Greetings alumni and friends!

am writing to you from outside of Cannon Chapel on a crisp fall morning as the leaves fall. During this time of year, I am reminded of the various cycles we go through in life – seasonal cycles, the liturgical cycle, the cycle of life and death. Even as the leaves change colors and fall, we know in the spring they will burst again in new life.

This year at Emory University has been a burst of new life. Students returned to in-person classes, and the Office of Spiritual and Religious Life resumed in-person programming. We’ve had great attendance at Beloved Community Worship on Sunday mornings in Cannon Chapel. You can see the recordings of the services on our Youtube page. Our students enjoy lunch together after the service, and I see deep bonds forming among the students, particularly as we weather lunches outside with lower temperatures.

In October and November, we had bible study in our newly renovated AMUC space. The studies centered around meals that Jesus has with people in the Gospel of Luke. We connected these meals to themes of social justice, including welcoming the marginalized and responding to food insecurity.

The Office of Spiritual and Religious Life is excited to wrap up our strategic plan process with Interfaith Youth Core and to implement their suggestions in the coming years. Part of this plan is the opening of the Interfaith Center on North Decatur Road. The Center will provide additional space for our students to meet during the day and will be an additional space to Cannon Chapel.

As we approach Giving Tuesday on November 30, I invite you to prayerfully consider donating to the Office of Spiritual and Religious Life or to Beloved Community specifically. Your donation goes to fund the exciting efforts of our office, student growth and development, and community building. We hope you’ll participate in the cycle of life of our office.

If you want to stay up-to-date on what’s happening in OSRL, please subscribe to our weekly e-newsletter. 

Wishing you a hope-filled holiday season, 
Chaplain Maddie Henderson