Sharon Sheppard. Standing, from left: Lisa Weaver, Dorcas Lehman, Brooke Phipps, Hans Weaver, Dana Hiestand, Ethel-Ruth Tawe. Missing is Miles Yoder. — Photo provided by LMS

In the fall the school formed a committee of nine students and four faculty members to plan chapel services, which take place every weekday except Wednesday.

Besides helping to plan about one chapel a month, the students provide feedback on chapels in general as they try to be the voice of the students. In addition, the students are encouraged to take part in the chapels.

The nine students were chosen by the four adults on the committee: Jon Heinly, youth minister; Miles Yoder, principal; Dorcas Lehman, campus pastor; and Marcy Hostetler, music teacher.

“It was important to us that we were balanced between male and female, that each grade was represented, that we had some racial-ethnic diversity, and that we had the residence hall represented,” Heinly said. “Ultimately, our hope was that the student body would feel represented by the team that was put together and that chapels would connect with more students.”

Having more students on the committee “has also given us the chance to hear about gifts and abilities within the student body that we may have overlooked in the past,” Heinly said.

Hans Weaver, a senior and committee member, believes student participation on the committee is vital.

“Chapels are essentially for the students,” he said. “So I think it’s important for them to have a voice in what they want to see in chapel.”

The planning committee and the chance to participate in the chapel services also help students to learn leadership skills.

Committee member Brooke Phipps, a junior, is pretty sure she wants to be in a leadership position someday and believes the committee and chapel involvements will help prepare her.

“I think I am developing very good leadership skills,” she said. “I also think it’s very beneficial to work with a team. That will further prepare me for group work later on in life.”

At the Kraybill, Lancaster, Locust Grove and New Danville campuses, chapel services for pre-kindergarten through grade eight are held once a week, and on days when no chapel is held, teachers often lead homeroom devotions.