Students have the chance to choose between virtual and in-person learning this semester, but because of COVID concerns, chapel will be online only.
On the pre-COVID years, students typically would be preparing on Tuesday mornings to attend chapel with their friends. Now, students need to check their computers instead.
The Gathering, the large chapel that takes place at 10:55 every Tuesday morning in Allen Arena, is virtual for the fall semester out of health and safety concerns.
Beginning this week, students have the opportunity to watch chapel from their laptops or phones on Tuesday mornings. Lipscomb will track chapel attendance by iAttended, which is an app every student will check into before watching a chapel service.
Senior education major Jill Sanders says she understands, but that she will still miss the in-person environment.
“It will be interesting,” Sanders said. “I really wish I could just go into the stadium (Allen Arena), but I get it.”
Every student is required to attend at least 80 percent of chapels for the semester. The Gathering will be pre-recorded videos. Students will need to watch these videos within one week of the chapel itself. The app also tracks when a person watches a video and how long they have watched the video.
Josiah Jordan, a senior, said he also misses the old environment. “Although I miss seeing everyone in person at the gathering, I thoroughly enjoyed being able to hear from several people within the Lipscomb community.”
The first virtual chapel was Tuesday morning via iAttended, where students were greeted by Al Sturgeon, who discussed how The Gathering will look this semester.
“Every student, faculty member, and staff member was prayed for by name before God,” Sturgeon said. “Prayer for our community, prayer for our city, and prayer for our world.”
Mimi Vance, Student Government Association (SGA) president, went over safety measures and rules for the campus due to COVID-19.
The Gathering was led by Randy Spivey this week. He discussed one part of the Beatitudes, which will be the theme for the Gathering this semester. Every Tuesday students will watch a video of prayer, worship and different speakers