About Chapel

Education in the Christian liberal arts tradition is interested not only in academic competence but also in the spiritual formation. The Chapel Office at Gordon College provides various programs to support students in their spiritual growth and encourage full-life Christian discipleship. They include corporate worship gatherings, spiritual life groups, mentoring relationships, mission trips and pastoral counseling. 

As followers of Christ we recognize our calling and privilege to gather for corporate worship: to express to God our dependence, gratitude and adoration, to hear and respond to the Word of God, and to grow in our understanding of the Christian faith. Chapel gatherings provide occasions to honor God, glorify Christ, and reflect upon our relationship to God as Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer. Along with instruction in the basic tenets of the Christian faith, the chapel program fosters spiritual growth through teaching, exhortation, and the observance of spiritual disciplines.

As a multi-denominational, liberal arts institution, Gordon College draws students, staff and faculty from several Christian traditions. The chapel program strives to acquaint students with a wide range of worship practices. It is our hope that during their time at Gordon students will gain a greater understanding of the traditions and distinctions of numerous Christian denominations. Chapel gatherings will at times display some of the characteristics of contemporary evangelicalism, but they will also reflect the rich heritage of the church over the past two millennia. We trust that students will gain an appreciation for that heritage, especially its great creeds, its cherished hymns and liturgies, and the major events of the church year. In addition to celebrating the achievements and mourning the losses of our community, the chapel program also offers an opportunity to hear from others whose lives of following Jesus provide models worthy of imitation.

While the College sponsors chapel gatherings during the week, participation in Chapel should not replace attendance and involvement in a church. Students are strongly encouraged to find a local church where they can worship and contribute regularly.