Chapel is one of the longest-standing traditions here at Asbury University. Three times a week, students gather together in Hughes Memorial Auditorium for 50 minutes, worship together and listen to the Word of God. This semester, the Chapel team has been taking steps to encourage students to be a part of the services.
Rachel VanLaningham is in her second year as University Chapel Coordinator, after graduating from Asbury in 2018, then attending Asbury Theological Seminary and working in higher education from 2020 forward. Part of her job here at Asbury is planning the programming and content for chapel services, as well as helping provide FLEX credits to events and read all emails directed to the Asbury Chapel email. Her love for her position has been clear to those around campus as she works with various students and staff to organize Chapel.
“I think my favorite part has been working with students and just getting to know them,” VanLaningham said. “Just seeing students that are passionate for the Lord and how that works out in the way they serve in chapel, the way they serve on campus and live their lives.”
VanLaningham noted that the ways to become involved in Chapel are increasing, and can range from something as large as sharing one’s testimony in a Student Stories Chapel, or as small as introducing a professor for his or her talk.
Senior Lily Anne Rinehart has been the Student Ministries intern for Spiritual Life this school year, so she oversees Student Stories and gives students the opportunity to share their testimonies. Lydia Gerig, a junior and missionary kid who grew up in Chiang Mai, Thailand, is in her second semester of being the Student Ministries Intern of Prayer and Justice.
“I run all of the Prayer for the World things, as well as some other Spiritual Life events that I help out with,” Gerig noted. The Prayer for the World is an initiative that she started last semester, which sets aside a few minutes during Chapel on Mondays to pray for a specific country or area of the world outside of the United States.
“I started it as an effort to try to bring more light to different areas of the world that aren’t in the Asbury bubble,” Gerig stated. “And because we have so many different international, minority and [Missionary Kids and Third Culture Kids] groups on campus, you wouldn’t really know how many there are unless you’re really involved. My goal is to get students to be able to share experiences or just life outside of this immediate bubble. Honestly, it doesn’t have to be an international student, it can just be anyone that wants to be able to pray for the area of the world that they feel passionate about.”
Outside of Student Stories and Prayer for the World, students have the opportunity to work under VanLaningham as a chapel intern. Hiring for these four positions will take place over the next few months. Each intern will be given a scholarship: two will help with logistical concerns and the other two will be musical worship interns.
If interested in participating in Chapel in one of these ways, or with inquiries, students can email Chapel (chapel@asbury.edu), VanLaningham (rachel.vanlaningham@asbury.edu), Rinehart (lily.rinehard@asbury.edu) or Gerig (lydia.gerig@asbury.edu).
Photo courtesy of AU Strat Comm.
