OLIVET NAZARENE UNIVERSITY, BOURBONNAIS, ILLINOIS VOL. 75, NO. 2
SPECIAL ISSUE 2008
WWW.OLIVET.EDU
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chapel at olivet
SPECIAL issue
chapel at olivet THE OLIVETIAN (USPS 407-880) (ISSN 0891-9712)
Chapel features a wide array of notable and inspiring speakers.
Editor Heather (Quimby) Day ’02 Contributing Writers Dr. Michael Benson Gary Griffin ’81/’07 M.A. Seth Hurd ’06 Casey Manes Kate Morgan Marc Shaner ’00/’02 M.A.T. Designer Donnie Johnson
Here are just a few highlights from the past few semesters:
Additional Design Matthew Moore ’96 Monique (Cartier) Perry ’03 Editorial Advisers Susan (Hendley) Wolff ’94/’06 M.B.A.
SUBMI T T ED P HO T O
Editorial Consultant Rev. Gordon C. Wickersham ’47 Photography Image Group Photography, or as credited Sports Editor Gary Griffin ’81/’07 M.A.
SUBMIT TED PHOTO
Gary Smalley, author
Olivet Nazarene University President Dr. John C. Bowling ’71/’72 M.A./ ’06 D.Div.
Henry Blackaby, author
Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Jim Knight Vice President for Student Development Rev. Walter “Woody” Webb ’86/ ’89 M.A.R.
Brenda Salter McNeil, Overflow Ministries
SU B MIT TED PH OTO
Vice President for Institutional Advancement Dr. Brian Allen ’82/’05 Litt.D. Vice President for Finance Dr. Douglas E. Perry ’68/ ’95 M.B.A., Litt.D.
The Olivetian is published quarterly by the Office of Marketing Communications under the direction of the vice president for Institutional Advancement.
One Time Blind,
music and drama ministry team
Reproduction of material without written permission is strictly prohibited.
SC OT T S ARG E NT
Copyright © 2007 Olivet Nazarene University One University Avenue ourbonnais, IL 60914-2345 B
D AV ID M OO RE ’ 06
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Nina Gunter (pictured above),
Talmadge Johnson, J.K. Warrick, James Diehl and Jess Middendorf, general superintendents, Church of the Nazarene
Jeff Sheler, editor,
U.S. News & World Report w
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POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Editor The Olivetian Olivet Nazarene University One University Ave. ourbonnais, IL 60914-2345 B
Special Issue 2008
By Dr. John C. Bowling ’71/’72 M.A./ ’06 D.Div., University President
The Olivetian
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A Ground-Breaking Moment Wow! It was such a magnificent moment — Olivet Nazarene University’s first century came to a close with the benediction of the Homecoming chapel service and our second century began a few moments later as we broke ground for the new Centennial Chapel. There were twelve glistening gold-colored shovels standing at attention in a patch of dirt, a crowd of about 500, the marching band, balloons, commemorative shirts for students and a large billboard displaying an image of the Betty and Kenneth Hawkins Centennial Chapel. It was more than a traditional “groundbreaking;” it was a groundbreaking moment for Olivet — a moment filled with praise, promise and anticipation. This new chapel is groundbreaking in that it will … 1. Allow for the entire ONU family of faculty, staff and students to be together for chapel for the first time in several years. This building is absolutely necessary to preserve the unique chapel experience for the entire student body. 2. Say in a dramatic, visible way that chapel is a centerpiece of the Olivet experience — the building itself becomes a witness to our faith. The chapel will bear witness that the marvelous story of Olivet Nazarene University is, in fact, the story of God at work day after day, year after year, decade upon decade, changing lives for time and eternity. 3. Provide a fitting venue for the spiritual development of our students — here the Gospel is preached with love, the Scriptures are read, we worship and pray and confront the issues of the day. The value of the entire community, young and old, teacher and student, faculty and staff, alumni and friends, gathering for worship together cannot be replicated in any other way. 4. Enhance the Olivet campus as a gathering place for large community-wide and regional events. An investment in support of the chapel will do so much more than just build a building. Every dollar given for this project will help transform the lives of Olivet students for the next 100 years. This spring, we are launching the general Alumni and Friends phase of the capital campaign for the chapel. Our goal is for everyone to make some level of investment and thereby share in insuring the chapel experience for each new generation of Olivetians. Will you help to make this groundbreaking moment a reality?
