Reimagining Chapel Schedule Opens Up Opportunities
Since 2020, chapel attendance on Mondays and Wednesdays has risen significantly, while Tuesday and Thursday attendance has slightly declined. While the gap in attendance between Monday/Wednesday/Friday and Tuesday/Thursday chapels has existed for decades, it’s widened more recently.
This has led the campus ministries team in recent years to wonder whether it makes sense to continue to invest the resources into Tuesday/Thursday chapels or to reinvest the energy and resources that go into preparing for those services into strengthening current and emerging opportunities.
“Participation on Monday, Wednesday, Friday remains strong, moving LOFT (living our faith together) to Wednesday nights has resulted in a lot of student enthusiasm with regular attendance between 300 and 400, and new student groups are emerging who host regular evening worship events on Sunday and Monday nights and over the weekend,” said Mary Hulst, university pastor. “We believe that shifting time and attention to support these efforts and student-led initiatives should strengthen them further.”
Making room for new rhythms
So, beginning in fall 2025, Calvin will offer 20-minute worship services at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, discontinuing its Tuesday and Thursday services.
“On Tuesdays and Thursdays we’ll keep the space reserved, but we won’t have any formal programming,” said Paul Ryan, worship pastor at Calvin. While Ryan says the campus ministries team has kicked around ideas for what could be offered in the future on those days, he says “I’m curious to see what the students come up with, what ideas faculty and staff may have for how to use that time for faith development. So, we are really coming into this without any preconceived ideas and open to what the Spirit is going to do.”
As for the themed programming that was offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays, Ryan says he sees those elements still being present throughout the chapel schedule.
"There will continue to be opportunities for multilingual singing and student leadership from various cultures and traditions,” said Ryan. “At the same time, we can creatively incorporate faith stories, academic department leadership, and hymn sings on Mondays and have the added advantage of having more people there."
Ryan also said they will be looking for opportunities during specific times of the semester to create chapels that provide a space for students to be still and pray.
Seeing opportunities and their ripple effects
While Ryan, who has been at Calvin for 22 years, understands discontinuing the formal Tuesday/Thursday programming will be an adjustment for those who have grown accustomed to the daily rhythm, he’s excited about the opportunities it will open up, including more time and attention to strengthen the Worship Apprentice and Chapel Team programs, which equip 60 student leaders each year.
“I am excited to have more time to spend equipping and encouraging these students and that will surely have a ripple effect as they lead their peers not only during chapel services, but throughout the week,” said Ryan.
As the chapel schedule shifts, campus ministry leaders are excited to see the new ways that faith formation will happen on campus.
“Faith development in our community is not primarily happening in the chapel space, but also takes place in the classroom, on the athletic field, in the library, and in the residence halls,” said Ryan. “Let’s be honest, what’s more formative: 20 minutes in a chapel service a day or 12 hours a day that you are spending in so many different environments? So, we have to continue to approach faith development in that holistic way.”
