Concordia offers many worship opportunities
Students sing at Evening Prayer.
Photo credit: Dylan Buechler
By Audrey Kuhn
Concordia’s diverse worship and devotional opportunities offer students time to grow in their faith in different ways, with options based on worship preferences and the choice between formal or student-led services or both.
The various opportunities include chapel, Evening Prayer, PRAISE and Campfire Devotions.
Campus Director of Christian Education Rebekah Freed said that her favorite part of chapel is “a daily chance to stop in the middle of the day and get our eyes on Jesus as a whole community… students, faculty, and staff all together.”
Freed also said that the different worship and devotional times are designed to reflect students’ different worship preferences.
Daily chapel caters to both contemporary and traditional preferences because students come from different worship preferences within their churches.
Junior Malia Schleusener, who said that the different worship opportunities give students the ability to worship the Lord in new and different ways. She noted God’s presence in the community that surrounds all of the evening devotional times.
“To anybody thinking about coming to any worship I would tell them to come try it out!” Schleusener said. “God is present in any place of worship even if it isn’t your cup of tea.”
Sophomore Joshua Oberdieck helps lead the music part of Campfire Devotions. He said that students should come to devotions and worship in any setting to be in community with like-minded Christians.
“Some reasons to come to Campfire Devotions, or any worship, is that you get to be around like-minded Christians to praise the Lord,” Oberdieck said.
Campfire Devotions, Evening Prayer, and PRAISE are student-led devotions, while daily chapel is worship led by Concordia’s campus chaplain, Rev. Ryan Matthias.
Matthias said that he enjoys the rhythm of daily chapel and the way that students participate in receiving God’s gifts and responding.
“I love the energy and sound of students’ response to what God gives,” Matthias said.
Every daily chapel service begins with the doxology and announcements. A band or an organist plays one to two songs during the service. Someone gives a short message, and the service ends with prayer and one more song.
Daily chapel on Monday through Wednesday uses traditional worship. Hymnals are used for the hymns, and the words are also displayed on the chapel’s screen. Wednesday daily chapel always offers communion.
Daily chapel on Thursday and Friday uses contemporary worship songs displayed on the screen.
Campfire devotions were started by students who had worked at camp and wanted to mimic the campfire devotions that are often held at summer camps.
Freshman Mary Shaw said that she has come to most of the campfire devotions this semester. She had worked at a camp this summer and appreciated this worship opportunity on campus for its camp style worship that features familiar camp songs as well as some new ones.
“I worked at Heit’s Point this summer, so it has been really nice to come to Campfire Devotions and sing some camp songs with a campfire,” said Shaw. “I love the fun and goofiness of the worship and that they always have a campfire. They sing some different songs from what I sang at Heit’s Point, like ‘Humble Thyself’, but I like the new ones.”
Oberdieck noted the setting of campfire devotions, primarily when they are held outside. “Campfire Devotions provide a different setting outside with a campfire and camp songs,” he said. “I really enjoy worshiping in God’s creation.”
Campfire devotions start at 9:30 p.m. every Monday at the outdoor chapel, located behind the David Hall parking lot and in the field next to the hitting center. Campfire devotions are held in Thom Auditorium when they cannot be outside.
Evening Prayer is also run by students using traditional hymns and a catechism lesson.
Evening Prayer ends with individual prayer time where students can pray for as long as they would like to. Students leave Weller Chapel quietly after they are finished.
Freshman Abigail Fallin said that she likes how peaceful Evening Prayer is. She appreciates the prayer time because it is a nice way to end to her day.
“I like this time (prayer time at the end) because I can process my emotions from the day and pray about the good and the bad,” said Fallin. “It is a great way to end a really busy day.”
Freshman Natalie Taylor said that Evening Prayer is very beneficial for her.
“I like how we leave in silence to respect everybody still praying as well as to leave with a sense of peace,” she said. “I appreciate Evening Chapel because of the prayer time. It helps me to stop and pray when I would normally forget after a busy day.”
Evening Prayer is held every Tuesday and Thursday at 9 p.m. in Weller Chapel.
PRAISE is a contemporary, mid-week devotional time when a student gives a short devotion and holds a time of prayer.
PRAISE starts with three worship songs and then there is a meet and greet question for students to discuss. A student gives a devotion followed by prayer time. PRAISE ends with three more songs.
Schleusener likes this devotional time because of the worship style. She also said she enjoys the community after PRAISE formally finishes. She said, “At the end of the night, everybody sticks around to chat.”
Junior Cadison Hecksel organizes PRAISE this year.
“PRAISE is a place for open worship, people come to be filled,” said Hecksel. “There is a student speaker every week and prayer time for individual and group prayers. Everybody is very welcoming, we sing lots of songs. Another great thing about PRAISE is that it is student led, peers leading peers. Singing is fun, Jesus is cool, and meeting people is cool.”
Praise meets every Wednesday evening starting at 9 p.m.
