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Spiritual Development – Chapel

Chapel Syllabus

Southern Nazarene University

Purpose of Chapel

Chapel is an identity defining moment in the life of Southern Nazarene University. Twice weekly the campus gathers as a community to worship our Lord and to be reminded who we are and why we are here and to whom we belong. This gathering is an essential part of the university mission.

SNU Mission Statement
As a Christian community of scholars, we model the hospitality of grace, the pursuit of truth, and the practice of discipleship, all within the Wesleyan-holiness tradition, as we prepare graduates who think with clarity, act with integrity, and serve with purpose.

Therefore, everything we do as an academic community emerges from worship and thanksgiving to God for what he has done through Jesus Christ and continues to do in the Holy Spirit. For this reason, the identity defining moment of chapel worship is central to the mission of SNU.

Description

Chapel serves as the only weekly all campus gathering. We meet twice a week on Tuesday and Thursday morning from 10:50-11:35 am. Students are equipped to live out their Christian faith in all settings and circumstances of life, strengthen community ties, allow persons the opportunity to respond to the Gospel of Jesus Christ through confession of sin and profession of faith, and integrate important social, moral, intellectual, and political issues in a Christian faith and learning context.

Instruction Materials

Bible (if you do not have a Bible or would like one in your native language please
contact the Spiritual Development office at 717.6216 or spiritualdevelopment@mail.snu.edu)

Learning Objectives

All students will:

  • Hear the gospel and respond.
  • Gain an appreciation for the integration of faith and learning.
  • Experience worship as a holistic endeavor engaging the heart (emotion), the mind (intellect), and the body (service).
  • Hear the foundational beliefs of the Christian faith: creator, redeemer, the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus, salvation and living a Holy life.
  • Learn the implications of loving the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength (Mark 12:30).
  • Be presented with opportunities to love your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:31).
  • Become more global in your thinking and perspective. Understand worship as a lifestyle and not an event.
  • Develop a personal spiritual journey through an understanding of the Bible and the practice of spiritual  disciplines.
  • Learn about the Nazarene tradition in which our University has its roots.
  • Become familiar with the contribution of various church traditions to the general church’s journey of faith.

Student Requirements

In order to pass chapel, all students carrying 7 hours or more of University credit are required to obtain 27 chapel credits from the approximately 30 chapel services or convocations offered per semester. Therefore, students are allowed 3 chapel absences and can replace up to 5 additional absences through enrichment credits.

Integrity

Integrity is expected of all students at SNU. It is an integral part of the educational process where learning takes place in an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect. Each student is responsible for his/her maintenance of high standards of academic ethics, personal honesty, and moral integrity. Dishonest behavior will be dealt with fairly yet firmly.

The Spiritual Development office realizes that there are numerous ways to “scam” the Chapel Attendance and Enrichment Chapel Credit system. While recognizing this we also realize that it is the responsibility of each student to conduct their lives (both public and personal) with honesty and integrity. For this reason, we allow you, the student, to monitor yourselves; however we will address issues of integrity when they are brought to our attention.

  • Behavior: Promoting an environment that is conducive to worship, listening and community celebration is vital. Certain activities, while appropriate in another setting, are considered inappropriate for Chapel.

Such activities include:
- Talking or activity which is determined to be distracting or disruptive
- Eating and/or drinking
- Wearing and/or listening to radios/mp3 devices
- Use of laptop computers
- Use of cell phones
- Use of gaming devices

Students engaging in such activity will be subject to loss of credit for their attendance that day. Students who continue to behave in ways disruptive to the goals of Chapel or who attempt to receive credit for Chapel when they are not present will be subject to disciplinary consequences.

Chapel Credits

Chapel credits may be earned in the following ways:

  • Chapel Service: Attending the twice-weekly chapel services held in Herrick Auditorium (1 credit per chapel).
  • Sunday Service: Attending the Gathering (student led Sunday evening service held on the first Sunday of every month) in Herrick Auditorium (1 credit per service).

Enrichment Chapel Credits

Five of the 27 chapel credits may be earned as enrichment chapel credits.All activities submitted as enrichment credits MUST be either a Spiritual Development sponsored program or a SNU program approved by the office of Spiritual Development. Any activities held by off-campus organizations or unapproved SNU events will not be accepted as enrichment credits unless granted Alternative Enrichment Status via application.

