Parables about growing seeds are the focus of Oct. 26-30 chapels

Our chapel theme for the week was guided by Mark 4:21-34, the parables of the lamp, growing seed and the mustard seed. 

On Monday, we read the parable of the lamp and considered the gifts that we have and how we can not hide them but use them in ways that honor God. We heard from two students and a teacher, Samantha Camarena, Elizabeth Slater, and Marcus Miller about their gifts, how they discovered and developed them, and how they are using them in daily life.

There was no chapel time on Tuesday because of a planned late start.

Wednesday’s chapel was our annual Pastors’ Appreciation day in which all our pastors are invited to come for a special time together. A video was shown of interviews with students and staff about their pastors. Karen Martens Zimmerly, pastor at First Mennonite Church in Iowa City read a scripture and Josh Lundberg, pastor at Kalona Mennonite Church in Kalona shared some thoughts on that scripture and our theme of the year, “Provoke to Love”. To close our time, we gathered in groups with the pastors leading in a prayer time in the groups.

On Thursday, we read the parables of the growing seed and the mustard seed and watched a video on why Jesus used parables to teach. We also watched a time lapse video of a growing seed and then heard from our librarian, Jane Widmer Yoder, gardener extraordinaire, about the joys and challenges of gardening.

We wrapped up our week with the Hillcrest Academy Praise Band leading our worship through singing.

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