The summer is nearly over. You can tell it is nearly September. Early in the day, should you be up , the sun has not risen and the Globe awaits on the edge of darkness. Come November the morning will be light and the evening dark but now the sound of travel cases is heard on the sidewalk as frosh arrive. They come from every corner of our world and they bring with them the stuff of their lives: clothes to wear, music to listen to, phones to connect them with family and friends, faiths to live by, with and over against. The Chaplaincy begins to stir and W-ll is alive with activity.
On August 28 Hillel Shabbat Services at 6 PM followed by a community dinner.
On August 29 Hillel Orthodox Shabbat Services will be held at 9:00 in W-11 with lunch at 12:00 pm.
On Sunday, August 30th, Orientation begins and services will be held across campus. Some are surprised by the amount of religious activity on campus; they shouldn't be. MIT is a diverse community with a plethora of faith communities represented. W-11, on the corner of Amherst Street and Massachusetts Avenue is the center of religious activities.
On August 30:
The Tech Catholic Community will gather for at 9 AM for Mass in Kresge.
A Welcome Worship Service will be held at 9:30 AM in the MIT Chapel sponsored by the Lutheran Episcopal Ministry and the Protestant Student Community.
The Baptist Brunch and service will be held in W-11, the Main Dining Room at 9:30.
These services precede the President's Convocation at 11 AM in Killian Court (Rain location, Rockwell Cage).
In the afternoon, the Chaplain to the Institute will officiate at the wedding David Griffith and Emily Huhn. Their wedding will be the eighth wedding I have officiated at since school ended in May.
In the weeks ahead, many activities originating with our religious communities will take place. For example:
The Dalai Lama Center for Ethics and Transformative Values
The Attention Revolution
a multimethod inquiry into meditation, cognition, emotion, and motivation
Speakers: Cilfford Saron and B. Alan Wallace
September 11, 2009 at 6PM
Venue: MIT (TBA)
Addir Fellows
"From Womb to Tomb: Cultural and Religious Practices of Life Cycle Events among World Religions"
Main Dining Room in W11 on Tues. 9/22 7:30 PM
The Chaplain's Seminar
October 21, 2009
7:30 PM
"Searching for God in Godforsaken Times and Places"
Dr. Hubert G. Locke
Location: TBA
Watch for other events in this vibrant world wide community of faiths.
News from MIT's Chaplain to the Institute
