Pi Beta Phi Initiation Speech 2020

I would like to welcome all of you to the Annual Initiation Luncheon for the new member class of 2020.

Well, ladies, we did it! We survived the busiest and most rewarding 6 weeks we have probably ever experienced. From bid day, to skate night, to our first baskets, to a really awkward self-defense class with the jujitsu team, to new member retreat and Urban Air, to Country vs Country Club new member dance, to freezing ATO mixer at Katie’s, then to Dodge the Arrow, to big little reveal, and now we are finally here. We have laughed together, a lot. We will never forget the multiple “fights” that were threatened between Charleigh and Abbey. Rose showing up to every meeting hyped up on way too much caffeine. Jennas sick crowd surfing at New Member Dance. And last but not least, the amazing video that Abbey graced us with, of her impeccable basketball skills back in 8th grade. I know I can speak for my whole member class in saying that this has been one of the most amazing experiences of our lives.

 Although this time has been so fun and full of laughter, I have also seen so many girls walk through some really hard things. And the incredible thing to watch was how each of their sisters came around them to love and support them. Girls who barely knew each other at the beginning of this semester, coming together to lift each other up. What a beautiful picture of the church. A group of people who love the Lord, and love each other, coming together in joy and in sadness. Romans 12:15 says.  “Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.” And that is exactly what I have seen in this group. Another way I have seen the church on display within our MC is how each person has used their gifts to benefit the group as a whole. We had some amazing people in leadership who really put their strengths to work. We had an inspiring Chaplin who was vulnerable with us and really encouraged us in our prayer lives, a great class clown who used her gift of humor to bring us all together at the beginning of meetings, creative social events directors, philanthropy director, Tshirt chairs, photographer, and arrow board director who made this experience unforgettable. Three ladies who did behind the scenes work as VP recruitment, VP risk management, and Jr Panhellenic Delegate. Last but not least, an unforgettable tik tok chair. I saw every single person in our MC add to the group in some way, shape, or form. Coming to events, reaching out to people outside of their friend groups, and representing Pi Phi so well outside of the chapter room. The Body of Christ was also on display in the way that I saw confession between these women. At our new member retreat, we spent time in worship and then did a few activities where we confessed something we were struggling with by writing it on a cloth. Each girl then took someone else’s cloth and committed to pray for them. We then did an activity where we wrote down and confessed sins and stood up to show each other that we were not alone and that our love for each other was unconditional. James 5:16 says “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed”. These courageous women came together in a time of confession that was so sweet. Our incredible new member educators stood in front of our MC and shared part of their stories with us. They were vulnerable which allowed us, in turn, to be vulnerable with each other. These strong leaders’ stories touched each of us, and we are so thankful. 

The reason that I continue to compare what I’ve seen, to the church and Body of Christ, is because I believe that is what we are called to be, not only sisters in philanthropy but also in Christ. The church is not a building. The word church actually comes from a Greek word meaning assembly. The church is a group of people assembled together in the name of the Lord. That means that we are called to something so much bigger than Pi Beta Phi. Above the bond that we share as sisters in this special organization, we have a deeper bond that will last far beyond these 4 years at Baylor. We have a duty to represent Pi Phi well across campus, but also to represent the name of the God who gave everything for us. I strongly believe that we are called to look at this as more than just a sorority, we are called to put the gospel on display in the way that we treat our sisters and others across campus. 

I want to say thank you, on behalf of our entire member class, to our incredible new member educators: Rose, Charleigh, Jenna, and Abby. You all have set such a great example of servitude, selflessness, vulnerability, maturity, inclusivity, and Christ-like love for all of us. 

And to my member class, here’s to the next three and a half years together. I greatly look forward to laughing, crying, serving, confessing, loving, and living the way that Christ calls us to. Not on our own, but together as sisters, not only in Pi Beta Pi but also in Christ.