My Impact Statement

I was asked to write a statement about how the vandalism to the chapel impacted me, I added some about the impact on the community as a whole, but this is what I have submitted.

I am part of the chapel community or as I like to call it the chapel family.  I have been a part of this community since I stepped foot on campus my first year and I have come to love and be loved by those who call the chapel home.  The chapel for me was and is a safe place to go. It has been a refuge in times of heartache and a place where I can simply be in the presence of God without fear or worry.

Saturday morning I received many messages from my brothers and sisters in the chapel community.  I was sent pictures, I had people driving to my house and I eventually to campus to be those who were deeply hurt by what they found Saturday morning. Our house, the chapel, is an open space. It is a space where one can go and be who they are without worry of judgment.  In our house we have a table where we gather to share a simple meal, sharing the bread and passing the cup serving one another.  To find our table desecrated was heartbreaking, angering, and sorrow. 

In our house, we have many pews, our form of a chair.  In these pews I have held friends, been held by friends, and often times sat alone having arguments with myself and God.  The questions left on our chairs Friday evening hurt many members of my family.  They caused pain, they caused us to feel violated, they caused me to think about the time I have spent in silent reflection sitting in those seats.  In our house we have one of the most simple and beautiful stained glass windows where we can sit and see the sun shine through and penetrate a dark place in our home and often times in our lives.  To find black crosses, upside down beside an image that brings light into the darkest places of my own faith journey made me angry.  It upset me that darkness seemed to have a hold of our house.  Thankfully I remembered that darkness does not overcome the light.

The fear and worry I had came from a place of not knowing why the chapel, a home for many, was desecrated.  What had my family done to bring this about? What could we have done to prevent it? Are we safe in our own home. These questions are not just mine, but have been echoed by my brothers and sisters over the last few days.  In the end I am thankful that if it had to happen, it happened to a community that stands on love.  For I fear other groups, communities, or families on campus may have acted out of revenge of some sort. 

I am still hurt when I think back to what we found on Saturday morning, but I am not angry, I am not vengeful. I have hope because love of neighbor has won. I have faith that the chapel is a sacred and safe space regardless of what took place Friday evening.  I am proud that my family of brothers and sisters has come together in support for one another in a very uncertain time for us. But I do wonder if anyone-  besides our family- noticed the pain? Did a thought cross the mind of the person who entered our home and violated our space of how it would affect us? 

In the end our feelings of being violated and having our home vandalized effected each of us differently, for me it was a feeling of violation and as if my home were no longer welcoming.  For some the space still feels that way. But we stand together as a community and a family ready to move on and continue being love to this campus.

Respectfully Submitted,

Krista

Advent First Friday 12/3

Today I stray from the lectionary. I am spending the night in Louisville with my family. After hearing of my brothers desires to enlist in the military I thought I should come home and talk to him and be here with my family in a rather difficult time.

While talking to my brother I realized he is doing this. He has thought it through and feels like this is where he is going in life. Bible verses started running through my mind and I started sharing them with my brother.

I have to say that I am 100000% anti-violence, anti-war, and 10000000% prayer warrior for peace in our world.
BUT Knowing that this is what my little brother is going to do I want to be supportive so I shared with him these two verses...

No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. -John 15:13
We know that all things work together for goodGod makes all things work together for good, or in all things God works for good');" onmouseout="return nd();">^* for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. -Romans 8:28

In the John passage Jesus is giving a reminder of his commandment to love one another and says that there is no greater love than laying down your life for a friend. My brother whether I agree with him or not is doing something very noble, very loving for the sake of his country. He is willing to risk his life.

Before he finishes his enlistment we are going to get a tattoo together. Romans 8:28 and I'm going to remember him every time I see it. I will remember that God does work all things together for the good of those who love God and who are called according to God's purpose...My brother (again whether I agree or disagree) is doing what he feels called and led to do. And I believe 100% that my brother will be turning to God as a rock and as his salvation.
My brother is one of my best friends, he always will be. I love him and as much as I really...really...really don't want him to do this...I have to trust that God will work all things together for good, I have to trust that my brother will be okay (whatever that means) I have to trust that this is what is right for him, I have to...I have to.

Challenged by a Song

I love music, especially music that happens to make you stop and ponder the lyrics. Over the last week I have heard a song time and time again on the radio and the words have echoed through me even as I get out of my car and go on doing whatever I was out to do. This song is by christian artist Matt Maher, the title is Hold Us together and the lyrics below are of the chorus:

"Love, will, hold us together, make us a shelter to weather the storm. And I'll, be, my brothers keeper, so the whole world will know that we're not alone. 'Cause even in the dark you can still see the light, It's gonna be alright. "--Matt Maher, Hold us Together

Love, which binds all things together in perfect harmony will hold us together. Love, the commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves, to love God with all of our hearts, minds, and souls, will let the whole world know that we're not alone. Love it is the greatest gift we have to offer, because it was the greatest gift given to us in Christ.
Love will hold us together, love will push and pull us to want to be our brother and sisters keepers, then the whole world will know that we are in it together. Love will show the orphans that they are not alone but indeed they are loved beyond their imagination. Love will put together the cities around the world that have been destroyed by floods. Love will provide for a family who is facing hard times during the economic hardships. Love will stop in and visit the widow. Love will bring communities together instead of breaking them apart. Love will change the world one moment at a time, one day at a time, one week at a time.

And these three remain, faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love. For God so loved the world that He sent his one and only Son so that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. And love binds all things together in perfect harmony. (1 Corinthians 13:13 ,John 3:16, Colossians 3:4)

Will you be your brother/sisters keeper? Will you love as you have been loved? Even in the dark we can still see the light, go, shine, be Christ to your neighbors, be Christ to the world. Go and light the way...It's gonna be alright.

Peace,
KP