What’s
a wing chapel? (Continued)
Last week I begin to explain What’s a wing chapel.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the students get together
in groups. Each hallway in a dorm at Patrick Henry College is called a wing. At
the helm of the wing is the RA or Resident Assistant. These students are there
to make sure the students of that particular selection of rooms is surviving
and thriving, and preferably the latter of those two. The RA’s are in charge of
leading these wing chapels.
Like the student wide-gatherings, these smaller
chapels at Patrick Henry College last about forty minutes and generally feature
whatever material the RA’s have decided upon.
One of my personal favorite wing-chapel ideas was to
read the Screw Tape Letters by C.S. Lewis on how the enemy tempts young
Christians. It was rather out of the box, but still very grounded in scripture
and spurred a good deal of conversation.
In the past students have read other books by C.S.
Lewis, had Bible-studies, prayer groups, and many other ideas. It’s really up
to the wing itself how best to pursue their spiritual life alongside their
peers.
Wing
chapel in the school year
Wing Chapel is a priority at Patrick Henry College.
While many students can sometimes find themselves wishing they had just a few
more hours in bed instead of a Bible-study, the faculty sincerely believes that
every student has to make fellowship with other believers—specifically in a
Bible-study context—a regular practice of life at Patrick Henry College.
To encourage participation and continued attendance,
students often cover themes or topics in a series. This might include a study
of a certain book of the body like a Gospel or an Epistle. Sometimes it’s true
that students attempt to bite off more than they can chew. Some subjects, like
the mysteries of Revelations, are simply not bible-study material.
That being said, the administration places great
emphasis on students choosing the subject of their study. Additionally,
students may request faculty involvement. While the professors at Patrick Henry
College don’t have the time to routinely attend wing chapels, the student body
is small enough that they can pop in once in a while to contribute their
experience and wisdom. It’s not terribly uncommon to see Dr. Darrel Cox, the
professor of Theology at Patrick Henry College, to attend wing chapels. He in
particular is deeply vested in the spiritual growth of the students around him
and does whatever he can to make sure they have the resources they need.
Author Bio
Leo Briceno is currently studying Political
Journalism at Patrick Henry College; a classical Christian liberal arts college
in Purcellville, Virginia. Leo has grown up in Norther Virginia and after
graduation, plans to stay in the area to work in the news industry in
Washington D.C.
