The Chapel office plans to make improvements in student involvement, leadership and technology over the summer break.

Cyrus Eaton, dean of spiritual formation and campus chaplain, said the office will work to improve the system for students to track their Chapel credits and avoid delay in recording credits.

The Chapel office has made steps this semester, but Eaton said he also wants to improve students’ experiences.

“We care deeply about Chapel being done well,” Eaton said. “We understand the frustrations that [students] have had in the past.”

Eaten said he hopes to find a suitable replacement for Quest, the software that tracks Chapel credits, and he plans to test the new software over the summer to prevent trouble students have had.

“We realize this is the 21st century and we want to be technologically relevant,” Eaton said. “We also want students to know that we are here not to uphold the rules but to ‘wash students’ feet.'”

Eaton said he wants to get more students involved in Chapel. He’s met with student leaders across campus this semester to see the student view of Chapel. Student feedback on this year will shape changes being made for the fall.

One goal of Chapel next semester will be to create more student leaders in Moody Chapel and small group Chapels. The student leadership will then go and serve the Abilene community as a whole.

“Our goal is to spend our time giving our energy to student leaders,” Eaton said.

The Chapel office is moving toward making space for more students to understand and know Christ, he said. With more student leaders in Moody and small group Chapels, the students can mentor other students and teach new, incoming students.

“The goals are that we work toward changing the way we talk about Chapel in the sense that yes, it is a requirement,” Eaton said. “But we really want to redeem the idea it is a communal commitment. It is valuable because who we at ACU are becoming.”