FAQs
Who is the chaplain for Canterbury School? Is there any connection between Canterbury and an Episcopal parish?
Rev. Nathan M. Finnin is Chaplain for Canterbury School and teaches Spiritual Development and Theology. He is a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill and Yale University. Prior to coming to Canterbury, Father Finnin was the Assistant Rector of St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Kinston. The by-laws of Canterbury provide that the chaplain must be an ordained Episcopal priest. Canterbury is not connected to a parish but the Bishop of North Carolina appoints one Episcopal priest to the Canterbury Board of Trustees.
How many Canterbury families are Episcopalian? What other denominations and faith traditions are represented in the Canterbury student body? As reflected in the national trend for Episcopal schools, less than 25% of Canterbury families are Episcopalian. Other denominations represented in our student body include Baptist, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Greek Orthodox and non-denominational.
Do you have to be a Christian to be a part of the Canterbury community? No. Students and all faculty and staff are encouraged to actively engage in their own faith in a community of tolerance and respect.
What is meant by the "Judeo-Christian tradition"? This phrase is used to describe the religious and moral standards accepted and practiced by the Christian tradition and inherited from the Jewish tradition.
Do we dress differently for chapel services? For communion services and special events, such as Founders’ Day, chapel dress is required; otherwise, there is no special attire for chapel.
How often do students attend chapel? The whole school attends chapel on Mondays and Fridays for 20 minutes, and there is a weekly Wednesday service which alternates between lower school and middle school; it also lasts 20 minutes.
How often is communion celebrated? Three times during the school year, the entire school community celebrates communion. In keeping with Episcopal tradition, all baptized Christians are welcome to participate. Participation is not required; students may receive a blessing or remain seated during communion.
What is the Chapel Buddy program? Each year since Canterbury’s beginning, a 6th grade student is paired with a kindergarten student to serve as a mentor throughout the school year and until the 6th grade student graduates from Canterbury in 8th grade. This pairing includes relationship building in many aspects of the Buddies’ school life and provides leadership opportunities for the 6th grader.
What is an 8th grade sermon? The 8th grade sermon is one option for fulfilling the theology requirement which is to create a positive articulation of the student’s faith that can be shared with others. Each year, more than 80% of the 8th grade class elects to deliver a sermon in chapel to the full school.
What is service learning and what service learning projects are made available to Canterbury students? Service learning is intended to expose Canterbury students to the larger needs of their community and the world, as well as to foster a sense of responsibility for students to address those needs. A few of the recent past projects have included the collection and packaging of food in backpacks for delivery to local elementary schools as part of the Out of the Garden project designed to support families with limited food resources; cleaning cages and bedding for the Greyhound friends dog rescue organization; assistance with landscaping chores (weeding, planting, picking up trash) at public parks and other Greensboro recreation areas; and playing games with and completing light chores for residents of Bell House, Inc., an independent living center for physically challenged adults.
What is the spirituality curriculum? Students in grades K-4th focus on general concepts and themes of religion. Students in grades 5th-8th concentrate on Theology, Hebrew scripture, Christian scripture, church history, and personal experience.
Are students told what to believe? How do children participate in the chapel services?
Canterbury students and staff are encouraged to seek clarity about their own beliefs as well as to engage in refection and understanding about all faith traditions. Lower school students can participate in chapel services as individual volunteers to give readings and lead prayers, and classes participate by presenting songs and skits. Middle school students volunteer to acolyte or usher in chapel. Students of all ages often share their musical gifts and talents during chapel.
Are there Sunday church services in the chapel? No.
