Chapel | Trevecca Nazarene University

This Semester in Chapel

Chapels are a time for the TNU community to gather for prayer, worship, bible teaching, and exploration of a life of faith in Jesus. This time is important for the formation of Trevecca both corporately and as individuals.

Our theme for the year is “Fix Our Eyes” from the passage in Hebrews 12:1-2, where we’re encouraged to “run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.” In a culture where so many voices and agendas call for our attention and even allegiance, it’s critical that we, as a Christian community, keep our eyes (along with our hearts, minds, and soul) directed to Jesus. It is only then that we can run the race marked out for us well and be a faithful witness in our world.

We encourage you to engage as often as you can to be a part of what God is doing in these spaces. As a reminder, chapel is viewed as an important part of the learning/formation environment at Trevecca. Like classes, there is an attendance requirement for chapel. This year we are instituting a tiered approach to chapel credits.

Freshmen/Sophomores - 24 Credits Required
Juniors/Seniors - 20 Credits Required
Part-time Students (6-11 hours) - 12 Credits Required

Students will have around 48 opportunities to earn your 24 credits this semester through the following offerings:

Monday Evenings at 6 p.m. – These chapels are typically student-led and take place in the Boone Convocation Center.
Tuesdays/Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. – These chapels will also take place in Boone and will feature a lineup of the University Chaplain and other guest speakers from on and off campus. In-person overflow space will be available for the first month of the semester in the Benson Auditorium once we hit capacity in Boone. You can see the full chapel schedule here or on your iAttended app.
Other special events scheduled throughout the semester – Dialogue Series, Spiritual Deepening Week, Service Opportunities, etc.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I be required to attend chapel this semester?

Yes. Please see the requirements above.

How do I earn credits for chapel?

You must attend chapel, or other approved events (Dialogue Series, Selected Service Projects, etc...), in-person and receive credit through your iAttended app. Download the iAttended app and login with your @trevecca.edu e-mail address using the Microsoft Exchange option. Be sure to enable notifications and Bluetooth. Each chapel will require you to “check-in” by scanning a QR code with your iAttended app. Information about your progress, the chapel schedule, and other relevant chapel information will be available in the app.

What happened to the Virtual Chapels we used to be able to earn?

The Virtual Chapel format was a COVID-era mitigation strategy to keep attendance at chapels manageable and create options for large numbers of students facing quarantines. Due to the reality that the pandemic has officially ended, the confusion around the program, and the fact that these virtual chapels did little to serve the goal of bringing our community together in worship, prayer, and study of scripture, we have chosen to discontinue this option. There still may be a couple of virtual chapels each semester, but these will simply count for regular chapel credit. Additionally, there are other new formats that better serve the purposes of chapel and the spiritual life of the university (i.e. Service Projects, Dialogue Events, etc...)

I heard service projects are available for chapel credit this semester. Is that right?

That’s correct! Students can earn chapel credits (up to 2/semester) through service opportunities planned in partnership with chapel.

I have a question about chapel attendance.

Please direct all chapel attendance questions to the attendance team at chapel@trevecca.edu.

I have a question about chapel in general, or want to participate in chapel worship (instrument, singing, reading scripture, other creative elements, etc…).

Please click the button at the top of this page to apply for a volunteer worship position. Contact Erik Gernand for other general questions about chapel.

Will there be an exemption process if my circumstances make it difficult for me to make it to the required number of chapels?

The exemption process can be accessed at our Spiritual Life SharePoint site through the first two weeks of the semester only. There are very few reasons an exemption will be approved (work and busy schedule will not receive exemptions). Please understand that chapel is an important part of the experience at Trevecca, and we expect students to attend. Questions about exemptions can be directed to Dean Zack Church.

Will there be fines/suspensions for chapel non-participation?

Students not completing their required number of chapel credits will be subject to a series of fines (as outlined in the Student Handbook) and/or chapel probation. Continued chapel non-participation over the course of more than one semester could result in suspension. Please see the Student Handbook for an outline of this process.