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chapel at olivet
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“ There are many chapels that I will never forget, but one in particular has played a key role in developing me into who I am. “ I still remember that day. It was Dr. Benson who preached, and I was a freshman in college. He asked all the students to stand up and come forward to grab a little stone that I still have today, sitting on the top of my desk. And he asked us to write down what was the purpose of our lives. “ Now I’m sitting there thinking to myself, ‘I’m a freshman, I don’t really have a clue what the purpose of my life is.’ But in a single moment, I heard God say to me, ‘Christ.’ And I thought to myself, ‘Christ is the purpose of my life!’ “ It doesn’t matter what I become, it doesn’t matter what I study, and it doesn’t matter where I go. If Christ is the fundamental element of my life, everything else will fall into place.” — Simone Mulieri ’06/’07 MAR
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Special Issue 2008
The Olivetian
Transformation: The Centennial Chapel DVD Visit www.olivet.edu and select “The Olivetian” from the drop-down menu to watch this video about the life transformations that take place within the context of chapel.
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To order a free DVD copy of Transformation: The Centennial Chapel, call Lynn at 815-939-5255 or e-mail lnixon@olivet.edu. When e-mailing, please include “Transformation DVD” in the subject line.
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chapel at olivet
“The students come to us
he chapel “ Tprogram really is
at the core of what we do. It is the one common thing that holds us together, really makes us a University. We have so many programs now and are going in so many different directions. But the chapel program really ties us together not only in mission, but in purpose.”
fortunate to be “ Iatwas Olivet during the spontaneous
A s students, “we’re running around,
— REV. harold bowlby ’72, pastor
— MEGAN Mckinley ’09
revival that broke out during a chapel service in 1970. … Several students had come on stage to testify. As they were testifying, one student ran forward, knelt at the altar and began to weep and pray fervently. Then another, and another. Suddenly, it became a steady stream of humanity coming to the altar. … [The revival] made a lasting impression on my life and ministry. It cemented my appreciation for Olivet and ‘Education With a Christian Purpose’ for a lifetime.”
— DR. LARRY VAIL, PROFESSOR
and so busy and crazy with homework and everything. [Chapel] gives us time to come together and literally just rest and soak something positive in that can help us with our day. Maybe it’s a little Scripture, or maybe it’s just some praise and worship that we need, or maybe it’s something that God needs to say through a sermon to us.”
PH OTO BY RYAN TI MM ’09
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Special Issue 2008
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The Olivetian
for this four to five year window of time. In reality, they’re in transition to somewhere else. … They’re going on to set up housekeeping, they’re going on to set up families, they‘re going on to set up jobs and careers. They’re also going on to serve in churches somewhere and PHOTO BY RYAN TIMM ’09
they’re going on to serve Christ’s Kingdom somewhere.” — REV. MICHAEL BENSON, CHAPLAIN
hapel is an integral part “of Cwhat I see to be a very intricate tapestry in my
own spiritual development. … I walked into chapel [one] morning [and] Ovid Young was playing, as he typically did back in those days. I distinctly remember the song that he played: an Ovid arrangement of the hymn Take My Life and Let It Be. That whole chapel service, beginning with that prelude music through the service, became the moment of confirmation and affirmation on God’s call upon my life for ministry. “I think from a pastor’s perspective, chapel is an important piece of what I hope we never lose. It is an opportunity for the campus to experience community life like it can in no other way. To see the new prospect of the new chapel and how it will accommodate the body more significantly, I think is a profoundly positive thing.” — REV. ed heck ’75, pastor
PH OTO BY RYAN TI MM ’09
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chapel at olivet
T he Vision
The new chapel at Olivet will announce in brick and mortar the spiritual commitment of the campus. But the most important thing is not what the building looks like, but what will happen in hearts and lives during chapel services, week in and week out, for the next 100 years. In this new chapel, the Gospel will be proclaimed with simplicity and love. The Bible will be taught with clarity and passion. There we will pray and learn how to pray. We will worship and sing and testify. And there, in the context of chapel, we will confront the complex issues of the day —TOGETHER. The chapel itself will bear witness that the marvelous story of Olivet Nazarene University is, in fact, the story of God at work — day after day, year after year, decade upon decade — changing lives for time and eternity. The new chapel will be used to transform lives of Olivet students and their spouses and their children and their workplaces and their churches and their communities and the long reach of all the places they touch — just as chapel has done for the first 100 years.
