LEM Events 2011-2012

Triennial General Convention of the Episcopal Church

July 5-12 | Indianapolis, IN

LEM student president Paul Quimby participated in this important gathering, and posted his insights and experiences on the LEM Facebook page.

3rd Annual Ecumenical Pentecost Picnic

Friday, May 25 |5-8:00pm| Kresge BBQ Pit #1

LEM was the host with the most Friday afternoon, as folks from all sorts of ministries and random hungry passers by enjoyed burgers, dogs and some on the fly church history lessons! There were vittles and lawn toys for the finals week weary, and a good time was had by all.

Student Preachers@ LEM

Wednesdays in Easter|5:15pm|MIT Chapel

On Wednesdays in Lent, LEM students offered their reflections at the 5:15 Eucharist. While preaching is a live medium, our speakers have generously sent along their base texts, for all to see and enjoy.

Paul Quimby
Joshua Anderson
Kim Jackson

LEM@ CAMPUS PREVIEW WEEKEND

Welcome Table in W20

Friday, April 20|10am-3pm|Student Center

Center LEM students and chaplains let Pre-Frosh know that no matter their tradition or beliefs, there will always be a place for them at LEM's table.

Sacred Space: Eye of the CPW Storm

Friday, April 20|8-10pm|Chapel

LEM hosted two hours of meditative silence in the MIT chapel. Student Steering Committee member Josh Anderson created a beautiful, peaceful space for prayer, silence, and reflection.

CPW Midway

Saturday, April 21|1-3:00 (Set up at 12:30)|Johnson Athletic Center

Members of LEM gave out cups of water, gliders, and warm smiles to rattled pre-frosh as they were buffeted about by the winds of aggressive student groups.

Sunday Morning Worship with PSCOMM

Sunday, April 22|11am|Chapel

LEM teamed up with PSCOMM to offer a Sunday Morning Worship service in the Protestant tradition.

Holy Week
Our Journey to Easter

March 28 Palm Wednesday

Join us in celebrating “Palm Wednesday” during our 5:15 worship in the chapel.

Maundy Wednesday

On Wednesday, April 4th, we shared a communal meal at which we commemorated The Last Supper, and remembered how Jesus washed the feet of the disciples as we were invited to participate in this ancient ritual of hospitality and humility.

Solemn Good Friday

On Friday, April 6th, we gathered in a darkened chapel to remember Jesus’ crucifixion with a simple service of reading and prayer and reflection.

Easter Vigil at the SSJE monastery

On Sunday, April 8th, we experienced the Vigil with the brothers at the SSJE monastery near Harvard Square. The service was amazing! After the service, we came "home" and enjoyed a sunrise feast together in W11.

LEM@ CAMPUS PREVIEW WEEKEND

Welcome Table in W20

Friday, April 20|10am-3pm|Student Center

Center LEM students and chaplains let Pre-Frosh know that no matter their tradition or beliefs, there will always be a place for them at LEM's table.

Sacred Space: Eye of the CPW Storm

Friday, April 20|8-10pm|Chapel

LEM hosted two hours of meditative silence in the MIT chapel. Student Steering Committee member Josh Anderson created a beautiful, peaceful space for prayer, silence, and reflection.

CPW Midway

Saturday, April 21|1-3:00 (Set up at 12:30)|Johnson Athletic Center

Members of LEM gave out cups of water, gliders, and warm smiles to rattled pre-frosh as they were buffeted about by the winds of aggressive student groups.

Sunday Morning Worship with PSCOMM

Sunday, April 22|11am|Chapel

LEM teamed up with PSCOMM to offer a Sunday Morning Worship service in the Protestant tradition.

Student Preachers @ LEM

Wednesday, April 25|5:15pm|Chapel

For the next four Wednesdays, LEM students will offer their reflections to the community at the 5:15 Eucharist. If necessary, some will use words.

Installation of The Rev Kari Jo Verhulst

Wednesday, April 18th in the MIT Chapel

Kari Jo Verhulst was installed as our Lutheran Chaplain! It was a beautiful service. We were blessed with members of Kari Jo's family, other MIT affiliated clergy and local Lutheran leaders. Chaplain to the Institute, Bob Randolph, preached. Congratulations Kari Jo!

February 29 Interfaith Supper: LEM and Hillel

Rabbi Michelle Fisher and Hillel students joined LEM for a communal Kosher meal, and a rich conversation about worship practices, community, and faith.

Winter retreat

Friday February 10th – Sunday February 12th at Camp Calumet in NH.

A group of us travelled to New Hampshire for a weekend of outdoor fun and time together. We spent Saturday morning delving into questions about Christian faith and practice, and re-gathered in the evening to try out different prayer practices in the beautiful stillness of a starlit winter’s night.

Wednesday Night After Dinner Conversations with leaders of Non-Christian Faith Communities

7:00-8:00 W11 Large Dining Room

Every week after worship and dinner, the LEM community explores, often with a visiting speaker or presenter, ideas that relate to faith. During this past IAP, we enjoyed a series of conversations with leaders of non-Christian faith communities.

