Chapel navigates change & hopes to improve student engagement

By: Emma Saddler

Shifting point requirements, location changes and the implementation (and later conclusion) of virtual attendance options have placed the topic of chapel in the limelight at Rochester Christian University over the last few years. 

Amid these changes, students have voiced opinions and concerns relating to both the experience and content of designated chapel times throughout the year. Some students have expressed a feeling of not being represented in their particular Christian tradition, while others have voiced that the experience of chapel does not hold their attention — with a large percentage of attendees looking at their phones or talking among themselves.

With a range of diverse opinions about chapel, an exploration of how chapel content is created can be informative.

From Chapel to CL+W

Designated chapel times have been a part of RCU since its inception, with a strong emphasis on spending time in community as a campus and engaging with God.

In its current state, chapel has evolved to be a part of a greater engagement initiative of Community, Life and Worship.

RCU’s Student Life webpage reads: “Community, Life + Worship is the program that houses chapel, intercultural and spiritual life…CL+W promotes interpersonal formation, intercultural awareness, spiritual formation, and a greater sense of vocation among our students.”

A holistic approach

The emphasis on a more holistic approach to CL+W is intended to reach a larger demographic of students. This decision to expand opportunities came from many factors present among the student body.

The current student body is made up of approximately 70% athletes, 83% commuters, and a larger population of working students than in years past.

“While 30 minutes of chapel isn’t that much time, we have so many students who need that time to eat lunch before heading to work, or need that time to commute to their jobs from campus,” said Dr. Katelyn Brackney, assistant dean of students, intercultural and spiritual life.

CL+W opportunities

To best fit this new demographic of students, CL+W was expanded to offer 100 opportunities to earn points that go beyond meeting in twice-weekly chapel services. These opportunities are formulated with the input of a committee made up of various RCU employees who represent different departments on campus. The committee was instituted by Brackney when she took on her current role in summer 2024.

“One of the things that the committee also does is help me come up with a (chapel) theme.… We all come together with different ideas based on things that we are noticing students are maybe interested in or themes that we feel would be beneficial for people,” Brackney said.

Chapel is NOT church

Although chapel does exist as a time to pause and participate in the Christian tradition and identity of the university, chapel and church are not synonymous.

“That’s something we’re very clear on from the programming side of things and is something we could probably talk a bit more about in chapel to help people understand that,” Brackney said. “Congregational life is just different than showing up to chapel and leaving…if people are wanting that real sense of community from a church…we’re happy to help them find a local church.”

Diverse backgrounds

Dr. Katelyn Brackney with RCU students at a CL+W event.

With nearly 30% of the student body identifying as Catholic, this year’s chapel services took on more of a liturgical presence, which Brackney noted would also share similarities with students who identify as Presbyterian or Lutheran.

Brackney cited this as an example of how the CL+W team is taking into consideration the traditions and familiar practices of the student body.

“We are so much more diverse in the backgrounds that we have represented within Christianity than we were when I first started working in Student Life…this is something I try to be mindful of, and I know I can do better about,” she said.

Brackney said she hopes chapel experiences provide opportunities for students to hear stories and perspectives from outside of their traditions. “Because we are an institution of learning, you don’t have to always agree with what’s happening. We want you to think about things critically,” she said.

Christian university does not mean everyone is Christian

Over 10% of the current student body describes themselves as having no religious affiliation, according to institutional data.

“I think a lot about those students. That is one of the reasons why we moved to the CL+W program as opposed to just chapel. You could earn all your points without ever going to chapel because we have so many opportunities,” Brackney said.

Additionally, Brackney said many students may have had negative experiences with church or Christianity in general.

“I recognize that there are lots of students that may or may not be Christian that have experienced church hurt or had a hurtful experience with Christianity…I know that even entering into a chapel space can be painful or frustrating,” she said.

Another factor is taking a look at why students choose to come to RCU. With student-athletes making up over half of the student body, it’s clear that “most students are coming here on a sports scholarship, not because we are a Christian university,” Brackney said.

However, Brackeny hopes the implementation of the CL+W program provides students with opportunities that allow them to feel safe and interested.

Addressing the phone problem

In recent years, chapel services have taken on a more isolated feeling, with the majority of attendees choosing to be on their phones or talk to peers for the duration of the service.

Brackney equated this to a cultural shift on campus following the COVID-19 pandemic. “For whatever reason, people just feel a lot more entitled to just check out and be on

their phone and not engage with people around them,” she said.

Brackney also shared, “It’s really hard to care about planning chapels when the majority of people don’t want to be there, or are on their phones, or talking. I still believe that it is a good thing for us to do as a university. It’s an important part of our identity, so I continue to do it.”

Brackney said for her, the question really is more about what needs to be done culturally on campus that will encourage students to want to set their phones aside for a while and engage with the people around them.

All in all, Brackney said, “Do you always want to? No. Is it always going to be your cup of tea? No. But hopefully here and there, there will be things you can find… whether you're agnostic, atheist, have experienced church hurt, or even if you’re all in on the Christian tradition, there are things we can learn from one another even if we don’t agree,” she said.

Students gathered at Aaron Perry Park in Pontiac for WarriorServe.

If you have questions, suggestions or feedback about chapel, Brackney says her door is always open.

“I would love to hear what people are wanting. My job is to be here for the students, and I want to provide meaningful opportunities,” Brackney said.