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The Olivetian
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PHOTO BY RYAN TIMM ’09
Special Issue 2008
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chapel at olivet
“ Every time we start a new chapel theme, it seems to go along with what I’m learning personally, it is very relevant.” ANGELA MORGAN ’09
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Special Issue 2008
The Olivetian
Sacred Space
Chapel hour continues to change lives By Casey Manes
O
ne can’t always tell initially, just by looking at the space, but Olivet chapel, located in Chalfant Hall, is holy ground. The sea of chairs in tidy rows as far as the eye can see occupy the future for a few hours ever y week, as students sit and listen to speakers, worship God and seek wisdom for their lives. Here is where countless individuals have handed over their hearts to Christ, some for the first time, others renewing a prior commitment, and where many have received guidance and teaching that will mold their perspective for a lifetime.
Kimberly made the decision then and there, tucked between other freshmen in their first Olivet chapel hour, to give her life to Christ. “I shared the news with my friends and RA, and they were all really excited,” she remembers. Since then, she’s received her first Bible from the Center for Student Success and has been encouraged by a close community of friends and residential life staff. “Everything here has encouraged me so much. Everyone here has their mind set on something, and they go do it. I want to live like that, too,” says Kimberly with a determined smile.
“I said, ‘Ok God, I want Your will to rule in my life,’” shares Kyle, remembering the moment he made his way to the altar. “In a Thursday chapel, Chuck Milhuff spoke about sanctification, and I realized that is what happened to me [the day before.] If I KYLE had been in Kresge M c DONALD or another chapel site, I don’t think I would have experienced this. Being there in person, it was powerful.”
Time to come home
Equipping for life
Angela Morgan ’08, a senior psychology major with a Spanish minor, feels her moments in chapel over the years have equipped her with wisdom for life. “Every time we start a new chapel theme, it seems to go along with what I’m learning personally; it is very relevant,” shares Angela. For example, during a series on relationships, Angela gleaned truths from top-notch speakers on the innate differences between males and females and how this can be appreciated and used for the glory of God. “Relationship chapels helped me see who we are as men and women in Christ. Who we are individually and who we are together. It helps [to hear this] before you get married, to know who you’re supposed to be,” explains Angela. Beyond the talks by speakers, the prayer and musical worship, Angela appreciates the larger sense of community that becomes tangible in chapel services. “In chapel at Olivet, even though you don’t talk to everyone, you get to see who your community is, and you get to see what people’s gifts are, as many lead worship or are involved up front,” she replies. Kyle McDonald ’08 knew God was working on him — and this time he was ready to say yes.
Body of Christ
Kimberly Mandarino ’11, a freshman music education major, grew up dabbling in church. “I would attend sometimes, but my mom just told me I could pick what I wanted to believe, so I star ted going to another Christian church with a friend Kimberly Mandarino for a while,” shares Kimberly. Sporadic attempts at church and living a moral life seasoned her high school days. When it came time to pick a university, her only choice was Olivet. “I wanted to go to a Christian school, and I’m from Chicago, so it was close,” she explains. It was a fateful choice, as she had a desire to know God more but just didn’t know how to take the steps, and didn’t feel like it was the right time. “In the first FirstWords chapel [of the semester], I just felt this feeling like it was time to accept Christ. It was like there was this voice in my head saying, ‘It’s time to come home,’” remembers Kimberly. Dr. John Bowling, the chapel speaker that day, shared a story of a wasted life, and Kimberly felt convicted. “The story spoke to me about my life. I didn’t want to live for myself anymore.”
Chapel is a fulcrum of the spiritual life on campus for current students. But its influence doesn’t subside once Olivetians leave for the real world. Molly (Robertson) Cable ’04, currently a doctoral candidate in veterinary medicine at Purdue University, remembers her days in Olivet chapel well. “I loved chapel! I found such joy in watching so many people praise the Lord together. For the first time, I felt par t of a body of Christ. The speakers, bands and s tudent-led chapels connected me to a Christian world MOLLY that I couldn’t have (ROBERTSON) CABLE grown without,” she shares. Kimberly, Molly, Angela, Kyle and countless others are grateful for chapel and the emphasis on the Christian environment to which Olivet is dedicated. Reflecting on her time at ONU, Molly sums up the long-term impact of her spiritual growth during those four years. “Olivet’s goal is to allow Christian young people to grow as followers of Christ and give Him full control of ever y area of their lives. I wouldn’t be where I am without the knowledge obtained and the support I still have.”
