8/29/07:

"Into the Streets and Into Our Lives" - by Jake Czarnik-Neimeyer

First of all, let’s again welcome new students, staff and faculty to the St. Norbert College Community.

Common Prayer during our Sacred Hour each Wednesday is an opportunity to reflect and pray as a community.  It is one of many ways we pause during our busy week to make some sense out it all.  We have St. Norbert to thank who is one of many models of this action—reflection—action lifestyle. 

We intentionally began our Common Prayer today in the same place as “Into The Streets: last Saturday.  Hopefully, our Common Prayer today will invite you to pause a little, make sense out of all the activity in your life and provide focus to decisions and actions in the future.  

My very brief reflection is really an introduction to the stories of five people at St. Norbert College.  They will share how their journey this summer “Into the Streets”  has been and will continue to be integrated “Into Their Lives” and likely influence others around them.

My hope is that our Common Prayer will provide some focus on how your past experiences are influencing your personal mission and this great community we live and work in.  One example in my life was the experience of being a student here a very long time ago.  Role models such as Fr. Anselm Keefe, Michael Lukens, Fr. Joel Garner, to name a few, influenced my desire to serve others---in ministry and education.

At out last Common Prayer in May, Dick Rankin called us all: “Today’s Norbertines”.  He challenged us to provide Strength and Light for the Journey, Assisting students and colleagues to grow and to enhance this community. Let’s hear how 5 different people through their Travel, Study, Work, Play and Prayer have grown this summer and will likely enhance our community in the future.