Words of Warriors How to Get the Most out of Chapel

Over the last year, chapel has been a very rewarding time for me. I have gained wisdom, peace, and joy from the worship and many of the speakers. In this blog, I will offer some suggestions on how to get the most out of chapel. Please note: I’m not going to tell you the obvious about cell phones, etc.

Let me start with a story. The very first chapel on the very first Monday of my very first year at Westmont, I sat down on a black foldy chair on the left side of the gym. Unbeknownst to me, the armrest of this particular foldy chair was broken. This meant that when I happened to move my arm in the middle of Ben Patterson’s heartfelt sermon, the armrest decided to make the absolute loudest clanging noise ever. It was like dropping three hydroflasks at once. Beware of the foldy black armrests.

A few more tips:

1. The light in the front right of the gym is almost always on. If you sit there, expect to feel like you have a spotlight shining on you. That was a bit distracting for me.

2. Personally, I am more engaged when I sit on the floor near the front. For one, it makes me feel much more conspicuous if I turn around to look at the clock. For another, I am closer to the speaker and can actually see him or her well.

3. Sit in different places! Sometimes it can be awkward before chapel when you’re trying to find someone to sit with, but sitting with different people each day is fun.

4. You can actually go up and talk to the speakers afterward. They usually linger at the front of the gym for a little bit. If nothing else, you can thank them and shake their hands.

5. Now is not the time to sit next to your Westmont Wow—or anyone else who may distract you. One lesson that I’ve been trying to learn this year is how to not only believe, but also act like God is the most important part of my life. This includes devoting chapel time to the One who deserves all my attention during this time.

I’ve saved the best for last. I didn’t discover this until December of this year, and I wish I would have known about it from the start. After the sermon ends, the chapel band plays another song as everyone leaves. As it turns out, they actually play the song all the way through as some people continue to worship. After that, everyone who stays gathers at the front of the gym, puts their arms around each other in a huge circle, and says a brief prayer. The whole procedure only takes seven or eight minutes, and I have always felt very connected to everyone around me and happier overall afterwards. I highly recommend it! (P.S. They will still take your chapel cards after that, but in the gym, not at the doors.)