Other IAP and Early Winter LEM Events

February 8

Bishop V. Gene Robinson has asked to reschedule his visit to LEM for next fall. Join us still for worship, dinner, and fellowship beginning at 5:15 in the chapel.

February 15

We broke out a variety of hymnals (including the folk one!) and took turns calling out numbers in our annual Hymn Sing.

November 23 Agape Thanksgiving

5:15 W11 Large Dining Room

On the Wed before Thanksgiving we came together in fellowship and thanksgiving and shared a potluck thanksgiving supper and Eucharist.

An Evening with Phyllis Tickle

Tuesday, November 29
5:00 PM - 7:30 PM
St. Paul's Cathedral 138 Tremont Street, Boston

Co-sponsored by Life Together, the Boston Area Chaplaincies, and the Cathedral Church of St. Paul.

Members of LEM joined the Boston Area Chaplaincies (bac) and this year's Life Together fellows for a supper conversation with Phyllis Tickle, Emergent Church guru and author of The Great Emergence: How Christianity Is Changing and Why. Tickle spoke about historical shifts in culture and faith, and offered a hopeful vision of the changes we are living through.

Light supper provided. Please RSVP to jdonohue@mit.edu

December 14 Festival of Lessons and Carols

5:15 Service of light, word and song, MIT Chapel
6:30 Christmas Caroling in Lobby 7
7:00 Free Banquet W11 Large Dining Room

We filled the chapel and Lobby 7 with beautiful music and a joyous, peaceful spirit at our 14th annual Lessons and Carols festival. This year we were blessed with the vocal offerings of Cross Products—an MIT Christian a cappella group, and Coro Allegro—the Boston-area classical LBGT chorus, along with members of the MIT Symphony Orchestra. Special thanks to Chaplain to the Institute Bob Randolph for co-sponsoring this event.

Paperless Music Workshop

Oct 19, 6:30 W11

The fantastic Emily Scott who started St. Lydia Dinner Church in NYC led us in a workshop about paperless music. LEM is known in both Lutheran and Episcopal circles for our use of paperless music.

Wednesday Book Discussion: Love Wins by Rob Bell

Noon, W20, PDR #3m

For the first book group of the season, LEM read and discussed Rob Bell’s Love Wins: A book about Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived

Wednesday Night After Dinner Conversations

7:00 – 8:00 W11 Large Dining Room

Every week after worship and dinner, the LEM community explores, often with a visiting speaker or presenter, ideas that relate to faith. This fall we learned about the beliefs of other faith communities.

LEM Liturgical Music Workshops

7:00 – 8:00 W11 Large Dining Room and W15 Chapel

This year LEM students embarked on a journey of liturgical musical leadership by hosting church musicians with diverse musical styles. In addition to receiving training in worship leadership, students learned how these practitioners use music as a means of expressing and deepening their own faith and the faiths of their communities.

Fall Retreat with Protestant Student Community

September 23 - 25th, Casco Maine

Isaac Everett Comes to LEM

September 21, 5:15pm, and 7pm

Emerging Church liturgy guru, Isaac Everett, joined LEM to explore the use of Psalms in worship. He led some of the music in the 5:15 service, along with some of his fellow worship leaders from The Crossing faith community in Boston, and engaged the group in an exploration of emerging church liturgy through conversation and practice.

Wednesday, September 14th

We began our After Dinner Conversations series with a visit from the distinguished, Dr. Bob Randolph, the Chaplain to the Institute. Bob described the life of faith at MIT in the 33 years since he arrived. He spoke about the responsibility of passing down the Christian tradition, and his belief that his generation of Christian leaders had failed at this task. At dinner, we discussed what it would mean to translate our faith into global are and courage.

Waterfire, Providence

On Sept 10, LEMers joined our friends from the Rainbow Lounge to check out the Waterfire exhibition in Providence, RI. Though the event was was extremely croweded, we made it through the crowds while snacking on fried dough and kettle corn.

Blessing of the Backpacks

On Sept 7 at 5:15 in the MIT Chapel, The Holy Spirit danced on the stuff of MIT life. Together we gave thanks for backpacks, laptops, ipads, cell phones, keys, and more. All were offered and consecrated to God, including our selves. Just imagine what God can and will do through all of those gifts resources this year! Its gonna be a good one. After service, we headed over to W20 for our first annual Orientation indoor picnic! The curiosity and veiled scorn of bystanders, turned to delight, as we welcomed one and random-all to the feast!

Registration Day Ice Cream

On Sept 6, LEMmers braved the elements to serve free Ice Cream to the MIT community. Kresge Oval, unexpectedly hosted the affair, in its inner and outer courts. Though wet and windblown, Orientation ice cream prevailed. The tradition continues!

Thursday Morning Book Group

Mere Christianity

In 1943 Great Britain, CS Lewis, then an Oxford don, was invited to give a series of radio lectures addressing the central issues of Christianity. Over half a century after those original wartime lectures, Mere Christianity, remains one of the most popular and beloved introductions to Christian faith ever written. This summer LEM wrestled with this classic of Christian apologetics. It was a powerful match!.