PACA High School Students listen to high school coordinator, Ben Clark, read the opening scripture for the chapel service on September 9. [by Oliver Hsieh]
by Oliver Hsieh
PACA’s school chaplain, Lucas Ham Swisher (known as Mr. Ham), made an interactive experience in the chapel service for the PACA High schoolers on Wednesday, September 9 through his questions called the “Hot Seat” where students answered important reflective questions about themselves and their spiritual journeys.
Every week, Mr. Ham organizes a chapel service for secondary students to attend in the place of their normal elective class period. Middle school students come together in the auditorium during their seventh period class and high school students attend during eighth period.
Mr. Ham’s focus during these chapel services was to give students a moment to hear someone talk to students about spiritual life and to increase the students’ understanding of God.
Sometimes, Mr. Ham invites an outside guest to come and speak to the students. Other times, he will pull a passage from the Bible to share with them.
To begin the service, the high school coordinator, Mr. Ben Clark, read a Bible passage from 1 Corinthians 13. The chapel continued with singing two songs to glorify the Lord and led by the worship team. These two songs were “Revelation Song” by Kari Jobe and “Tu És” by Fhop music.
Sean Cho, the lead singer of the worship team for the high school chapel, chose which sings to use for every chapel service.
Sean Cho, has been a volunteer worship leader for PACA chapels for at least two years now and he shared his feelings for spreading the word of God through song.
“[I feel] humbled,” said Cho, “because I’m not the one who speaks to people at worship. God uses me to speak to others in chapel and in ways I am being used as an instrument. It’s not me that’s speaking, it’s God speaking to them through me.”
After the worship time was complete, Mr. Ham began his “Hot Seat” activity. Students answered Mr.Ham’s hot seat questions with the neighbors sitting close by. The first question was “Who or what has been giving you joy,energy or purpose?” Students turned to share the answer of this question with others sitting nearby.
“My family, my friends, and primarily God,” said Bernardo Regis, a freshman student at PACA.
After students had a chance to talk among each other, seniors and juniors were chosen to answer this question to the whole group. Mr. Ham took the time to highlight a verse which was attached to this question. He read Proverbs 11̣:25 to the group.
The second question Ham asked the group was, “If you keep living your way, where will you end up?” Then he allowed for students to answer this question with their classmates once again. Arthur Lobato was sitting with his fellow classmates from the tenth grade.
“I think I’ll end up fine and my future will be fine, ”Arthur Lobato, as he reflected on the verse that came with that question from Galatians 6:7-9.
The third and last question that Mr. Ham asked the students was this, “Who or what have you been turning to in difficulty?” Mr. Ham gave some examples from his own life before giving students to share among themselves.
This question was a deep question and the verse that was attached to it was Isaiah
59:10.
“Friends, family, and God,” said Liv Schimenes, when thinking about the deep question and verse reflection, in Isaiah 59:10, that was presented with the question.
Nearing the end of the service, Mr. Ham gave the students some time to pray alone with God
and to talk to him. Mr.Ham concluded the chapel service with a closing prayer.
Mr. Ham is the school chaplain and a Bible teacher at PACA. The focus of the chapel services for both middle and high school students, was explained by Mr. Ham as how these verses can relate to situations in a person’s life.
”Our faith should never be passive; it should be actively pursued,” said Ham. “Particularly God should be actively pursued, and He and our faith should be something we talk about and not something we listen about.”
This chapel service was more of an interactive event rather than one person talking and the rest of the students paying attention. Students were more interactive and more talkative about the subject during this time that was given.
Most chapel services are organized and planned by Mr. Ham. In the next few weeks, each high school grade will be organizing and planning out their own chapel service to share with the middle school and high school students.
