2018-2019 Chapel Theme: "Love, not in word or speech, but in truth or action."
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Upper School
Tuesday, March 18 - Lt. Col. Bob Darling, USMC (Ret)
Upper School students filled the Mainstage Theater for Chapel on Tuesday for a presentation by Retired Lt. Col. Bob Darling, USMC. Mr. Darling shared the intense and fascinating details of his day inside the White House during the 9/11 attacks in 2001. "You need to know your history because history repeats itself," said Mr. Darling. "The White House is the most secure real estate in the world. Yet on 911 the gates were opened and the Secret Service told people to take off their heels and run." Mr. Darling worked alongside Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in the underground White House operations center. "Our job was to give the President options," shared Mr. Darling. Mr. Darling's visit to EA was made possible through the generosity of Walter W. Buckley, Jr. '55.
Thursday, March 21 - Gianna Pantaleo '19: It's Actions, not Words, that Matter
Senior Gianna Pantaleo shared her experience living in Bali, Indonesia on Friday, and the life-long lessons the experience taught her. She recalled first arriving on the Indonesian island and inviting their taxi cab driver to dinner. After declining the invitation, Gianna's parents insisted and Nata joined them. "At the end of dinner, he was crying and thanked us. He said no one invited him to a restaurant before, nor had he been to one," shared Gianna. "Something so trivial to our family had a profound impact on Nata's outlook on life - due to a simple gesture of hospitality." During her stay in Bali, Gianna was impacted by the amount of poverty she observed. (35% of Bali's population lives in poverty.) "What is so interesting is they believe one will be reincarnated based on how you live your life. Good or bad you will bear the consequences of your deeds," explained Gianna. She also connected with a young boy named Puta, who she noticed washing clothes in a river. "This was his job, his responsibility, and he was only seven," said Gianna. "Moments like this taught me to perceive my challengers as an opportunity to connect with others rather than as a true obstacle." In closing, Gianna reminded her classmates, "No matter how small of an impact we may think it has, it will be the one occurrence or interaction that we will remember in college. Let us remember, it's actions, not words, that matter." At the beginning of Chapel, PreK had an encore performance with the Upper School Vocal Ensemble of their special song about living The Stripes.
Middle School
Monday, March 18 - Lent
Chaplain Bert Zug '78 spoke in Chapel about Lent and the start of Lent: Ash Wednesday. "Ash Wednesday is the day when the church contemplates our mortality," said Rev. Zug. He talked about the death of his mother and used a light bulb to illustrate the inevitability of death, quoting the phrase, "Death waits for us like a concrete floor waits for a falling light bulb." Rev. Zug spoke about how our understanding of our mortality should inspire the way we live, using his favorite blessing to illustrate this point: "Life is short. We do not have much time to gladden the hearts of those who travel this journey with us. So let us be quick to love, and make haste to be kind, as we seek to serve the Lord of Compassion," said Rev. Zug.
Lower and Middle School
Wednesday, March 21 - The Joybells of Melmark
The Joybells of Melmark performed for Lower and Middle School students in Chapel on Wednesday, March 20. Father Tim Gavin, Hon. explained to students that EA's community service program works with several partner organizations, including Melmark. "One of the things I love about Melmark is that they also share their gifts with us. That is what a true partnership is," explained Father Tim. Twelve members of the handbell choir performed three songs. The Joybells have performed on The Today Show, at Phillies and Philadelphia 76ers games, The White House, and during Pope Frances' 2015 visit to Philadelphia.
