Our worship

How we worship

Worship is an area where we sometimes set our hearts at odds with our minds. Some worship can become all “heart,” where we bypass critical thinking and rationality in an attempt to generate an emotional high. Or it can be all “mind,” and worship becomes merely an intellectual exercise in which people are simply fed the right doctrine.

But ultimately setting hearts at odds with minds is a false dichotomy. We aren’t merely bundles of emotion, nor are we disembodied minds. We are bodied beings. Worship should engage who we are as whole people.

After all, the goal of worship is not merely to make us think a certain way or even feel a certain way. The goal of worship is to re-present the gospel in such a way as to transform us, to enable the gospel to take hold of our the whole of our lives — our thinking and feeling. At the Chapel, our primary obligation in worship is not to a particular worship style (e.g. “contemporary” or “traditional”) but to this goal of transformation.

During the academic year, we follow a fairly traditional liturgy (program for worship) that is printed in the bulletins that you’ll find on a podium as you enter the Chapel. The liturgy, with all of the songs and readings, is also projected on the screen in the Chapel. Lyrics and music for all of the songs we sing are also projected. We don’t have a big band or an exuberant worship leader. For that reason, worship at the Chapel has been described by visitors as contemplative and tending toward traditional, though we try to use the best music of various traditions (traditional hymns, contemporary choruses, and world music) in our worship. During the service, one of our pastoral staff will preach a sermon based on a Biblical text. We take an offering on Sunday morning. Visitors with us are not expected to contribute, though you’re welcome to do so if you wish.

We celebrate communion (Lord’s Supper, Eucharist) frequently at the Chapel. All who confess faith in Christ are welcome to join us in this celebration. Typically, we stand in a circle and pass the bread and cup to one other. If you do not wish to participate, please feel free to stay in your seat or join us in the circle with your arms across your chest to receive a blessing. If you have children, they are welcome to join us in the circle to participate in this celebration or to receive a blessing.

Following worship, we have a time of fellowship over a shared meal. This is a great time to let one of the Chapel staff know that you are visiting. We encourage you to leave your email address on the clipboard at the back table so that we can contact you to get to know you better and to let you know about upcoming Chapel activities.