Honors Agape Feast

The annual Honors Spring Agape Feast returned last Friday, February 3, 2023, in the Howard Performing Arts Center lobby. To fully account for the cold winter weather while celebrating the warmth community brings, the Honors office decorated the tables with blue tablecloths, silver leaves, snowflakes, and the appetizing array of bread, hummus, fruit, and cheeses sorted by the officers. The Agape Feast also came back with the classic La Croix, but this time with Izze and boxed water to provide more options. Three options were offered for soup: spicy black bean chili, frontier seven beans, and tomato pomodoro. With three great options, many found it hard to decide, so they came back for seconds, and some even thirds! Honors also ensured that this whole experience would be sanitary and healthy by placing hand sanitizers next to the co-curricular QR code on the table near the entrance. Wesley Martin (senior, physics and computer science) said that "it was good" to see all those details aligning well to provide a delightful experience for the attendees.

As everyone settled down with warm soup in their hand or on their table, T Bruggemann (senior, physics and computer science) and Terika Williams (senior, English and Spanish) opened up the service with a welcome and word of prayer. Several individuals led the song service, including Sion Kim (junior, medical laboratory science), Edd Joseph (freshman, computer science), Anneliese Tessalee (junior, biochemistry), Lauren Butler (senior, biology and Spanish), Abby Cancel (junior, graphic design), and Daniele Boahen (senior, music). After Sandrine Adap (junior, computer science and mathematical studies) presented her special music performance, Proverbs 3:3-6 was narrated to open up the talk that English professor Dr. Kristin Denslow prepared for the night: principles she practiced during her life transitions.

Dr. Denslow highlighted three themes: paying attention, living in a community, and being open to the journey. I understood the importance of paying attention as the importance of showing love to others, as she mentioned that paying attention to details is one way to show love to one another. She delivered a similar message when talking about community, as it highlighted the importance of being loved. Dr. Denslow mentioned that volunteering could be an excellent way to find a loving community, and that it is essential to be purposeful in creating a diverse community and feel supported within that group. Lastly, Dr. Denslow shared that despite how things look, in the end, it will all work out for the best—an encouraging segment to many seniors who will be graduating college within a few months or so.

Some of those seniors, including Ashlee-Rose Wilson (senior, religion and French) and Grant Steinweg (senior, music), shared their thoughts about experiencing the spring Agape Feast as undergrad students for the last time. Grant said, "It was a wonderful evening of food, fellowship, and music." Ashlee-Rose added, "every time I go to the Agape Feast, the atmosphere of friends, food, and just wondrous joy fills me to my very soul. You can't get this experience in the cafe or class. It is a specific and lovely feeling, and I am so thankful I was able to enjoy it every semester."

We also had several people who experienced the Agape Feast for the first time. Daniele Oduro Kyei Boahen (senior, music) said he was excited meeting "new friends, listening to inspirational messages," and commented it was an experience he "couldn't ask for more than that!" Ariana Coast (senior, biology) also said, "the Agape Feast brought together a beautiful form of community with good food, music, and a wonderful speaker, all while inviting the presence of God as we closed out the week. I appreciate all the efforts put into making the Agape Feast a memorable evening."

I agree with Ariana that the Agape Feast brings out the best part of the community; I have experienced that every semester. It saddens me that my last Agape Feast as an Andrews student is over, and I only have a few months left in my undergraduate years. But despite the fear that sometimes threatens to cripple me, Dr. Denslow's words remain encouraging. As she said, I should appreciate the memories I made in Honors, at Andrews, and with the Andrews community. I spent four years in a truly great community, and I hope to pay attention to every detail of Andrews during the remainder of my time here, and be open to the journey ahead.