The Christmas Worship Project

The Christmas Worship Project, a musical and worship service, took place last Monday, December 2. The service was in the brand new Sam’s Chapel in Pioneer Hall on the campus of Kansas Wesleyan University. Students and staff from the KWU music department, KWU theatre department, and Rise Up! performed in the project. 

Sam’s Chapel recently underwent a big renovation this fall. That story can be found here: Sams Chapel Re-opens – KWUStudentMedia

Many students from athletic teams, including the baseball, softball, and Women’s flag football teams, attended the service. 

Moved by Music

The project started at 7 with a reading from the KWU Theatre department taking about the Christmas story. After their reading, the KWU choir performed a couple of Christmas songs. Following the choir was the small group of students in Rise Up! who would perform songs for the rest of the evening. Rise Up students sang a couple more songs before the main message.

The Main Message

First, FCA coordinator Aarom Glendenning. He read from the passage in Luke 2. It follows the birth of Jesus and about the journey Joseph and Mary had to go on. He talked about how they were unable to find a room in the inn and had to go to an animal stall.

After the reading from Glendenning, Scott Jagodzinske, the campus minister, led the main message for the night. He opened with a video of students around campus talking about their favorite Christmas song. That led into his message about a specific song, O Holy Night. He talked about the origins of the song and how it was written by a man who was an athiest.

The main idea behind his message was the idea that we should be prepared to do something we never thought we might be called to do. Placide Cappeau, the author of the song, probably never thought he would write a Christmas song people would sing hundreds of years later. We, as well, need to have an open mind and heart about what our futures might hold. 

After the message, Rise Up performed their rendition of O Holy Night, followed by Silent Night as the last song of the night. 

Closing Message

Then, Student Success Advisor Brandon Cheeks closed out the service with a prayer emphasizing “reaching out to those who may be down this holiday season.” 

The featured musicians from the students and faculty are as follows: Hailey Summers, Taiton Reed, McKenna Minneman, Vy Le, Jacob Corman, Evan Burns, Gustavo do Carmo, and Leonardo Rosario. 

Not pictured was the conductor and director of vocal music, David Corman.