Pictured, left: angela morgan
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chapel at olivet BETTY AND KENNETH HAWKINS
Centennial Chapel The Chapel for Olivet Nazarene University
West Elevation
Basic Fact Sheet
July 2007
u Project Information:
ENTRANCE LOBBY
Total Area. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Main Chapel Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Entrance Lobby. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mechanical and Support Areas. . . . . . . . .
Overall Dimensions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275’ W x 370’ D Seating Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125’ W x 145’ D Chancel Area. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60’ W x 32’ D
Total Seating Capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,059 seats Main Floor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,313 seats Parterre. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 746 seats Every seat in the chapel will have easy access to the altar.
Total Height (Top of Cross). . . . . . . . . . . 100’ Chapel Ceiling Height . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34’ Lobby Ceiling Height. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20’
McClain Hall n Cor Pedestria
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58,599 sq. ft. 36,576 sq. ft. 12,008 sq. ft. 8,015 sq. ft.
Wisner Hall of Nursing
u Project Budget:
Pedestrian crosswalk with special paving
University Avenue
Pedestrian crosswalk with special paving
Total Project Cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Design, Site, Furnishings and Miscellaneous Costs. . . . . . . . . . . General Construction Work. . . . . . . . . . . . Mechanical and Electrical . . . . . . . . . . . . . Specialty Systems and Equipment. . . . . . Contingency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fountain
Centennial Chapel
SITE PLAN
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$25 million $ 2.9 million $13.7 million $ 5.2 million $ 2.0 million $ 1.2 million
Special Issue 2008
The Olivetian
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PHOTO BY RYAN TIMM ’09
A University with an altar looking carpet. And those uncomfortable wooden chairs, those chairs are long gone too —and rightfully so! “You see, I’ll never forget that place because it was in that room, on that worn out linoleum floor, that God got a hold of my life. It was in that place, kneeling beside one of those old wooden chairs, that I said ‘yes’ to God’s will for my life. It was in chapel that everything changed for me. “Maybe, just maybe, today in this chapel service, God will speak to you, and your life will be forever changed too. As I walked around campus early this morning I prayed God just might make this a morning of transformation for someone in this room today. That person might be you. Chapel service in Howe Chapel, ca. 1950s “A lot has changed around here … but a few things haven’t. What God did in my life kneeling on that old linoleum floor beside that wooden chair is as real today as it was when I first knelt there nearly 40 years ago. And you know what else hasn’t changed? This place called Olivet is still all about transforming lives. And God gets all the glory! “If I were the president around here, I’d call this place ‘Olivet Nazarene University … the University with an altar!’” UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES
“I got up early this morning to walk around campus and made my way to the lower level of Burke. It was there, in the lower level of Burke where we used to have chapel. You know, a lot has changed around here! CHUCK MILLHUFF “The large room we called chapel, the one with the 12 imposing pillars, well, that room is gone. It’s been divided into smaller classrooms and some offices. The old linoleum covered floor has been covered up by some fine
Excerpts from comments made by evangelist Chuck Milhuff ’60 when he visited Olivet to receive the ministerial “O” Award.
Chapel hour continues to change lives It’s difficult to imagine how Chuck Milhuff ’60, an articulate, larger-than-life
“A lot has changed around here —but a few things haven’t!”
evangelist is the same boy from the south side of Chicago who was once deemed far from “college material.” And yet, God worked a dramatic transformation in his life during an ONU chapel service.
— Chuck millhuff ’60 To read Chuck’s story, visit www.olivet.edu and click on “The Olivetian” from the drop-down menu.
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chapel at olivet
Frequently Asked
Q
upperclassmen on Wednesdays and the other half on Thursdays. This “Band-Aid” solution addressed the space limitations, but left the University with a bigger concern. We rejoice when there is a chapel speaker who makes a real connection with the students, or when there is an awe-inspiring and life-changing move of the Holy Spirit. Yet each time this happens, there is a certain degree of regret that the entire community is not there for the experience. In any given service, a significant segment of campus community is not in attendance. Even if the next day’s chapel were to have the exact same speaker and agenda, those special moments — those brief instances where profound transformation occurs — can never be recreated. In the fall of 2007, Olivet once again faced a chapel seating shortage, even with the FirstWords arrangement. Therefore, the junior class was split in two, with each half taking turns at viewing a simulcast of chapel via a large screen in Kresge. Although every effort was made to make the experience a positive one, many juniors expressed feeling removed from the “authentic” chapel service. Finally, this spring a new rotating chapel schedule has been introduced in which three services are offered each week in Chalfant. All students, including freshmen and juniors, are randomly assigned to two of them. Once again, this will serve as a temporary solution, but we look forward to the day when we will once again be able to worship as a unified community.
