We gather in a circle, hand in hand, and scan the faces of those standing in our midst. It is 8:30pm on Wednesday night, and most of us are undoubtedly feeling spent after full days of classes, work, internship and studying. And still, we gather. We take the hand of those nearest to us and we pray –
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit
With blessing behind us. With blessing before us. With blessing to our right, and blessing to our left. With blessing all around us, we journey into Christ.
With beauty behind us. With beauty before us. With beauty to our right, and beauty to our left. With beauty all around us, we journey to a holy place, indeed.
Glory to the Father, who so loved the world; the Son, who lived, died and rose again, that we might know life; and the Spirit, who births life in unexpected places.
As it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever,
Amen.
This is what the end of nearly every Student Leadership meeting looks like at The Seattle School, and it is how I have spent many Wednesday evenings for the past year. We are different ages, in different degree programs, from different cohorts, we are single, married, and we are here, all of us, with the shared desire of serving “our” Seattle School and Seattle-area community. What I have found during my time on Student Leadership is that as we serve our community with one another, we also find ourselves serving one another.
This past year has been marked by great loss and grief in my own life. There were, admittedly, many Wednesdays when I didn’t want to, or didn’t think I physically or emotionally could, show up to Student Leadership meetings. I was exhausted, grieved and almost certain that I had nothing to give. But, in showing up, I had the opportunity to gather at the dinner table with the other members, share stories of my grief and receive heartfelt prayers, support and words of encouragement. My deepest sense of place at this school has been found in Student Leadership, and it is through this organization where I find myself being infused with life, joy, wisdom, growth and friendship, all while strategically and prayerfully discerning how best to serve our community.
What I now know of community, through my time on Student Leadership, is that here, I am invited and desired to show up, regardless of how “chaotic” I feel. Student Leadership is not a place where the fittest come together to serve; but, instead, we show up as is, we do what we can out of our love for our school and we stand alongside, listen to, and support one another wholeheartedly along the way.
As we gather on Wednesdays to plan forums and events for the school, I have become unspeakably aware of the beauty and blessing that truly is all around me. It is a holy place, indeed.