By Anna Kezar
Amid the stress of finals week, there exists a season that overcomes the overwhelmed Grace students and faculty with its joy and promises of a break.
That’s right — it’s Christmas time at Grace.
Doors of dorm rooms are encased with festive wrapping paper, Christmas trees greet students in every lobby, and Indiana Hall is decked out with lights and inflatables.
And of course, there are the Grace traditions that make spirits bright despite the discouraging workloads. The favorite traditions, according to students, include Alpha Christmas dinner, official Christmas chapel and the Back in 5’s Christmas show.
These Christmas traditions provide a way to come together and celebrate the season before everyone leaves for break.
Alpha Christmas dinner takes place among a plethora of poinsettias. Food includes mashed potatoes, ham, rolls and a variety of cheesecakes. The dining hall is packed with students as well as faculty and community members and their families, all celebrating around the table.
This year’s Christmas Chapel opened, as always, with a guest faculty band.“Christen Ellis and the three lumps of coal” includes Dr. Tiberius Rata on the guitar, Dr. Wally Brath on the piano, Christen Ellis on vocals and JD Woods on banjo and ukulele. Students clapped and sang along to the band’s unique renditions of “Mary’s Boy Child” and “Angels We Have Heard on High.”
Dr. Drew Flamm then took his seat in a recliner and proceeded with his audition for “Christen Ellis and the three lumps of coal” on kazoo. Rata approved of his joining the band.
Flamm continued chapel by thanking students.
“I want you to know that you have made Christ known to me and to my kids through your encouragement and through your love,” he said.
Flamm read the account of Jesus’ birth from Luke 2 and prayed for the students. Then there was a prayer request paper snowball fight. Students wrote prayer requests on white sheets of paper which they crumbled and threw at one another. A flurry of paper balls soared through the air. After the snowballs were picked up and prayed for, the regular chapel band (with Flamm playing violin) led the students in “Joy to the World.”
Back in 5’s annual Christmas show is a fundraiser to support a local nonprofit. This year donations supported The Nest, an organization in Winona Lake helping at-risk new and expectant mothers and their children. Students gave over $1,000 to The Nest.
To encourage donations, Back in 5 set up incentives such as dying Dr. Pat Loebs’ beard blue and drinking a gross smoothie. Incentives were shown throughout the show in addition to Back in 5’s usual improv games. Students watched munching on popcorn and candy canes.
The Sounding Board 