Spiritual Life at The Hill

Grounded in the Christian faith of the school’s founders, the Spiritual Life program welcomes diverse religious traditions as it seeks to promote the growth of the soul in all students as individuals, as members of the community, and as citizens of the world.

The Hill School requires students to attend nondenominational Chapel services twice per week; these are times for the entire community to gather and reflect on others’ beliefs, insights, and life-affecting experiences. Any sixth form student may (with the Chaplain’s permission) give a Chapel Talk, and the School encourages all students to do so during their time at The Hill.

Regular programming includes a bi-weekly worship service, meditation, Spiritual Reflection, the Fellowship of Christians in Universities and Schools (FOCUS), Shabbat dinners, and other programs on campus throughout the term. There are a variety of voluntary worship opportunities, as well. Faculty arrange for Roman Catholic students to attend Mass every Sunday while school is in session, and on all Holy Days of Obligation. Services are held in the Alumni Chapel for important Christian observances that happen during the school year, including Advent, Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday, and other occasions depending on the calendar. Additional annual observances include the Jewish High Holidays in the fall, The Hill Seder in the spring, and nightly gatherings for prayers and fast breaking during Ramadan. The Chaplains eagerly support additions to the many ongoing programs based on student interest and initiative. The School encourages students to experience traditions other than their own.

Student and Faculty Voices
LISTEN TO CHAPEL TALKS

Weekday Chapel Services

All Hill students, regardless of their religious affiliation, attend twice-weekly nondenominational Christian chapel services. These are times for the entire community to gather; sing a hymn; offer intercessory prayer for the School community, Pottstown, the nation, and the world; and reflect on others' beliefs, insights, and life-affecting experiences as expressed in a chapel talk. Chapel talks are given by a sixth form student (with the Chaplains' permission), a member of the faculty, and occasionally a guest speaker.

LISTEN TO HILL SCHOOL CHAPEL TALKS

Spiritual Life Requirements

All boarding students must fulfill three Spiritual Life Requirements over the course of the school year: one during the Fall Term, one during the Winter Term, and one during the Spring Term. Failure to complete the requirement in any term will result in the student being required to complete two requirements in the following term and to serve a detention. Students who fail to complete the requirement in two terms will face additional appropriate disciplinary consequences and will still have to complete the requirement. The Spiritual Life Office communicates options for students that sufficiently fulfill this requirement but is open to additional options that students may propose. Students may attend services or spiritual programs on or off campus. At the end of each term, students are asked to formally communicate how they fulfilled their commitment.

Meet the Chaplain

The Rev. Anne Confer Martens '02 | Firestone Endowment Chaplain and Director of Spiritual Life

The Rev. Confer Martens grew up in York, Pennsylvania and came to The Hill School as a student in the fall of 1999, following in the footsteps of her brother and cousin. She graduated from The Hill in 2002. She has a B.A. in Religious Studies from Connecticut College, a Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School, and an S.T.M. (Master of Sacred Theology) from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia. She completed a unit of Clinical Pastoral Education at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. In January 2016, she was ordained a pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. In addition to serving as the Firestone Endowment Chaplain and Director of Spiritual Life, the Rev. Confer Martens is the W.K. Runyeon Instructor of Religious Studies and Philosophy. She is a dorm parent in Johnson House, where she lives with her husband, Eric, and sons, Andrew and Timothy.

History of the Alumni Chapel

Built in 1904, the Alumni Chapel is one of the oldest and most recognizable buildings on campus. The Chapel was the first collaborative gift from alumni, presented specifically to pay tribute to the importance of spiritual life at The Hill. After initial fundraising fell short, William W. Clawson, president of the alumni association and Hill class of 1885, embarked upon a formal campaign to raise money for a new chapel. Solicitation cards inscribed with the slogan "The Hill School Chapel: To Be or Not to Be?" were sent to all alumni. This prompted a great response of generous donations and before long the full amount needed for the chapel construction was received.

With more than 100 alumni in attendance, the formal dedication of the chapel took place on February 20, 1904. To complete the chapel, Headmaster John Meigs and his wife, Marion, donated an organ, which also was dedicated at the ceremony in memory of John's mother, Mary.

On September 27, 2024, The Hill School community celebrated the rededication of the Alumni Chapel. The service commemorated the renovation and expansion of the Chapel that began in June 2023. From the expansion, the Chapel has expanded its occupancy from 511 to 590 people with its construction of a new balcony. Read more.

For questions about The Hill's Spiritual Life program, contact The Rev. Anne Confer Martens at aconfermartens@thehill.org.

Spiritual Life at The Hill

Weekday Chapel Services

Spiritual Life Requirements

Meet the Chaplain

The Rev. Anne Confer Martens '02 | Firestone Endowment Chaplain and Director of Spiritual Life

History of the Alumni Chapel

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