HPU’s Chapel and Religious program takes on New York City
By Ally Ortolani// Organizations Editor
High Point University’s Chapel and Religious Office takes students on religious-based pilgrimages every fall and spring break, either domestically or internationally. Students have been able to visit and serve places such as Haiti, Houston, Texas, Asheville, N.C. and the Triad, N.C. In their most recent trip during this past spring break, the group visited New York City.
Five key elements make up each pilgrimage experience: worship, service, education, discussion and touring. HPU’s Chapel and Religious program allowed students to experience themes within the realm of diversity and inclusion. Themes include the art of service for temporarily unsheltered people, women, gender and queer studies, interfaith and multi-faith dialogue, faith and human suffering and the need for humanitarian aid, which nonetheless includes the ways to support and protect women and girls.
Students involved in the trip were from various denominations from the Christian faith. Some of these denominations include United Methodists, Baptists, Pentecostals, Presbyterians and Catholics.
Despite the possible differences amongst them, all worked together to serve and partook in meaningful conversations about the five themes.
“These students are doing the necessary work and having the difficult conversations that ultimately impact the long-term health of the human experience,” said Andria Williamson, manager of Chapel Programs.
“As we prepare to leave the depths we journeyed to together, may we not forget what we experienced,” Williamson told the group. “May we now more than ever be vigilant to listen to ourselves and for our calling, to practice aggressive self-care, to seek the resources we need and to constantly build the systems of support that sustain and maintain our holistic health and the collective health and protection of the human experience until our work here on earth is done.” Williamson also illustrated how this experience is impactful for HPU students.
Themes of diversity, worship and the arts or service for people who are temporarily unsheltered were some of the themes experienced on the past pilgrimage to New York City during the spring break trip in March 2019.
These themes were brought to life through the First Corinthian Baptist Church, Hillsong Church, Jan Hus Presbyterian, Redeemer Presbyterian, Metro Community Church, Riverside Church, Metropolitan Museum of Arts, all of which are in New York City.
“To witness actions of love from the men and women we’ve served alongside, as well as my fellow students this week, has been truly encouraging,” said Maddy O’Connor, who currently served as a Board of Stewards as a freshman at HPU. “Those on the pilgrimage alongside me have been used as vessels of the purest form of goodwill, motivated by the blessings and godly love we realize have been granted to us in abundance.”
“My hope is that the various institutions and individuals we’ve met this week have planted meaningful ideas, and will allow us to cultivate schools of thought which we might tend to and use to improve our world as they grow and form along with us,” added O’Connor.
During the March 2019 excursion, students like O’Connor also visited places like Union Theological Seminary, World Trade Center 9/11 Memorial, John Street United Methodist Church, Harlem Proper, St. John of the Divine, Wall Street, Slave Trade Market and Hamilton/Trinity Church.
“I would say everything was of impact in its own way,” said Williamson. “This includes navigating the culture and pace of the city, living with someone you may or may not know very well, experiencing and having conversation about each of the listed themes with persons you may or may not know and who may not share your belief, worshipping in a variety of worship settings within the Christian tradition, having interfaith and multi-faith dialogue around faith and human suffering. It was a deep and challenging journey that many students craved. And, if you’d witnessed from my eyes, you would be completely inspired by the difficult and necessary work these students are doing with and for each other. So much grace extended, so much compassion, so much courage to challenge each other forward, so much trust, understanding, correction, support, care, kindness and education. So much love.”
There are a lot of ways students can get involved with the Chapel community at HPU. Every Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. students can attend weekly worship or attend Bible study on Thursdays at 5 p.m. in the Hayworth Chapel. Communion is served on Thursdays at noon in the Hayworth Chapel.
Students can also get involved by applying to be a member of the Board of Stewards in the Chapel community at HPU.
“The Board of Stewards mission is to serve God, the Chapel, the University and the High Point community by fostering initiatives of spiritual formation, service and philanthropy, creative worship and community outreach,” said Williamson.
Each week, the board serves in the chapel as worship and small group Bible study leaders. They also lead the Chapel community and university-at-large in a fall and spring service project that connects to a local faith-based or other nonprofit organization in the city of High Point. Those interested are encouraged to apply in both fall and spring semesters.
For more information on how to get involved with the Chapel community, be sure to follow HPU Chapel on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Or, visit David Hayworth Hall Suite 200 and ask about their 15 campus ministries.
To get in contact with the Chapel community, email either manager of Chapel Programs Andria Williamson at awilla5@highpoint.edu or religiouslife@highpoint.edu.
Images above are from HPU’s Chapel and Religious spring break pilgrimage to New York City in March 2019. Photos by Andria Williamson