By Denton Josey, Student Reporter
Not only will Chapel start 15 minutes earlier, but it will last longer than it usually does and take place on Saturday.
However, Homecoming Chapel will not be mandatory for students this weekend. Following the Homecoming Parade, visitors, students and alumni are invited to Moody Coliseum for a special Chapel ceremony that will last an hour and feature an abundance of singing.
“The thing we always hear from alumni is that they loved and miss singing in Chapel, so there will be plenty of that,” said Betsey Craig, coordinator of the Alumni Network. “We’ll also have the traditional presentation of the Homecoming Queen nominees and the Coming Home Court.”
The worship, which will be led this year by Jonathan Ross, class of 2005, has been a staple of Homecoming Chapel in years past.
“The power of a cappella singing when it is full, that’s incredible,” Craig said. “That’s what people remember, miss. That’s what people come back to Chapel to hear.”
While no formal speaker is planned, Phil Ware, class of 1977 and president of the Alumni Association, will preside over the ceremony. Dr. Royce Money, president of the university, will also be involved in the program.
In addition to the singing, the program will feature the 22-minute Centennial film, The Mission; the presentation of the Centennial book, The ACU Century; and Dr. John’s Perpetual Calendar, a calendar remembering ACU history that was edited by Dr. John C. Stevens, resident historian and chancellor emeritus.
Without the usual number of students present in Moody Coliseum, the seating will be different. Banners placed in certain sections will indicate where certain graduating classes can sit and find people they know.
Shane Hughes, Chapel coordinator, said he looks forward to seeing friends he graduated with. “I’m excited because this is going to be my five-year reunion. It’s going to be sweet.”
Craig said turnout for Chapel should he high this year.
“Homecoming Chapel always has a large crowd and we think this year it will be even bigger,” Craig said. “We anticipate all Homecoming activities will have a higher turnout since this is the Centennial year.”
