Prayer chapel work progresses

April 24, 2009

A sunny workday brought administrator and student volunteers together to erect the Prayer Chapel, a student-led initiative on Corban’s campus. Last November, a Prayer Chapel Committee of students and administrators formed to oversee the project. Later they joined with alumnus Tim Dixon (’92), a local contractor who has volunteered his time and has also facilitated much of the materials being donated.

ASB President David Collett said workday volunteers finished the framing and put the walls and trusses into place. Volunteers continue to drywall and roof the chapel this week.

Vice President for Student Life Nancy Hedberg relays, “It was great to spend time with students last Saturday at the building site. I’m grateful to Tim Dixon, who can work and talk at the same time—something I’ve never been able to master. He made it a learning experience.”

Hedberg also thanks Campus Care and the Prayer Chapel Committee for leadership, encouragement, and maintaining the momentum of the project. Committee members along with Hedberg include: David Collett, Timothy Dady, Zachary Elander, Megan Franklin, Jesse Hayes, Steve Hunt, Kent Kersey, and Lori Schilling.

Collett reported that the project has stayed on budget. Prayer chapel banks were placed across campus, and the effort has brought in a little over $3,000 in donations to date. 

The chapel effort has seen some modifications, though, over the months. Originally the committee planned to remodel a 10’ x 20’ mobile building, but it was more economical to build it from scratch, says Collett. They used salvaged and recycled wood for most of the structure, which was also green-conscientious. Another change was the location of the chapel. Its present location by Balyo Hall is more central to campus than the original location, and it also has better availability of electricity.

Being more central to campus will give better accessibility to the students, who may use the Prayer Chapel for both personal and small-group times of prayer and Bible study. Hedberg values it serving as “a place that is set apart for prayer and worship. A related aspect is that it will be a visual reminder of our priorities as a college.”

Hedberg continues, “When I was a freshman in college, there was a small prayer room at the end of the hall in my residence hall.  I spent a lot of time in that room pouring out my heart to God.  It was there I made a number of important decisions.  It is my hope that the Prayer Chapel here at Corban will provide that sort of haven for our students and that they will remember it as a place where they experienced life-changing moments with God.”