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Parish Episcopal School
Parish Episcopal School
Parish Episcopal School

daily chapel

As a Christian school firmly rooted in the Episcopal tradition, Parish is an inclusive community grounded in respect and honor for each of our members. The religious diversity of our school community provides a magnificent opportunity to foster the spiritual formation of our students from a variety of faith backgrounds.

Lower school students attending chapel at the Hillcrest Campus.

There are five daily grade-specific chapel services that center our community life. 

On both campuses, students, faculty, and staff gather for a service of morning prayer adapted for young people from The Book of Common Prayer each morning. During this time of prayer, reading from the Bible, reflections in the form of a homily (short sermon), and singing, the community is invited to begin the day with a time of reflection. Though not all of our families are Christian, students are invited to participate based on their comfort or the comfort level of their parents according to their age. We ask that everyone stands together and sits together, and beyond that no one is required to speak the words of the prayers or sing the songs. 

While our campus chaplains shepherd our chapel program and often speak during the homily time, we also hear from a variety of voices from around the school community. Additionally, each school year we mark other major religious holidays in the chapel space by inviting our students and families to present about their own faith traditions.

There are a variety of opportunities for student leadership in the chapel space, as well. On the Hillcrest campus, students in Kindergarten, Primer, and 1st grades, rotate by class carrying the cross and school banner in our procession into and out of chapel. In 2nd grade, students are invited to serve as chapel assistants, sitting up front with the chaplain and either leading prayers or giving instructions. On the Midway campus, students have similar roles in addition to the opportunities to give homilies and to serve as part of the Altar Guild.

I was glad when they said to me, Let us go to the house of the Lord.psalm 122:1