A Faith Story

by Eva Lapp

article from September 24, 2010 Reflector

Reunion. When this word comes up, I think of relatives telling me how much I’ve grown, second cousins appearing out of thin air, eating excessively, adults sitting around talking for hours, kids racing around everywhere, playing, teaching, and breathing dutch blitz, eating excessively (did I already mention that?), and on and on. Reunions, whether with family or another close group, are some of my fondest childhood and teen memories as they offer a brief glimpse into the lives of close family and friends who I don’t see on a regular basis.

As high school students at a Mennonite school, many of us know that this weekend is the MCC Relief Sale. However, many of us do not know that this weekend is also the annual Bethany Alumni Reunion/Homecoming weekend. This year, classes with graduation years ending in 0 and 5 will be meeting throughout the next few days to spend time reminiscing about high school years and reconnecting with old classmates. That adds up to roughly 200 alums, ranging anywhere from ages 23 to 73, returning to the school we all know so well.

High school reunions provide an opportunity for connection and relationship with old classmates. When asked to reflect on his experience with high school reunions, guidance counselor and Bethany alum of ‘71 Jim Buller stated that reunions give “an opportunity to reconnect with the people who were important to our lives” in high school. Through reconnecting, you learn how classmates have changed and “see how life has shaped” each person. Sometimes, the people you didn’t interact with much in teen years are the people you connect with most in adult years. You are given the chance to discuss and learn as adults rather than only having high school memories. Reunions represent, as Jim described, “a faith story.”

As high school students, we haven’t begun to have our own class reunions. Yet, this weekend can be a reminder to enjoy these high school years. We already have memories of past interterms, J-terms, service days, class projects, lunch breaks and other activities ingrained in our minds. It is important that we remember to treasure those experiences and the experiences to come as we enjoy and dread the beginning, middle, and end of our teen years.

But to those already looking past high school and into the future, reunions give a chance to imagine what our lives will become as adults. Who will return to Bethany as a faculty or staff member? Who will have the most kids? Who will be the professional athlete (if we expand our options a bit....)? The world is at our fingertips and the journeys we take from this point onward will be remembered and shared at reunions as we each begin to write our own “faith story.” 

While we realize that our own class reunions are still far in the future, those happening this weekend can still be significant to our lives. They remind us of the purpose they hold and what they can represent to each of us as high school students of 2010-2011, living, fearing, and learning like the young teenagers we are and the adults we will soon become.