Adding Spice to an Old Tradition

This year at Messmer there is an addition to the school’s traditional prayer service. The students go to their third hour classes after prayer service and take time to reflect.  This gives both the teachers and the students a chance to say how they feel or what message they received from the prayer service. Each week the teachers receive a new list of questions pertaining to that Wednesday’s prayer service to help guide the discussion. 

This new idea of prayer service reflection is so students can be clear on that week’s message and learn more about those in their school community. Prayer Service Director and Theology Teacher Ms. Donna Eddy said, "This is a time to reflect, and to come together as a community.  A time for both teachers and students to share their faith on an equal level of learning." In addition she hopes that the Wednesday discussions have a positive impact on the school. If both the teachers and students are open to the reflection as opposed to participating just because they have to, then they will discover the depth of their faith. Through this new idea, as a high school we all can become active participants. This half an hour or so allows the third hour class as a whole to come together as one. 

The students are expected to enter their third hour class and wait for the teacher to share the questions.  Once the questions are shared all students should take a minute or two to think about their responses.  After thinking about the questions and relating them to the prayer service and themselves, students should then participate in a meaningful discussion. This new idea is still in its beginning stages. Ms.Eddy said, "We will wait until the reflection process has a little bit more experience to tell [how successful it is]." Until then we wait, listen, and reflect.

--Contributed by senior Brittany Harmon