Why is the new chapel important?
We believe that the chapel experience is central to who we are as a University. Chapel is a time and place, but what happens within those walls transcends the physical setting or allotted minutes. The decisions made in chapel transform our lives, our campus and the world we each encounter. It is an opportunity to worship God and to seek His presence in our lives. It is an opportunity to learn from God’s Holy Word, and to communicate our needs to Him in prayer — TOGETHER. It is an opportunity to gather together as a community and declare that we find our purpose and meaning only in the center of God’s plan for our lives. If Olivet Nazarene University is to remain true to the mission to which we know God has called us, chapel must remain central to the Olivet Experience. Chalfant Hall, the current location for chapel, is no longer able to accommodate our entire community. The construction of a new chapel is critical to our mission.
Q
Why do we need a new chapel?
Chalfant Hall was built in 1963 to accommodate seating for 1800 at a time when Olivet’s undergraduate enrollment was 1580. Today’s undergraduate enrollment is 2,604 (fall 2007). Even with more than 400 students unable to attend chapel on any given day, Chalfant Hall continues to have its limitations. Rows of chairs are tightly crammed to accommodate overflow crowds. Because of the lack of space between rows of chairs, it is not uncommon for students to have to stand on chairs just to make their way to the aisle and step toward the altar. Chalfant Hall was designed to be a temporary chapel location. It has served us well for the past four decades and will continue to be useful for other purposes. However, to accommodate our mission and the size of our student body, we must construct a facility that will meet our space needs.
Q
When will construction on the new chapel begin?
Groundbreaking took place during Homecoming 2007, but we have committed that construction on the new chapel will not begin until the entire project is underwritten and half of the funds are in hand.
Q
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Where will the new chapel be located?
Rather than constructing a new chapel, why not consider multiple chapel services?
The new chapel will be located on University Avenue, approximately halfway between College Church of the Nazarene and Ward Field. The building will be oriented so that its entrance will be clearly visible while standing in the Decker Quadrangle or from the steps of Benner Library.
Because of Chalfant Hall’s space limitations, Olivet began offering a third chapel service for freshmen, FirstWords, in the fall of 2003. All freshmen met together for FirstWords on Tuesdays, then half of the class attended chapel with
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With all the University’s pressing needs, should a new chapel be our top priority?
We have spent much time in prayer, seeking God’s direction for the future of our University. We believe chapel must remain central to the Olivet Experience, and in order to do so, we must construct a new facility. Time and time again, God has confirmed He is paving the way before us, and we are trusting that it is He who will ultimately provide the means to construct the new chapel. However, when talking about the chapel versus other University needs, it is not an “either/or” discussion. Just because the chapel is built does not mean that other things can’t be done. The chapel campaign, Promises to Keep, is intended to raise funds that will go above and beyond normal operating costs and capital expenditures. In the past three years, the University has spent nearly $24 million in ongoing campus renewal, the renovation of current residential halls and academic facilities, and many other capital improvements and campus expansions. This chapel will reflect at this Centennial moment God’s work in the life of the University. It will drive down stakes for the next hundred years, giving a visible presence in brick and mortar, steel and glass what we hold to be vitally important: God at work in the lives of students, with those young people making right decisions and experiencing spiritual growth that will make all the difference in their lives and in their world.
Q
With the growing student population, isn’t it more important to construct new residential halls?
Throughout the past decade, the University has added several new residential housing units (five apartment buildings: University Place, Grand Avenue Apartments and Olde Oak) and continues an aggressive program of investing heavily each year in upgrades to those buildings and our resident halls at the center of campus. Our campus master plan also includes new resident halls in the future.
Q
If enrollment has already surpassed 4600, will 3000 chapel seats be enough?
While Olivet’s total enrollment is now 4600 students, only 2600 of those are traditional un-
Special Issue 2008
Questions
Q
Will my gifts to the Friends of Olivet Annual Giving fund be used toward the chapel?
No, unless you specifically indicate otherwise. All gifts you make through Friends of Olivet go directly toward student scholarships.
Q
Why does this chapel cost so much?
