Welcome to the new blog — this is Valerie the Protestant Chaplain and this is my blog. I will use it to announce events and reflect further on sermons or Bible Studies or other events on campus. If you want to visit the old blog, it will remain on line at fsc.brontes.org.

For most of you, the summer is almost over, the last hours are being worked at the job, packing might also have started. I don’t know about you, but this has been a particularly good summer. The weather was amazing and things seemed peaceful in the US (which we know this is not the case in most parts of the world. I hope this peace continues and spreads.

This year is my fourth at FSC. It feels in many ways as if I have just really started. I am trying a few new things this year. We  continue striving for that worship space where we can encounter God through praise and worship and the reading of scripture and teaching. We will be purchasing a license that will give us access to more contemporary music, however, we will sing some of the favorite of the hymns. The goal is that our Wednesday services will move with the Spirit, be a place where our spirits are refreshed, renewed and challenged to grow in our love for God and each other.

We are also planning a lot of events, however, I am hoping that people realize that we don’t except everyone to attend every event. As students, you should be protective of your time. However, we offer a variety of fellowship opportunities so that you can 1)get to know each other — which enriches the worship experience and 2) have fun! All are invited to the fellowship and fun events, even if you don’t attend the worship services.  Stay tuned for these events.

And finally, I hope that this site will be a place where I will post information about the two teaching outlets I provide as Protestant Chaplain. The first involve the sermons that I periodically preach. I may expound further on information related to my research of the sermon. The first service is Sept 12 at 7:30 p.m. in the HECC.

The second involves a monthly Bible Study based on a community effort to read the New Testament in nine months — at the rate of one chapter a day. The first of these monthly Bible Studies will be Sept 23 at 4 p.m. on campus.

And finally, I am looking for input about a social outreach project for the year. Last year, I took a group of New England students to New York to learn about homelessness. I could repeat this project, but we have other options, including a trip to El Salvador or a trip to the Gulf Coast to help with Katrina relief. I will hold a meeting in the near future to discuss what options would work well for you.

Well, I hope you enjoy the rest of your summer. I will be posting a sermon I gave this past summer at the CHS.

More later…