Enrichment chapel credits may be earned in the following ways:

  • Spiritual Development Activities: Participation in small groups, marital ministries, mentor pods, reading groups, faith & film, ethos groups, prayer path, and special convocations (1 credit per activity, maximum 5).
  • Mission Trip: Participation in an SNU sponsored mission trip. The trip must take place during the semester in which the student is applying for the credit (1 credit per day of work, maximum 5).
  • Service Project: Participation in a Spiritual Development sponsored or approved SNU group led service project (a list of approved service organizations can be found here). The project must be done within the same month that the enrichment is submitted (1 credit per day, maximum 5).

Submitting Enrichment Credits:

Students may apply for 5 enrichment credits per semester. Enrichment credits must be submitted within the month they are earned (e.g. All events that took place in March must be submitted in March).

In the comment section you must include a clear description of the event’s content and purpose in order to receive credit.

To submit an enrichment credit:
Log on to my.snu.edu
- Go to “My Stuff”
- Click on the “chapel”
- Click on “Enrichment Credit Petition”
- Choose the category for your petition (Spiritual Development Program or Approved Alternative Enrichment Credit)
- Fill in the information
- Submit

Following Up:
To check on the status of your enrichment credits:
- Go to your my.snu.edu web page
- Go to “My Stuff”
- Click on “Chapel”
Under Enrichment Credit you will find the following options:
- Approved
- Pending
- Unapproved
You may click on any of the above title headings to view the progress of your petition.

If an enrichment credit is declined with the message “Need More Information” students may resubmit the activity by adding more information to the comment section and changing the date to the day after the activity took place. Deadlines still apply to resubmissions.

If an enrichment credit is declined with the message “Need Alternative Enrichment Credit Approval” students may resubmit the activity after applying for alternative status, receiving approval, and changing the date to the day after the activity took place. Deadlines still apply to resubmissions. (See below for how to apply for alternative enrichment credit status)

  • Deadline: The last day to submit enrichment chapel credits are as follows. All petitions must be submitted before midnight.

Fall 2011- Friday, December 9th. Spring 2012- Friday, May 4th.

Applying for Alternative Enrichment Status

Students participating in an SNU affiliated faith-based program or event not sponsored by Spiritual Development can apply for Enrichment Credit Status by submitting this FORM to the office of Spiritual Development. Off-campus programs and events are not eligible to receive alternative enrichment status. Applications should be submitted before the event and before a student submits an enrichment chapel credit online.

Guidelines for Alternative Enrichment Credit Status Approval:

  • Consistent Program: Eligible SNU programs should meet regularly and consistency with a clearly defined purpose and intent to foster spiritual growth and development through the studying scripture, by offering spiritual accountability and support. These programs must also have a SNU faculty or staff member who is willing to sign the application form and be recognized as the programs sponsor. (Such programs might include a weekly SNU athletic team bible study sponsored by a coach)
  • One Time Event: For an SNU event to be considered eligible it must have a distinct goal and spiritual objective that encourages spiritual growth and/or service from all participants. Events must also have an SNU faculty or Staff member who is willing to sign the application form and be recognized as the event sponsor. (An acceptable event could be an SNU dorm led community service project sponsored by a Resident Director)
  • Reminder: Programs and events MUST be affiliated with SNU to be considered eligible.

Evaluation

Students who do not earn the required 27 chapel credits per semester are subject to fines, probation and failure based on the following scale:

  • 27-33 credits   Pass
  • 22-26 credits   $20 fine per credit missed up to $100
  • 15-21 credits   Chapel Probation, $150 fine
  • 0-14 credits     Chapel Failure, $200 fine

Students with either 2 semesters of Chapel Failure, Three semesters of Chapel Probation or consecutive semesters of either Chapel Failure or Probation will be suspended from SNU for one Semester.
To request permission to re-enroll following the semester of ineligibility, a student must submit a written appeal, which will then be considered by Student Development/Spiritual Development administration or a designated committee.

Late Work

Students who wish to submit enrichment chapel credits are allowed to submit them for the month in which they occur. Students may submit up to 5 enrichment chapel credits per semester. No enrichment chapel credits will be accepted after December 9, 2011 (Fall Semester) or May 4, 2012 (Spring Semester). These deadlines include any enrichment chapel petitions that are being resubmitted with more information or with a newly approved alternative enrichment credit status.

Weekly Assignments

Chapel is held twice a week: Tuesday (10:50-11:35 AM); Thursday (10:50-11:35 AM). The weekly chapel schedule can be found on the Spiritual Development calendar. 

Disability Statement

If you need assistance with a learning, physical, or psychological disability that may affect your participation in chapel, please contact the Academic Center for Excellence, Disability Services at 717-6272. All students with disabilities are encouraged to seek assistance from ACE (LRC 325). In addition, specialized services are available for first-generation (neither parent earned a bachelor’s degree), low-income, disability and international students.