Campus ministry came together before the semester started to find a way to work with “two groups of people that are smaller to campus but also contain a lot of leaders,” according to Lauren King, a campus ministry intern.
Once a month, athletes and social clubs will have a designated Thursday for a breakout chapel specifically for them. However, these chapels are not limited to just these groups; anyone can go to either chapel.
King is a sophomore member of Pi Delta who also works with the campus ministry staff. King and the rest of the ministry team wanted to give athletes and those in Greek life the opportunity to learn and grow together in a chapel-like setting.
Junior Erin Gupton, a member of Phi Sigma, said she loves the idea of the new Greek chapel. She said she wants people to feel welcome and not like socials clubs are private.
“I hate when Greek life comes across as exclusive because that is not the point,” Gupton said.
There have been three Greek life breakout chapels so far this semester, and they’ve been going very well, according to King and Gupton.
The idea is to include multiple clubs in each devotional, Gupton said, explaining that one club will lead the singing, one will lead the prayer, one will do the message and so on.
Athletes are also breaking in a new breakout chapel this semester.
Those who have attended athlete’s chapel have now heard from two different speakers. The first was Athletic Director Philip Hutcheson and second was Brent High the associate athletic director for spiritual formation.
It has been mentioned at previous chapels that, in the future, student athletes will begin speaking. So far, students have been responding well to the new chapel.
“I really like the athlete’s chapel,” said junior soccer player Kelsey Reiman. “It’s an extension of FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) and gives the student athletes the opportunity to meet in fellowship with one another.”
“They focus on problems that are central to athletes in a spiritual way, which makes it engaging and relatable,” Reiman continued.
Both of these new breakout chapel opportunities, which take place in Ward, are open to any student who would like to attend. The next Greek life breakout chapel is this Thursday. Check chapel emails for details about upcoming athlete’s chapel.