Cedarville Magazine, Spring/Summer 2016

Renovation Creating New Chapel “Moments” by Carol Lee ’96 The student experience looks different for each generation of Cedarville students. Some alumni remember when the college had a football team. Others remember when the dress code required skirts for the women and prohibited mustaches for the men. But chapel has always remained a constant. There’s nothing quite as iconic about Cedarville as the daily 10 a.m. hour when the student body gathers in the James T. Jeremiah Chapel to worship together and be inspired by Scripture. Daily chapel is unique, even among Christian colleges. And Cedarville’s commitment to preserving that shared experience demonstrates what the University has declared for years: that chapel is the heartbeat of the Cedarville experience. That’s why the University has undertaken a total renovation of the chapel space to improve and enhance the total worship experience — from the carpet and seating to the lighting and sound. Not since the Dixon Ministry Center opened 20 years ago has the University made such an investment in chapel. HEART OF THE CAMPAIGN Last fall, Cedarville launched the $3 million Campaign for the Jeremiah Chapel. It began with an announcement that the 298 pews (that had surely seen better days) would be replaced by theatre-style seating. On the practical side, this will allow individual seats to be replaced as needed instead of all the pews at once. In addition, individual seats can be numbered and reserved for ticketed concerts and events. To kick off the campaign, alumni, parents, faculty, and staff were invited to sponsor a seat in the renovated chapel. For a gift of $250 or more, donors can have a seat placard personalized with their initials, class year, and favorite Bible verse reference. For three days in April, students from Brock, a men’s residence hall, volunteered their time andmuscle to unbolt the pews and carry them out of the building. According to Stephanie (Cleek) Carroll ’10, Director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving, a row of chairs will be reserved and named to honor the students’ meaningful and cost- saving service. MEMORIES FOR A LIFETIME Each generation of Cedarville alumni can tell stories about a special, memorable chapel experience where “you had to be there.” In 1995, a storm knocked out the power across campus, and Tony Evans continued preaching in the dark. On “the day the power went out,” students heard a powerful chapel message they would not soon forget. A year later, students lined up to move hymnals from the previous Jeremiah Chapel, now the Apple Technology Center. On Tuesday, April 19, students, faculty, and staff gathered for this generation’s “had to be there” chapel moment. With all the pews removed, everyone sat on the floor (see pages 42–43). “We all remember that one chapel, and I wanted to be part of that day,” Carroll said. “When I arrived, students were singing and worshipping so loud you could feel it in your chest. And it hit me — I wanted to bring every alumnus — the whole Cedarville family — into this room with these students to worship together.” GIVINGWITH A BOOST That wasn’t the only special memory that happened that day. Alumni Relations and Annual Giving had planned a one-day fundraising event, fueled by social media, to raise $75,000 for the renovation. Sweetening the deal were two $75,000 gift matches so that every gift given on April 19 would be tripled in value. The response to the “Triple Tuesday Challenge” was overwhelming, and the goal was met by 4 p.m. “Nearly 750 people gave to the campaign that Tuesday,” Carroll said. “One donor gave $25,000 so that 125 students could sponsor a chapel seat for just $50. Students were calling parents and posting about the campaign on Twitter. This was one of those campaigns where everyone wanted to get involved because chapel is such a special part of the student experience.” The surprises kept coming. When the $75,000 goal was met eight hours early, another $175,000 dollar-for-dollar gift match was announced (extending through June 30) to continue the momentum. By the end of the day, alumni, students, parents, faculty, and staff had united to give $422,821 for the chapel renovation. So far, $110,000 has been raised toward the secondmatch, and $65,000 remains. If you would like to participate, visit cedarville.edu/chapelcampaign . Thank you for praying about how you might help meet this need. “We appreciate everyone who has already given to the Campaign for the Jeremiah Chapel,” Carroll said. “And special thanks to everyone who made the Triple Tuesday Challenge possible. It was incredible to see the Cedarville family come together and give so generously.” Cedarville staff members drum up support for the Triple Tuesday Chapel Challenge in April. Pictured are (L-R) Stephanie (Cleek) Carroll ’10, Director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving; Matt Pogirski ’04, M.B.A. ’15, Regional Director of Institutional Relations; Wade Harris ’99, Regional Director of Institutional Relations; and Cheryl Fisher, Information Specialist. 38 | Cedarville Magazine Advancing Cedarville