Chapel

Students from the Trinity Institute for Leadership and Social Justice spoke to the Boston Trinity Community on Wednesday morning. Will Echols, this year's Trinity Institute Prefect, began by giving a short introduction to the Institute, stating that it empowers students to live out faith, integrity, and service as they integrate these into their education. He invited all who were listening to open their hearts to hear God's voice and find what His peace means for us in the midst of hardship.

The Boston Trinity community was treated once again to a duet by SooYoung Hwang and Elie Chalumeau as they played, from separate spaces, the hymn "It is Well With my Soul" by Horatio Spafford. Afterwards, Chapel attendees were spellbound as Mr. David Mawhinney, BTA's Director of Admission, spoke from Psalm 103 about boredom and fear: feelings which many people, both in our community and in the world at large, are currently experiencing.

"Christ is risen!" exclaimed Mrs. Ingrid Hill, Boston Trinity middle school History teacher, as she began her Chapel message Wednesday morning. "But before Christ is risen, there is a lot of trouble. There is panic, confusion, betrayal, death, despair... after that is the resurrection."

Mrs. Hill confessed her own recent fears as she struggled to learn what was necessary in order to move to online classrooms. "There was a steep learning curve," she said, referring to where she was in her technical knowledge compared to where she needed to be. She had tried so hard to learn Zoom and the online classroom format, but found herself in a panic because she just couldn't get it. She became frustrated to the point of tears, and texted her son, asking him to pray, saying, "I am a total failure. Like total."

Each year Boston Trinity Academy observes a special service the week before Easter, holding Chapel on Maundy Thursday rather than the usual Wednesday morning. This year Reverend Dr. Garrett Smith (Zach '23, Daliya '24) gave a lesson on the Passover, explaining the symbols of the Seder and how Jesus is revealed in Passover. Exodus chapter 12 relates the account of the origin of Passover, God's deliverance of the Israelites who had been enslaved under Pharaoh. God instructed the Israelites to observe the Passover "each year, from generation to generation" (Exodus 12:14). It is a seven day period when all yeast is removed from the home. "Leaven is symbolic of sin," Rev. Smith said. "Getting rid of yeast symbolizes getting rid of sin."

On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand…

Social distancing and being quarantined has not stopped Boston Trinity Academy from meeting together to praise and worship our great God! The Chapel service began on Wednesday morning with a beautiful duet by SooYoung Hwang (clarinet) and Elie Chalumeau (cello), playing together from separate places. They performed the hymn “My Hope is Built on Nothing Less” by Robert Critchley, which shares the precious promise that Christ is our anchor, our solid rock, and we can rest on His unchanging grace.

At the conclusion of the song, Spiritual Life Prefect Sadie Elliott-Hart encouraged our community with a powerful message. “This isn’t what we’re used to,” Sadie said. While we all have different responses to this new situation, we have the commonality of uncertainty. She discussed three feelings we might be experiencing at this time.