I am the chaplain and priest for the students at Rice University and a member of the Palmer community. In this season of loneliness and fear, there is so much to be thankful for at Episcopal Church at Rice - Autry House.  

We have seen growth this semester. Which, to be totally honest, is not what I expected. But our students have reached out to their friends and to new freshmen and invited them to see what we are doing. And this season, as strange as it has been, has been a busy one!

We have managed two outreach projects, weekly lunches, Bible studies, and worship services. We began our semester in a tent on campus and I told the students (and myself!) that we would treat it like church camp. And it worked, thanks be to God. We met, chatted, and prayed for God’s love and mercy. But we felt so happy to be back at Palmer October 19 for our first communion service of the semester. The students really see the church as a place of refuge and comfort. And in this moment when the mental health of everyone is so tenuous, it has been an amazing gift to offer them again.

 It can be easy to get lost in the mire and headlines of tragedy and anxiety right now. I know I certainly do. But working with faithful young people gives me such profound hope. And my prayer is that by sharing our semester you can get a sense of that for yourself.