Last Monday, I met my Leisuretimers church group at the new Grace Chapel on the campus of Lenoir-Rhyne University, for a 1:30 tour. Our guide was Dr. Allen, our former interim pastor.
Planning for a chapel began in earnest in 2009 with a committee appointed to consider the location, design, and future use and function by not only the university, but community too. Dr. Allen was a member of that committee and an integral part of the plan coming together.
That committee fulfilled its mission and by 2011 the design and construction of Grace Chapel was ready to move forward. Work began in 2013 and within a year, this beautiful structure now sits in the geographic middle of the campus.
There are two altars in the chapel. The main altar is the focus for major services and is carved from oak. The Latin phrase, "Jesu Bone Pastor" meaning Jesus the Good Shepherd, is carved on the front apron. The marble altar located in the Daily Eucharist Chapel weighs in at over 800 pounds.
The 5'x4' icon in the narthex was created by Pastor Gary Safrit and is entitled Christ the Teacher. A banner was commissioned by a LRU alumni to honor the men and women serving in the military, especially her son. The list of distinctive gifts, purchases, and art-work is extensive.
The Chapel is open to the public daily from 9 to 5 and has a seating capacity of 400. What a blessing it is to have this chapel on the campus to enrich the lives of the students, faculty, and community!