Students and Faculty Observe Lent

As we enter into a new year, a new semester and the beginning of spring, we also begin the season of Lent. Messiah College helped students celebrate by providing an Ash-Wednesday service held in Hostetter Chapel.Approximately 150 students attended. It was organized by Corrie Gustafson, a Resident Director who also works for College Ministries.

Gustafson spent time working at Hershey Medical Center as a chaplain. Gustafson says it was there that he met an ideal candidate to lead the community in this year's service. She asked Linda McCauliff, pediatric chaplain at the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and ordained minister with the Church of the Brethren to design the service.

Gustafson says, "I knew that a hospital chaplain, who daily encounters the suffering, loss, pain, shock and death of others, would have a unique and beneficial perspective to share as we prepare for and enter into an observance of Lent."

The service followed the lines of a traditional Ash Wednesday service with the reading of scripture and the imposition of ashes. Gustafson says she and the celebrant shaped the service knowing that people of all traditions would be attending.

Holly Cope, a senior biology major, and Lauren Bourdon, a senior business administration major, both attended the Ash-Wednesday service.

Cope says, "I thought the Ash Wednesday service was an excellent way to kick off lent. The message given at the service was applicable to everyone's lives and was a good encouragement for me."

Gustafson said that in preparation for the Ash-Wednesday service she spoke with many students and discussed what they were giving up. She said some students told her they are giving up Facebook, television or various foods.

Gustafson says she and three other students are striving to only use positive and constructive speech about others and themselves. She says he finds the practice of self denial during Lent easier with the help and encouragement of others.

Lauren Bourdon says she also finds accountability to be helpful. She says, "I think supporting each other in whatever we are fasting from is the best thing we can do as a community."

Messiah College Pastor, Eldon Fry, says that Lent is an important time to re-prioritize his life. "I can get so caught up in my spirituality that I lose the real love for Christ and the realization of what He has done for me and for others," says Fry.

He says this year he is trying to evaluate the amount of space he gives to Christ. "I am giving up some very personal things but most of all I am attempting to think about what I am giving to," Fry says.

In addition to the Ash-Wednesday service, Eldon Fry said College Ministries will have several chapels, highlighting Lent at a variety of levels as we focus on reconciliation. He says they will also focus on Holy Week before Easter break.

To help students grow deeper in their experience in Lent, The Bridge Online asked the College Ministries pastors to recommend resources. This list can be found on the Messiah College website under The Bridge magazine website.