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The Chapel of Reconciliation's Sunday services migrated from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. to provide students a more accessible time for worship, as well as a more casual atmosphere.
"We know that many students want to worship in off-campus congregations on Sunday mornings," the Rev. Dr. Ann Pederson said. "Many students don't return from off campus until early Sunday afternoon. This was a chance to try a new time and see if it would meet the needs of more people."
Pederson is serving as the interim campus pastor while Pastor Paul Rohde is on sabbatical.
The new time change began on Sunday, Feb. 14. Sunday services still offer Holy Communion, and the chapel staff has arranged for a series of autobiographical sermons in which students, alumni and faculty will speak about the personal relevance they find in the lectionary texts.
Carol LaCroix, chapel office manager, said that increasing chapel attendance was a goal, but only a small part of the decision to make the change. The primary goal was to pick a time that "better fit student schedules and their natural biorhythms," she said.
Worship will typically follow a vespers format. Vespers is a service that consists mostly of sung verses led by a layperson. Pederson said this tradition dates back to the beginnings of Christendom.
The chapel staff hopes the musical setting will invoke self-reflection and a greater sense of comfort for worshipers.
"I think it is more relaxed," LaCroix said. "The atmosphere is more casual, more intimate."
Sophomore Dillon DeBoer, who is serving his second year on chapel staff as communications ambassador, strives to raise awareness of chapel events. He devised the "Revive at 5" slogan seen on posters across campus. Notifying the community about the time change has been the staff's foremost concern with the change.
"Obviously an event that happens regularly at one time, and has happened at that one time for years, is going to have people who do not hear or understand that there is a new time," DeBoer said.
DeBoer manages the chapel's Facebook and Twitter accounts, as well as the campus ministry Web site, updating them two to three times a week to keep students aware of chapel and outreach activities.
He specified that standing out among the other events and activities on campus can be a daunting task.
Juniors Jordan Clark and Rob Fick have noticed the communication efforts. Fick heard about the move by word-of-mouth, and they both recalled seeing the Revive at 5 posters.
"The big pink Revive at 5 sign in the Stavig lobby is pretty effective," Clark said. "It caught my attention."
According to Pederson and LaCroix, plans to change the time of Sunday chapel have been discussed for nearly three years. Many sister institutions, including Concordia, Luther and Gustavus, have adopted similar evening prayer services led by students and staff.
The change to 5 p.m. will be evaluated through the spring semester.
"We don't know if it will stay or not," Pederson said. "That decision will be up to Pastor Paul Rohde and the new campus ministry staff."
So far, feedback has been positive. LaCroix said outreach teams appreciate the change, because they can now participate in worship, whereas they were usually running it. It also allows students the option of visiting home on the weekends without sacrificing the opportunity to worship on campus.
"My home congregation only worships in the morning on Sunday, so it is nice that I can go home and worship, as well as here at Augie," DeBoer said. As a peer adviser in Bergsaker Hall, DeBoer also savors sleeping in after being on duty Saturday nights.
Fick and Clark agree that the move is probably beneficial for the majority of students, but feel it is not for them. Fick attends Saturday evening services at Gloria Dei.
"I prefer church services on Saturday because it allows me to relax on Saturday night, and I usually like to do homework on Sunday night," Fick said.
Nonetheless, DeBoer has noticed a new crowd gathering for the 5 p.m. services, and encourages others to flock to the chapel on Sundays for evening prayer.
"All are welcome," he said.
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