The new, much needed chapel will be a very large building — in fact, with the largest seating capacity in Kankakee County — in order to accommodate the entire student body. The construction cost per square foot is right in line with commercial building costs in our area. The University has conducted two rounds of “valueengineering” to make sure we are getting the best building for the best dollar.
Lost in Space: Timeline of steps taken to alleviate Chalfant Hall spacing issues
C
halfant Hall was constructed in 1963 as a temporary location for chapel until a more permanent structure could be built. The auditorium was designed to accommodate 1,800 seats, which was more than adequate for the 1,580 students who attended Olivet at that time. Since that time, ONU’s enrollment has nearly tripled to a current student body of 4,652 (2,604 traditional undergraduate). The following is a timeline of the creative steps taken to accommodate the growing population over the years:
year. While our budget has more zeroes in it than the average congregation, so does our expense ledger. We thank God that every year we operate in the black — we work very hard at it. But the fact remains, we end each year with only a few weeks of operational budget dollars remaining. What we do here is a work of faith. There is no way we can maintain and build the facilities and programs for the present and future of the University and preserve the mission God has entrusted to us — going where God is taking us as His body at work in higher education — without raising additional dollars outside of tuition, room, and board. These dollars must come from those closest to us: our family of alumni and friends and the Church. We have no other constituency than you. The government is not going to step in, and many foundations are stepping away from their commitment to provide funding for distinctively Christ-centered organizations like Olivet.
n September 1963 – First chapel service held in Chalfant Hall n Fall 2003 – FirstWords introduced as an alternate, Tuesday chapel ser vice specifically for freshmen. Half of freshman class attends chapel on Wednesday and the other half on Thursday, temporarily alleviating spacing issues
Q
Who are Betty and Kenneth Hawkins?
Centennial Chapel is named for Betty and Kenneth ’53 Hawkins, of Clearwater, Fla., who were the first to “catch the vision” for the new chapel and helped to make the project possible through their lead gift of $6.5 million. The Hawkins are a wonderful Christian couple who embody the values of Olivet.
n Fall 2007 – Junior class split in two, with half of class viewing simulcast of chapel on large screen in Kresge Auditorium on Wednesday and the other half on Thursday n November 2, 2007 – Groundbreaking ceremony for new, 3000-seat Betty and Kenneth Hawkins Centennial Chapel
If you have additional questions regarding Olivet or the initiative to build a new chapel at Olivet, please e-mail us at lnixon@olivet.edu. You may also contact Brian Allen, vice president for institutional advancement, at ballen@olivet.edu or by phone at 815-939-5255. It would be most helpful if, when e-mailing, you include in the subject line “A Question about Chapel at Olivet.” Thank you!
Q
What challenges does the University face in raising the necessary dollars to begin and complete this project?
One of the challenges we face is the lack of perceived needs when you drive on our campus. The extreme competition for students in the marketplace of higher education demands we care for and provide adequate facilities and technology for our current and future students. However, the reality is we operate on a very thin margin every
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n Spring 2007 – Rotating chapel schedule introduced, with the entire student body randomly assigned to two of three chapel services held in Chalfant Hall each week.
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P HO TO B Y NI CO L E B AT Y ’0 6
dergraduate students. The others are students within the School of Graduate and Continuing Studies. In discussing the future of our University, and specifically this chapel, an important question surfaced: What is the right size for our University? It is the consensus of the University’s leadership that there comes a point where bigger for Olivet is not better. If we cannot eat together, cannot enjoy fellowship together in residence halls centrally located on campus, and cannot worship and assemble together, we believe the Olivet Experience will become unacceptably altered and fundamentally different. Therefore, we have set a goal of 2500 traditional undergraduate students — the point at which we are today — as our point of maximum efficiency. We intend to level off and hold at that number, which is the pattern held by a number of similar universities that have experienced the kind of exponential growth we have seen over the past few years.
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chapel at olivet
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“Chapel is the core experience, the heartbeat of community life. … [The new chapel] will be a beautiful building, and it should be. This should be a very significant part of the campus. But we’re not really talking about the building. We’re really talking about a place — a sacred place, a holy place. A place that has been built and set apart for worship. And because of that, it transcends the concept of brick and mortar.”
— Dr. Joh n C. Bowli ng, presi dent
This spring, all of our alumni and friends will have the opportunity to participate in the campaign for chapel at Olivet. Please be in prayer for this critical project.
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