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GETTING THE WORD OUT
Getting the Word out for Chapel
BY LANCE SCHWARTZ - DIRECTOR OF INSTITUTIONAL COMMUNICATION
Ask most Bethany Lutheran College students and graduates about Trinity Chapel worship services and they’ll tell you the devotions, centered on The One Thing Needful, can be a focal point of the day. The service, held every day classes are in session, is conducted by ordained clergy who serve on the Bethany faculty.
Rev. Don Moldstad is the College Chaplain, a regular chapel speaker, and oversees the chapel program. When the College closed on-campus teaching operations in March 2020 due to the pandemic, Moldstad knew that in order to serve Bethany students spiritually he’d need to find new ways to connect. His idea, to move daily chapel services to an online video format, was discussed with Bethany’s video production studio team. The studio was eager to help, and jumped at the chance to help produce a weekly series of chapel messages.
Moldstad explained, “I knew that for many students Chapel is one of the highlights of their day, and we wanted to provide daily worship as close as we could to what they would be experiencing if they were on campus.”
During a normal school year, several different officiants participate in or lead chapel services. During the campus shutdown, it wasn’t possible to have all of these people remain involved. Moldstad, and Bethany’s Dean of Students Rev. Andy Schmidt, then recorded all of the chapel messages over the course of eight weeks. In order to make the process efficient for all involved, the studio crew recorded anywhere from four to six chapel messages per filming session. During this time, Moldstad and Schmidt recorded thirty-seven chapel messages.
Dean of Students Rev. Andy Schmidt (right) records a devotion with Seth Grabow, Production Studio Specialist (left), and Greg Vandermause, Manager - Production Studio, in Trinity Chapel.
During the first week of the online devotions, the messages dealt quite extensively with the various natural challenges that occurred as a result of the unusual circumstances. After that initial focus on the emotions and challenges of closing the campus, the devotions worked back into the normal themes of the Church Year, especially during the Easter season with all of the wonderful readings and stories.
The videos were not only well received by students, but alumni and friends commented about them often via social media.
“Overall, we have received a number of very positive comments from students, alumni, faculty and even some parents. One family informed me that they used the videos as a devotion every night. I received thank you messages from a pastor in Australia, and another in Norway. Many pastors who have ties to Bethany sent them out to their church members. One of our professors turned them into assignments for her writing classes,” said Moldstad.
And while the videos were appreciated by many, Moldstad is eager to return to Trinity Chapel for traditional daily services.
“There is nothing that can replace being 'live' and in person with the music and atmosphere of Trinity Chapel, but we hope it provided at least some spiritual nourishment.”
The videos were viewed over 7,000 times and shared over 1,000 times on several social media platforms. They can still be seen on the Bethany Chapel page and on the College’s YouTube channel.
VIEW THE CHAPEL DEVOTIONS ONLINE:
