Rachel Ding ‘26
With Rev. Solter stepping in as the Head Chaplain this year, I had the opportunity to interview her about changes the chaplains, Interfaith Chapel Committees (ICC), and religion department have made or plan to make. My questions centered around how she would balance new practices while upholding core Episcopal values and preserving traditions essential to the St. Mark’s experience.
This fall, Rev. Solter will be supported by three Assistant Chaplains—Mrs. Ames, Ms. Estes, and Ms. Long—rather than having one Associate Chaplain. While Ms. Long will serve as the permanent chaplain for the year, due to her commitments with volleyball, all three have stepped in this fall. This is especially empowering as this new all-women team coincides with the Episcopal Church’s celebration of 50 years of women’s ordination. Initially, Rev. Solter was set to work with Mr. Fontes, Mr. Hall, the organist, and Rev. Hutchinson, but when plans changed, she said, “Let’s see where the Holy Spirit leads us,” and everything came together beautifully.
While our chapel has a rich history, the Episcopal values it upholds remain progressive. Our presiding bishop has been a strong advocate for the "Way of Love," which reflects our inclusive ethos and the belief that we are all equal in the eyes of God. Rev. These progressive values continue to grow within the Episcopal Church, with the ordination of women 50 years ago and the ordination of LGBTQ clergy (though it nearly caused the church to split). Despite these challenges, the church has grown stronger, becoming the first to ordain an openly gay bishop. Rev. Solter recalled the film Love Free or Die, which tells the story of Bishop Gene Robinson and his journey toward acceptance within the church and society. He became a global icon of progressive ideals and ordained both Rev. Talcott (former Head Chaplain of St. Mark’s) and Rev. Solter in the early 2000s.
Another change is in the structure of the prayers. On Fridays, the chaplains gather prayer requests for births, marriages, and deaths within the community. While obituaries are sometimes a sensitive topic, and some feel they do not resonate with our school, Rev. Solter believes they honor long-standing traditions and offer connections with those who came before us. Tuesdays, on the other hand, are dedicated to intercessory prayers. Throughout September and October, the chaplains have included Prayers of the People in Spanish in recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month. They strive to expose our community to various ways of praying and enrich our understanding of prayer across cultures. During every chapel service, there is also time for silent, personal prayer, allowing everyone to practice in their own way.
Rev. Solter has set an intention to be more deliberate in sharing wisdom during chapel. For example, the opening reflections have been lengthened, and after chapel talks, Dr. Hills offers his insights and expands on the themes presented. While Rev. Solter loves hearing quotes from best friends, she aims to tap into more wisdom from the greater world. In this spirit, she has introduced the idea of having an overarching theme for all chapel talks this year, selected by the ICC. This is new to St. Mark’s but was something Rev. Solter implemented at her previous school. She believes a theme will create a more cohesive message instead of a series of scattered, though well-meaning, ideas. The theme for this year is "Together in love" in anticipation of the need for unity during a divisive election year and with a new Head of School.
There have also been some changes in the religion department this year. With Rev. Hutchinson's departure, the department was restructured, and Dr. Erickson has now taken over as the head. Some exciting new offerings this year are Dr. Worrell’s courses: Genocide and Justice in Local & Global Contexts in the fall, and Nazi Germany and the Holocaust in the spring. These classes are required for students signed up for the Lion’s Roam trip to Germany, but are also open to students who are not going. These courses have gained popularity due to student interest in understanding what leads to genocide and how we can work to prevent it. The curriculum examines how individuals have manipulated religion to justify atrocities and the roles that politics, hate, and disinformation play in creating genocide.
